A number of blogs that I read posted articles about the new Gospel Coalition website.  The site holds a number of good resources, including the Themelios journal and a large selection of sermons/lectures by noted Bible scholars, pastors and teachers such as Don Carson, John Piper, Mark Dever, Philip Ryken and Tim Keller.

I’m learning as I read through a couple of the Themelios journal articles and I’ve bookmarked the site as an excellent audio resource.

This morning, my pastor preached a very profitable message entitled “Jesus: the Image of the Invisible God.”  [You can find the message here]  He thoroughly explained the concept of “image” (Greek: eikon) - something bearing a resemblance to something else by design.  The explanation was clear and contained appropriate cautions against errors on either side of the truth, but the application at the end was excellent.  Allow me to summarize what I gained from it:

God the Father is invisible.  No one has seen Him at any time (Jn. 1.18; I Jn. 4.12); He is invisible (Col. 1.15; I Tim. 1.17); in fact, He dwells in such light that He is humanly inaccessible (I Tim. 6.16).  How do we relate with such a transcendently holy God?  How do we know who He is, what He desire, how He feels, what He expects from us, how to relate to Him?  Through His Son - Jesus is the image of the invisible God (Col. 1.15), he exists in the form of God (Phil. 2.6) and he is the express image of God’s person (Heb. 1.3).  How do we know the Father?  By knowing the Son.  John 1.18 says that Jesus makes the Father known - that wasn’t just through verbal teaching; Jesus reveals the Father by being just like Him.

That’s why my recent post could look at an event in Jesus’ life and make conclusions about the Father’s character with seemingly no explicit connection.  This fact is the explicit connection!

John 11 tells the story of the death of Jesus’ friend Lazarus - and of his being raised from the dead.  I’ve read this story dozens of times and count myself very familiar with it.  But today I read it with an eye on the details of the narrative and I noticed something fresh.

Introduction

The narrative begins with Jesus and his disciples receiving news of Lazarus’ sickness (Jn. 11.3). Lazarus was in Bethany and Jesus was across the Jordan River. After waiting two days, Jesus tells the disciples that he is going to Bethany (Jn. 11.6-7). They immediately object: Bethany is only 2 miles from Jerusalem and the Jews there want to kill Jesus (Jn. 11.8). Jesus (knowing that his time to die has not yet come) goes anyway and is greeted with news of Lazarus’ death (which he already foreknew - Jn. 11.13).

Both Martha and Mary greet Jesus with affirmations of his ability to heal - “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (Jn. 11.21, 32).  After Jesus teaches the sisters and openly weeps, the story comes to a powerful close: Jesus prays aloud and commands Lazarus to come out of the grave.  When Lazarus (alive again) walks out of the tomb, Jesus tells the hearers to unbind him - the story ends right there.  No scene of joyous reunion, no recounting of Martha & Mary’s response, no description of the reaction of the crowd - just the miracle.  (The next paragraph does record the aftermath of this miracle, but in a summarizing, less narrative fashion.)

But their responses weren’t what caught my attention today; I noticed the responses of the other Jews around them, particularly their responses to Jesus’ weeping (Jn. 11.35).

The Important Question

Some of those friends/family/mourners saw Christ weeping and immediately sympathized with His emotion: “See how much he loved him!” (Jn. 11.36).  They connected on a human level with his concern and compassion.  The others saw Jesus weep and said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying? (Jn. 11.37).  They connected his tears with the emotion and condition that any of them (or us) might feel at a funeral.  Frequently, the tears shed at funerals reflect a sense of loss, sorrow and the realization that the departed loved one isn’t coming back.  To a degree, ordinary weeping communicates a feeling of helplessness - what’s happened grieves me, but I can’t change it!  That’s how these observers identified with Jesus: “he feels the same helpless sorrow we do.”  They ask, “He opened blind eyes, he ought to be able to heal the sick, right?”  In effect, they’re wondering, “If Jesus has such power, why is he just weeping - why can’t he do anything about it?”

