Grace Baptist Church of Arlington

In 1539 Martin Luther wrote, “God’s Word cannot be without God’s people, and conversely, God’s people cannot be without God’s Word.”  It is a beautiful statement.  It is a profound statement.  And it is a convicting statement.  It is beautiful because it is well put.  It is profound because it affirms the biblical truth that God’s Word creates God’s people.  Faith comes by hearing, as Paul says in Romans 10:17.  Where God so sovereignly and effectually sends his Word in to the hearts of hearers, he gives new life and creates a people for himself.  In other words, God’s Word does not return void (Isaiah 55:11).  Luther’s statement is also a convicting statement because God’s people cannot go without his Word, they positively long to hear their God speak to them.

We know why the latter portion of Luther’s statement is convicting.  It is convicting because too often we go on in this life as though we can be without God’s Word.  We know the truth though, don’t we?  We know we need God’s Word.  Man cannot live by bread alone (Deuteronomy 8:3).  We know we’re hungry, but we work through the lunch hour.  We ignore our hunger, and say to ourselves that we can eat later, because what is presently before us is really most important.  It is really not, and even here, God is gracious to us in our foolishness.  Though we may live throughout the week as though we don’t need to hear from him and feast upon his Word, he gathers us week in and week out to hear from him and so he feeds us the bread that we really need.  This is why he positively commands us to gather to meet with his people (Hebrews 10:25).  We tend not to think of God’s commands as gracious, but the truth is, they are.   Praise God that they are.

So, how do we cultivate our hunger for his Word?  It is not by starving and eating later, but by answering the daily call of hunger.  It is by a steady diet of tasting and seeing that he is indeed good that our hunger will grow. In the meantime, we should continue to gather at the banquet table that he has prepared for us each Lord’s Day, for he will use that to cultivate our longing for food throughout the week too.  May the Lord be pleased to satisfy our hunger and thirst for righteousness.

[Martin Luther, “On Councils and the church” trans. Charles M. Jacobs, Luther’s Works, vol. 41 (Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press, 1966), p.150]

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“God’s Word and God’s People” is a post from the Grace Baptist Blog by Mike Law

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Under Blog, Church, Reflections, Theology

Of late I’ve been reading Mark Dever’s book The Church: The Gospel Made Visible.  While I personally want to quibble with the good Dr.’s title a little bit (ask me about that another time), since I’ve gotten past the title page, I’ve been agreeing with him over and over again. Too often today, Christians are apologizing for the Church, as if she is the black sheep of Christendom, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.  The Church is being used by God to display his manifold wisdom to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places, to use the words of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:10.  And if the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places are seeing God’s glory and manifold wisdom on display in the Church, then shouldn’t those of us who are here on earth see something of the grandeur of Christ’s church?  Yes, we should.  And so reflecting on the glory and the responsibility of the church Dever writes,

“What company is so obliged to worship God as those who have been not only created but redeemed?  What group is so concerned with the task of proclamation of God’s Word and evangelism as those who have themselves been saved through hearing the Word?  What body will be so involved in making visible signs – in baptism and the Lord’s Supper – of God’s saving action in Christ? From the ministry of the Word to the management of the church’s own affairs, what other group is so charged with the responsibility as the church of Jesus Christ?” [Mark Dever, The Church, p.45].

That is indeed a high responsibility and calling, but it is also a high privilege for a highly prized bride.

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“Stop Apologizing for the Church” is a post from the Grace Baptist Blog by Mike Law

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Under Blog, Church, Reflections, Theology

This coming Friday from 6:30-7:30pm, we will take time to reflect and meditate on Christ’s sacrifice on the cross through a Good Friday service.  In our service, we’ll be walking through three narratives in Luke’s gospel which detail part of the events of Jesus’ passion.  We hope to celebrate Christ’s death by coming together, hearing God’s Word read, singing songs that reflect on Christ’s sacrifice, hearing a short sermon on the cross, and celebrating the Lord’s Supper.  Childcare will be provided for ages 0-3 during that time.  In order to prepare for such a meditation on Christ’s sacrifice, consider some reflections from J.C. Ryle:

We must not be content with a vague belief that Christ’s sufferings on the cross were vicarious.  We are intended to see this truth in every part of His passion.

We may follow Him all through, from the bar of Pilate to the minute of His death, and see Him at every step as our mighty substitute, our representative, our head, our surety, our proxy – the divine friend who under took to stand in our place and, by the priceless merit of his sufferings, to purchase our redemption.

Was He flogged? It was done so that “by His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

Was He condemned, though innocent? It was done so that we might be acquitted, though guilty.

Did He wear a crown of thorns? It was done so that we might wear the crown of glory.

Was He stripped of His clothes? It was done so that we might be clothed in everlasting righteousness.

Was He mocked and reviled? It was done so that we might be honored and blessed.

Was He reckoned a criminal, and counted among those who have done wrong? It was done so that we might be reckoned innocent, and declared free from all sin.

Was He declared unable to save Himself? It was done so that he might be able to save others to the uttermost.

