The Gospel Coalition

Last week, I was a guest on World magazine’s excellent weekly radio show The World and Everything In It. Host Joseph Slife asked me about my favorite Christmas song and my favorite Christmas recording. I chose “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” as my all-time favorite Christmas song and the more obscure “Christ Is Born” as my all-time favorite Christmas recording.

Here is a link to the segment(which features the music, not just my talking about these songs), a downloadable mp3, and below is the transcript.

“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”

Over the years, the Christmas song that continues to move me is one of the oldest Christmas songs that we still sing in our churches today, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” I believe it goes all the way back to the 12th century. It has a very mournful melody. But then there is that lyrical command of the chorus to “Rejoice!”

The song is sort of a bridge between Advent and Christmas. Advent being the time of anticipation as we are mourning in the exile, knowing that God’s full promises have not been completely fulfilled, and yet we also know that because of the birth and life and death and resurrection of Christ that God has already accomplished our salvation and we are awaiting Christ’s return and we are waiting for the time when joy really will flood the world as other Christmas songs remind us.

I also enjoy the second verse of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” which is not as often sung… the verse that says, ‘O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by Thine advent here; Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death’s dark shadows put to flight!” I love the fact that Jesus did not only defeat sin and evil… He also conquered the greatest enemy to God’s good creation, which is death itself. And so, this is a Christmas song that for me is a bridge to all the rest of the story that the Gospels give us, where we go from the wooden manger to the wooden cross and then the empty tomb and then Christ’s ascension and the anticipation of His return.

One of the reasons I enjoy this song so much is because it not only allows us to go back and put ourselves in the shoes of the first-century Jews, so to speak, who were awaiting the arrival of the Messiah as they mourned in lonely exile as the song says, but it also allows us to take that quality of anticipation from the first-century Jews and to have that again even now as we look over the evil in our world, as we see the evidence and the effects of the curse that still lingers and know that even though Christ has come and that the world is being made new, we are like the first-century Jews, still in a sort of exile as we await Christ’s return and await for Him to make good on all the promises that God has made in His covenant.

“Christ Is Born”

Another favorite Christmas song of mine is one that is a bit more obscure. It is a song called “Christ Is Born.” Like “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” it was originally written in Latin by the choir director at the Sistine Chapel, Father Domenico Bartolucci. And Ray Charles of the Ray Charles singers talks about how he went to see Father Bartolucci in his apartment, and he says that he had a big Ampex tape machine and a box of tapes. He brought out a tape of a gorgeous piece he had written and he played it for the singers and the words were in Latin.

Later Perry Como decided that he wanted to record it. So there was an English adaptation of the song that was produced called, “Christ Is born” and Perry Como used it on various Christmas shows that he did.

The version that I have really grown to love is one done by The Carpenters in 1978. There is a very understated majesty to this song. I really like the line that says, “Hear him crying in the manger,” and then that is juxtaposed by the line “King of heaven, Son of God,” which then leads to the worshipful response “Alleluia.” And you really have the mystery of the incarnation there in a nutshell. You’ve got it described so beautifully with a crying baby in a manger and yet this is the King of heaven, this is God in the flesh, this is the Son of God.

Christianity Today’s rundown of new Christmas offerings in 2011:

Like CCM, Christmas music is defined by its lyrical content, not its music (though sleigh bells, chimes, and children’s choruses seem to be in every Christmas album from reggae to bluegrass). So,  like CCM, it has spun off dozens of subgenres.

2 Key Principles for Churches Doing Social Media:

What if all the advice seems overwhelming? What if you find yourself creating profiles on more networks than you can even remember, let alone keep up with?

Have no fear. Although social media marketing is a deep topic, and you can find plenty of good teachers and products, you only need to remember two things…

Thinking through Arguments in the Public Square:

Good arguments have clear terms in true premises using valid logic. When all of these conditions obtain, then the argument is sound. Bad arguments have at least one of the following wrong:ambiguous terms, false premises, or logically fallacious reasoning (i.e., the conclusion doesn’t follow).