The crowd’s reaction to Jesus’ tears highlights an important question for us today: is Jesus compassionate, loving and caring, but also weak, powerless and helpless?  Does God look out at the problems across the globe today (on personal, family, community, national and world-wide levels) and feel really sympathetic for people, while being unable to help?  People today ask the same question that was asked in John 11.37: “If God has the power to help, why does it look like he’s not helping?”  This passage answers that question: Jesus’ grief was sincere and deep, but it did not reflect any sort of weakness in him.  Jesus is concerned about us and he is capable of meeting our needs.  His hands are never tied so that he cannot respond to a problem.  He is loving and compassionate and he is able and powerful.

Application

As I thought about this lesson, I see two primary areas of application: how we pray, and how we face problems.  When I pray, I need to do so realizing that God isn’t just concerned to hear from me, but that he’s also capable of meeting my needs.  That’s what Peter means: “casting all your anxieties on [God], because he cares for you” (I Pet. 5.7).  God’s “care” isn’t simply emotional sympathy: it’s his ability to actually deal with all the anxieties that I cast on him!  We must pray with the confidence that the God who hears us is both concerned and capable.

As I look at difficulties that come my way, I don’t need to prepare myself to face them all on my own.  (That’s just worry, anyhow.)  I need to turn confidently to God: he loves me enough to protect and provide for me, and he is powerful enough to protect and provide.  When we humble ourselves and seek grace, we do so under the mighty hand of God (I Pet. 5.6).  We don’t seek grace from a God who really cares deeply but isn’t strong enough to help - we bow before a God who is almighty, who can do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think (Eph. 3.20)!

Trust God: he is loving and mighty!

I’ve got way too much - I really do.  America is arguably the wealthiest single nation on earth and I’ve lived here all my life.  Don’t get me wrong; I’m thankful.  I am grateful for what the Lord has given me.  I’ve got clothes (lots of them), food (in abundance and variety), housing, a job, a whole slew of extraneous things (computer, phone, etc), a small library and quite a number of non-material benefits.  And I’m thankful!  God has provided for my needs and allowed me to enjoy much that surpasses my needs!  So why would I start this post as though I have a problem?

Part of the new Handbooks for Old Testament Exegesis series, Mark D. Futato’s Interpreting the Psalms fills an important place on the shelf of the serious Bible student. Explaining and building on foundational principles, Futato takes the reader beyond a simplistic explanation of Hebrew poetry. He incorporates the results of current scholarship as he helps the reader unfold the meaning of the Psalms.

Futato’s interpretation of the Psalms is non-traditional, but valuable. He presents and defends his position that the primary purpose of the Psalms is instruction, not worship. The first two psalms form an introduction to the book. Psalm 1 presents the main purpose: the way of blessing (contrasted against the ungodly way) hinges on the Law (torah) of God. Psalm 2 sums up the main message: the Lord is king!

Building on this foundation, Futato lists and describes some of the overarching themes of Psalms and provides thematic categories for contextual interpretation. His emphasis on interpreting the Psalms in context covers all levels: historical, book, category and whole-Bible. Throughout this handbook, Futato repeatedly teaches contextual interpretation.

The book ends with an example: Futato practices what he teaches. The final chapter is an excellent exposition of the 29th psalm. Throughout the book, but in this chapter especially, I gleaned not only principles and concepts but also many insightful exegetical details.

I found Interpreting the Psalms to be very helpful and instructional. However, I recommend it with a few cautions. Mythopoeic language is an recurring topic in this book. Futato points out similarities between phrases used in Psalms and phrases used in other ancient Near East literature. In the last chapter, he allows that Psalm 29 may be a re-written song to Ba’al. Though suggestions like that are common in scholarship today, I’m a bit edgy around such claims. I’m certain that the Lord is greater than Ba’al and any other eastern deity, but I’m not convinced that David would take a pagan hymn and change the name at the top to “Yahweh.” My other dislike is his choice of English versions. Over 90% of the passages printed in this book are quoted from the NIV or NLT.

