Finally managed to get another video up on google.

I've had a lot of technical problems trying to get our sermons up on google video lately.
I just managed to get one up there for the first time in ages, so thought I would post it here, in case anyone had been waiting for new vids.

Heidelberg Catechism Lord’s day 14

Q35: What is the meaning of "conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary"?
A35: That the eternal Son of God, who is [1] and continues true and eternal God,[2] took upon Himself the very nature of man, of the flesh and blood of the virgin Mary,[3] by the operation of the Holy Ghost;[4] so that He might also be the true seed of David,[5] like unto His brethren in all things,[6] except for sin.[7]

1. John 1:1; Rom 1:3-4 2. Rom 9:5 3. Gal 4:4; John 1:14 4. Mat 1:18-20; Luke 1:35
5. Psa 132:11 6. Phi 2:7 7. Heb 4:15: 1Jo 5:20

Q36: What benefit do you receive from the holy conception and birth of Christ?
A36: That He is our Mediator,[1] and with His innocence and perfect holiness covers, in the sight of God, my sin, wherein I was conceived.[2]

1. Heb 2:16-17 2. Psa 32:1; 1Jo 1:9


DF questions:

a) Which 2 gospels clearly demonstrate the virgin birth?


b) What reasons does the Bible give, for Jesus being born of Mary?
Gal 4:4-5, Heb 4:15, Heb 2:14-18





c) Was Mary a sinner? (Rom 3:23)


d) Is original sin only passed on through Fathers? (Ps 51:5)


e) How then, according to the Bible, was Jesus not born with original sin? (Luk 1:35)






f) Practically for our faith, how is the virgin birth better than baby Jesus suddenly appearing somewhere?






g) How do modern disaster movies such as Armageddon, The Core, The day after tomorrow etc. give a totally different message to the Virgin birth (Mat 1:20-21)?

New Word Alive highlight 4: Worshiping with the masses

It was a real blessing to be able to worship with something like 4,000 people.

It made me think about how amazing heaven will be, all worshiping God together.

Peace
D

New Word Alive Highlight 3: The Carson and Piper combination

Carson was teaching every morning, and Piper taught for 2 evenings. This was a great combination. These are my two favourite Bible teachers, and I really appreciate their different styles.

Carson taught through 1 John, and in his usual style managed to cover a lot of text, in a little time. He was sharp and precise, and helped us to all understand the text better, and ultimately God better.

Piper was animated and lively, preaching from Romans 8, giving us a sense of the glory of God, and the need to treasure Christ in suffering.

Such a combination, shows me how God uses different personalities to teach us his word, and how it is never necessary to copy someone else's style.

Back from T4G

I got back today from T4G (Together for the Gospel)
In the next few days I'll try to post more about NWA 2008 and T4G 2008.
Both were excellent conferences.

Peace
D

New Word Alive Highlight 2: Meeting William in a wheelchair

On the return journey from New Word Alive, a man in a wheel chair got on the train with his wife, about 3 stops after Phwelli.

He had an amazing smile the whole time, so much so that I wondered if he was a Christian.

It turned out that he too had been at New Word Alive, but staying at a hotel off site. Unfortunately on the last night there was a leak at the hotel, and they had to move to a hotel even further away from the conference site. This meant that they missed the final morning session by Don Carson.

Despite this, and despite having been in a wheelchair since the age of 9. William exhibited the joy of the Lord like no one I have met before.

I had heard Piper teaching in the week about glorifying God in suffering, but now I actually had the privilege of meeting someone who lives this out.

Meeting William was a real blessing, and I hope that I never forget his example.

New Word Alive Highlight 1: Finally meeting Don Carson

I've just come back from the New Word Alive conference in North Wales.
It was very good.
For me the number one highlight was finally getting to meet Don Carson.

I got to have breakfast with him, which was a real privilege. I was so glad to be able to thank him for the help he has given me, and to talk socially, and to ask some theological questions I had been wanting to ask (especially in preparation for the next month's sermons on Matthew 24).

Peace
D

Heidelberg Catechism: Lord's Day 13

HC Q33: Why is He called God's "only begotten Son," since we also are the children of God?
HC A33: Because Christ alone is the eternal, natural Son of God, but we are the children of God by adoption, through grace, for His sake.


a) Read John 1:14. The KJV translates the Greek word monogenes as only begotten.
then read the notes below from the NET Bible (looking up the references), and then
Define what begotten really means in this verse?

‘begotten’ Or “of the unique one.” Although this word is often translated “only begotten,” such a translation is misleading, since in English it appears to express a metaphysical relationship. The word in Greek was used of an only child (a son [Luke 7:12, 9:38] or a daughter [Luke 8:42]). It was also used of something unique (only one of its kind) such as the mythological Phoenix (1 Clem. 25:2). From here it passes easily to a description of Isaac (Heb 11:17 and Josephus, Ant., 1.13.1 [1.222]) who was not Abraham’s only son, but was one-of-a-kind because he was the child of the promise. Thus the word means “one-of-a-kind” and is reserved for Jesus in the Johannine literature of the NT. While all Christians are children of God, Jesus is God’s Son in a unique, one-of-a-kind sense. The word is used in this way in all its uses in the Gospel of John (1:14, 1:18, 3:16, and 3:18).

BTW We are talking about a different word to the one used in Acts 13:33, Heb 1:5 and Heb 5:5.





b) Read Eph 1:5-6, 1 John 3:1. Make a list of ways in which our sonship is different to Jesus’s.






HC Q34: Why do you call Him "our Lord"?
HC A34: Because not with silver or gold, but with His precious blood, He has redeemed and purchased us, body and soul, from sin and from all the power of the devil, to be His own.[1]


c) Read Titus 2:11-14, 1 Pet 1:18-19, 1 Cor 7:22-23. In what way do these verses show why we call Jesus “Lord”?





d) Read Romans 10:9. What is the main meaning of “Lord” here?





e) Bearing in mind the OT meaning, how can you reconcile the answers of c and d? (Hint: its to do with the meaning of Yaweh)

Tim Keller and the Grace narrative

John Owen online

I just found a site with many links to pdf's of John Owen's works.

http://www.puritanboard.com/f29/works-john-owen-online-25646/

Something to look out for there is his commentary series on Hebrews.

Enjoy
D