The Entire Christmas Story in One Verse:

It was understandable, I guess, when the group seemed momentarily taken aback when I opened my Bible and suggested reading “the entire Christmas story.” You see, the night was already winding down at our church home-group meeting, and in the Gospel of Matthew that narrative runs a hefty 48 verses and in Luke it is longer still at 120 verses. No, I assured my friends, I wanted to read the entire Christmas story in one verse. (Well, technically two verses covering one sentence.) Though it does not mention shepherds or wise-men or inns or stables, it is nonetheless profound and compelling.

“Bible study won’t change your life.”

OK, I admit to indulging in a bit of overstatement to shock you into recognizing what should be obvious: just because you know the Bible doesn’t mean the Word will bear fruit in your life. It is possible to know the Scriptures, read the Scriptures, revere the Scriptures, and study the Scriptures and miss the point entirely.

Take the liberal scholar who knows the Greek New Testament better than most orthodox pastors. He can quote whole sections of the Bible in its original languages. Definitions of biblical words tumble out of his mouth as he effortlessly places everything in historical context. And yet he does not believe in the Jesus he reads about in the pages of the Bible. Sure, he is endlessly fascinated by the communities that gave us such an interesting artifact of study. But to him, his job is to immerse himself into a world of fables and dreams. The Bible is an epic story with no bearing on reality today.

Or take the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day who were steeped in the rich traditions of their people’s history. The leaders knew the Scriptures backwards and forwards, yet they had missed the signs pointing to the most important chapter in the Story that God was writing – the chapter that had been foreshadowed by the prophets and Bible writers for thousands of years. That’s why Jesus could say: “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me that you may have life!” (John 5:39-40). He doesn’t condemn them for their meticulous knowledge of the Old Testament. He mourns the fact that they’ve missed the point of it all.

Even today, it’s possible to get so wrapped up in searching the Scriptures that we miss what God is trying to teach us. Consider would-be prophets who scour over the prophecies of Revelation trying to pull out clues and codes about the European Union or the next major ecological catastrophe. Caught up in the thrill, the writers lose sight of Revelation’s main purpose: to unveil Jesus!

Others get bogged down in theological discussions (Calvinism vs. Arminianism, anyone?) until they eventually start coming to the Scriptures to look for more ammunition for their next debate. The Bible quietly gets twisted into a divine reference book designed to uphold a beloved system of theology instead of God’s divine revelation designed to shine light on a glorious Savior.

And then there’s the common type of Bible study that begins with us at the center and brings God into our world to address our already-defined needs and problems. We look at the Bible as a book of divine instruction, a manual for succeeding in life, or a map for making sure we get to heaven when we die.

These ways of studying the Scripture will not result in life transformation. Why? Because they’re missing something. Better put, they’re missing Someone. 

Bible study alone is not what transforms your life. Jesus transforms your life. Of course, He does this through His written Word to us. So we must affirm that life change doesn’t happen apart from God’s Word. But the reason God’s Word changes our life is not because of our personal study but because in the Scriptures we are introduced to Jesus, the Author. That’s why every page ought to be written in red, as every section is breathed out by our King and points us to Him.

It’s possible to amass great amounts of biblical knowledge, to impress people with your mastery of Bible trivia, to creatively apply the Bible in ways that seem so down to earth and practical, to dot your theological i’s and cross your exegetical t’s – and still miss Jesus. Scary, isn’t it?

That’s why it’s not enough to be “Bible-believing” or “Word-centered,” because, after all, the Bible we believe and the Word we proclaim is itself Christ-centered.

The purpose of our Bible study is to know God and make Him known. The Bible unveils Jesus Christ as the focal point of human history. All creation exists by Him, through Him, to Him, and for Him. Our Bible study should exist for Him too. That’s the only kind of Bible study that will change your life.

