The Cup of Christmas (by Matthew DelValle)

(originally published December 22, 2010)

39 And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 45 And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, 46 and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”  (Luke 22:39-46)

During the Christmas season we are reminded of the truth of the Incarnation. The Incarnation is that God the Son—Jesus Christ—took on human flesh. He became one of us. He was born of a woman (Gal. 4:4). He lived under the authority and instruction of His parents (Luke 2:41-52). He had brothers and sisters (Luke 8:19-21). He ate when He was hungry (Luke 7:36). He drank when He was thirsty (John 4:7). He slept when He was tired (Luke 8:23). He cried when He was sad (John 11:35). He was like us in every respect (Heb. 2:17), yet without sin (Heb. 4:15). Christmas reminds us of all these truths.

In this passage from Luke 22 we catch another glimpse at the humanity of Jesus: He sweated. We have all sweated before. But have you sweat so hard drops of blood fell from your face? There is a condition known as hematidrosis where extreme anguish or physical strain causes the blood vessels to burst, mixing blood with sweat. Jesus was undergoing such anguish. Matthew’s account records Jesus saying, “My soul is very  sorrowful, even to death” (Matt. 26:38). Jesus was experiencing the most extreme level of anguish. Why? It was because of His Father’s cup that He knew He must drink (John 18:11).

The Cup

I want to camp out on this “cup” for a moment. In the Old Testament the cup was a metaphor for God’s wrathful judgment upon sin. In Psalm 75:8 Asaph wrote, “For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs.” The prophet Isaiah echoes this language, “Wake yourself, wake yourself, stand up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD the cup of his wrath, who have drunk to the dregs the bowl, the

cup of staggering” (Isa. 51:17). In both of these Old Testament passages it is the wicked who are to drink the cup of God’s wrath. They are the ones who deserve judgment, and therefore they are the ones who drain the cup down to the dregs.

Yet here in Luke’s Gospel we read something startling: Jesus is asking the Father if He is willing to remove a cup from Him. God the Father had prepared a cup of wrath for God the Son to drink to the full. It was as if God the Father was saying, “In the hand of the LORD there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and I pour out from it, and my only begotten Son shall drain it down to the dregs.”

Jesus knew He was to drink the cup of His Father’s wrath. He knew what awaited Him at His crucifixion. It wasn’t death at the hands of lawless men that put Jesus into agony. It wasn’t even the horrific death of crucifixion. Jesus had taught His disciples, “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell” (Luke 12:4-5). No, what Jesus agonized over in the garden of Gethsemane was not murder by sinful men. What Jesus agonized over was drinking His own Father’s cup. That’s why He ended His prayer by saying, “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). “It was the will of the LORD to crush him” (Isa. 53:10).

When Jesus cried out from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”, that wasn’t hyperbole (Matt. 27:46). Jesus wasn’t just saying how He felt. He didn’t merely feel forsaken. He was forsaken. He was bearing the full weight of the wrath of God against all law-breaking, glory-trading, God-dishonoring sin upon Himself. Every bitter thought, every evil deed—all the sins of everyone who would believe in Him Jesus took upon Himself. If ever there was a person truly forsaken—in the deepest sense of the word—it was Jesus. He drank the cup down to the dregs.

Christ Our Curse

Galatians 3:13 says, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.’” The reason Jesus was forsaken by His Father is because He was cursed by His Father. That is literally what happened at Golgotha. The Father couldn’t even bear to look at His Son, who had become a mass of sin. The very sight of it disgusted Him because all He saw was filth. That is what is meant when we read, “He became sin who knew no sin” (2 Cor. 5:21). Christ became sin.

Think about this: The eternity of punishment that the wicked will experience will not compare to the wrath that was inflicted upon our Lord. It will not be equal. They will only experience the due punishment for one person’s sins—their own. No more, no less. Christ took the punishment of wrath not for one person but for billions of people. That is punishment upon punishment, wrath upon wrath, multiplied billions of times over. And what normally takes an eternity to unleash was concentrated into the most intense three hours that can be conceived. 6-week summer classes are harder than 16-week semester classes; try cramming an eternity of punishment into 3 hours. The cross was a crash course in experiencing the holy wrath of Almighty God.

I think that’s why Jesus prayed so hard His sweat became blood. It was His last opportunity to commune with His Father before He would be totally and utterly forsaken. In a matter of hours, the Father would turn His back on His Son. He would not listen to Him. He would curse Him. That’s why Luke records in verse 44 that Jesus was in agony. What could be more agonizing? He was about to experience the wrath of His Father.

Saved From God’s Wrath

So what are you saved from? If someone asks you, “Are you saved?” what do they mean? Saved from what? Friends, if we have repented of our sins and believed in our hearts that Jesus Christ is Lord, we have been saved from God Himself. We aren’t saved from hell. Hell wasn’t mad at us. We’re saved from God, and His righteous wrath against our rebellious, cosmic treason. In my place—in my place!—condemned He stood.

I love these words from John Stott about Christ’s death on the cross: “[The cross] is an appeasement of the wrath of God by the love of God through the gift of God. The initiative is not taken by us, nor even by Christ, but by God himself in sheer unmerited love. His wrath is averted not by any external gift, but by his own self-giving to die the death of sinners. This is the means he has himself contrived by which to turn his own wrath away.” To which I say, “Hallelujah!”

We are saved from God, by God, for God. Now God is no longer angry with us but only and forevermore our merciful Father. That, my friends, is amazing grace. Thank you, Jesus, for drinking the cup for me.

Man of Sorrows! what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Guilty, vile, and helpless we;
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
“Full atonement!” can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Lifted up was He to die;
“It is finished!” was His cry;
Now in Heav’n exalted high.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew His song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!


Other posts by Matthew DelValle:

• Why I'm Blogging
• The Anatomy of Anxiety
• Why Are We Conformed to Christ? 

