What Kind of Religion Is This?

In a sermon Dick Lucas once preached, he recounted an imaginary conversation between an early Christian and her neighbor in Rome...

"Ah," the neighbor says. "I hear you are religious! Great! Religion is a good thing. Where is your temple or holy place?"

"We don't have a temple," replies the Christian. "Jesus is our temple."

"No temple? But where do your priests work and do their ritual?"

"We don't have priests to mediate the presence of God," replies the Christian. "Jesus is our priest."

"No priests? But where do you offer your sacrifices to acquire the favor of your God?"

"We don't need a sacrifice," replies the Christian. "Jesus is our sacrifice."

"What kind of religion is this?" sputters the pagan neighbor.

And the answer is, it's no kind of religion at all.

-Tim Keller

Thai Missionaries: You will either be faithful or be popular

"To preach salvation by good works is to flatter people and so avoid opposition.

This may seem to some to pose the alternative too starkly. But I do not think so. All Christian preachers have to face this issue.

Either we preach that human beings are rebels against God, under his just judgment and (if left to themselves) lost, and that Christ crucified who bore their sin and curse is the only available Saviour.

Or we emphasize human potential and human ability, with Christ brought in only to boost them, and with no necessity for the cross except to exhibit God’s love and so inspire us to greater endeavour.

The former is the way to be faithful, the latter the way to be popular.

It is not possible to be faithful and popular simultaneously. We need to hear again the warning of Jesus: ‘Woe to you when all men speak well of you’ (Lk. 6:26). By contrast, if we preach the cross, we may find that we are ourselves hounded to the cross.

John Stott

To belong to Jesus is to embrace the nations...

A Prayer For Our Thai Missionaries

“God save you from the sin of paring down the gospel to suit the pride of men. God grant that you may deliver your message straight and full and plain. Only so, whatever else you may sacrifice, will you have one thing — the favor of the Lord Jesus Christ.” J. Gresham Machen (1881-1937)

William Carey's 11 Commandments for Missions

William Carey is considered to be the father of the modern-day missionary enterprise. He was a pioneer missionary in India. Carey had 11 Commandments for Missionaries. Here they are in order:

1. Set an infinite value on immortal souls.

2. Gain all the information you can about “the snares and delusions in which these heathens are held.”

3. Abstain from all English manners which might increase prejudice against the gospel.

4. Watch for all opportunities for doing good, even when you are tired and hot.

5. Make Christ crucified the great subject of your preaching.

6. Earn the people’s confidence by your friendship.

7. Build up the souls that are gathered.

8. Turn the work over to “the native brethren” as soon as possible.

9. Work with all your might to translate the Bible into their languages. Build schools to this end.

10. Stay alert in prayer, wrestling with God until he “famish these idols and cause the heathen to experience the blessedness that is in Christ.”

11. Give yourself totally to this glorious cause. Surrender your time, gifts, strength, families, the very clothes you wear.

HT: Ray Ortlund

Meeting Time for Thailand

Please note the correction to the itinerary. We will be meeting at the airport, terminal 3, at 10pm on Friday, February 25. Our flight takes off on Saturday, February 26 at 1:30 am.

See you then!

Thailand 2011

The 2011 Senior Missions Team is headed to Thailand. We leave for Thailand on February 26 at 1:30am. Lord willing, we will return on March 11. Please keep the team in your prayers.