Beyond those disclaimers, I enjoyed and benefited from Interpreting the Psalms. In my opinion, it would make an excellent textboook for a seminary class on the Psalms or a valuable resource for a pastor in the ministry.

A week ago, I spoke at Mission Prayer Band about camp ministry - focusing on how to pray for those who serve at Christian camps.  In preparation for this, I put together a pamphlet of specific requests from several Christian camps I’m familiar with.  I’ll put the text below; you can download & print the pamphlet here, if you’d like.

AMAZING GRACE BAPTIST CAMP
Ottawa, KS            Aaron Burton, Director
www.agbcamp.org        agbcamp@agbcamp.org

1. Please pray for our staff (there are about 35 of us total, including both operational and counselors), that the Lord will glorify Himself through us and that His strength will be perfected in our weakness. Please pray for spiritual wisdom and sensitivity. Pray that our motivations will be completely to glorify God and not seeking our own pleasure.
2. Please pray for our campers (we typically have between 40-80 each week), that the Lord will work in each heart and that their hearts will be tender to God’s Word and that they will not just have a good time here at camp, but that they will grow to know and love Christ better. Please pray for spiritual and physical safety.

CAMP JOY
Whitewater, WI        Scott Hatchett, Director
www.campjoy.org        staff@campjoy.org

1. Construction work is in progress on the hillside cabins, which are in need of siding.
2. There has been much bad weather that could hinder a relaxing week for the attendees here at camp, so pray that the Lord would provide good weather.
3. Pray that the Lord would prevent any injuries during this week and summer.
4. We have room for more campers for the following camps: Junior Camps, Teen Camps, and Wilderness Camp.
5. Pray that the Lord would strengthen our staff – some have had health problems.
6. Pray for our staff to be a spiritual strength through their testimonies to others.

NORTHLAND CAMP
Dunbar, WI            Steve Pettit, Director
www.northlandcamp.org     office@northlandcamp.org
For our Speakers

• They prepare and preach the word, for clarity of speech and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
• Also, our speakers obviously have many other duties, so special prayer for them as they prepare and juggle all those responsibilities is greatly appreciated. Also most of them travel in Evangelism, so carry that burden of preparation as well.

For our Staff

• Servant-mindedness
• Good Health and Rest (when possible)
• Wisdom and discernment in counseling campers

For the Campers

• Salvation Decisions
• Understanding the teaching of the passage, that in salvation, the old man has been put off and the new man has been put on.  Understanding that now, they need to ‘Renew the mind’.
• That God would work in the family campers in salvation as well as the restoration of family relationships.
• Encouragement in the Christian walk/ministry.

SOUTHLAND CHRISTIAN CAMP
Ringgold, LA            Todd Sasek, Director
www.southlandcamp.org

1. Purchase of 160 acres of land to expand camping ministry.
2. Wisdom for our young staff this summer as they minister.
3. Financial provision for our staff to go back to school.
4. We are understaffed a little this summer. Pray that we will be effective and get needed rest on the weekends.
5. Pray for our evening services that begin each night at 8:30 (central).
6. Pray for godly, qualified staff for our future summers.

THE WILDS
Brevard, NC            Ken Collier, Director
www.wilds.org        info@wilds.org

1. CampsAbroad, the missions arm of THE WILDS, takes our camping philosophy to the foreign fields.
   Ken Hay and Dan Brooks are finishing up a camp in India this week (6/21). The roads out of the camp have been shut down and there is a possibility that they will need to leave by helicopter. This is very expensive.
   Matt Collier will be going to Uganda from June 30-July 7. He will spend the first week training the staff and the second week helping the missionary and nationals run camp.
2. We have over 1,000 campers and sponsors coming each week of this summer. Please pray for the summer staff to have opportunity to minister to them individually.
3. Pray for daily safety of our staff and campers.
4. Pray for hearts to be prepared to hear the various evangelists throughout the summer and that many will come to Christ or take the next spiritual step.
5. Pray for our one week of junior camp in New England in August. We are trying to establish a camp in New Hampshire and have had years of wading through permits, etc. We are presently renting a camp for one week in the summer.