Did He die at last, and that the most painful and disgraceful death? It was done so that we might live forevermore, and be exalted to the highest glory.

From “The Sufferings of Christ” by J.C. Ryle in Jesus, Keep Me Near The Cross: Experiencing The Passion and Power of Easter, edited by Nancy Guthrie, pp. 58-59.

HT: Erik

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Under Church, Grace Happenings, Theology

This past Sunday, we had the privilege of reflecting on Christ’s love from John 13.  We learned not only about Christ’s love toward us, but we also learned from our Savior that we are to love as he loved.  We then spent some time reflecting on how Christ loves.  I specifically pointed out that while Christ’s love could be described in many words, that for the moment I would attempt to summarize it in two words: personal and sacrificial.  Jesus loves persons – that’s part of what John 13:1 is getting at – Jesus loved his own.  He loved them to the very end.  Jesus’ love is also sacrificial, which is of course preeminently seen in his death on the cross.

If I could add another word to my summary of Christ’s love it would be unconditional.  A very thoughtful member mentioned this wonderful attribute of God’s love to me at the door after the service, and it is surely one worth mentioning.  How wonderful it is that God’s love is unconditional.  All that he requires, he supplies.  All that he asks, he first gives.  May God give us the grace this week to love like he loves.

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“One More Word” is a post from the Grace Baptist Blog by Mike Law

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Under Blog, Church, Grace Happenings, Reflections

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been doing some reading on various matters related to the church.  In the midst of that reading, I came across an article entitled “Duties of Church Members,” by John Angell James.  James was the Pastor of Carrs Lane Church in Birmingham, England for 54 years.  He began at Carrs Lane as the pastor when he was only 20 and remained there until his death.  Having faithfully cared for Christ’s sheep and diligently studied God’s Word, it is no surprise that James had great insight on the subject of the duties of church members.  James covered 5 areas in his article:

1. Duties which members owe to their pastors,
2. Duties which members owe to each other,
3. Duties which members owe to the church in its collective capacity,
4. Duties which members owe to Christians of other congregations and denominations, and
5. Duties of members in reference to the world.

While James’ article is worth being republished in its entirety (excepting perhaps his complaint against “card playing” and a few other quips), I simply want to pull out a few of his thoughts on the duties which church members owe to one another.  This seems appropriate given that on Sunday, we will (Lord willing) reflect on Jesus statement from John 13:34-35, “a new commandment I give you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have loved one another.”

John Angell James makes the case that church members have at least three duties toward one another: reciprocal love, reciprocal watchfulness, and reciprocal helpfulness.  Of those three duties I found James’ thoughts on reciprocal helpfulness the most encouraging. James writes, “Reciprocal helpfulness is another duty of church members, and another end of church fellowship.  We all need assistance in the way to glory, not only from God, but as his instruments – from each other; and we are associated together for this purpose.”  It is my prayer that the Lord would make us (the members of Grace Baptist) proactive in graciously giving our fellow church members “assistance in the way to glory.”

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“Reciprocal Helpfulness” is a post from the Grace Baptist Blog by Mike Law

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Under Blog, Church, Grace Happenings, Reflections

J.I. Packer once provocatively wrote, “Law-keeping is that life for which we were fitted by nature, unfitted by sin, and refitted by grace…” [J.I. Packer, Keeping the 10 Commandments, (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2007), p.44].  Is that you?  Have you been refitted by grace?  Apart from God’s work of grace, we are sure to fail in keeping God’s law.  And even having been refitted, we will struggle to keep the commands that Jesus and the New Testament call us to keep.  That is the reality and challenge of indwelling sin. However, the challenge of indwelling sin does not mean we should give up the pursuit altogether.

Quite the contrary, for the New Testament and Jesus call us to keep the law of Christ because we’ve been freed from spiritual slavery to sin, just as the people of Israel had been freed from physical slavery in Egypt.  The law does not redeem anyone and neither does law-keeping.  Jesus redeems sinners like you and me.  It is only once we’ve been redeemed, only when we have been awakened to see our sin and to see our Savior, that we will come to see that God’s law teaches us what he is like and how we are to live in light of his love.

This Sunday we’ll begin a study of the 10 Commandments during the Discipleship Hour.  I hope you’ll join us as we consider “that life for which we were fitted by nature, unfitted by sin, and refitted by grace.”

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“Fitted, Unfitted, and Refitted” is a post from the Grace Baptist Blog by Mike Law

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Under Blog, Church, Grace Happenings, Reflections

I have a chance to walk with sinners every day, but I’ve got to tell you about my most difficult case – me.  I am the most difficult sinner that I walk with because I know myself and my heart.  There is still far too much darkness in my own heart that I need the light of Christ to dispel.  So, I can say with Paul in Romans 7:24, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

As Christians we’re called to walk with our brothers and sisters who are sick with sin and burdened by it, as James 5:16 and Galatians 6:1 makes clear.  Even so, we are not called to look down upon them as though we are completely and utterly free from sin.  We will only be able to walk with and serve our brothers and sisters in Christ if we look deep within our own hearts and look to Christ.  We must recognize our own wretchedness if we are to help other wretches too.

