As we look back at our nativity set, we cannot overlook a pair of simple characters with shepherd’s crooks, one carrying a sheep, the other gently bending near the child. In the face of these characters, we are reminded to respond this Christmas with enthusiastic evangelism.

​The shepherds first heard the gospel in an extraordinary way in Luke 2:8-14—glorious angels appeared in the night sky to triumph God’s joy and peace and salvation, all wrapped up in a tiny baby who had recently been born nearby.

What a scene! How did the shepherds respond? How should we respond this Christmas? The shepherds reacted with enthusiastic evangelism that expressed itself in four ways:

1.  They personalized the gospel (vv. 15-16).

Having heard this angelic message, the shepherds first had to determine what they were going to do with it personally. They could deny it or doubt it. They could postpone it and forget about it. Or they could believe and investigate it.

The passage testifies that they did the later, “hastily” (v. 16) following the instructions of the angels to “see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us” (v. 15).

Application: What have you done with the Christmas story? What is your perspective on this “good news of a great joy”? Have you investigated the gospel for yourself? Do you understand that “Christ [i.e., the Rescuer God promised to fix this world and save us from our sin, when we rebelled at the Fall (cf. Genesis 3:15)] died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3b-4). It is of “first importance” (1 Corinthians 15:3a) that you personalize this message and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior!

2.  They prioritized evangelism (vv. 17-18).

They were in middle of their work, “keeping watch over their flock” (v. 8), but they quickly left their responsibilities to search for the child of promise (v. 16) and then to tell others (vv. 17-18). These angels knew what we often forget—nothing is more important that the gospel! They were not going to let temporal matters rob them (or others) from eternal joy.

Application: Too often, our problem is that we are more like Jonah than these shepherds. They both had the same message to tell—the shepherds literally couldn’t wait; Jonah did all he could to avoid it. Jonah didn’t prioritize evangelism, because he simply loved plants more than people (Jonah 4). The shepherds couldn’t get over the wonder of it all, and so, as they had lavishly received grace, they shared it.

Are you prioritizing evangelism, especially at this time of the year when people may be more open? Or, are you distracted by your “plants”—your job (“sheep”), your reputation, your toys, your agenda, your calendar, your entertainment, your traditions, etc.? The shepherds teach us to use the Christmas holiday to verbally share the good news.

3.  They praised God (v. 20).

The shepherd scene ends this way: “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.” For these shepherds, evangelism was natural (or supernatural), not contrived; it was a delight, not a duty; it was overflow, not “pulling teeth.” Why? Because it was the byproduct of worship!

John Piper has suggested, “Missions exists because worship doesn’t.” Too often, we aren’t good witnesses, because we aren’t good worshippers. We don’t tell others about the gospel, because we aren’t telling it to ourselves.

Application: If there is ever a helpful time in the calendar year to stoke the fuel of our praise, it is Christmas! Allow the riches of this spiritual season—its focus on the incarnation, which made possible Jesus’s substitution in life and in death, which resulted in the resurrection, and which guarantees our glorification—to lose your lips to declare God’s praises, and when you do, “many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord” (Psalm 40:3).

4.  They pushed through the shame (v. 8).

Shepherds were largely avoided or rejected by society. They were humble commoners whose place was looked down upon. That didn’t stop these transformed nomads at all! Nor did the fact that it was the middle of the night. Like this child that had changed them, they “despised [i.e., “to count lightly or as insignificant] the shame” (Hebrews 12:2) and boldly declared good news.

Application: Let us not be silenced! Yes, let us be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16); yet, let us be gracious and kind; yes, let us be discerning and prudent—but let us not be ashamed! In America, we still have so little to fear in our freedom to witness, and yet we do fear. That spirit is not from God (2 Timothy 1:7), so let’s pray for boldness instead (Acts 4:23-31; Ephesians 6:18b-20; Colossians 4:2-4; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2).
​
And even if cultural shame increases and we find ourselves oppressed, let us remember the hope of the gospel! We “are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in [us] is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). They may hate us, they may despise us, they may reject us, they may persecute us…but they can only kill us (Matthew 10:28)! In the very message we bear, “shame is shamed, and fear has fled” (C. Anderson, “Every Knee Shall Bow”)!

