Albert Mohler on John 15:18-27
In a recent sermon on John 15:18-27, Albert Mohler reflects on what it means to be hated by the world.
A mighty balsa wood boat
“As Paul prepared to leave the church elders in Ephesus, his love for the church, anxiety about what would come, and sorrow at his departure brought forth tears. Presumably he was leaving a tiny group of people behind, a small boat afloat in a sea of paganism.
Paul obviously believed that God was doing a great work there, but that’s not what it may have looked like. In this group of people, God’s great work in gospelling the world and bringing them to salvation was going ahead – but if you were to look at the actual people and what actually occurred, it must have seemed like a balsa wood boat adrift on a sea that was threatening to swallow it up.
If you ever get the chance to do ‘last words’, you generally choose significant ones. The last words of the apostle to the eldership of the Ephesian church are no different…”
– A most encouraging word from Peter Jensen, based on Acts 20, given at the 2014 Nexus Conference.
Halloween and the Dark Side — What should Christians think?
“The coming of Halloween is a good time for Christians to remember that evil spirits are real and that the Devil will seize every opportunity to trumpet his own celebrity…”
– Albert Mohler asks how Christians should respond to Halloween.
Free Reformation Day resources from Ligonier Ministries
“In celebration of Reformation Day, for the first time ever we’re replacing our usual $5 Friday sale with Free Reformation Day Friday.
Until 11:59pm ET on Friday, October 31, 2014, [2:59pm AEST Saturday, November 01] you can download the following digital resources for free.”
– A generous gift. eBooks, plus audio and video resources on the Reformation, with a focus on Martin Luther and John Calvin. (Around 2GB in total.)
Senator encourages involvement in Solidarity Sunday
Senator David Fawcett spoke yesterday about the persecution of religious minorities, particularly Christians, under ISIL, and informed the Senate of Solidarity Sunday. (YouTube.)
Pray for Christians who are ‘living in Babylon’ this weekend
Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, International Director of Barnabas Fund, calls for prayer for persecuted Christians on the Barnabas Fund Day of Prayer, this Saturday, November 1st:
“The fires of anti-Christian persecution rage on around the world. Through most of the Middle East, and in large parts of Africa and Asia, our brothers and sisters continue to suffer discrimination, ill-treatment and violence because of their love for Christ. Research has estimated that around 200 million Christians – about 10% of the total number – are disadvantaged, harassed or actively oppressed for their faith…”
See also www.livinginbabylon.org
And the Australian Christian Lobby is calling for churches to stand in prayer with their persecuted brothers and sisters on November 2nd – Solidarity Sunday.
The heavens declare
Beautiful images of the Earth, as seen from just beyond the Moon, taken by China’s unmanned lunar mission.
The State of Theology
Ligonier Ministries surveyed 3,000 US adults about what they believe.
While the Australian context is not quite the same, it’s worth taking the time to look at the results and hearing R C Sproul discuss them.
Defence Sunday 2014
Anglican Chaplains to Australian Defence Force would appreciate your prayers – and “Defence Sunday” (November 9th, the Sunday closest Remembrance Day) would be a good time to focus on them and those to whom they minister.
Various resources are available via the Defence Anglicans website, including Remembrance Day Prayers, Bible Readings, and Resources. with audio files of the Last Post and other music.
Are there Three Ways to Live?
“There are only two ways to live: one leads to death, the other to eternal life.
However, Christians share with non-Christians a great desire to find a third way…”
– Phillip Jensen writes in his weekly column for the Cathedral.
70 years ago today: The conversion of J. I. Packer
“On Sunday, October 22, 1944—seventy years ago today—it is doubtful that anyone noticed a soft-spoken, lanky, and decidedly bookish first-year university student leaving his dormitory room at Corpus Christi College and heading across Oxford for an evening Christian Union service at a local Anglican church.
18-year-old Jim Packer had arrived at Oxford University less than three weeks prior, a single suitcase in hand, traveling east by train from Gloucester using a free ticket available to family members of Great Western Railway employees…”
– Justin Taylor fittingly marks the anniversary.
(Photo: Dr. Packer, right, with David Short, in Vancouver three years ago.)
Who or what defines the Anglican Communion?
“In an interview with the editor of the Church Of Ireland Gazette (Canon Ian Ellis), the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, has given his opinion on what defines a church as part of the Anglican Communion, and therefore, by implication, what is critical for Anglican identity…”
– SydneyAnglicans.net published this piece by Moore College Principal mark Thompson shortly before Synod. Take the time to read it all.
George Whitefield College newsletter
George Whitefield College’s latest newsletter (November 2014) has just been released.
You can download it as a 2MB PDF file.
Preaching 2 Samuel – The Possibilities and The Difficulties
Past Principal of Moore College, John Woodhouse, is leading a workshop to help improve your preaching.
At Moore College on Wednesday 26th November. Details and registration here.
Sermons are ‘fair game’ in Houston
“When news broke earlier this week that the attorneys working for the City of Houston had issued subpoenas to pastors for sermons, I was fairly certain that some mistake had been made. When the actual text of the subpoena came to me, I could hardly believe my eyes.
Here was a legal demand, sent to Christian pastors in the name of one of America’s largest cities, to surrender ‘all speeches, presentations, or sermons related to HERO (an anti-discrimination ordinance), the Petition, Mayor Annise Parker, homosexuality, or gender identity prepared by, delivered by, revised by, or approved by you or in your possession.’
That subpoena is nothing less than ruthless thuggery …”
– Albert Mohler looks at the real warning in the big story out of Houston.
Also Bishop David Anderson, of the American Anglican Council, comments.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…