The Look
“For years, I heard C.J. Mahaney reference a John Newton hymn that began with the lines, ‘In evil long I took delight.’
Newton imagines the Savior looking down at him twice from the cross. The first look communicates our guilt and responsibility for the death of Christ. The second look assures us that this sacrifice forever secures our forgiveness before God.”
– Bob Kauflin writes about “The Look” (it’s been out for a while on Sovereign Grace Music’s “Songs for the Cross Centered Life”) – and also provides a free download.
And – much thanks to Marylynn Rouse of The John Newton Project – here is the original hymn in Newton’s own handwriting (Hymn number 309). She suspects Newton was strongly affected by hearing George Whitefield preach on “the look” of Jesus towards Peter – Newton uses it several times in Olney Hymns. She confirms, from his diary, that Newton wrote the hymn for Sunday 5 April 1778.
The Gutenberg Bible
“The Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas in Austin contains a copy of what many people consider the most valuable book in the world. The Gutenberg Bible is not only the oldest surviving book to be printed using moveable type, but also the first complete book to be produced with that technology…”
– Canadian Tim Challies has been surveying the History of Christianity in 25 Objects. This week, he turns to the Gutenberg Bible.
An introduction to the series, and a list of the posts so far, is here.
Going without in a time of plenty
“Joint research launched 8 May by ANGLICARE Sydney, the Samaritans Foundation and Anglicare NSW South, NSW West and ACT has revealed the extent of hardship for low income households accessing their Emergency Relief (ER) services.
Of the people surveyed who accessed these ER services, 98% were found to be food insecure and 82.2% were severely food insecure. This means that they were not sure where their next meal was coming from or they were unable to provide food for their family on a regular basis. …”
– Read it all at Anglicare Sydney.
The Lifeguard
“The day had seemed to start quite well,
The ‘sea of life’ a gentle swell.
When all at once I felt a change,
The world around was growing strange. …”
– Take the time to read “The Lifeguard”, by John Richardson.
On the elimination of the suffering
“Why is it, as soon as we see someone suffering, that we so quickly think of eliminating the sufferer?
Is it that we think that their suffering is so bad that they would be better off dead than to continue as they are?
Or is it that we are fearful that their suffering would only increase if they were to continue to live in a society which is unwilling to change so that their needs will be met? Or are we concerned that we would suffer because of them?…”
– Dr Megan Best asks some challenging questions in this article at SydneyAnglicans.net. (Photo: Matthias Media.)
Euthanasia lives again
“On Thursday 2nd May 2013, the NSW Greens MLC, Cate Faehrmann, introduced to the NSW Parliament’s upper house a bill to make assisted suicide legal in this State, under certain conditions. It is a private members’ bill, which she has given a speech to commend. MLCs will likely debate it again next Thursday 9th May.
The Bill will make it lawful for persons with a terminal illness who are resident in NSW to receive assistance in certain circumstances if they wish to end their life. That is, it will legalise a form of euthanasia in NSW. …”
– Andrew Cameron from the Social Issues Executive of the Diocese of Sydney draws attention to what’s happening in NSW State Parliament (PDF file).
On the same PDF file, there’s also an excellent resource – Notes on the Rights of the Terminally Ill Bill 2013 – from Dr. Megan Best (pictured).
See further material relating to Euthanasia, on the SIE website – and we have links to more here.
Your church is too small
“I decided to go along to the week-long convention to get a feel for where Hillsong was up to. I went expecting a fairly different experience to my normal church life—and sure enough, it was an astonishing few days.”
– The Briefing Editor Sam Freney shares his reflections from the most recent Hillsong Conference in Sydney. (Image: The Briefing.)
Persecution in 1 Peter — Preaching Matters
Andrew Sach talks about the meaning of ‘fiery trials’ in 1 Peter in the latest Preach Matters video from St. Helen’s Bishopsgate in London.
Great for thinking about applying 1 Peter today.