​My wife and I recently watched Newsies, the 1992 musical based on the New York City Newsboys Strike of 1899 and starring Christian Bale.

While I grew up watching this movie, it was the first time Dawn had seen it, and we both enjoyed the thick New York accents, the witty humor, the triumph of the riffraff over the societal elite, and the rousing original music — that is, with the exception of "High Times, Hard Times," the song that actually won the 13th Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Original Song.

There were two moments in that 121 minutes of entertainment that my mind stirred from its momentary vegging and made a connection to something greater than the story I was watching.

First, I found an assertion by newspaper tycoon, Joseph Pulitzer (played by Robert Duvall), to be particularly relevant. In a warning to the newsboys’ rebel leader, Jack Kelly, Pulitzer declares, “The power of the press is the greatest power of them all. I tell people how to think, how to vote—I shape [this city’s] future”! Truly, that declaration stands today.

Too many people today are contentedly told what to think by today’s media. This includes many Christians, who not only don’t think for themselves, but also rarely exert themselves to think biblically. John Piper has said, “As few things are as easy as thinking, few things are more difficult than thinking well.” Indeed, it is so difficult that many of us simply opt not to do it. And so, “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2) uses one of his many devices (2 Corinthians 2:11), the “power of the press,” to mold our thinking, and thus our deciding, and finally our living.

Dear fellow believer, let us “prepare our minds for action” (1 Peter 1:13; KJV, “gird up the loins of our mind”) and let us “destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

To help train yourself to think well, let me encourage you to check out Dr. Albert Mohler’s daily podcast (and transcript), The Briefing.

Second, one of the compelling elements of (good) video is its ability to transport you into the story, causing you to strongly identify with the characters and feel their emotions. This happened for me powerfully at the 1:32:03 time mark of the movie, and I found myself again looking beyond the drama I was watching to something larger and more significant.

At that point in the movie, the newsboys have just printed their own paper, assembled a massive rally of people, and confronted their unfair and oppressive employer, who (it is implied) meets their demands. Jack Kelly departs his successful meeting with Pulitzer, and, to communicate the victory to the crowd, he hoists his young sidekick up on his shoulders and the two of them shout, “We won!”

The multitude erupts into a joyful, ecstatic celebration! And, as my emotions stirred and my eyes welled with tears, my mind wandered to another celebration, dramatically foreshadowed by the one I was watching.

This is the Story that all others point to; this is the Triumph that all others are longing for. This is the day—distant, perhaps, but certain—when the people of God (those who have by faith trusted in the salvation of Jesus the Lamb of God, who have experienced the full forgiveness of their sins through the One who died for them and rose again, and who have been everlastingly clothed with His blessed righteousness) will gather in mass and hear it proclaimed, “We won!” (Revelation 21:6; 22:3).

Indeed, the newsboys won and their legacy was eventually remembered in more far-reaching child-welfare reforms. But their victory was bound by the contexts of time, economy, and culture. The victory of our Lord, however, reaches to the ends of the universe (Revelation 21:1, 4-5) and the extent of eternity (Revelation 22:3-5).

That God is not done with Israel, but has merely set them aside for a time in His gospel program, is evident from such passages as Romans 9-11 (cf. Romans 11:25-36). In this "Age of the Gentiles," God's obvious focus in His ministry of saving grace is on those outside of that ethnic group. However, when the "fullness" of this age is complete, God will revive His attention toward Israel and will show them mercy.

Nonetheless, even now, God is saving a remnant from among the unbelieving Jews (cf. Romans 11:3-5), as many believe in Yeshua (Jesus) as their Messiah. The video below is just one sample from a site (www.imetmessiah.com) dedicated to sharing the testimonies of these believing (i.e., Messianic) Jews.

Having recently studied through "The Scarlet Thread" in our SMBS, it is also wise for us to ask the question that a few of you were asking, "How can Jews miss Jesus in Isaiah 53?" This article by Dr. Layton Talbert, entitled "How Do Orthodox Jews Read Isaiah 53?" helps provide a simple, but sad answer.

