Thinking?

Father, we give you thanks and praise that you are a God who speaks,

that you have spoken to us by your word written,

and we acknowledge and confess before you, Father,

that you both ask for us to use the very best of our minds and our imaginations

and our will to understand your word,

but at the same time that we can never understand your word properly by our own power.

And so we ask, Father, that in your kindness and mercy to us,

that you would pour out the Holy Spirit upon us to lead us and guide us into all truth,

to grant us the renewing of your minds, our minds,

so that we can live in a way that is good for the world

and brings you great glory and spreads the gospel.

And we ask that as you pour out the Holy Spirit upon us

and as we think upon your word,

that you would grip us with the beauty and the truth and the power of the gospel,

the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus for us,

that makes us right with you when we put our faith and trust in you.

So, Father, we ask all of these things in the name of Jesus.

Amen.

Please be seated.

Those of you who come to the church know a lot of times I have conversations in coffee shops.

It's been very hard for me not to be able to have conversations in coffee shops.

It was actually so nice this week.

I think it was on Thursday for the first time in a long time.

I sat at a cafe at a table outside and had a cup of coffee

and did some work on a sermon and I really felt very grateful.

Just a small little mercy.

Over the years, I've had lots of conversations with secular people.

I've developed some secular friends.

And a thing which once they get fairly comfortable with me,

they'll often tell me is this.

And it doesn't come up at first.

It's only after they start to get a bit comfortable with me.

And they might say, some of them will say,

George, I sort of envy you.

I envy your faith.

I can see how it makes a big difference for you and it's really helpful to you.

But the problem I have is I just think too much.

Like, I just think and because I think,

I just can't ever see how I could ever be a Christian just because I think.

And they don't mean it as an insult or as a put-down.

I mean, even though it is a bit of a put-down, what you think and I don't.

Like, I mean, that's what goes through my mind because I'm proud, self-centered,

you know, just like every other human being.

What you think and I don't think.

Like, I'll often have some cutting thoughts that fly through my mind,

which hopefully in heaven I'll find out how many times that the cutting thought

that went through my mind that I should really repent of.

And it's a good thing I don't say it.

It's because one of you were praying for me at that moment that I didn't say it.

But it's well-meaning.

And you know what?

The fact of the matter is, is in many ways it's a very fair comment.

In many ways it is a very fair comment that most, that many people,

because they think, they can't have faith.

Because you either think or you have faith.

I mean, the fact of the matter is, is that when I first became a Christian,

and these were, many of them were well-meaning people.

I'm not saying that it described all of the people that were responsible for me

becoming a Christian when I was in grade 12.

But when I started to have problems with the relationship of the Bible and science,

when I started to have problems with, and a variety of issues between the Bible and science,

and I started to have problems with the problem of evil,

and I had some problems with Christianity and other religions,

and as I started to have these intellectual problems, and I go to share it with them,

many of these well, well, well-meaning godly Christians would just say,

George, you have to have faith.

Like, you just pray about it.

Just pray about it.

And you're a Christian, and they're not a Christian,

and they say something about how the, you know, only those who love, you know,

know the things of God, and all that type of stuff.

And it's all very well-meaning, but it was as if you don't have to have any reasons.

You don't have to have an account of the Bible or Christianity and science.

Just have faith.

Just believe.

And it didn't help me.

And so, and there's many, many people when you challenge them.

In fact, you see it on TVs and movies, but it's not something that's just made up.

It's many people say, well, that's just what I believe.

That's my faith.

When you challenge them with questions.

So our secular friends, when they think you have to make a choice between thinking and believing,

it's not a completely, it's not a completely absurd thing for them to say.

And in fact, it's not just that, because, you know, I think our secular friends,

if they were to really be honest, they'd say, listen, George,

in fact, Christian faith is just part of a pattern.

There's a pattern of all religions.

Like, look at Muslims.

Muslims just believe that you just have to submit to God.

I mean, Muslims even believe that there's a part of the Bible, you know,

whatever was recorded in the Quran early, and then later on,

if they wanted to disagree with that and contradict it,

they even come up with a thing called abrogation.

Somehow everything in Quran is true, but the early parts aren't true,

and the later parts are true, and you just have to believe.

And in fact, if they know much about religions,

they'll know that for much of Hinduism and for much of Buddhism,

the mind is particularly the problem.

Like in Buddhism, the mind is the problem because the mind keeps creating difference.