We must say with Paul in Romans 7:24, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” But we must not stop there. We must also say what he says in the next verse in Romans 7:25, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”  We must give thanks to God that we have been bought by the blood of the blessed Redeemer.  We must revel and rejoice in Christ if we are to help our brothers and sisters to do the same.

So dear Christian, walk with your brothers and sisters.  Walk with sinners.  As you do, remember that you are your own most difficult case, and that the Savior has come to make his blessings flow as far as the curse is found.  So, thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

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“The Most Difficult Case” is a post from the Grace Baptist Blog by Mike Law

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Under Blog, Church, Reflections

This coming Friday from 7:00-8:00pm, we will take time to reflect and meditate on Christ’s sacrifice on the cross through a Good Friday service.  In our service, we’ll be walking through a series of narratives in Mark’s Gospel which detail part of the events of Jesus’ passion.  We hope to celebrate Christ’s death by coming together, hearing God’s Word read, singing songs that reflect on Christ’s sacrifice, hearing a short sermon on the cross, and celebrating the Lord’s Supper.  In order to prepare for such a meditation on Christ’s sacrifice, consider some reflections from J.C. Ryle:

We must not be content with a vague belief that Christ’s sufferings on the cross were vicarious.  We are intended to see this truth in every part of His passion.  We may follow Him all through, from the bar of Pilate to the minute of His death, and see Him at every step as our mighty substitute, our representative, our head, our surety, our proxy – the divine friend who under took to stand in our place and, by the priceless merit of his sufferings, to purchase our redemption.

Was He flogged? It was done so that “by His wounds we are healed.”.

Was He condemned, though innocent? It was done so that we might be acquitted, though guilty.

Did He wear a crown of thorns? It was done so that we might wear the crown of glory.

Was He stripped of His clothes? It was done so that we might be clothed in everlasting righteousness.

Was He mocked and reviled? It was done so that we might be honored and blessed.

Was He reckoned a criminal, and counted among those who have done wrong? It was done so that we might be reckoned innocent, and declared free from all sin.

Was He declared unable to save Himself? It was done so that he might be able to save others to the uttermost.

Did He die at last, and that the most painful and disgraceful death? It was done so that we might live forevermore, and be exalted to the highest glory.

From “The Sufferings of Christ” by J.C. Ryle in Jesus, Keep Me Near The Cross: Experiencing The Passion and Power of Easter, edited by Nancy Guthrie, pp. 58-59.

HT: Erik

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“Good Friday Service” is a post from the Grace Baptist Blog by Mike Law

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Under Blog, Church, Grace Happenings, Reflections, Theology

As part of my sermon preparation each week, I try to think of questions that Christians and non-Christians might have about the passage.  For example, one of the verses that we’ll be looking at (and maybe the only one…we’ll just have to see on Sunday!) is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”  Perhaps you remember this verse from when you memorized it in Sunday school many years ago, but does it make you stop and think:

What does it mean for God to love?
What does it mean that God loved the world?
What does it mean that he gave his only Son?
Who is God’s only Son?
Who may believe in God’s Son?
What does it mean to believe in God’s Son?
What would it mean to perish?
What does it mean to have eternal life?

I could go on listing questions that this text evokes, but those are the most obvious, and I trust you get the point.  I’ll try and answer all of those questions on Sunday and perhaps a few more.  But I want you to know that if you’re ever reading Sunday’s text throughout the week and you’ve got a question, you should send it my way.  It helps me to think about the text and it helps me to serve you and others who may have the same question.

So, consider this an open invitation.  If you’ve got questions on John 3:16 or other sermon texts in the future, then you are invited to send them my way.  It is a privilege and pleasure to serve you in the Word week in and week out.  Thank you, and know that you remain in my prayers.

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“An Open Invitation” is a post from the Grace Baptist Blog by Mike Law

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Under Blog, Church, Grace Happenings, Reflections, Theology

This coming Lord’s Day, should the Lord tarry, we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper.  One of the most fundamental aspects of the Lord’s Supper is fellowship.  The Lord’s Supper is a display of our fellowship with Christ and our fellowship in Christ with other believers.  As we partake of the bread and the fruit of the vine in faith, we display that we have been united to Christ by trusting in his life, death, and resurrection on our behalf.  But we don’t do that alone.  There are others sitting around us visibly expressing their faith in Christ by their participation in the meal.

Let’s keep this in mind as we prepare to gather this coming Lord’s Day. Let’s be encouraged by what our Savior proclaims to us in the meal, and let’s also be encouraged that there are others around us leaning on his promises.  Our faith is strengthened through this meal as we’re reminded of what Christ has done for us on our behalf, but our faith is also strengthened and encouraged by seeing others boldly and faithfully believe in Christ as they partake of the bread and the cup.

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“Table Fellowship” is a post from the Grace Baptist Blog by Mike Law

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Under Blog, Church, Grace Happenings, Reflections