Praise the Lord for His current work of rescuing a remnant within Israel, and let's pray with Paul that His kinsman might be saved (cf. Romans 9:1-3; 10:1).

QUESTION #6

God told the Israelites that He would conditionally bless them if they kept His commandments and walked in them (e.g., Leviticus 26:3-4; Deuteronomy 4:1, 6:24-25, 8:1). In “keeping His commandments,” is God referring to a general following after Him, knowing that the Israelites would sometimes disobey, but that God would still bless them if their heart was set on Him (dismissing their imperfection)? Or does God mean complete perfection here, even though He knew they couldn’t keep His commandments without spot (making them depend on God’s grace)? I know God requires complete perfection for eternal life with Him (and that’s where the gospel comes in), but these verses are more about material blessings for the Israelites. Was God just looking for their faith in His promises, ready to count their faith as righteousness like He did for Abraham?

RESPONSE

Acknowledgement — In every dispensation, the truth that our actions do bring consequences (positive and negative) has always been in effect. While God would not punish children for the sins of their parents (cf. Deuteronomy 7:10; 24:16; Ezekiel 18:19-32), the children would indeed be affected by the disobedience of their parents, either in continuing their sin or in facing the repercussions of it (cf. Exodus 20:5-6). Correspondingly, the same was true of an individual’s righteousness and obedience—it brought blessing. The New Testament continues to teach this truth, for example, in its reference to “reaping and sowing” (cf. Galatians 6:7-8).

Background — In essence, I think the question being asked here is, “Was the Mosaic Covenant/Law intended to provide salvation?” The easy and clear biblical answer to that is, “No!” Salvation has always been by grace alone through faith alone in God’s person and promises. Before the Mosaic Covenant, God’s relationship with Abraham in the unilateral, unconditional, eternal Abrahamic Covenant provided mankind with a picture of how one is restored to a relationship with God—by grace through faith (cf. Genesis 15:6). Abraham’s “amen” (the Hebrew word for “believed”) echoes throughout the rest of Scripture, testifying to the sufficiency of grace and faith (also cf. Habakkuk 2:4 and its reverberation throughout the NT). The “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11 reaffirms the timeless veracity of such classic NT texts as John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9, and Titus 3:5. Obedience to the Mosaic Law (Deuteronomy 6:24-25) was supposed to be a manifestation of a heart of faithful love (Deuteronomy 6:5-6, 13-14).

So, then, what was the purpose and essence of the Mosaic Covenant?[i]

(1) Unlike the Abrahamic Covenant, the prototype of God’s dealing with sinful mankind by grace through faith, the Mosaic Covenant was bilateral in its nature and goal of the Mosaic Covenant—that is, both God and the people had commitments/responsibilities in this covenant relationship. It was also a conditional covenant, meaning that if the Israelites failed to live up to their end of the bargain, then God wasn’t bound to fulfill His (cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-28).

What was the condition of this covenant? God shared it with Moses when Israel first arrived at Mount Sinai, “The Lord called to Him out of the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant [Exodus 19-31], you shall be My treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel”’” (Exodus 19:3-6).

Tracing their spiritual progression, this nation was already a redeemed nation, for the Exodus and Passover was behind them. Now, the Lord desires to enjoy fellowship with them and engage them in mission—but to do so, they had to adhere to the Mosaic Covenant. The commitments and responsibilities of the Mosaic Law were given in order for Israel to become, not “saved” or “justified,” but a special and distinct and “priestly” nation. As we know, Israel drastically failed in this goal, and after hundreds of years of patient warning, God punished them with the curses He had promised during their captivity (and beyond). He also prophesied of a New Covenant (Jeremiah 31) that would replace the old, broken one and would become everlastingly effective.

The Mosaic Law itself contained language to describe what would happen if one treated it as a means of salvation. Perfect adherence and complete obedience was required, nothing less (James 2:10; Galatians 3:12 [Leviticus 18:5; Romans 10:5]); otherwise, failure to adhere to this covenant brought a curse (Galatians 3:10; from Deut. 27:26 [Jer. 11:3; Ezekiel 18:4]).