That's what minds do.

The minds make distinctions, and you've got to get rid of this difference.

And in Hinduism as well, it's often, many of the purposes of the meditation techniques

is to stop the mind from working.

And when the mind stops working, then you progress in holiness.

And so for our secular friends, and they look at Christians,

they see that many of their Christians that they know,

it's just a matter of, well, we Christians are just part of a religious pattern.

So you either can have faith or you think.

Or you think in every other area, and then when it comes to faith,

you just stop thinking.

You put a big wall up there, you stop thinking altogether.

The text of the Bible that we're going to look at this morning,

Philippians chapter 4, verse 8-9,

Philippians 4:8–9

it's a verse which I hope, the main thing I hope comes out of this

is that you desire to meditate upon this text and memorize it and meditate upon it.

There are going to be points, but we're going to say the text a lot

because it's a very, very powerful text.

And it's not just a powerful text because it says something that I like,

but in fact, it's one of those, occasionally you have verses in the Bible

that encapsulate the Bible.

And so the verse is Philippians chapter 4, verses 8-9.

Philippians 4:8–9

We're going through the book of Philippians.

This is our second to last sermon.

Next week we finish the book.

And here's the verse.

And notice what it says.

Finally, brothers and sisters,

whatever is true, whatever is honorable,

whatever is just, whatever is pure,

whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable,

if there is any excellence,

if there is anything worthy of praise,

think about these things.

What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me,

practice these things,

and the God of peace will be with you.

Now, I'm going to read it again in a moment,

but Andrew, could you put up the first point?

Did you notice,

and in fact it's far more clear in the original language,

there's only one imperative or command in these two verses,

and the command is to think.

The Bible actually says,

think.

The Lord commands his children to think.

In fact, if you just look at it again,

it's very interesting.

There's three parts of these two verses.

If you look at the first thing,

the first part is the Bible sets forth

eight aspects of reality to think about.

They're not watertight compartments,

but that reality,

what we need to think about,

is in fact quite broad,

very, very wide.

And so, in fact,

it's not a ghetto,

like only think about religious things,

or only think about the Bible,

or only think about spiritual things,

or only think about math and just have faith,

or only think about history and then just have faith,

or only think about the law and then just have faith.

In fact, it says there's these eight aspects of reality.

What are the eight aspects of reality?

Look at them.

It's in verse 8,

and all finally, brothers and sisters,

whatever is true,

whatever is honorable,

whatever is just,

whatever is pure,

whatever is lovely,

I only have five fingers,

whatever is commendable,

if there's any excellence,

if there's anything worthy of praise,

think about these things.

So, it tells you,

there's eight aspects of reality,

think about them.

Think about these eight aspects of reality.

And as well as that,

read the Bible.

What Paul is saying next here is,

in a sense,

when you read the New Testament,

this is both the Old and the New Testament.

When you read the New Testament,

what you are reading is the apostolic testimony

to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus,

and how according to the apostles,

who studied under Jesus,

how you should then live.

And so, what does Paul say?

He says,

think about these eight aspects of reality.

Then in verse 9,

what you have learned,

received,

heard,

and seen in me.

Practice these things.

In other words,

live them.

And what's the promise?

The promise is,

that the God of peace will be with you.

You see the power of what the Bible is actually saying?

The Bible links,

even though there are many Christians who,

in fact,

accept that you just have faith.

There's thinking,

and there's faith.

There's the world that you think in,

in terms of math,

or history,

or biology,

or chemistry,

or physics,

or finance.

You think there,

but then when you come into this building,

on a Sunday morning,

you stop thinking,

and you have faith.

And what the Bible says,

is that even though this is a pattern for all of religion,

even though it's a pattern for all of religion,

that,

in fact,

the Bible connects thinking,

the command to think,

with a promise of his presence.

Just as a pause,

I am so glad there's children here.

And I appreciate that,

you know,

you have to take them out when they cry.

I had nine kids.

If you're a guest here,

I had nine kids.

And because I was up front for most of that,

it meant that it would be my poor,

long-suffering wife having to deal with it.

But I am very,

I am just so glad there's children here.

And I know that that means occasionally,

children will erupt.

That's what children do.

They erupt.

Anyway,

back to this.

But, you know,

this is one of the reasons I said this.

I wanted,

like,

this is why the sermon is entitled Thinking.

Thinking,

God says think,

and if you think,

I'm going to be with you.