A Faith of Equal Standing As the Apostles (by Matthew DelValle)

(photo by Paul Cleveland)

I was reading 2 Peter the other day and the opening greeting jumped out at me. Peter writes

“to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours” (2 Pet. 1:1) 

He’s talking about ordinary Christians like you and me—which makes this an astonishing statement. Really Peter? We have obtained a faith of equal standing as the apostles? Is this hyperbole, or are you being serious? We actually have a faith that is on par with the apostles?

I don’t know about you, but when I read about the faith of the apostles, I do not compare. These guys wrote the Bible. These guys built the church. These guys preached and thousands were saved in a single day. Peter actually raised a woman to life from the dead (Acts 9:36-42). How can he possibly say we have a faith of equal standing as him?

Reading the rest of the text helps. Yes, we have obtained a faith of equal standing as the apostles. But how? “By the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.” Note what Peter is not saying. Peter is not saying that the subjective quantity of our faith is equal with the apostles. No. There are certainly varying levels of faith among God’s people. All have faith, but some have stronger faith. This is why we cry out, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” No, Peter isn’t making this point. He’s not talking about the subjective quantity of our faith.

So what is he talking about? He’s talking about the objective quality of our faith. We have obtained a faith of equal standing with the apostles, not because our subjective faith is as great as theirs, but because the object of our faith is a great Savior. We are on a level playing field with the apostles because we wear exactly what they wear: The cloak of the righteousness of Jesus. We wear the same uniforms.

If the subjective quantity of our faith determined our standing before God, then we would ride the bench, and all the Hebrews 11 folks would be out on the field. But as it is, we are all of equal standing. When God looks at you and me and Peter and Paul, he sees us as equal in standing. Why? Because we all place our hope and trust, not in our ourselves, but in the Lord Jesus.

Think about this Christian. Do you ever feel as if your faith is weak? Do you ever doubt God’s favor towards you, that He shouldn’t be gracious to you as He is to others because your faith isn’t as strong? Do you ever feel like you’re just not cut from the same mold as other Christians whose faith you admire? These are thoughts the Deceiver loves to plant in our minds. Satan wants very much for you to believe you’re of lower standing than others. But take heart! You have obtained a faith of equal standing as the apostles themselves! How? By the righteousness of Christ. His righteousness is yours by faith. It is perfect righteousness. It is the best kind of righteousness there is. And it’s now yours. And therefore God our Father never looks at you as anything less than His righteous, precious, beloved child. In fact, you couldn’t possibly have a higher standing! What can surpass the righteousness of Christ? Is there anything better? No way! It is supremely satisfying to God. And you have it. It’s yours by faith.

Will there be days when the subjective quantity of your faith is weak? Certainly. But a weak faith is still a faith. A little child may not be strong, but if his trust is in his father who is strong, then he will be safe. What matters ultimately is not the subjective strength of your faith but the objective strength of your Lord. No matter how weak you feel your faith may be, the Christ of your faith is so great and so glorious that nothing can change your standing in Him.

Charles Spurgeon once said,

“I have a great need for Christ and a great Christ for my need.” 

So it is with us. We have a great Christ for our need. His righteousness is ours by faith. And therefore we have a faith of equal standing as the apostles. This is great news.

And, lest I give the impression that the subjective quantity of our faith doesn’t matter at all, may I point out the next verse: “May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” What an interesting concept: The multiplication of God’s grace towards us! Sounds great. How do we get it? In the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord—which happens, of course, through studying the Scriptures. The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to make us more like the Son of God.

So this is my prayer for you: I pray that God would use this knowledge of having a faith of equal standing as the apostles by the righteousness of Christ to multiply His grace and peace towards you, and I pray that this multiplied grace in your life would strengthen your faith. May the Lord be gracious!

Read more by Matthew DelValle

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Carrying on the Legacy (by Matthew DelValle)

John Piper & RC Sproul (Ligonier Ministries) 

This is my final post in a series I began over a year ago on “Two Men I Thank God For.” I am so thankful for the ministries of R.C. Sproul and John Piper. They have shifted my focus time and time again away from myself to the glory of God and the splendor of his holiness (Ps. 29:2, 115:1). These men have what I call a holy passion. Their lives and ministries are consumed with the reality of a holy God. This is what drives them. This is the legacy they will leave. And this is the legacy I want to continue.

It is the job of every generation of pastors to continue the legacy of faithful ministry. Paul told Timothy, “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2). I want to be one of those faithful men. I want to be entrusted with the Scriptures and teach others the same glorious truths about our sovereign God and our glorious Christ that I have heard, not only from R.C. Sproul and John Piper, but from Pastor Osborne, Pastor Pete, Pastor Jerry, Pastor Bobby during my time at Faith, and now here in Louisville, from Pastor Tom Schreiner, Pastor John Kimbell, and all my professors at Southern Seminary. This is why I am in Louisville going to seminary: To learn to teach others also. I want to carry on the legacy of the faithful men who have taught me.

Pastors: “God-Besotted” Men

What does it take to become a faithful pastor? This is a question I often ask myself. Taking into account varying levels of giftedness, how does one reach the sustained faithfulness of a R.C. Sproul or a John Piper or a Pastor Osborne or a Tom Schreiner or an Albert Mohler? I think what it takes most of all is a radical focus on God above everything else, a striking God-centeredness of life. John Piper writes:

Our people need a God-besotted man. Even if they criticize the fact that you are not available at the dinner on Saturday night because you must be with God, they need at least one man in their life who is radically and totally focused on God and the pursuit of the knowledge of God, and the ministry of the word of God.

How many people in your churches do you know that are laboring to know God, who are striving earnestly in study and prayer to enlarge their vision of God? Precious few. Well then, what will become of our churches if we the pastors, who are charged with knowing and unfolding the whole counsel of God, shift into neutral, quit reading and studying and writing, and take on more hobbies and watch more television?