(2) In its failure, we actually discover, then, the ultimate purpose of the Mosaic Law (Galatians 3:19-26)—to serve as a guard, proving the sinfulness of every person and imprisoning them in its guilt (cf. Romans 7:5-13), and to serve as a guardian, pointing to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (cf. “shadow”: Hebrews 8:5; 10:1; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13). And in the New Covenant ratified by Christ’s blood, we are no longer under Law (Romans 7:1-4).[ii]

ENDNOTES

[i] “A covenant is a legally binding promise, agreement, or contract. Three times in the NT the word “covenants” is used in the plural (Gal. 4:24; Eph. 2:12). All but one of God’s covenants with man are eternal and unilateral—that is, God promised to accomplish something based on His own character and not on the response or actions of the promised beneficiary. The 6 biblical covenants include: 1) the covenant with Noah (Gen. 9:8-17); 2) the covenant with Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3; see note on 4:13); 3) the covenant of law given through Moses at Sinai (Ex. 19-31; cf. Deut. 29, 30); 4) the priestly covenant (Num. 25:10-13); 5) the covenant of an eternal kingdom through David’s greatest Son (2 Sam. 7:8–16); and 6) the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 37:26; cf. Heb. 8:6-13). All but the Mosaic Covenant are eternal and unilateral. It is neither, since Israel’s sin abrogated it and it has been replaced by the New Covenant (cf. Heb. 8:7-13)” (The MacArthur Study Bible, p. 1710).
[ii] “Paul uses the two mothers, their two sons, and two locations as a further illustration of two covenants. Hagar, Ishmael, and Mt. Sinai (earthly Jerusalem) represent the covenant of law; Sarah, Isaac and the heavenly Jerusalem the covenant of promise. However, Paul cannot be contrasting these two covenants as different ways of salvation, one way for OT saints, another for NT saints—a premise he has already denied (2:16; 3:10-14, 21, 22). The purpose of the Mosaic Covenant was only to show all who were under its demands and condemnation their desperate need for salvation by grace alone (3:24)—it was never intended to portray the way of salvation. Paul’s point is that those, like the Judaizers, who attempt to earn righteousness by keeping the law receive only bondage and condemnation (3:10, 23). While those who partake of salvation by grace—the only way of salvation since Adam’s sin—are freed from the law’s bondage and condemnation” (The MacArthur Study Bible, p. 1796).

QUESTION #2

What is the meaning of 1 Peter 3:19-20 regarding Christ preaching to spirits in prison?

RESPONSE

Principles — (1) God’s word is inerrant and does not contradict. So, apparent contradictions can be explained, and God’s Spirit will be our teacher. (2) Always move from clearer passages to less clear in your Bible interpretation; let the clear passages be your foundation and help you interpret the less clear passages. (3) Beware of building a theological dogma on an unclear passage.  (4) Use the context to help you understand the unique nuance the author is seeking to convey.

Option #1 — (1) Rather than suggesting Purgatory, this text must be interpreted in light of clearer biblical teaching, like Luke 16:26 and Hebrews 9:27 which teach that there are no second chances to respond to the gospel after death. Furthermore, the word for preach is not “preach the gospel” (euangelizo), but “preach” or “proclaim” (kerusso), so the idea of those who die having a second chance to hear and respond to the gospel is not substantiated by this text.

(2) Jesus preached to these “spirits in prison” “in [the Spirit]”—that becomes quite helpful. It was not, then, a physical preaching in which His presence was materially present.

(3) Who are these “spirits in prison”? I believe that the grammar, context, and purpose of the passage strongly indicates that they are those who didn’t obey Noah’s preaching during the time of God’s patience when the ark was being prepared for judgment (v. 20).