I'm going to be with you.

It's the opposite of what the pattern of the world is.

Now,

I don't always,

I'm not always very successful in trying to communicate this to my secular friends.

And that's fine, by the way.

You know,

when you talk about Jesus with your secular friends,

if you wait to be able to talk about,

if you wait until you can do it perfectly,

you'll never talk.

And it's a bit of a matter of just trying to figure it out.

And you know what?

If you fail,

that's fine.

You're saved by grace.

You're not saved because you're perfect.

And how do you learn?

You learn by trying.

You learn by taking the risk.

You learn by thinking about it afterwards.

And that's sort of how you learn.

So,

I don't always handle it very well when my secular friends say this.

But here's the thing.

Some people,

when they hear this text,

what I just read,

whatever is true,

whatever is honorable,

whatever is just,

whatever is pure,

whatever is lovely,

whatever is commendable,

if there's any excellence,

if there's anything worthy of praise,

think about these things.

What they don't get is the thing.

But what they get is all those other things.

And in fact,

it's a very common problem in certain Christian circles

that this text will be a proof text

to basic,

here's what it is.

For many people,

when they read this at first glance,

what they think it means is you've got to love the best things.

And what does that mean?

All you folks who listen to country music,

has to be opera.

Okay?

All those people who like the funnies

and the comics in the paper,

you've got to go to the National Art Gallery.

All of those of you who like reading Stephen King

or something like that,

I mean, for some of you,

people actually read a book?

For those of you who even read a book,

Stephen King,

has to be Shakespeare.

And that's how many people take it.

That real Christians read Shakespeare,

listen to opera,

listen to Bach,

don't listen to popular music,

definitely not country,

and all of that other type.

But definitely not hip-hop.

I want to be equal opportunity here as well,

that you're only listening to opera and Bach.

And in other words,

how they take this

is that you have to fit in with the elite culture.

And whatever the cultural elite says is the elite,

that's what you have to do.

That's not what the text says at all.

It's interesting,

Christians,

when they talk about that,

they forget about the gospel all of a second.

The Bible doesn't ever baptize cultural elites.

In fact, if you read the Bible,

what is the Bible always doing?

It's always undercutting

the claims of the powerful

to humble us

before the triune God.

So what's going on here in this particular text?

Try to explain what's going on.

And in fact,

actually what the Bible text actually is saying

is it's not saying

you have to stop listening to country music

and have to start listening to Bach.

It's not saying you shouldn't listen to Bach,

by the way,

and that you have to listen to country music.

It's just saying,

it's not saying

that you have to fit in with

however the elites in Canada

define the excellent and the worthy.

The gospel and the Bible

defines the worthy,

not the elite culture.

But what this text is actually saying

is something which is very troublesome

and challenging to Canadians.

And I'll illustrate it

with two quotes from C.S. Lewis.

The first quote is this,

there is no neutral ground in the universe.

Every square inch,

every split second

is claimed by God.

I'll say it again.

There is no neutral ground in the universe.

Every square inch,

every split second

is claimed by God.

That's what we Christians believe.

We Christians believe

that the triune God,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

three persons, one God,

who for all eternity,

outside of time,

before there was anything

that was ever created,

the Father loved the Son

and the Father knew the Son

and the Son knew the Father

and loved the Father

and the Father knew truth about the Son

and the Son knew the truth about the Father

and the Father sees the beauty of the Son

and the Son sees the beauty of the Father

and the Holy Spirit, of course,

is in there as well

as in a sense

both the means of the communication

but also the person himself

and that from all eternity

there is this love,

there is a truth,

there is reciprocity,

there is both stillness and movement

and this is going out of

from all eternity

and out of nothing.

God the Father,

God the Son,

God the Holy Spirit,

three persons,

one God,

out of nothing,

God creates all things

and out of nothing,

God creates all things

and sustains everything in existence

in every single second,

every split second

is sustained by God,

every square inch of the universe

is sustained by God

and God is sovereign

over every split second

and over every square inch

and not only is God sovereign

but God will bring

this created order,

this universe,

to its proper end

at his determination

and he will bring it

to its proper end

every square inch

and every split second

with nothing left.

when I am redeemed by Jesus,

when I put my faith

and trust in Jesus,

what is redeemed

is every square inch

of who George is

and every split second

of who George is

from the moment

of my conception

in my mother's womb

to the moment

and I hope

unless Jesus comes back

and I hope it's not

for another 40 years

until I die

and even that

which is future

is redeemed by Jesus,

every square inch

of who George is

and every split second

of who George is

is redeemed by Jesus.

