Anthony Bradley talks about his new book, Liberating Black Theology.
“Liberating Black Theology” book promo from Joseph D. Martinez on Vimeo.
Archive for March, 2010
Prayer and Dealing with our Doubts
Have you ever doubted the importance and power of prayer? Or, maybe you agree that it’s important and powerful in principle, but the degree to which you pray reveals the contrary.
In chapter 4 of A Sincere and Pure Devotion to Christ, Sam Storms shows how prayer is always a “win” for all involved:
- The ones who pray (in this case, the Corinthians) experience the joy of being an instrument in the fulfillment of God’s purposes and delight in beholding how God works in response to their intercessory pleas (cf. Rom. 10:14–15).
- The one who is prayed for (in this case, the apostle Paul) experiences the joy of being delivered from peril or sustained in trial or being made the recipient of some otherwise unattainable blessing.
- The one to whom prayer is offered (in every case, God) experiences the joy of being thanked, and thus glorified, for having intervened in a way that only God can in order to bless or deliver or save his people.
Read the intro and entirety of chapter 4. Learn more about A Sincere and Pure Devotion to Christ.
When Christians Misunderstand Christians
Excerpt from A Sincere and Pure Devotion to Christ Vol 1 by Sam Storms
No one enjoys being misunderstood or having their motives questioned. By nature we’re defensive and seek ways to vindicate our reputation. All too often we react rather than respond. Sam Storms draws on Paul’s interaction with the church in 2 Corinthians 1:12-2:4 to provide some wisdom that we can apply as we seek to grow in godly communication:
- Don’t be quick to “read between the lines.” Unless past indiscretions or the preponderance of evidence indicate otherwise, trust your Christian friends. Give them the benefit of the doubt when they say they are sincere (vv. 13–14).
- Don’t always look for some ulterior and sinister motive in what others do simply because things did not turn out the way you wanted them to (vv. 15–16).
- If someone has proven himself faithful and devoted in the past, don’t be quick to believe accusations brought against him by an outsider. Be patient and give him an opportunity to explain himself. In other words, don’t jump to conclusions, for it just may be the case that you are the one at fault (vv. 17, 23).
- Don’t become frustrated or withdraw yourself from other Christians if they should prove fickle or unfaithful. Ultimately, your trust and dependence are not in them anyway, but in Christ who never fails (vv. 19–22).
- Finally, even if it means suffering unjustly and being slandered, avoid unnecessary confrontations. Don’t be too quick to vindicate yourself. Be willing to endure what you don’t deserve for the sake of peace in the body of Christ. The opportunity to clear your name will eventually come (v. 23).
Check out Sam Storms’ new work on 2 Corinthians. This is highly recommended if you’re looking for sermon prep material or rich expository devotion material.
The Man Mocked as King—Is the King
Christians around the world are preparing to celebrate one of the year’s biggest holidays—and as author D. A. Carson writes, one of history’s biggest scandals. Nearly two thousand years ago, a Galilean hung on a cross, died, and rose from the dead three days later. In the midst of an event that may seem familiar, Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus introduces the ironies and scandal involved, and its implications for those who follow Jesus.
Jesus and the Rulers of this Fallen World
The kings and rulers and presidents of this fallen world order exercise their authority out of a deep sense of self-promotion, out of a deep sense of wanting to be number one, out of a deep sense of self-preservation, even out of a deep sense of entitlement. By contrast, Jesus exercises his authority in such a way as to seek the good of his subjects, and that takes him, finally, to the cross. He did not come to be served, as if that were an end in itself; even in his sovereign mission he comes to serve—to give his life a ransom for many. Those who exercise any authority at any level in the kingdom in which Jesus is king must serve the same way—not with implicit demands of self-promotion, confidence in their right to rule, or a desire to sit at Jesus’ right hand or his left hand, but with a passion to serve.Small wonder, then, that Pilate could not figure Jesus out. Jesus claimed to be king, but he had none of the pretensions of the monarchs of this world. Small wonder that for the next three hundred years, Christians would speak, with profound irony, of Jesus reigning from the cross.
So here is the first irony in Matthew’s presentation of Jesus’ crucifixion: the man who is mocked as king—is the king.
(Excerpt from Scandalous pp 20)
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