How To Tie a Bow Tie & Windsor Knot Instructions & Streaming Video - Beau Ties Ltd.

How To Tie a Bow Tie & Windsor Knot Instructions & Streaming Video - Beau Ties Ltd.

If you are like me and have trouble tying a bow tie properly, here is some help. Just some heads up - Macky Price is coming back this Summer. How cool it would be for him to come see a few more men in a bow tie. Any takers?

Truth on Trial - Sunday Morn. Sermon 3/27/11

John 18:12-24, "Truth on Trial" continues the exposition from John's Gospel, where after the arrest of Jesus, he is brought before the High Priest Annas and questioned. The Christian Faith invites honest questions, but it is always dangerous to be standing in judgment over truth.

Time & Eternity

Ecclesiastes 3: 11
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

“I know what time is until someone asks me to define it.” St. Augustine


We are told in Ecclesiastes that God is at work in time bringing about His good purpose in our lives (see also Rom. 8:28). While we are confined to time, as creatures in time, we have been given an inward sense of eternity. This means that time has significance for the Christian in light of eternal reality. Here are a couple of things to note about what the Bible teaches us about time.

Time is always experienced as now. Time is just the successive events of what we experience as now. Right now as you read this, wherever you are, you are in the now of time. When we look back at what has just happened, it now belongs to the past. The future is still to come. For Christians the future is anticipated as a glorious hope. We have hope because we know that God has all time in His hand, and we have the promise of His salvation, which entails, the past, the present and the future. As Paul states in Titus: “a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time.” (Titus 2). Therefore time is a gift and not a right. C.S. Lewis wrote in the Screwtape Letters about the man who thought “time was his own,” and was very distraught over those “interruptions” that “stole” his time away. Looking forward to a quiet evening at home and then interrupted by an unexpected visitor. Feeling that his time was stolen, this is thought as an intrusion into his rights. For the believer, God has given us time as a gift and there are no claims to our time. It is God’s time. Where you are now, and whatever interruptions or the persons who needs you now, is not a violation of your rights, but an invitation to live in God’s now.

There are two Greek words for time used in the New Testament. One is the word Kronos, which means measured time, or calendar time. It is where we get the word chronology. The second word is Kairos; it is not measured time, but momentous time. It is the time not measured or predictable, but the opportunities God gives us to obey, to respond to Christ, to say yes to God. It is the word most used in the New Testament.


The pop rock group, Chicago in one of their songs asked the question, “does anyone really know what time it is?” For the Christian, that is not the primary question. What is important is what you are doing with “your” time. Right now is God’s time and it belongs to Him.

The Betrayal - a sermon teaser from Mar. 20

This morning’s text is the beginning of John’s Passion – it is the term used to describe the series of events that leads up to the crucifixion of Jesus. Of course, Mel Gibson’s version of the passion focused on the physical violence of Jesus’ death, as well other films.
We must point out, that the book is far better than the movie – on many counts. In fact, most of the information put into a visual clip is at best partial if not misleading. As Reformed minded believers, we know that for other reasons, a visual gospel can never do justice to the audible and written word. It is the Word that is inspired.
Our visual oriented culture might have difficulty grasping the power of this, but it is the Word which is blessed by God, and used to open hearts, where the Spirit works to bring new life. It is the Written Word of God that is God- breathed and powerful – “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Heb. 4:12
We also have four gospel accounts, each powerful and descriptive of the one event, each giving a glimpse and insight into the movement of Jesus towards the Cross. John gives us dramatic detail of the Garden arrest. Jesus and his disciples had crossed the Kidron Valley towards Jerusalem.
Like King David, who with his men had gone into exile, was now returning to claim his kingdom. “Now Judas, the betrayer, knew the place, because he had met with his disciples there often.” It was no accident that Jesus was there – it was a divine arrangement.
Judas did not come alone. He brought what must have been a large company of Temple servants and Roman soldiers – caring torches and weapons. The two groups who would later trump up charges in their respective courts were ready for a fight. They might have encountered armed resistance.
What John wrote next is powerful.
John 18:4 (ESV)
Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, "Whom do you seek?"
You see, Jesus knew. He did not need to ask the question.
He already knew the answer, not because it was a good hunch, but he knew why Judas left the table. He knew what Satan put into his heart.
He knew the reason the High Priest sent the guards. He knew why the Pharisees conspired with the Sadducees. He knew why it was there in a garden that he was betrayed. It was because he knew his mission from before Adam and the rest of man betrayed the honor, the goodness and the love of God in the Garden of Eden.
This was why he was sent from the bosom of the Father – he was sent not to be loved, but to be rejected – to face the worst kind of rejection – betrayal - the kiss on the cheek that says with cruel hatred – I wish you dead.
And Jesus was still willing to enter the fray of betrayal and hatred – of men’s love for sin and rejection of all that is holy.
Jesus always knew his destiny - He left the bosom of the Father – the glory of heaven – as God in the flesh to enter our world of sin - he went willingly.

Japan's Crisis

All MTW missionaries and OPC missionaries are safe. We have heard from the Newsomes and the Wilsons and they are doing well, but ask for our prayers. I’ve include in this grid excerpts from two letters to give you information to help you pray for the great need in Japan.
MTW LetterWe write to request urgent prayer for the nation of Japan. You are, no doubt, watching the crisis unfold following the 8.9 Richter Scale earthquake that hit on Friday afternoon local time. We are grateful that our missionaries and their families are safe, but they are also grieving for this country whose people they love. MTW will be working with them in preparing a response, and as soon as that is clear, we will make that information available. Japan is 14 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time, so we hope our missionaries are getting much needed sleep at this moment. One missionary has said that their family is sleeping in their clothes (as much as sleep is possible) in case they need to flee their homes in the midst of powerful aftershocks.