• Grammatically, the pronoun “they” in verse 20 refers back to the antecedent (“spirits in prison”) in verse 19 and describes those spirits as “they…[who] did not obey…in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared.” Additionally, while the ESV begins verse 20 with “because,” the Greek word pote is an indication of time and is better translated “when” or “once/formerly” (i.e., the ESV acknowledges this in its note).
• Contextually, 1 Peter 1:10-11 records that the Spirit of Christ was the One speaking through the Old Testament prophets in their messages of salvation and grace, and 2 Peter 2:5 uses the same word for “preach” here (kerusso), when it refers to Noah as a “preacher of righteousness.”
• Concerning the purpose, the NET Bible notes, “These verses encourage Christians [a minority, like in Noah’s day] to stand for righteousness and try to influence their contemporaries for the gospel in spite of the suffering that may come to them. All who identify with them and their Savior will be saved from the coming judgment, just as in Noah’s day.”[i]
  

So, because of the grammar, context, and purpose of this passage, I believe these are the unbelievers who used to be alive in Noah’s day, and after they died, having rejected his preaching, they were imprisoned in eternal condemnation (i.e., they are “the spirits now in prison who once were disobedient…in the days of Noah,” NASB). Both the NET and NASB translations favor this interpretation.

John Piper explains it this way, “I think it refers to the time when people in Noah’s day were disobedient, mocking him as a righteous man obeying God (like the situation in the lives of Peter's readers), and that Jesus, in the spirit, was sent by God in those days to preach to those people through Noah. Just like in [1 Peter] 1:11 the Spirit of Jesus was in the Old Testament prophets predicting his coming, so the Spirit of Jesus was in Noah preaching to the disobedient people of Noah’s day. They are NOW in prison—that is, in a place of torment awaiting the final judgment (Luke 16:24).”[ii]

Option #2 — While the NET Bible argues for this interpretation, it also suggests a viable alternative: "Christ’s announcement of his victory [cf. v. 18] over evil to the fallen angels who await judgment for their role in leading the Noahic generation into sin [cf. Colossians 2:14-15; 2 Peter 2:4-5; Jude 6-7; Genesis 6:1-8];[iii] this proclamation occurred sometime between Christ’s death and ascension”[iv] (cf. MacArthur Study Bible).

The Point — (1) God the Son has always been concerned with the salvation of sinners, even in His pre-incarnate state. (2) The ark is a prophetic event, a shadow of the gospel, pointing forward to the gracious provision of God through the substitutionary Atonement on a wooden cross. God provides a way of salvation from His wrath on our sin, and we must take our refuge in Him in order to be rescued! Just as Noah and his family were only saved by being “in the ark” which bore the brunt of God’s punishing waves, so we are only saved by being “in Christ” who bore the wrath of God for us.

QUESTION #3

What is the meaning of 1 Peter 3:21 regarding baptism? It seems like it is saying that baptism is necessary for salvation.

RESPONSE

Starting with the clearer truth, we know from Scripture that baptism does not save a person. So, we have to figure out what this passage means, when it appears on a surface level reading to contradict that clearer truth.

It is helpful for us to observe that Peter writes that baptism “corresponds” (i.e., “like figure whereunto,” KJV; “antitype,” NKJV; “symbolizes,” NIV; “prefigured,” NET; BDAG: a representation, copy, corresponding situation) to the ark.

• See, the ark didn't save Noah, but was the means of His salvation…God saved Noah!
• “Corresponding to that,” baptism doesn’t actually save…Jesus does according to verse 18! Even verse 21 says that “baptism saves...through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
• So, like the ark, baptism is the means of salvation in as far as it is an expression of faith. Being an expression of faith is an important and clear interpretation, and is evident by the qualifier, “not as a removal of dirt from the body [which is all that water baptism can do] but as an appeal to God for a good conscience [which only He can give].” It is possible, then, that he isn’t even referring to water baptism, but spiritual baptism (cf. Romans 6:1-4).
• Piper puts it this way, “Baptism is a way of saying to God: ‘I trust you to apply the death of Jesus to me for my sins and to bring me through death and judgment into new and everlasting life through the resurrection of Jesus.’”[v]
  

ENDNOTES

[i] Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (Biblical Studies Press, 2006).
[ii] http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/strengthened-to-suffer-christ-noah-and-baptism
[iii] Noting that the word for “preaching” or “proclaimed” here is not the Greek word euangelizomai, but kerusso, Gleason Archer suggests a slight variation to this option: “the proclamation made by the crucified Christ in Hades to all the souls of the dead may have been to the effect that the price had now been paid for sin, and all those who died in the faith were to get ready for their departure to heaven—shortly to occur on Easter Sunday [cf. Ephesians 4:8]” (Bible Difficulties [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1982]).
[iv] The NET Bible First Edition.
[v] http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/strengthened-to-suffer-christ-noah-and-baptism

Dear church family,

This has been an amazing summer. I have seen God work in so many ways – both in my campers’ hearts and in my own. To God be the glory for all He has done!

