January 15, 2014

Grace Baptist Church, 4737 W. 4100 S., West Valley City, UT 84120 www.graceutah.com grace@graceutah.com (801) 968-4843

Points to Ponder

By Matt Johnson In the excellent book, Why We Love the Church, authors Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck seek to write to those who seem to have reacted against the Christian religion in such a way that they depart from the church and all of its formal tendencies. A large part of the book is devoted to addressing some of the complaints against the church as well as illogical and unbiblical reasoning used by some to justify disconnecting from the local assembly and notably the actual assembling in a corporate way. I recommend the book mostly because there are many detractors from corporate church that seem to discount thousands of years of Gods redemptive history in our world for the sake of trendiness and capitulation to so-called relevance and creativeness. This book is Biblical and well-written and has a good intentioned sarcasm which cuts to the heart of, welldissatisfied hearts. The fourth chapter is titled Appetite for Deconstruction: Why church is boring, Christians are [insert: lame, close-minded, or cliquish], and the church doesnt care about [insert: my issue]. Why all of this is both true and untrue. (That is a really long chapter title). In this chapter, author Ted Kluck writes something that arrested my attention, and I believe, he nails a fundamental reason why those who think like the title, indeed do have something to gripe about. But it is not that we need to spice things up and cater to what the dissatisfied desires, rather Kluck makes this point. Church isnt boring because were not showing enough film clips, or because we play an organ instead of a guitar. Its boring because neuter it of its importance. (p. 102). That statement hit me first with a strong nod of approval and then hit me with a harsh dose of convicting reality. He is absolutely right! To the shame of Christianity, we have often sought to overcome the offense of the cross and Gods truth by minimizing its clarity, by elevating peripheral issues or in some cases by even apologizing for the hard truths of Scripture; and we have wondered why the world doesnt respect us nor the message we claim. Truly it is not about them respecting us, but maybe our neighbors and friends are so unconcerned about us or our message because we have been so afraid of causing some offense or pain that we have removed all sense of urgency or relevance to the message we claim.

Maybe the reason the world cares little for Jesus is because we have deemphasized the absolute desperate situation they are in as vile sinners and have presented to them a Jesus who demands little attention and provokes no response. And perhaps, as we have done that with the Gospel (so as not to make too many waves) we have also done so with the church. Just as many have made conversion (and that word is not very tolerant today) out to be a take it or leave it opportunity for the seeker, we have made covenant community within the visible bride of Christ of no difference. As a result, people rarely feel like they need to assemble to worship and hear from God, but instead place it on their life list as an acceptable part of life so long as it is convenient, demands little commitment and fits their particular tastes. By catering to the whims of attendees (no longer members), by changing styles to suit demographics, by being certain to never do anything or say anything that might be uncomfortable, we have essentially told ourselves, or at least provided the example, that we, the individual are the most important element of the worship of the church. I believe Mark Dever said something to the effect that in seeking to make church comfortable, we have made it unnecessary. But we must understand, God doesnt need our gathered, corporate worship. God doesnt need to hear his Word preached, he doesnt even need to hear our prayers. He doesnt have a bad week and get cheered up because he hears us sing over and over again about how we love him and will praise him. He needs nothing; He is God! But we need to gather to hear qualified men expound Gods Word to us with depth and quality and clarity. We need to gather to remember with our lives the sacrifice of Christ. We need to sing and hear one another glorify God with song. We need to pray and hear prayers of theological importance that practically drive us to Gods throne. We need to give regularly and sacrificially so that we are not tempted with covetousness. We need to smile at each other, shake hands, and seek to encourage and exhort each other. In short, when we forsake the assembling (formal gathering) by not coming away from our profane (read: ordinary) lives to hear from God, lift each other up and serve Christ, we are forsaking our own happiness, necessity, and eternal joy. Beloved, church meetings are not about our glory, but they are most certainly for our eternal good. Love the church AND her gatherings!

Jesus, Whose Blood So Freely Streamed Jesus, whose blood so freely streamed To satisfy the laws demand; By Thee from guilt and wrath redeemed, Before the Fathers face I stand. To reconcile offending man, Make Justice drop her angry rod; What creature could have formed the plan, Or who fulfill it but a God? No drop remains of all the curse, For wretches who deserved the whole; No arrows dipped in wrath to pierce The guilty, but returning soul. Peace by such means so dearly bought, What rebel could have hoped to see? Peace by his injured Sovereign wrought, His Sovereign fastened to a tree. Now, Lord, Thy feeble worm prepare! For strife with earth and hell begins; Conform and gird me for the war; They hate the soul that hates his sins. Let them in horrid league agree! They may assault, they may distress; But cannot quench Thy love to me, Nor rob me of the Lord my Peace. -William Cowper-

Jan. 16 (Thurs.)Senior Saints Lunch at 12:00 noon at GBC. Jan. 16 (Thurs.)Ladies Fellowship at 7:00 pm at GBC. Jan. 19 (Sun.)Discover Grace Lunch after morning worship. No evening worship. Jan. 24 (Fri.)Young Adult Fellowship Contact: Jarrod Murdock Jan.26 (Sun.)Annual Members Meeting at 6:00 pm.

Is what you are living for Worth Christ dying for? -Leonard Ravenhill-