In other words, it takes a holy passion. It is no surprise to me then that every time I visit home and talk to Pastor Osborne and update him on my seminary studies, he always tells me the same thing: “Don’t lose your passion!” Why does he say that? Out of all the things he could say, he repeats these precise words. What is he getting at?

I think he recognizes, rightly, that the most important thing a pastor must be for his people is “a God-besotted man.” He must be the one man who will forsake other legitimate uses of time in order to read and study and write about the things of God. His entire pulse of life beats to the rhythm of knowing God more truly and loving God more fully. And this, it is known, is the secret to serving God more faithfully.

Satan’s Quest to Kill Passion

But I think another truth Pastor recognizes is that passion can be lost. It can dry up. We can lose our first love. The love of many can grow cold. And that’s why Pastor’s words to me are both an admonition and a warning: An admonition to keep fanning into flame the fire of passion for God, and a warning to not allow the Enemy to douse the fire with his deceitful snares. Therefore I must not become lukewarm in my affections for God lest I gag Jesus and he spit me out of his mouth (Rev. 3:16).

Seminary is an academic institution. Seminary exists to give people an education. It does not exist to give people experience. That is what the local church is for. There are two training institutions for pastors today: The local church and the seminary. Both are necessary. But each has its own function. The seminary does “head” stuff really well. It equips men and women to think well and to think rightly about the Bible and theology. Thank God for seminaries!

But there is a difference between loving the Bible and loving its Author. All my study should serve to help me love God more. The final destination for truth is not the brain; it is the bloodstream. The greatest commandment is not to know right things about God; it is to love God. We fill our heads to fuel our hearts. Again, Dr. Piper says it best:

Right thinking about God exists to serve right feelings for God. Logic exists for the sake of love. Reasoning exists for the sake of rejoicing. Doctrine exists for the sake of delight. Reflection about God exists for the sake of affection for God. The head is meant to serve the heart.

So seminary can be a great place if used correctly. But seminary can also be a dangerous place. Seminarians must be careful. Satan can misuse the seminary to produce proud people. He knows that “knowledge puffs up” (1 Cor. 8:1). And therefore, Satan will try to short-circuit my study. Satan wants nothing more than to snuff out the heart-adoration of Adonai with the heady atmosphere of academia. He wants to produce professionals, not pastors; proud pedants, not poor-in-spirit preachers.

Pray for Me

What must I do then? How can I cultivate and sustain a holy passion? I must stay on my knees. I must go to God in prayer every day, bending his arm to change me and make me more humble, make me more loving, make me more Christlike. And I echo the point of my previous post: The greatest asset of any pastor (and seminarian!) is people who pray for him.

So brothers and sisters, I ask you: Pray for me. Pray for my time here in Louisville at Southern Seminary. Pray that I will study in the strength that God supplies. That I will not just affirm truth with my head but adore truth with my heart. That theology will lead to doxology. That I will work diligently to worship deeply. That God will make me a pastor, not a pedant. That I will always remember that systematic theology did not die on the cross for my sins; Jesus did. That I will stay free from deceitful desires of the flesh and live a life that is above reproach. That I will be faithful and carry on the legacy of many faithful pastors.

I covet your prayers. Thank you for your faithful intercessions on my behalf. I cannot thank you enough.

“I pray that the great, initial passion of our hearts at the beginning of formal theological training would be the great, persevering passion of our hearts at the end, both of our training and of our lives. That we would say, we have not studied nor have we lived for ourselves, but for him who for our sake died and was raised (2 Corinthians 5:15).” ~ Jonathan Parnell

Posts in This Series:

• Two Men I Thank God For
• RC Sproul Helped Me See the Truth
• What I Learned from John Piper
• The Blessed Fruit of Indirect Teaching
• The Greatest Asset of Any Pastor
• Carrying on the Legacy

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A Parable in Poetry (Matthew DelValle)

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” ~ Luke 18:9-14

A Parable in Poetry - by Matthew DelValle

Our Master once told a story

About two men: A Pharisee

Who kept the law and did what’s right

But looked on other folks with spite,

Such as the “other man” who would

Collect the tax from bad and good,

But would not lift his eyes to God.

Instead, he beat upon his bod

And cried, “Upon my soul, Lord, pin

Your mercy, for I’m great with sin.”

One went to his home justified;

The other left condemned to die.

This is the tale that Jesus told

Of which I now seek to unfold.

Why would just one receive God’s grace?

Did not the other plead his case?

“I am not like these other men;

I keep commandments one through ten!

I fast from food two times a week;

I give a tenth of all I reap.”

He even gave the Lord his thanks:

“I thank you, God, to be quite frank,

That I am not like other men.

But for your grace go I! Amen.”

Surely, a man as just as he

The Lord would look upon and free!

And yet, this man God did not save;

Only the other God forgave.

In one key place he was amiss.

The crucial truth he missed was this:

The one whom God declares as just

Is one who has the proper trust.

To understand this lesson well,

An error we must first dispel.

This man whom God did not forgive

Did not err in trying to live

A life of righteousness produced

By strength that was not God-induced.

Clearly, he saw his life of good

As from God’s hand. He understood

That righteousness is from our God,

And not a man who walks this sod

Can be perfect all on his own.

This was a truth that was well known,

For this man knew that God was key.

That’s why he said, “God, I thank Thee

That I am not like other men.

But for your grace go I! Amen.”

No, this man knew he needed grace;

That is not where he lost his place.

Why then the four and tragic words

That he thought would never be heard?

“Rather than the other,” Christ said,

“I justify this man instead.”

He justified the sinful man,

And not the Pharisee, whose plan

Of being right with God by law

And worshiping with fear and awe

Had come to be the way of death,

And not the way of life and breath.

Despite his thanking God for grace,

He still fell short at one key place:

This one man was not justified

Because he held onto his pride.

To whom did Christ direct this tale?

What truth did He wish to unveil?

He spoke to those who placed their pride,

Not in our Lord, Christ crucified,

But in their own righteous efforts.