For prayer:
• Praise for the safety of all MTW missionaries
• Love and comfort for grieving families
• Rescue for those who may be trapped
• Safety from aftershocks, which have been quite large
• Shelter for those whose homes are destroyed
• Wisdom and clarity for MTW regarding our response
• Restoration of power and communications

Most of all, however, pray this will be an open door for the gospel, that missionaries and national believers will be able to show the love of Christ to those around them. Relationships are critical in Japanese culture, so pray this crisis opens new doors that could make many more relationships possible.
From Dan Iverson – MTW Area Director and 24 year missionary veteran of JapanThe stats on Japan's spiritual poverty, and especially the affected area:
The areas affected by the earthquake and tsunamis of Miyagi, Fukushima, and Ibaraki are some of the most spiritually needy places in Japan. With over 4.9 million people yet only about 9,000 active Christians (about 0.15%; about 1/6 of 1%). Fukushima has the lowest average worship attendance in all of Japan with only 19 per church. There are is one city and 44 towns with no church at all. There are 86 missionaries (adults, including husband and wife) assigned to these prefectures.
One town in Ibaraki has over 46,000 people with no church (OperJpn 24) and several others have over 24,000 people with no churches. Average attendance for all the churches in Japan is the lowest in Fukushima prefecture. Ibaraki prefecture has the least number of people claiming to have any religious beliefs.

The Unity of Love - Sunday Mar. 13, Sermon

John 17:20-26 - Sermon Series in the Gospel of John - 3rd part of the High Priestly prayer of Jesus.
What kind of unity does Jesus pray for in this passage? Do you know that Jesus is praying for the church and for each believer? Love and unity are two important marks of a true Christian. Click on the link above to listen to Pastor Todd's message.

The Grace of Being Chosen

Romans 9:11-16 (ESV)
though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of his call— [12] she was told, "The older will serve the younger." [13] As it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
[14] What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! [15] For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." [16] So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
That’s not fair, you say? How can God pick one and pass by another on no other basis than that which God wants? Perhaps no other doctrine in the Bible gets as much bad publicity and outright scoffing as the teaching of divine election, sometimes called “unconditional election.” Yes, we must admit it goes against what we often think of fairness and impartiality. But, if we look further into this moral dilemma something comes into greater focus. When we think about fairness, we must assume that there is such a thing as justice. Unfairness presumes that justice exists or else it would not make sense. Now what do we mean by justice? Who decides what is just? Do you see where I am going? God is the supreme Judge and He decides what is Just and fair, but this is not arbitrary. God is infinite and holy in His justice. Do we want justice? If you assume with the Bible that all have sinned and deserve hell, it is not justice we ought to cry for. We need mercy in infinite measure. How can we know that we get mercy? What is the measuring rod for my knowing I get enough mercy and grace to be redeemed? I hope it is not my works and my attempts to be holy enough.

Peace can flood my soul when I look to the fact that my salvation is based on God’s choice and free grace and not my abilities. Don’t scoff at a teaching that may challenge our views and thoughts, but bow before the sheer majesty of this God who shows mercy to creatures like us who deserve a severe justice apart from Christ. The Cross stands as a reminder that God’s justice was done and we can receive a severe mercy. It is the electing love of God that assures me of that mercy and not my feeble grasp of it.

Calvin comments on this passage:
“Now, by adding, not through works, but through him who calls, he means, not on account of works, but of the calling only; for he wishes to exclude works altogether. We have then the whole stability of our election inclosed in the purpose of God alone: here merits avail nothing, as they issue in nothing but death; no worthiness is regarded, for there is none; but the goodness of God reigns alone. False then is the dogma, and contrary to God’s word, - that God elects or rejects, as he foresees each to be worthy or unworthy of his favor.” (pg. 351 – Commentary on Romans).

Tullian on Horton's law/Gospel

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This definition and clarification from Michael Horton in his latest Systematic Theology (which is by the way great. But a little more heady than Grudem's book, so it may not be as popular.) and is a good follow up to my sermon http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20036692/Sermons%20%40%20FPC/A%20New%20Heart%2C%20A%20New%20Law.MP3.

A New Heart, A New Law - Sun. Evening Sermon

Jeremiah 31:31-34 - The New Covenant of Grace. Understanding the covenants is central to knowing how God relates to his people to redeem them. Here I take time to delve into the reality of God's covenant of grace at work in both the Old and New Testaments.

Mar.6, Sunday Morning Sermon - Pastor Todd

Psalm 32 - The Experience of Forgiveness. What if you knew the one thing to do that would radically change your life and your relationships? Would you do it? The confessing of our sins is the first step in life-giving vital relationship with God. It begins with being honest, which only God's Spirit can grant, because we are by nature in total self-denial.

John Owen on the Mortification of Sin

I've been reading John Owen's work called The Mortification of Sin. For years, I've put off reading it, cause'...well, it just sounds morbid and dull. Let me say, that after reading a few chapters, it is a wellspring of life. He is exactly right about the need to "kill sin or it will kill you." This is not a guilt-laden call for doing a Protestant version of crawling on your bare knees up the stony steps of St. Peters. It is a sound biblical call to live in the power of the Spirit.

null - by Kevin DeYoung

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click on null for the article by DeYoung.

My recent sermons on both Jeremiah and the Gospel of John hint at the distinction between two kinds of views about cultural engagement. Kevin DeYoung does a good job of making clear the two main views in the Reformed camps. I think he is right on target about the two kingdoms approach, as well as cautioning us about the pitfalls for either side. This is a key debate today addressing how Christians are to engage in the world. I think behind these two views are those who hold to a amillenial view for the two kingdoms and a postmillenial for the neo-Kuyperian view.