‘Why Expository Preaching is a bad idea’
Albert Mohler, at a 9 Marks conference at Southern Seminary, traces the history of the loss of confidence in preaching the text of the Bible. Well worth listening.
(h/t Colin Adams.)
Opposing Euthanasia
“Euthanasia is being pushed again in NSW. There’s a lot more that could be said, but here’s what I’m sending to my local MPs…”
–Sandy Grant writes at The Briefing.
This is after news that the Rights of the Terminally Ill Bill 2013 may be introduced into the Legislative Council of the NSW Parliament as a private members bill tomorrow – Thursday, 2 May 2013 – by the NSW Greens MLC, Cate Faehrmann.
(Image: Feggy Art on Flickr.)
The Stewardship of Words
“Truth, life, and health are found in the right words. Lies, disaster, and death are found in the wrong words. …
Theological education is a deadly serious business. The stakes are so high. A theological seminary that serves faithfully will be a source of health and life for the church, but an unfaithful seminary will set loose a torrent of trouble, untruth, and unhealth upon Christ’s people…”
– In this excerpt from an address at the inauguration of a Seminary President, Albert Mohler speaks of the key task of theological education.
It’s also a good reminder to pray for Moore College, and for Mark Thompson as he becomes Principal later this month. His Installation is on Thursday 6th June.
The Once and Future Scriptures
“Over the past decade or so some really very fine books on the nature and use of Scripture have been produced. My mind immediately runs to Tim Ward’s Words of Life: Scripture as the Living and Active Word of God (Nottingham: IVP, 2009), John Webster’s Holy Scripture: A Dogmatic Sketch (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004), and Graeme Goldsworthy’s Gospel-centred Hermeneutics (Nottingham: IVP, 2006).
Perhaps surprisingly, these have all been written by Anglicans (and other Anglicans could have been added to the list). Even more surprisingly, none of these have been referenced in the collection of essays recently produced by a group of Brisbane Anglicans entitled The Once and Future Scriptures: Exploring the Role of the Bible in the Contemporary Church (Salem: Polebridge, 2013). In fact, a lot of recent serious scholarship on the doctrine of Scripture and its place in the Christian life and the life of the churches is missing from the book…”
– Dr Mark Thompson’s review of a new book gives an insight into what some Australian Anglicans are being taught about the Bible.
Keeping the gospel in your sights in pastoral ministry
“Late last year, our ministry team looked at 1 Timothy 3 and 4. We noticed how, smack bang in the middle of these chapters on Christian leadership, is “the mystery of godliness”: that is, Christ our Saviour (1 Tim 3:16 cf 4:10). In other words, to be faithful in pastoral ministry, you have to keep your eyes on Jesus. You have to fight to keep your eyes on Jesus…”
– Great advice from Jean Williams, at The Briefing.
The Church’s One Foundation — the story and a free download
“[In 1866] The Rev. Samuel John Stone was well aware of the effectiveness of singing when he wrote and published Lyra Fidelium … which consisted of twelve hymns, one for each article of the Apostles’ Creed. With each hymn he included a short ‘summary of truths confessed’ in that article, along with a list of the Scripture passages supporting it.
‘The Church’s One Foundation’ was the hymn he wrote for article 9 of the Creed, which affirms belief in ‘the holy catholic church’ and ‘the communion of saints’.”
– Tim Challies posts a story on the origin of the hymn which (though he doesn’t mention it) was sung at the first Lambeth Conference the year after it was written. And there’s a free download too.
(Drs Ligon Dincan, Derek Thomas and Bill Wymond also discuss the hymn, with a bit more background on Bishop Colenso, who is referred to in the original wording of the hymn.)
The Man I thought was Dead
“I once saw a man who I thought was dead. It was a little unnerving to see him walk over to a microphone and start singing…
It was so strange that I spent the first few moments trying to remember where I had read the announcement of his death. Then I tried to work out how old he was – because he was an old man when I first heard him sing in the 50’s and this was the 90’s. …”
– Phillip Jensen remembers with gratitude … well, you’ll see.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…