Although God’s grace they did assert

And saw their good as from God’s hand,

They still trusted in good in man.

That was this man’s biggest mistake.

We must not ever, ever stake

Our right standing before the Lord

On what is inherently stored

Within.Even a God-produced

Righteousness is of zero use

When brought into God’s court of law.

It’s still our works, and therefore flawed.

Our righteous deeds are filthy rags;

Our Lord hates them; they make Him gag.

We have no merit of our own.

Even that which by grace is sown,

Is not enough to be perfect.

This way to God we must reject.

We cannot come to God in pride,

Or we’ll never be justified.

We must keep the commandments, yes,

And keep them all! Nevertheless,

Our own good deeds we must forsake

And something else a hold of take,

If we would be declared as just.

We must possess the proper trust.

So now I ask: What is this trust?

Who is the one God declares just?

If we must forsake good in us,

Then clearly, we may conclude thus:

What we need most is to possess

Somebody else’s righteousness.

Paul said it best in Romans four:

“Now to the one who does not pour

His life out as one with a job

But trusts our ever gracious God,

His faith counts as his righteousness.”

This is a point that I must stress:

God does not look for employees,

Apprentices, or internees.

Instead,He seeks those who believe

In His Son, and to Him do cleave.

All trust in ourselves we must shirk

And by faith connect with Christ’s work.

What is this work? Christ came to earth

As God in flesh, and from His birth

He lived completely without flaw,

And thus fulfilled God’s holy law.

Then He was lifted up to die,

And “It is finished” was His cry.

He became sin, who knew no sin,

That righteousness would be in Him.

Three days later, Jesus was raised;

Now all who love Him give Him praise.

By faith in Christ—His life, His scars—

All that He is and has is ours.

If not for Christ, we would be damned;

Instead, our sin went on the Lamb

Who for our sake, and God’s glory,

Was slain. That’s the gospel story.

Our hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.

Through faith in Him He calls us friends.

You see, my dear friends, in the end,

Justification is by deeds.

But whose good deeds? The deeds we need

Are not our own, but those of Christ.

Only his righteous works suffice

To not be looked at and reviled,

But looked at as a righteous child.

By faith our God sees us perfect

Because in Christ’s garment we’re decked—

The cloak of righteousness that dons

All believers. This is no con

Or legal fiction, as some say,

But is the gospel, clear as day.

The one whom God declares as just

Is one who has the proper trust.

We must not look to what’s in us,

But look alone to Christ Jesus.

If we trust partly in his death,

But still trust in our life and breath

Than Jesus’ glory is but half,

And He’s no better than a calf.

But as it is He dies and lives

So that His Father may forgive

All those who repent of their sin

And by faith place their trust in Him.

The devil will try to deceive.

He’ll try to get us to believe:

“You have to have your own merit.

Righteousness must be inherent.

Your evil deeds you can’t undo.

You’re too wicked; God can’t love you.

With your next sin you’re going to lose

Your righteousness.” He will accuse

Us in this way. What shall we say

In order to drive doubt away?

“No one can bring a charge of guilt

Because the blood of Christ was spilt.

No matter how much we may fail,

All the elect in Christ prevail.

Our God is always on our side;

Forever we are justified!

One day we’ll see Him face to face,

And it’s all because of His grace.

So we’ll sing the old, old story;

To God alone be all glory.”

My friends, this is the greatest news:

In Christ alone we cannot lose.

I'm Thankful For... (by Matthew DelValle)

I am a sinner overwhelmed by the mercy of God. He never ceases to do me good.  How could I ever return back to my old nature, when I “did not honor him as God or give thanks to him” (Romans 1:21)? I can do no such thing. It is my heart’s desire to give thanks and honor to my ever-faithful God. And what else can I say but echo the words of Scripture in giving thanks for all the Lord’s manifold blessings:
  

• I am thankful for the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! (Psalm 118:1; 107:8).
   
• I am thankful for the Lord’s righteousness (Psalm 7:17).
    
• I am thankful because God chose me to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13).
    
• I am thankful that God answered me and has become my salvation (Psalm 118:21).
    
• I am thankful for the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ, God’s beloved Son, who has delivered me from the domain of darkness and transferred me to his kingdom, and thus qualified me to share in the inheritance of the saints in light (Colossians 1:12-14).
    
• I am thankful that I, who was once a slave of sin, have been set free from sin and become a slave of righteousness (Romans 6:17-18).
    
• I am thankful for victory over death through the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).
    
• I am thankful that in everything by prayer and supplication I can make known my requests to God (Philippians 4:6).
    
• I am thankful for the Church, because its faith is proclaimed in all the world, spreading the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere (Romans 1:8; 2 Corinthians 2:14).
    
• I am thankful for Faith Baptist Church, because of our partnership in the gospel from the first day I joined until now (Philippians 1:3).
    
• I am thankful for the generosity of God’s people, for giving me scholarships to attend seminary (2 Corinthians 9:11).
    
• I am thankful for Bible-saturated hymns and gospel songs to sing to God with my brothers and sisters in Christ (Colossians 3:16; Psalm 35:18).
    
• I am thankful for the people God has placed in my life: for my wonderful parents who raised me to love God and His Word and to follow Christ; for my brother and sister-in-law who model godliness to me and encourage me to pursue ministry; for my many friends and relatives for their constant love and support throughout all the years—thank you, thank you, thank you for investing in me, praying for me, supporting me, and for your faithfulness.  Words are inadequate to describe my gratitude to God for all of you. I would not be who I am without God providentially placing you in my life. I cannot wait to spend eternity with you as we worship our triune God together. I love you with all my heart (1 Timothy 2:1).