This past week in Junior Boot Camp was so much fun. I love JBC because you can do things like eat a whole piece of cake in one bite (which I did!) and play “don’t step on the cracks” everywhere you go. One of my campers this week was hilarious. She wrote me her life story, which consisted of the following in messy kid handwriting:

“I love pie and bacon and Jesus. I am at the Wilds Christian Camp. The End.”

It was so cute! I thoroughly enjoyed JBC and am moving back to teen camp this last week.

It was such a blessing to see God save two of my girls! One raised her hand in the service on Monday night saying that she wasn’t saved. I talked to her on Tuesday morning, first asking about her family, and then asking her about salvation. As soon as I brought it up, she clammed up and started crying, saying she wouldn’t talk to me or anyone else about it except her mom or dad. On Thursday, I tried again to talk to her about her salvation, but she wouldn’t budge. On Friday, I told her she didn’t have to talk, but I was just going to show her how she could be saved. Later that night, I asked her if she died where she would go, and she started crying and wanted to talk to me. She trusted Christ as her Savior Friday! It was such an answer to prayer. My God is truly mighty! She was so hard all week and would not open up, but God’s Word is as sharp as a double edged sword and pierced her heart.

God has continually been working on my heart this summer to show me my selfishness. Through studying Romans, God has helped reveal to me the ugly sinfulness of my heart and reminded me of the rescue I have in Christ. He has been so good to me in saving me! But it doesn’t stop there, He wants to change me, and when we let Christ change us, we have a purposeful, satisfying, and joyful life! I am so thankful to have watched God work this summer. It has been truly life changing and I can’t wait to get back home to put into practice some of the lessons I’ve learned. To God be the glory for everything He has done!

Brittany

Dear Church Family,

I got to mix things up a bit this week by being in Junior Boot Camp. It was great! The schedule is different, the games are different, and the kids are different, but the goal is still the same: to point kids to Christ. The beginning of the week was very difficult because I didn't understand where things were and was having a hard time grasping the schedule. I was frustrated and struggling to get where I needed to be at the right time. However, I realized that my need to know everything and have everything go perfect and according to my plan was just pride. Instead of being humble and okay with asking for help, I was determined to try and do everything myself...which never works. God is so gracious to forgive and guide when we mess up! Once I made peace with not having it all together, things went much smoother, we had more fun, and I was able to build more bridges with my campers. Sometimes, you just have to jump in the huge puddles — you can't give up that perfect opportunity!

On Monday, I asked each of my campers to write down on a scale of 1 to 10 how sure they were that they would be going to heaven. After seeing their answers, I started praying that a couple of them would be saved or gain understanding and assurance of their standing with God. I was able to get some one-on-one time with one of the girls on Wednesday, who I read had written a 0, while we were walking back to our cabin. She started telling me about her family and I asked her if there was ever a time where she had gotten saved. She responded with a yes and I asked her to explain to me the plan of salvation. Like any kid who grew up in a Christian home, she was able to give me a clear gospel message, but I still wasn't convinced. Finally, I asked her what salvation meant to her, and she got very quiet. After a minute she looked up at me and said, "It's just amazing. God's love is just amazing. I know my parents love my brother and I, and they would do anything for us; I can't believe that God would send His only Son to die for me. I could never earn it and I don't deserve it. It's amazing how much He loves me." What a blessing! This teeny-tiny nine-year-old totally understood the gospel in a very real and moving way. She wasn't too young to understand or apply the gospel to her life. I looked back later at her card, and she had written "10.0," of which I had only seen the last "0." She's definitely saved, but what a great reminder. May the gospel never get old, whether we're nine, nineteen, or seventy-nine.