Thom Rainer: For Those Hurting This Christmas Season:

I pray that those who are hurting will, somehow in the midst of their pain, see the hope of the gospel. I pray that they will see the eternal hope of the resurrection that followed Christ’s sacrifice on a bloody cross.

And I pray that many of us will be messengers of the hope of the gospel. Sometimes a kind word can make a world of difference to someone hurting. Sometimes we need to sacrifice our own comforts to give to others in need. Sometimes we need to sacrifice the convenience of our own holiday festivities to reach out to someone who is hurting.

Music Made Physical: In Defense of the Humble Cassette

Like most folks these days, I don’t really miss cassettes themselves — CDs sound better and don’t wear out so easily, and digital formats like MP3s are much more convenient — but I do miss both the physicality and the intentionality that cassettes lent to music. And there was no better example of these aspects than the mixtape process.

Do I Have to Write My Own Sermons? Interesting thoughts from Marc Cortez:

In On Christian Doctrine, Augustine raises the question of what to do with people who are gifted communicators, but not gifted teachers. In other words, they can present a sermon powerfully, but they can’t write a powerful sermon. And he argues that it’s perfectly legitimate for them to memorize sermons written by other people and present them to the congregation (presumably without suggesting that they’d actually written the sermon themselves).

Why the Supreme Court Ruling Is an Opportunity for NYC Christians:

Nothing will stop the church from meeting, and growing, certainly not just ruling out one kind of venue for its public meetings. In fact, Jesus was pretty clear that nothing at all will stop the church. It has often thrived most in the most challenging conditions. Yet those of us who elect our representatives, pay our taxes, and support our local pickle stands need to decide how much longer we will allow decisions that used to be ours and our neighbors’ to be made for us.

Every December, I select the ten books that I most enjoyed reading during the year. Please note that I am not giving a blanket endorsement to everything in these books (after all, some of them contradict each other at points). I choose ten books a year based primarily on how much I enjoyed reading them.

Here are my top ten picks for 2011.

#1. GOD’S GLORY IN SALVATION THROUGH JUDGMENT:
A BIBLICAL THEOLOGY
- James Hamilton

Hamilton puts the Bible together in a way that leads the reader to marvel – not at his own theological acumen, but at the majestic and loving God whose saving actions are at the heart of the Bible’s grand narrative.
See an excerpt here.

#2. UNBROKEN:
A WORLD WAR II STORY OF SURVIVAL, RESILIENCE, AND REDEMPTION
- Laura Hillenbrand

… the riveting life story of Olympic runner Louis Zamperini, is easily one of the best books I’ve read… I was moved to tears by the wondrous power of the Holy Spirit to change a heart.
For more information, check out: “What Finally Broke Louis Zamperini.” 

#3. NOTES FROM THE TILT-A-WHIRL:
WIDE-EYED WONDER IN GOD’S SPOKEN WORLD
N. D. Wilson

… while guys like me are blabbing on about the need for beauty, guys like [Nate] are already delivering thoughtful, rich, dare-I-say exuberant prose that stirs up a sense of wonder at life, love, and the beauty of Christian truth.
Check out my interview with Nate here as well as some great quotes from the book (here and here).

#4. THE WARMTH OF OTHER SUNS:
THE EPIC STORY OF AMERICA’S GREAT MIGRATION
Isabel Wilkerson

By interweaving three individuals’ lives and the larger narrative of the Migration, Wilkerson paints a stunning portrait of life in the Jim Crow era…
Read my full review here.

 #5. READ THE BIBLE FOR LIFE:
YOUR GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING AND LIVING GOD’S WORD
George Guthrie

… an easy-to-read yet in-depth approach to hermeneutics that focuses on connecting the dots of the big story line of the Bible.
See my review for Christianity Today here or my interview with George Guthrie here.

#6. THE LORD OF THE RINGS
J. R. R. Tolkien

Frodo’s humble devotion to a cause and Sam’s unflagging devotion to Frodo is the foundation of this epic battle of good versus evil.
Read one of my favorite passages here. 