Other Thanksgiving 2011 Posts:

• I'm Thankful for Pastor Jerry (by Stephen Simpson)
• Thankful for the Lord's Birds (by Lee Dusing)
• Thankful for This Time and Place (by Jonita Barram)
• Thankfulness at Thanksgiving (by Lou Gentry)

The Greatest Asset of Any Pastor (by Matthew DelValle)

Up to this point in this series I have focused on what R.C. Sproul and John Piper have taught me. The focus has been on teaching, and rightly so. Pastors are teachers (Eph. 4:11). The one skill they must possess is the ability to teach (1 Tim. 3:2). So I have rightly focused on these two men’s teaching ministries.

However, I would be remiss if I communicated that the secret to these men’s ministries is their profound giftedness in teaching. I don’t think that’s why their ministries have such depth and breadth. In fact, I don’t believe the key to effective ministry lies within them at all.

2 Corinthians 2:15-16 is why I think this way: “We [preachers] are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?” If the apostle Paul was not sufficient for such a ministry, what pastor is sufficient for his task?

No pastor can raise the dead. No pastor can impart spiritual life. No pastor can sanctify the saints. It is beyond any man’s reach. John Piper writes,

“A pastor who feels competent in himself to produce eternal fruit—which is the only kind that matters—knows neither God nor himself . . . . We are called to labor for that which is God’s alone to give. The essence of the Christian ministry is that its success is not within our reach.”

So what’s the key then? What makes pastoral ministry effective? What is the greatest asset of any pastor? 

Bold Preachers and Praying Believers

The answer can be found in Acts 4. In this chapter the apostles Peter and John are arrested for preaching in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. About five thousand men had believed the word (vv. 2-4), and the Jewish council inquires of Peter and John, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” (v. 7). Peter answers and concludes that there is no other name but Jesus by which we are saved (v. 12). The next verse is key: “But when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished” (v. 13).

This is puzzling. The apostles were bold men; there is no denying that from the text. But why were they so bold? Was it because they were naturally intelligent? Were they so confident in their innate reasoning abilities that they knew they could take on the religious leaders in a debate and win? No, that’s not the reason. The text clearly states that they were uneducated, common men (v. 13). They weren’t naturally intelligent. They didn’t have high IQs. They had no formal education. How then could they be so bold in preaching the word and defending the gospel before the council? Where did their boldness come from?

We see the answer just a few verses later. After Peter and John were released, “They went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them” (v. 23). And how did these other believers respond to the apostles’ report? “And when the friends heard it, they lifted their voices together to God” (v. 24). They prayed. They prayed for Peter and John. The immediate response of the believers was to approach the throne of God.

And what did they pray? After acknowledging God’s providential hand in all things, they make an astonishing request to the Lord: “And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness” (v. 29). What an amazing thing! Grant O God boldness to your servants! Keep them bold in their preaching of Your Word!

This is an incredible prayer by the early believers. They knew something very crucial: Bold preaching is a gift of God. It’s not innate. It’s not inherent. It’s a gift of God. That’s why the believers prayed for it. They knew Peter and John were not innately bold. They needed grace to carry out their ministry. So the believers asked God for the grace of boldness in the apostles’ lives.

What’s incredible is that God immediately answered their prayer: “And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness […] And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all” (vv. 31, 33).

The passage ends exactly as it begins: the apostles preaching boldly about the resurrection of Christ. Only by this point we know why they can do it. It’s not because they’re genius men. It’s because they’re gifted men. They have the gift of the Holy Spirit empowering them to speak the gospel with boldness. Great power is the result of great grace.

The Greatest Asset of Any Pastor

Charles Spurgeon was once asked about the secret to his ministry. His response? “My people pray for me.” Nothing will happen in ministry if God’s people don’t pray. Both the grace to do ministry and the grace that works through ministry come from the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit empowers those who ask for His enablement. This is the greatest asset of any pastor: a praying people.

A.C. Dixon got it exactly right:

“When we depend upon organizations, we get what organizations can do; when we depend upon education, we get what education can do; when we depend upon man, we get what man can do; but when we depend upon prayer, we get what God can do.”

May pastors always depend upon the grace of God in the ministry of the Word, and may God’s people pray for God’s power for God’s preachers.

Other Posts in this series:

• Two Men I Thank God For
• RC Sproul Helped Me See the Truth
• What I Learned from John Piper
• The Blessed Fruit of Indirect Teaching
• The Greatest Asset of Any Pastor
• Carrying on the Legacy

The Blessed Fruit of Indirect Teaching (by Matthew DelValle)

photo by Paul Cleveland

It is often that we choose to read a book or watch a film or listen to a message because we know what we will learn. We have a general awareness of what we’re getting ourselves into. We read a book on money management so we can learn principles for better stewardship. We watch a documentary on Martin Luther to learn about the Reformation and how it affects us today. We listen to a seminar on parenting to help us train up our children in the way they should go. We pick books to read and films to watch and messages to hear because we know the direct teaching these resources will provide.

What often goes unrecognized is indirect teaching. There is so much we can learn just by observing methodology. The methods used to transfer information are often as enlightening as the information itself. Or to say it another way: How something is said is just as important as what is being said. Therefore, teachers do not just “teach” when they convey information; they also teach by how they convey information.

Over the years of reading, watching, and listening to R.C. Sproul and John Piper, I have been the beneficiary of much indirect teaching. As much as I have learned from them through direct teaching, I have learned just as much through indirect teaching. By asking myself questions like, “Why did he say this here and not there?” or “Why did he explain it that way and not another way?” I force myself to think through not just what is being said but how it is being said. There is great value in this.

We may not read the same authors or listen to the same preachers, but we all receive indirect teaching at some level. So allow me to share just two fruits of the indirect teaching of R.C. Sproul and John Piper in my life. There are many things I wish I could share, but space does not permit me to do so. Nevertheless, my hope is that in listing these two benefits of indirect teaching in my own life, you too will seek to benefit from the indirect teaching of other authors and preachers.