This weekend, I've been meditating on Isaiah 1:18 which says, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." I love that Christ washes us completely clean — there's not even evidence that there was ever a stain! It's such a privilege to be here and see kids come to Christ and be washed with the blood of the cross.

I so look forward to seeing some of our church family this week. I will be in JBC again, so I don't think I will have any Colonial campers, but I hope to run into as many as I can! Thank you so much for your prayer and support. I am praying for our church family also this week, as I know it will be a week of remembrance, tears, and joy.

Brittany Sherrill

A member from our Single Focus group is currently training in Roach, Missouri with New Tribe Missions.  She recently sent me the story below regarding the Biem tribe in Papua New Guinea – a tribe that just received and responded in faith to the gospel!  Apparently, about every 45 days, another tribe hears the gospel from New Tribes missionaries for the first time.  The story below is, according to this source, the "first re-birth reports" from this Biem tribe!
I hope you will respond to this awesome report in two ways:

1. Pray for the missionaries who start the long process of teaching and discipling the newly saved people in this tribe, especially as they select and train those who could take the shepherding roles in the new church. This is a process that could take the next 5 years at least; they are also working on Bible translation for the tribe.
   
2. Consider how the Lord might desire to use you in worldwide missions.

"Enough, enough.  Stop!  Don't hit him like that!"  A Biem lady shouted out loud from the back as the Roman soldier (Brandon) put a beating on Jesus (Thomas).  On the last day of the teaching, we acted out Jesus dying on the cross, the burial, and the resurrection.  People looked on intently, trying to understand what it all means.  After the drama, we taught...

Jesus is our sin substitute.  The penalty of sin is death.  But God always provided, just like in the Old Testament.  We brought them back to Noah, God provided a boat (with one door).  Abraham and Isaac, how God would not let Abraham kill his son but provided a substitute.  In the Passover, the blood on the doorpost was the only way to avoid death.  People have been thinking hard about these Old Testament stories for weeks and now they are all making sense.

Jesus defeated death.  Jesus rose again and death no longer has power over Jesus and those who trust in Him.  Death is feared no matter where you live. But in a tribal culture like Biem, it is openly, regularly exhibited.  The endless wailing at funerals, the finality of death and the pure dread of dying...death is a big deal to these people here.

When we believe in Jesus and what He has done on the cross, our spirits become alive again in God's eyes.  We used a permanent black marker on a white board and wrote some names on it and said, "whoever believes in God's talk, God will put his name in the book of life and it will never be removed."

We concluded with the Great Commission and Jesus' ascension.  We told them it is because of this "talk" that we all left our families in Taiwan, Germany, and the US to come here.

There is so much more I can type here but let me just get to some of the responses after the lesson yesterday.

"Mali?  Mali?  Mali Muel?"  (Really?  Really?  REALLY?)  The top fisherman on the island just kept on asking this question, in total astonishment in what Jesus did on the cross for him.  He just kept on looking at everybody around him and asking the question, "Really? really?"

"This is God's talk.  I've heard it.  See, it's just one story, from the Old Testament to Jesus.  There is no other road but Jesus.  God meant it this way from the beginning."

"I am so free [the Biem expression is I am no longer carrying a heavy load on my shoulder]!  I used to think all the good things I do would get me to heaven.  But every night when I go to sleep, I knew I had not the slightest clue where I'd go if I die.  So I'd get up the next morning, trying to do more 'works' so I can go to heaven.  Now I know that Jesus paid for my sin debt and He said it is finished.  I am so free."

A young guy sat next to me with the biggest smile on his face.  He didn't say anything so I asked him, "What's on your mind?"  He said, "I had a big question yesterday.  Why didn't God the Father help Jesus on the cross?  I thought about it all night, and I didn't know.  But after today's lesson, I don't have any more questions.  I got it.  I understand it.  I am just going to sit here and be happy."  He smiled on...

And one young Biem man has a message for YOU.  Yes, YOU.  He said, "I know I should thank God for you guys, but I want to thank all three of your families for bring God's talk here."  Then we told him that, no, it's not just the three families.  There are literally thousands of people praying for you guys to understand God's talk all over the world.  He then said, "Ok, then you go and tell them, all of them, THANK YOU.  God's talk has come to our island.  THANK THEM for praying and sending you guys here."  This young man, along with a few others, began to discuss how they need to take this talk to other islands and even different language groups in Papua New Guinea.  I shook my head and just marveled at the Holy Spirit.  He is at work already!  It took me how many years after salvation to even wrap my head around the need for "missions," but but these guys are talking about it minutes after they trusted in Jesus!  At that moment, I was no longer "the missionary" but a fellow brother in Christ, learning from our Biem brothers in Christ.

Again, this is just the beginning and there is much growing ahead for our Biem believers.  Persecutions will come (and have come already).  Many people are still against this talk.  But as John 1:5 says, "The light shines in the darkness and darkness can never extinguish it."  The light broke through and it is here to stay.

Michael Phelps is an American swimmer and the most decorated Olympian of all time with 22 medals. He also holds the all-time record for Olympic gold medals with 18, which is double the second highest record holders. His list of honors, awards, accomplishments, and records is enormously lengthy, and he stands as the greatest swimmer of all time.

What has contributed to his incredible success? An August 2008 article examined Phelps' physique and demonstrated several unique features that helps Phelps as a swimmer.

First, although he stands at 6'4" and most peoples' wingspan equals their height, Phelps' wingspan is 6'7", allowing his arms to work like powerful propulsive paddles. The article also states that his lower body, interestingly, is shorter than that of an average man of his height. His relatively short legs result in less drag or resistance. In short, Phelps has an upper body of a 6'8" person but his lower body seems to be of someone who is only 5'10", which also make the perfect plane in water. Then there's his size-14 feet and double-jointed ankles that allow him to whip his feet as if they are flippers. Finally, Phelps eats 12,000 calories a day, but his body produces less lactic acid than most other people which means he takes less time to recover after a swim.

So, Michael Phelps is the greatest swimmer of all time, because he's built perfectly for it, right? Wrong! The article goes on to state that Phelps swims 60 miles a week and maintains a mind-boggling daily routine. Without his workout program, Michael Phelps would still have a "freakish" physique, but nothing to show for it. His God-given gifts had to be complemented with his own rigorous effort in order to accomplish the results that have made him famous.

Likewise, believers have been given a unique "spiritual physique"—"old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). They have the life of God, as they are "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4). Yet, unless they use what they've been given, they'll still have a "new man" nature, but nothing to show for it. The believer's God-given gifts (2 Peter 1:1-4) have to be complemented with his own diligent effort (2 Peter 1:5-7) in order to accomplish the results that glorify Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:8-11).

Pastor Phelps shared the following illustrations with his ABF class this past Sunday, and I thought I'd pass it along, as it really helps to clarify Peter's tension between justification (1:1-4) and sanctification (1:5-11).

When his children were still in high school, Pastor and Mrs. Phelps bought them all inline skates for Christmas. The kids were ecstatic about that gift, especially in light of (1) their 140 foot paved driveway, (2) their large and energetic dog that could pull them around, and (3) the unusual 60 degree weather they happened to have on that particular Christmas day. For one of their children, however, a wrong size had been purchased--the skates fit okay, but would be outgrown within a few months. So, the parents had the incredibly difficult job of convincing that child to wait until their inline skates could be returned the next. Why was that so hard for the child to understand and agree to? Because the natural response for those children--in light of the really neat gift and tremendously warm day--was to run outside and enjoy it.

In a picture, that's what sanctification it--having received the incredibly wonderful gift of salvation, we run outside and use it! Recognizing our freedom from sin and reveling in our new status as children of God, we naturally and energetically unwrap the gift and put it to use! Some gifts just make us want to drop everything and start using it right away, and not to do so is agony--just ask the Phelps' child! Likewise, God's gift of true faith through Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:1-4) is a gift that keeps on giving, and it compels the recipient who's paying attention to drop everything else and respond in gratitude and cooperation. This is sanctification.