#7. HERETICS
G. K. Chesterton

 It’s ironic that Chesterton’s literary foes who believed him backwards and old-fashioned are largely forgotten today, while we are still reading Chesterton a century later.
Read some of my favorite quotes here, here, here, and here.

#8. GOSPEL:
RECOVERING THE POWER THAT MADE CHRISTIANITY REVOLUTIONARY
J. D. Greear

[J. D. has] expressed in laypeople’s terms the type of confidence and security that comes from believing in the gospel of Jesus Christ…
Check out my conversation with J. D. here.

#9. DESTINY OF THE REPUBLIC:
A TALE OF MADNESS, MEDICINE, AND THE MURDER OF A PRESIDENT
Candice Millard

Not only did I finish it feeling like I knew James Garfield, I also enjoyed the thrilling pace of the plot development…
See my full review here.

#10. GOSPEL WAKEFULNESS
Jared Wilson

Anyone hungry and thirsty for righteousness will be refreshed by the invigorating streams of truth that flow from Gospel Wakefulness. Jared Wilson wants us to delight in the gospel to the point that sin becomes bitter and Christ becomes our supreme treasure…
See my full review here.

Jolly Old Saint Nicholas:

This year I visited the house of Saint Nicholas.

It was in a hot town, nothing at all like the North Pole. There were no penguins, not even ice for my Diet Coke. My clearest memory was standing where the great pastor was buried and knowing his body had been stolen. Nicholas was no longer in the town he loved and no longer slept surrounded by his beloved people.

Ross Douthat: “The Tempting of the Christian Right”

His candidacy isn’t a test of religious conservatives’ willingness to be good, forgiving Christians. It’s a test of their ability to see their cause through outsiders’ eyes, and to recognize what anointing a thrice-married adulterer as the champion of “family values” would say to the skeptical, the unconverted and above all to the young.

The New Geography of Megapolitan Communities:

The article (which reports on this book) defines these megapolitan areas as “having at least one metropolitan area of 2 million people by 2040 that’s connected — via commuting patterns — to at least one other metro area of more than 250,000 people. A megapolitan cluster has several megapolitan areas that are connected by commuting, trucking or commuter airline and share terrain, climate, culture, economic base and political culture.“

Nathan Finn’s review of The Sword of the Lord by Andy Himes:

The author, Andrew Himes, is a grandson of the famous fundamentalist evangelist and publisher John R. Rice. I recently had a chance to finally read the book, and I wasn’t disappointed. The Sword of the Lord is part personal memoir, part family history, and part cultural history. It’s a truly interesting book.

O Everlasting Light,
Giver of dawn and day,
Dispeller of the ancient night
In which creation lay;

O Everlasting Light,
Shine graciously within;
Brightest of all on earth that’s bright,
Come, shine away my sin.

O Everlasting Truth,
Truest of all that’s true,
Sure Guide of erring age and youth,
Lead me, and teach me, too.

O Everlasting Strength,
Uphold me in the way;
Bring me, in spite of foes, at length
To joy and light and day.

O Everlasting Love,
Wellspring of grace and peace,
Pour down Thy fullness from above,
Bid doubt and trouble cease.

O Everlasting Rest,
Lift off life’s load of care;
Relieve, revive this burdened breast,
And every sorrow bear.

Thou art in Heav’n our All,
Our All on earth art Thou;
Upon Thy glorious Name we call,
Lord Jesus, bless us now.

- Horatius Bonar, 1858

Yea, for it was removal of punishment,
and remission of sins,
and “righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption,”
and adoption, and an inheritance of Heaven,
and a relationship unto the Son of God,
which he came declaring unto all;
to enemies, to the perverse,
to them that were sitting in darkness.

What then could ever be equal to these good tidings?