Philosophical Logic
I didn’t take a philosophy class until my senior year in college. I had never opened a philosophy textbook or read the works of Aristotle or anything like that. But I had read R.C. Sproul. Even after taking philosophy in a formal setting, most of what I know about philosophy I learned indirectly from Dr. Sproul. Dr. Sproul is not only a theologian; he is also trained in philosophy. Not surprisingly, his philosophical bent seeps into his books and messages. Quite frequently, Dr. Sproul will use philosophical logic to help make a point.

Perhaps an example will help. At this year’s Ligonier National Conference, Dr. Sproul explained how there are only three possible explanations for our existence:

1. eternal existence (we’ve always existed)
2. self-creation (we created ourselves)
3. creation by something or someone who is eternal

He then commented on the second explanation, saying self-creation is rationally impossible. That is, it makes no sense. It is a logical fallacy because it violates the law of non-contradiction.

What is the law of non-contradiction?

The law of non-contradiction states that for something to be a contradiction, it must be A and not A at the same time and in the same relationship.

The concept of self-creation violates this principle. Dr. Sproul explained it this way:

“To self-create, one has to be before one is.”

This, of course, is rationally impossible. It makes no sense. Therefore, we can reject self-creation as the reason for our existence. Point taken.

Dr. Sproul uses philosophical logic like this all the time. Every time I read one of his books, somewhere in that book he will make a point by sheer force of logic. As a result, he has indirectly helped shape my own thinking and given me tools for evaluating right and wrong. Philosophical logic is one of the blessed fruits of Dr. Sproul’s indirect teaching.

Poetic Sensibility
Ever since I was a young boy, I have had an affinity for poetry. I’ve enjoyed reading it and writing it. However, it was after reading John Piper that my love for poetry blossomed. Dr. Piper has a poetic sense that engulfs all of his writing. He does write poems, to be sure. I have learned much about writing poetry just by reading his poems. But even his prose has a kind of rhythm and rhyme to it that I find particularly captivating. He has a way of expressing truth in a beautiful, poetic manner.

Again, perhaps some examples will help. Look at this sentence from Dr. Piper:

“You will not know what prayer is for until you know that life is war."

If we split the sentence into two parts, we can observe a few things. “You will not know what prayer is for | until you know that life is war.”

Notice the parallel wording in each half: “You will not know / until you know.” Note also the closely rhymed endings: for/war. There is also a balanced rhythm in each part. If “prayer” is pronounced in one syllable like “pray’r,” there are exactly eight syllables in each half. Thus, the whole sentence would read: “You will not know what pray’r is for | until you know that life is war.

This is an example of poetic sensibility in writing. Did Dr. Piper intend to teach his readers this poeticism when writing that sentence? Probably not directly. But indirectly, his method of explaining truth instructs his readers. The value is memorability: it is much easier to memorize poetry than prose. Just think about all the song lyrics you know from heart. By writing this truth about prayer in such a poetic fashion, Dr. Piper is helping his readers remember truth easier.

There are numerous examples of this kind of rhythmic flow in Dr. Piper’s writing. One of my favorites is,

“The wisdom of God has ordained a way for the love of God to deliver us from the wrath of God without compromising the justice of God.”

Another favorite is,

“Grace is the pleasure of God to magnify the worth of God by giving sinners the right and power to delight in God without obscuring the glory of God.”

Both of these sentences have a four-part structure, each part ending with “God.” There is a rhythm in each one that is aesthetically pleasing to read. Apart from the glorious truths being directly taught, there is a kind of beauty in writing being indirectly communicated.

One final example is alliteration. Consider this sentence from Dr. Piper:

“More of Christ’s mercy was magnified in multiplied converts to the Cross.”

Note the bolded and italicized letters. For the most part, each word in the sentence begins with a “c” or “m.” Again, truth aside, this is a wonderfully worded sentence. And indirectly, it teaches the discerning reader something significant about literary beauty in writing.

Ask, Observe, and Reap
So I just want to encourage you to read slowly, ask questions, and observe not just what is being said but how something is being said. How is an author conveying a point? What words are being used? What’s the sentence structure? You will be amazed at what you can learn just by carefully considering an author’s methods. And don’t be limited to books! Do the same thing when you watch a film or listen to a sermon. Why was that scene included in the film? Why did he lower his voice at that point? Ask questions, observe patterns, and reap the fruit of indirect teaching!

Other Posts in this series:

• Two Men I Thank God For
• RC Sproul Helped Me See the Truth
• What I Learned from John Piper
• The Blessed Fruit of Indirect Teaching
• The Greatest Asset of Any Pastor
• Carrying on the Legacy

What I Learned from John Piper (by Matthew DelValle)

John Piper at 2011 Ligonier National Conference

I didn’t encounter John Piper until age 16. I had not heard much about Dr. Piper at this point. I remember Pastor Pete had assigned his book Don’t Waste Your Life to some of my older friends for a missions trip, and I remember said friends commenting how the book was too deep and they didn’t understand it at all. But I had not read or listened to Dr. Piper myself.

This all changed when Pastor Bobby assigned Let the Nations Be Glad! to read for the missions trips in 2007. I’ll never forget the opening lines of the book. They are etched into my memory:

Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.

The main reason why we go out and preach the gospel to all people is not mainly because we don’t want to see people go to hell, but because we want God to be worshiped. That is why God ordains the missionary task. He wants to be worshiped. His glory is not honored, his holiness is not reverenced, his greatness is not admired, his name is not praised, his faithfulness is not trusted, his commandments are not obeyed, his justice is not respected, his wrath is not feared, his grace is not cherished, and his person is not loved. Therefore, missions exists because worship doesn’t.

I grew to love the God-centered worldview of Dr. Piper. Something about his teaching just resonated within me. I had to read more of this man who wrote so convincingly about the supremacy of God’s glory as the center of all things.

Later that year Pastor Bobby again introduced me to another book from Dr. Piper: Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist. I found the term “Christian Hedonist” intriguing. I wanted to know what Piper meant by it. I was not disappointed. The thesis of the book is Dr. Piper’s most famous sentence: “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.”

