Acts 28 - Paul in Rome

This Sunday we are in the last chapter of the book of Acts.

Can you believe we have covered the entire book chapter by chapter? We have seen the events of the early Christian church. We have also seen an example of a fearless devoted follower of Christ in the apostle Paul.

The book of Acts ends with these verses.

"And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no man forbidding him."

As with Paul, may our lives glorify our Lord Jesus Christ.

--Craig

Getty and Townend Worship Music (Videos)

A number of the songs we like to sing in our worship -- The Power of the Cross, In Christ Alone, O Church Arise, How Deep the Father's Love for Us, Across the Lands, and others -- were written and composed by some combination of Keith and Kristyn Getty (from Ireland) and Stuart Townend (from England).

One problem with contemporary worship music has been its tendency toward lyrical shallowness. Maybe you've heard the tongue-in-cheek definition of contemporary worship: "One word ... two notes ... ten minutes!"

The Getty/Townend songwriting combo has been at the center of a trend away from shallow repetition in worship music. Their vision is to write songs with the doctrinal depth and scriptural richness normally associated with traditional hymns--songs with staying power beyond the temporary appeal of a catchy phrase or musical "hook."

Keith Getty, the primary composer on many of the Getty/Townend songs, has expressed a desire to write in a musical style that unites rather than divides--to compose music that can be sung in traditional "piano and organ" churches as well as contemporary worship band settings.

I thought some in our fellowship might want to get a little better acquainted with these musicians who are present in spirit in so many of our worship times.

Here are two videos ...

The first is of Keith and Kristyn performing the most well-known of all the Getty/Townend songs, "In Christ Alone."

In the second, Stuart Townend leads a congregation in singing, "The Power of the Cross."

Acts 27 - Shipwrecked

The Sunday we will continue our study through the book of Acts in chapter 27.

Paul has a grand adventure at sea. No, he does not see pirates. He does experience a storm at sea and gets shipwrecked. As with all storms, God has a purpose.

God Bless America!

-- Craig

Theological Humility

Steve Davis ran across these excellent comments by Douglas Moo on holding our doctrinal positions with grace and humility.

In his remarks on Romans 11:33-36 in the NIV Application Commentary series, Moo writes:

On this side of glory, all our theologizing is uncertain and tentative. Humility, willingness to listen, and respect for others are the appropriate attitudes for us finite creatures as we seek to plumb the depths of God’s character and truth.

He does not deny that there are plain truths in Scripture that we are to hold and defend without equivocation:

To be sure, God has graciously given us in his Word a revelation of himself and his plan that everyone can understand. The essence of what that Word says is clear and undebatable.

But Moo gives this crucial reminder:

The details are not always as clear as our theological traditions or denominational loyalties suggest. People holding views with more tenacity than Scripture justifies have done untold damage to the church and to the cause of Christ in the world.

That last statement deserves a repeat:

People holding views with more tenacity than Scripture justifies have done untold damage to the church and to the cause of Christ in the world.

Why be humble in contending for non-fundamental points of doctrine and practice?

Probably every one of us can name some scriptural doctrine that we view differently now than we did twenty years ago ... perhaps many of them.

Isn't it likely, then, that twenty years from now we will view in a different light certain doctrines we now hold and perhaps contend for?

And when we get to heaven, certainly all of us will have to do a quick overhaul of at least some of our convictions!

So humility is in order--not compromise, not waffling on fundamental truth, not a vapid ecumenicism--but gracious, godly humility.


LINK

Acts 26 - Jesus is the Risen Messiah

In Acts chapter 26 Paul proclaims:

"That the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from
the dead..." (Acts 26:23)

This message is as powerful today as it was back in Paul's day. As Easter approaches, let us remember the timeless truth that our Savior is alive.

--Craig