God on earth, man in Heaven;
and all became mingled together,
angels joined the choirs of men,
men had fellowship with the angels, and with the other powers above:
and one might see the long war brought to an end,
and reconciliation made between God and our nature,
the devil brought to shame, demons in flight,
death destroyed, Paradise opened,
the curse blotted out, sin put out of the way,
error driven off, truth returning,
the word of godliness everywhere sown, and flourishing in its growth,
the polity of those above planted on the earth,
those powers in secure intercourse with us,
and on earth angels continually haunting,
and hope abundant touching things to come.

Therefore he hath called the history good tidings,
forasmuch as all other things surely are words only without substance;
as, for instance, plenty of wealth, greatness of power, kingdoms,
and glories, and honors, and whatever other things among men are accounted to be good:
but those which are published by the fishermen would be legitimately and properly called good tidings:
not only as being sure and immoveable blessings, and beyond our deserts,
but also as being given to us with all facility.

For not by laboring and sweating,
not by fatigue and suffering,
but merely as being beloved of God,
we received what we have received.

- Chrysostom, from his homilies on Matthew

A little late getting to links today. But here are seven for your weekend reading:

1. When the Zoning Board Closes Your Church

2. What’s Next for New York Churches

3. The Abominable “O Holy Night” Revealed (the back story on the horrible rendition that has circulated online the past few years)

4. Gospel-Centrality: A Warning and a Recommendation

5. The Top 50 Television Shows of All Time

6. Spoiler Alert! “Stories are not spoiled by ‘spoilers.’”

7. How to Speak of an Unspeakable God

Notes on three books I’ve read recently:

Union with Christ:
Reframing Theology and Ministry for the Church
J. Todd Billings (Baker Academic)
My Rating: ****

Western Theological Seminary professor J. Todd Billings examines the doctrine of “union with Christ” in light of careful historical and exegetical reflection. Parting ways with recent Calvin scholars who seek to downplay the Reformer’s forensic (or legal) view of justification, Billings shows how the truth of a believer’s participation in Christ is grounded in Scripture and consistent with other Reformation insights. Union with Christ will start fresh conversations about this important New Testament doctrine.

Portraits of a Radical Disciple:
Recollections of John Stott’s Life and Ministry 
InterVarsity Press, 2011
My Rating: *** 1/2

Published shortly after Stott’s death, this book provides 35 testimonials about Stott from the people who knew and loved him most. The personal stories humanize John Stott by giving readers an up-close, personal, and warm view of his life and his ministry.

As you read the stories written by people who loved Stott, you catch a glimpse of the things Stott loved most. His love for creation was demonstrated by his hobby of bird-watching. His love for people was demonstrated by his personal evangelism and pastoral ministry. His love for the Bible was seen in the way he sought to be faithful to the text and let it set the agenda of his teaching. His love for the church was evident in the way he challenged his flock to be all they are called to be in Christ.

Luke: The Gospel of Amazement
Michael Card
InterVarsity Press, 2011
My Rating: ***

For my early morning devotions, I usually work my way through a book of the Bible slowly and meditatively. Sometimes it’s helpful to choose another book that guides the Bible reading. A few months ago, I spent significant time in the Gospel of Luke, and I used Michael Card’s commentary as a supplement. The idea behind The Biblical Imagination Series is this:

“The imagination is the vital bridge between the heart and the mind. It is the means by which the spirit begins to reconnect what was disintegrated by the fall” (13).

Card believes that imagination plays a role in how we understand and interpret the Bible. So, as he comments on the Gospel of Luke, he zeroes in on the theme of “amazement,” or “bewilderment.” Unfortunately, the commentary itself is not particularly imaginative. That doesn’t mean his reflections aren’t substantive or helpful. They are (and brief too!). I found Card to be a very capable guide to the Gospel of Luke, but it didn’t live up to the series promise of helping us develop a biblically-informed imagination as we interpret the Gospel.

- The first of these reviews first appeared in Christianity Today, November 2011.