Now everything was coming together. Both R.C. Sproul and John Piper had convinced me that the glory of God is the most important thing in the universe. Nothing is more ultimate in the mind of God than the glory of God because nothing is more valuable in the heart of God than the glory of God. But Dr. Piper helped me see another wonderful truth: God’s glory coincides with my joy.

God’s passion for his own glory is the measure of his passion for my joy. If he were to make something else more ultimate than his own glory, he would sell me short. The more God seeks his glory, the more he seeks my happiness in him.

Likewise, the more I pursue God’s glory, the more I pursue my own happiness in God. Nothing can fully satisfy the human heart other than God himself. I was created to enjoy God. “In your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11). That’s why God actually commands me to enjoy him: “Delight yourself in the Lord” (Psalm 37:4).

The value of the gospel is just as important as the truth of the gospel. Or as Piper himself writes, “The most precious truth in the Bible is that God’s greatest interest is to glorify the wealth of His grace by making sinners happy in Him.” This is indeed a precious truth. I love the gospel more now than before because I love God more now than before.

This is what John Piper taught me. I am eternally grateful to God for raising up this pastor and teacher to build up the body of Christ. I thank God for what he has accomplished in my life through this man’s teaching (cf. Romans 15:18). It is a wonderful truth that God indeed is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in him. God gets the glory; I get the grace. He is honored; I am happy. Praise the Lord!

Posts in this series:

• Two Men I Thank God For
• RC Sproul Helped Me See the Truth
• What I Learned from John Piper
• The Blessed Fruit of Indirect Teaching
• The Greatest Asset of Any Pastor
• Carrying on the Legacy

R.C. Sproul Helped Me See the Truth (by Matthew DelValle)

RC Sproul (Ligonier Ministries)

R.C. Sproul was the first theologian I ever read. I remember as a young teenager—around the age of 14—I picked up my father’s copy of Knowing Scripture by Dr. Sproul. My father and I had begun having conversations about God and the Bible and theology at this time, and I remember my convictions about certain truths being challenged. My entire way of looking at things began to change. As we talked, I would be pushed to the Scriptures to try to make sense of what we were discussing.

However, at this time—I must confess—I did not have much skill in rightly dividing the Word of truth. I needed help. So I rummaged around my dad’s library and found Knowing Scripture. I devoured the book. I think I read the entire book in two sittings. To this day, I still use the basic principles I learned in that book in reading the Bible.

So the first thing I learned from Dr. Sproul is biblical exegesis. Simply put, I learned to draw out (ex) of Scripture what is really there, and not put into Scripture what isn’t there. I learned that the aim of the interpreter is to guide (gesis) out of the text the intended meaning of the author.

The second thing I learned from Dr. Sproul is God’s sovereignty in salvation. Having gobbled up Knowing Scripture, I quickly turned to another book on my dad’s shelf from R.C. Sproul: Chosen by God. The absolute supremacy of God portrayed in that book just shattered my entire worldview.

Growing up I knew that I was supposed to do everything for the glory of God; I didn’t realize that God does everything for the glory of God. When God shows his love, he receives glory (Eph. 1:4-6). When God shows his mercy, he receives glory (Rom. 9:23). When God shows his justice, he receives glory (Rom. 3:5-7). When God shows his wrath, he receives glory (Rom. 9:22). Everything God does, he does for his glory.

It had never dawned on me that God is glorified in the damnation of unrepentant sinners. It had never dawned on me that God was in no way obligated to be merciful to me (Rom. 9:16). It had never dawned on me that God would create someone like Pharaoh just to make known his power in destroying him (Rom. 9:17).

You see, I had always thought God saved me because of me—because of who I am. I had it all wrong. God didn’t save me because of me; God saved me despite me. I am a sinner who deserves nothing short of eternal judgment. There is nothing good in me that would cause God to save me. I didn’t make myself a vessel of mercy. I am not in any way more qualified to receive mercy than anyone else. God could have given me
justice—but instead, he showed me mercy.

The reason why God saved me has nothing to do with me; it has everything to do with God. He did it for his glory—to show the riches of his grace (Eph. 1:7-14). I was created to make God look great. It’s not about me; it’s all about the glory of God.

That’s what R.C. Sproul taught me. And for that, I am eternally grateful to God.

Posts in this series:

• Two Men I Thank God For
• RC Sproul Helped Me See the Truth
• What I Learned from John Piper
• The Blessed Fruit of Indirect Teaching
• The Greatest Asset of Any Pastor
• Carrying on the Legacy

Two Men I Thank God For (by Matthew DelValle)

John Piper & RC Sproul (Ligonier Ministries)

I recently attended the Ligonier National Conference. A unique focus of this year’s conference was to celebrate the faithful ministries of R.C. Sproul and John Piper. These are two men I am eternally grateful to God for raising up to the ministry of the Word.

I first encountered the teachings of these men during my very formative teenage years, and ever since those early encounters with their books and messages, I have eaten up more and more of their writings and sermons. Albert Mohler, President of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has wisely counseled:

Read all the titles written by some authors. Choose carefully here, but identify some authors whose books demand your attention. Read all they have written and watch their minds at work and their thought in development. No author can complete his thoughts in one book, no matter how large. (source)

I have taken this to heart. I did a brief review of my library, and I have read close to 30 books from these two men combined. I still have unread books by them on my shelf, waiting for me to devour them.

So it is no surprise to me that much of what I write and teach has echoes of Dr. Sproul and Dr. Piper. A student often imitates his teacher. I can honestly say that, more than anyone else, these two men have shaped my thinking and influenced the direction of my life towards pastoral ministry. Listening to their preaching has put a fire within me to want to go out and do likewise.

So in my following articles I would like to share briefly some things I’ve learned from these two men directly from their teaching, some things I have picked up from them indirectly, and the effect their teaching has had on my own life.