Brian Collins recently pointed out a connection between the words “glory” and “image” in the NT - a relationship between God’s glory and his image.  I posted a comment on his blog, since it’s somewhat long, I thought I’d post it here.

Brian listed these passages in the article: I Cor. 11.7; II Cor. 3.18; Rom. 8.29-30; II Cor. 4.4-6; Rom. 1.23; 3.23.

Here’s my comment:

My thought on the relationship stems from the definitions Jaeggli gives for “holiness” and “glory,” namely, that God’s holiness is the sum of his attributes, his unique character, and that God’s glory is what men see of his holiness, when they interact with that holiness (unique character).

To bring that into this question, it struck me that God’s image in man (men being, in some way, like God) has much to do with God’s holy character reflected in us. That was the primary change after the Fall - redemption history tells the story of God restoring his image in us - making us more like him. Moral character is the foremost component of that restoration.

Ideally, no redeemed person displays God’s holiness in a vacuum - people see God’s likeness in believers. That display of God’s likeness/image is glory - God is glorified in us, we glorify him, etc. His image is displayed to men.

In the verses above, we find references to “beholding” God’s glory and to that glory shining like sunlight. Our interaction with God’s holy image results in his glory reflected in us.

I could describe it in three steps:

1. God is holy - his nature/characteristics are unique.
2. We see (interact with and respond to) God’s holiness: glory.
3. This produces a second glory when others see the first glory (his likeness in us).

There is a fair bit of overlap of terms in this idea, but I think that’s approriate - the two words are used almost synonymously in I Cor 11.7.

This is just a tentative suggestion - there is something to God’s image/likeness that’s more than just moral (as is evidenced by the general statement in I Cor. 11.7 above).

If anyone has thoughts or responses to this suggestion, I’d love to get your feedback in a comment.

I like Firefox 3.0, particularly for its speed and Awesome Bar.  However, I do not like the fact that all the bookmarks in my Bookmarks Toolbar open up in the current tab.  I want them to open in a new tab.  I used the Tab Mix Plus extension to accomplish this in Firefox 2.x, but that extension isn’t compatible with 3.0.  Today Google helped me find a (mildly involved, but not too terribly difficult) fix for that problem.

1. Download and install UserChrome extension: http://mozilla.zeniko.ch/userchrome.js.xpi - this will allow Firefox to open/run the next files.
2. Restart Firefox.
3. Copy two JavaScript files (userChrome.js and OpenInTab.uc.js) into your Firefox chrome folder.  See path below:
   C:\Documents and Settings\[Windows login/user name]\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\[profile folder]\chrome
4. When you copy the files, a dialog box will ask you about replacing the existing userChrome.js file - yes, you need to replace it.
5. Restart Firefox.

Now all your bookmarks (in the menu or in the bookmarks toolbar) should open in new tabs.

One caveat: a comment on the original page claimed that this doesn’t work on Mac OS X, but I haven’t tried on my MacBook yet - I’ll try that tonight or tomorrow.

I just loosened up the comment feature for all to (appropriately) enjoy.  My apologies to anyone whose desire to comment on a post was repelled by the “you must register first” message.  Comments are now open and welcome.  I don’t just want to post into the great blogosphere of no return - I’d love to get feedback from my readers (and Google Analytics tells me that there are a few of you - it even organizes you by your shoe size).

Thanks!

There are some excellent hiking trails not far from Greenville. Table Rock State Park has a 3.6mi (one-way) trail that goes up to the Table Rock Summit at 3124ft. I hiked that with a group of friends last weekend. There are several really scenic overlooks along the hike - we looked out over miles of beautiful countryside and all of the beauty of creation and praised God for his handiwork!

Here are some of the pictures: