Summer Plans and Schedule

Hello Men. For the summer we are going to take a break from meeting every other week and will only be meeting the 1st Thursday  of the Month. During these summer meetings it will be more of a emphasis on fellowship, so we will have dinner at each and will be meeting a one of the men's houses. We will plan on having discussions around a fire. This summer we will be discussing a chapter each time from "The Scriptures Testify About Me," So read ahead of time. Below is the schedule and the place of meeting we will be at. See the coming email each time for directions. 

6/3: Meet at Sam Rodman's House (discuss ch 1)

7/1: Meeting Place TBA (discuss ch 2)

8/5: Meeting Place TBA (discuss ch 3)

9/2: Meeting Place TBA (discuss ch 4)

Ch 4: Systematic Theology and hermenutics

 

To be able to faithful interpret a certain passage, we need to study Systematic Theology. Why you ask? Because if we are to understand what the bible is saying at a certain text, we need to understand what the bible says as a whole on certain topics, so we must be careful to not interpret something that contradicts what might be said in another text. The bible is the inspired word of God and does not contradict. This assumes the bible is unified and has coherent meaning and clear message. We are also to understand the bible in its redemptive-historical context. Together we get a fulling and faithful understanding to interpret. We will discuss this more in our chapter for this week. Please read chapter 4 and be ready to discuss. If you would like some extra reading feel free to read the appendix. This will not be required but can aid in discuss. See you all thursday at 6pm. 

Ch 3: New Testament Hermenutics

 

In this chapter we will see how we are to interpret the New Testament. In light of the last chapter about interpreting the Old Testament, we are carrying on what learned into this chapter. We do want to have a grammatical historical hermeneutical when we approach a New Testament text, but we also want to have a Christocentric, also known as a Redemptive Historical Hermeneutic. We are to read to understand the human authors meaning, but also God's over all meaning, which may be more elaborate, layered and exhaustive than that of the human author.  We do this by seeing all of scripture as Christian scripture centered on Christ and redemption.  That said we are to read the the old testament in light of the new and visa versa. This means we are to see the New Testament as the fulfillment to what was promised in the Old. In this chapter we will learn how to do this and more helpful interpretive tools to guide us. Please have chapter 3 read and ready to discuss for tonight. See you all at the church building at 5:30pm

Ch 2: Old Testament Hermeneutics

 

While we are all about the grammatical historical hermeneutic as we approach the old testament, it is incomplete with out the Christocentric hermeneutic, which is also known as the Redemptive Historical Hermeneutic. The two go together. As we come to the scriptures we see that Christ is the center of it all, including the Old Testament. While the Old Testament addressed the original hears in their giving context, it also has a message for us, who now have the fulness of revelation . Since there is a divine author of scripture, God can give greater meaning then which the human authors understood at that time through types and shadows. We will examine this more tonight in Chapter 2 of out book. Please have that read and come ready to discuss at 5:30 pm at the church building. 

New Book: Seeing Christ In All of Scripture (Ch 1)

 

We will be beginning a new book. Seeing Christ in All of Scripture is designed to help people understand the beautiful, Christ-centered structure of the Bible. In this book we will learn the hermeneutics to the able to know how to properly interpreter the scriptures to see Christ as the center. We will be meeting at our new time at 5:30pm thus Thursday at PBC church building. Have the introduction and the 1st half of Chapter 1 read. We will do the second half next time. 

Ch 6: The Green Pastures

 This week we will be discussing chapter 6, as we conclude our book, Green Pastures. Jesus has accomplished our redemption, and he sends us the Holy Spirit to apply the benefits and blessings to us who believe, and the does so through the ordinary means. In this chapter we be bringing it full circle and discuss practical applications in light of the means of grace God gives to his church. We will discuss how we should then treat and observe these means given their significance. How often should we observe them and how do we see them in the context of worship. Have this chapter read and ready to discuss this Thursday. We will meet at the church building at 7pm on Thursday. Feel free to bring a snack to share. 

Ch 5: Prayer as a means of Grace

 

Prayer is one of the great privileges we have a believers. Prayer was something that the early church was devoted to. Prayer was central to the reformation and it ought to be central for us today. Not only as individual prayer but also in corporate prayer. It is by the work of Christ that we are reconciled and able to approach God our Father in prayer. As we read our bible we see prayer is something that characterizes the Christian life. But how can prayer be a means of grace when it seems that it is something we are doing? Isn't prayer our response to God grace not a means of God's grace? While it is our response to God's grace, it is also a means of grace because prayer is something Christ does for us continually and  prayer is something God uses in us to bring about his work in the church and in the world. Not only that but as we pray we get to see God at work as he answers our prayers and this strengthens and encourages our faith. We also have the privilege of prayer for others and having them pray for us. Tonight we will discuss prayer as a means of Grace from ch 5. Come meet at 7pm and feel free to bring snacks to share.

Green Pastures: Ch 4: The Lord's Supper

In our day it seems that the predominate way of thinking when we come to the Lord's supper is we are to remember what Christ has done on the cross. The Lord's Supper is then treated as merely a memorial as and something we do each month. When we think of it like that it is easy to see why some may think it would lose its significance if we did it more frequent. While the Supper is something we are to come to as we remember the death of Christ, it is much more then  merely that. The Lord's Supper is a means of Grace for us. Yes we remember but we are also nourished and strengthened in the faith and was anticipate what is to come. When we see it this way we ought to long for it and cherish it. When we see it this way we do not merely come mourning and remembering, but also thankful and celebratory as we anticipate the promises in Christ that are to come. Tonight we will be considering this in chapter 4. Please read it over and be ready to come to discuss. We will be meeting at the church building at 7pm and will be zooming it if you can not be there in person. 

Green Pastures: Ch 3: Baptism

Last time we saw in chapter two one of the means of Grace that the Lord gives to us is the Ministry of the Word. Another Ordinary Means of Grace that the Lord gives to his church is Baptism. This is something Christ instituted and commissioned his church to observe. It is easy to see Baptism as a means of Grace for the one being baptized, but baptism is also a means of grace for believers as they observe the baptism of others. While baptism is the washing with water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as we partake and observe, our minds and hearts a reminded of the things that baptism signifies, our forgiveness of sin and our union with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection. For this week read chapter 3 on Baptism and come ready to discuss at 7pm. 

New Book: Green Pastures CH1

 

We are starting a new book for T4D called, "Green Pastures." Many churches seek to focus on different means like entertainment, skits, of the latest music to bring people in and to keep people there. However, church is meant to be committed to the very means God has given for his church. In this is a book, we will gain a better understanding to the provisions that God gives us as a church to help us grow and strengthen our Faith. Those means are, the Word, Lord's Supper, Baptism, and Prayer. These we call the ordinary means of grace. They are not ordinary because they are boring, but ordinary in that these are the normal ordained means.  This book will helps us under stand what scripture say about these means as well as what we confess in our confession of faith. We will be meeting this Thursday at 7pm and discussing the introduction and chapter 1. Please have this section read and ready to discuss.  

Here is a video clip to wetting your apatite for what is to come

None Greater Ch 12: Jealousy and Glory

 

As we read scripture we see that God is jealous for his own glory. Exodus 34:14 states, "For the Lord whose name is jealous, is a jealous God." How are we to understand this? In our sinful humanity we can see jealous as a negative trait, but for God that is not so. There is such a thing as godly jealously. God being God deserves all our worship. He is our creator and that is our obligation. But we have hearts of idol factories and tend to worship other things. God is jealous for our worship, and that is right. We should have no other gods but the the true God, and God wants the worship of the hearts of his people. Spurgeon rightly said, "     God's glory is the result of his nature and acts. He is glorious in his character, for there is such a store of everything that is holy, and good, and lovely in God, that he must be glorious. The actions which flow from his character, the deeds which are the outgoings of his inner nature, these are glorious too; and the Lord is very careful that all flesh should see that he is a good, and gracious, and just God; and he is mindful, too, that his great and mighty acts should not give glory to others, but only to himself."
Tonight we will consider this thought for our discussion. Have chapter 12 read and we will finish our book and begin the next one. 

Ch 11: Can God Be Both Holy and Loving?

How can God be just and uphold his righteousness while also being loving? We know that sinners deserve to be punished and that  God would be unjust if he just forgave. Today for T4D we will be discussing this. We are meeting at PBC at 7pm and have chapter 11 ready to discuss. 

Here is a helpful article by Rc Sproul that will help with our discussion:

https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/holy-love-god/

None Greater: Ch 10 The All Knowing All Powerful God

 In Chapter 10 we are dealing with the three O's of the attributes of God: Omnipotence, Omniscience, and Omnisapience. This is to say God is All Powerful , he is All knowing, and All Wise. Understanding this helps us understand the grandness of God in comparison to us. Yet it is this God that we can have fellowship with. For tonight, read chapter 10 and come to meet at the church building at 7pm and we will begin our study. Feel free to bring snacks to share. If you can not make it we will plan on having Zoom available. 

Here is a link for a sermon more on this topic for our discussion:

None Greater: Ch 9 Omnipresence

This Thursday we will be meeting at the church building for T4D and will be going over chapter 9 dealing with God's Omnipresence. This will deal with the question is God limited by space or not. We will plan on meeting at the church building at 7pm, but zoom will be available for those who cant make it. Feel free to bring a snack to share. 

None Greater: Ch 8 God's Timeless Eternity

 

Sorry for not posting the last few weeks here as we dived into the doctrine of Impassibility. This week we are looking at ch. 8 in our book, dealing with God's timeless eternity. I will be at the church building tonight for anyone who wants to join, otherwise I will be zooming it as well. Be looking for a email with the details. 

None Greater: ch 6 Immutability

 

So often we try to picture a God who is like us. As we go through life, our lives are filled with changes that we go through. But no so with God. God does not change. This understanding is a truth that has been confessed and affirmed throughout church history. Understanding this helps us to have a higher and more accurate view of God as well as providing great comfort. As Malchi 3:6 says, “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed." See you all on Zoom tonight at 7pm. 

None Greater Ch 5: Simplicity

In our chapter this week, we consider the doctrine of Simplicity. As we studied Asiety last week, it naturally flows into the doctrine of simplicity. Since God is not dependent on anyone or anything, he is self-existent and simple. By saying God is simple is not to say he is easy going or not intelligent, but that he is not comprised of components but is one, he is simple. This deals with the question, does god have a parts? Read chapter 5 for our book study this week for our discussion for tonight's meeting on Zoom. 

Here is a helpful podcast dealing with Simplicity:
https://youtu.be/uTn4yI2XqYA

Bonus: Listen to this podcast with RC Sproul, on the importance of studying doctrine of God
https://openbookpodcast.com/r-c-sproul-and-dolezals-all-that-is-in-god/

None Greater Ch 4: The Aseity of God

Aseity is a word that describes that God is self-existent and not dependent on his creation. This doctrine is hard for us as creatures to fathom. When we contemplate that God is eternally self-existent not dependent on anyone or anything. However we as creatures are completely dependent on God. God did not create because he was lonely and needed creatures to be fulfilled. God does not depend on anything and he doesn't need us. This attribute we are pondering today for our study is a incommunicable attribute of God, meaning we are creatures do not share this attribute with God. As Barrett says, "this attribute is assumed and taught everywhere in Scripture and proves to be the key that unlocks God’s attributes." We are studying this attribute tonight for our theology for dinner.  Have chapter 4 read and lets be ready to discuss it tonight at 7.

None Greater Ch 1: Incomprehensibility

Are we able to fully know and understand God? Are we able to know the in and outs of God exhaustively? How can we as finite creatures grasps the infinite? Is God even knowable? Moses faced this when he met God. What would that have been like if you were in his sandals? What would it have been like to plead to God for his people's sake. This Wednesday evening we will be discussing chapter 1 of our new book study, None Greater, and discuss these questions. We will be joining together on Zoom at 7 pm. Please read chapter 1 and Also read Exodus 32 and 33 for tomorrow as it will aid for our discussion. I will be sending a email with the zoom details soon.

Putting it to Pratice

We are having our zoom call tonight at 7pm for T4D. We have no new assignment, but we will be putting into practice things we have learned. SO the homework was for each person to pick 2 hermeneutical principles taken from chapters 4-6 and then pick a text or two to show those principles.An email has been sent with the zoom details.