My aim in these posts is twofold: first, it is to give honor to whom honor is due (Rom. 13:7). When Epaphroditus risked his life to serve Paul, the apostle wrote to the Philippians, “Honor such men” (Phil. 3:29). It is good and right to express gratitude towards those who have trumpeted the gospel of Jesus Christ and done the work of the ministry in equipping the body of Christ.

Nevertheless, my ultimate aim is not to praise these men, but to praise the God who created them, saved them, equipped them, and preserved them over all these years. That is why the title of this post is “Two Men I Thank God For.” “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11:36).

Posts in This Series:

• Two Men I Thank God For
• RC Sproul Helped Me See the Truth
• What I Learned from John Piper
• The Blessed Fruit of Indirect Teaching
• The Greatest Asset of Any Pastor
• Carrying on the Legacy

Declare His Glory Among the Nations (by Matthew DelValle)

In light of our upcoming Mission Conference, February 25-27, I asked Matthew to write an article centered around our theme verse.  Read it and make plans to join us for this exciting conference!

“Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.” ~ Psalm 96:3-4

The Purpose of Missions
The ultimate focus of missions is not the people but the glory of God. Our desire to exalt the worth of God is the purpose of missions because God’s desire is to exalt the worth of God. The ultimate goal of God is not missions; it is worship. It is the glad-hearted praises of God’s people in response to the all-satisfying experience of God’s glory. “Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised.”

Nothing is more ultimate in the mind of God than the glory of God because nothing is more valuable in the heart of God than the glory of God. All throughout the Bible, when the ultimate purpose is given for why God does what He does, the answer God always gives is: “For my glory.” Missions is no different.

Since the glory of God is the goal of God, and we glorify God most fully when we worship Him, worship therefore is the goal of God in missions. Worship is ultimate, not man, because God is ultimate, not man. God’s purpose in missions is for His glory and marvelous works to be proclaimed. That is His goal—to exalt the worth of His own name.

And amazingly, the glorification and exaltation of God and our enjoyment of God are unified goals. The reasoning goes like this:

• Our life’s purpose is to pursue what is best.
• It is evil for us not to pursue what is best.
• God’s purpose is to pursue what is best.
• It is evil for God not to pursue what is best.
• What is best is God in all His glory.
• Therefore, God does everything for the glory of God.
• Therefore, our purpose in life is to do everything for the glory of God.

  
This is good news. When we stand before God one day and see Him in the fullness of His glory, it is then that our joy will be complete. The Psalmist nailed it right on the head: “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Ps. 16:11). God’s glory and our fullness of joy are twin truths.

This is why the gospel message is so shareable: we are calling people to joy! “The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!” (Ps. 97:1). “Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the people praise you! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy!” (Ps. 67:3-4). “May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you! May those who love your salvation say evermore, ‘God is great!’ ” (Ps. 70:4). The goal of missions is for all peoples to gladly say with worshipful tongues, “God is great!” This is the purpose of missions.

The Pattern of Missions
This purpose, however, isn’t carried out just any way. God has a specific pattern by which He will bring Himself glory. When the Bible says to declare God’s glory among the nations—or peoples, or tribes, or tongues—it has something very specific in mind. It does not mean individual people. Nor does it mean political nations or geographic regions. It means types of people. It means Anglo-Saxons and Puerto Ricans and Cherokees and Shirazi Swahilis and Tutsi South Africans and the Dinka of Sudan. There are clans, tribes, and families—otherwise known as people groups.

A people group is basically an ethnolinguistic group with a common self-identity that is shared by the various members. Or, to say it in plain English, they are their own people, and they have their own language. There are about 16,000 such known people groups in the world, and in about 6,000 of those the local church or churches are either totally absent or exist so weakly that there isn’t a self-sustaining base from which evangelism can take place.

That is why the task of missions is so necessary. Missions is the effort to cross into those cultures, learn those languages, meet those peoples, and reach them with the gospel of Jesus Christ. God is interested in saving all kinds of people, not just the people we like. All kinds of people. Therefore, the missionary focus is not on individual people but on kinds of people. This is the heart of God, and it should be ours as well.

The Promise of Missions
The purpose and pattern of missions is to “declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!” (Ps. 96:3). This is a command from God Himself to us. Participating in missions is not optional. It is our duty. That is reason enough to join this holy endeavor of reaching all peoples with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

But perhaps the most compelling and motivating truth to participate in missions is this unshakable promise: we cannot lose. The mission cannot fail. The blood of Christ guarantees it. Revelation 5:9 says it like this, “And they [the heavenly host] sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are you [Jesus] to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.’”

There are blood-bought people in every people group throughout the world. They will not be lost. Jesus never loses on His purchases. These ransomed people scattered around this globe must be gathered into one. Jesus said it Himself: “I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd” (John 10:16). Christ will bring all His sheep into the fold. It will happen folks. Mark it down.

One of the fundamental differences between evangelism and missions is that evangelism can never be finished. There will always be unsaved people to whom we can speak the gospel. But missions can be finished—and it will. Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

The end of all things will not come until all the peoples of the world are reached with the gospel of Jesus Christ—not all people, but all kinds of people. It will happen; the gospel will be proclaimed to all peoples. Jesus insures it. “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:18-20). The question for us is simply this: are we on board with Him? Are we passionate to see the gospel win and to declare God’s glory among the nations? Do we want others to taste and see that the Lord is good? (Ps. 34:8).

The Greatest Movement in History
The greatest truth we can ever know, love, and share is the good news of Jesus Christ. Our greatest privilege as the church of Christ is to engage with the King of glory in His great missionary cause. The ingathering of God’s people from every corner of the globe into one holy congregation is the greatest movement in history.

When it is all over the entire company of the redeemed will gather as one around the throne of God and sing praises forever to the Lamb who was slain on our behalf: “Worthy are you, Lamb of God. To you be all glory and blessing” (cf. Rev. 5:9-14). And then the purposes of God will be complete, as will our everlasting joy. Truly, our Lord is great and greatly to be praised!