My sexuality,

my mind,

my body,

my imagination,

my heart,

my will,

my finances,

my house,

my car,

my wife,

my children,

everything that makes me

me,

everything that makes you

you

is redeemed by Jesus.

the same God

who has created

the entire,

every square inch

of the universe

and is God

for every split second

in every square inch

in the entire universe.

And C.S. Lewis

also said this,

I believe in Christianity

as I believe

that the sun,

and he's spelling it S-U-N,

I believe in Christianity

as I believe

that the sun has risen

not only because I see it

but because by it

I see everything else.

Isn't that a brilliant quote?

I believe in Christianity

as I believe

that the sun has risen

not only because I see it

but because by it

I see everything else.

So in other words,

when you become a Christian,

it's not an invitation

to live in a Christian ghetto.

When you become a Christian,

it's not an invitation

to only,

yet you think,

you know,

in your day job

you code software

or you build bridges

or you figure out dances

or you manage households

or you do money markets

or you work in the bureaucracy

or you're a lawyer

or you're a carpenter

or you're a plumber

or you're a truck driver

and you think

in all those areas

but you come in the doors.

Here you don't think,

you just have faith.

That's not the way it is.

Why do I say that?

Why do I say that?

Because what does the Bible say here?

Finally, brothers and sisters,

whatever is true,

whatever is honorable,

whatever is just,

whatever is pure,

whatever is lovely,

whatever is commendable,

if there's anything,

excellence,

if there's anything worthy of praise,

think about these things.

Think about these things.

And you want to know something else?

The command here to think

is even more powerful

in the original language

than it is in the English language

because there's different words

for think in the original language

and the word which is used here

for think

is specifically thinking about reality.

Just to give an example,

if you were translating,

trying to translate this conversation,

this conversation,

you had somebody,

one of you had to try to explain

to a person from New Testament times

who happened to be here

and maybe one of you

is in financial planning.

If you know anything about my life,

I desperately need financial planning

but that's a separate whole other thing.

You know,

the Lord provides

and there you go.

So anyway,

I'm on the Freedom 75 plan

just for the record.

So Daniel,

if you went into the ministry

to become rich,

you made a terrible career decision

just for the record.

Anyway,

if somebody said,

George,

what do you think

your net worth is?

And I said,

okay,

what do I think

my net worth is?

Yeah,

I don't want you

to sort of guess.

What is your next worth?

What do you think

your net worth?

Think about what your net worth is.

Calculate it.

And the word think

and the word calculate

in the original language

you would use the same word.

And so if at the end of it

I'd say to the person,

I calculated my net worth

and it's,

you know,

five billion dollars.

I'm just not lying.

You know,

it's whatever.

That word think,

that word calculate

is the word that's used here.

It's only a word

that's used to deal with reality.

And that's what

the Bible is saying.

So this is a very big challenge,

you see,

because here's what happens

in Canadians

and part of it's a human problem

and part of it

is a problem

made far worse

for Canadians.

That both people

who think that faith is faith

and thinking is thinking,

but whether you're all

on the faith side

or all on the thinking side,

everybody agrees with it.

How do you know that?

Very simple.

If Victor,

my friend,

invites me to a party

of some of his lawyers

and some other people

that are very,

you know,

important.

And during the party,

I discovered

that one of the people

says,

you know,

we're all having

a little glass

of a very good wine

or something like that.

And one of them

shares with me

how they've really

gotten deeply

into the truth

of Native spirituality.

They've been really,

they've been studying

the writings,

they've been reading

these creation stories

and these other stories

and they've really

deeply are committed,

they just,

they're finding it

so wonderful.

And if I,

with a smile

and trying to be gentle,

say,

you can't really

believe that.

Like how on earth,

if I said to them,

how on earth

could you possibly

believe that

and believe biology?

Like how could you

possibly,

like you really believe

that a,

like a bird did this

and a turtle did that

and a bear did that

and all things

came into,

like you really think

that,

how could you think

that's true?

Like you're an educated

person.

Now here's the thing.

Victor and I are the only

Christians in the room.

There's 15 people

and they overhear it.

The other 13,

the other 12 people

will be deeply angry

at me.

They will think

I am the rudest jerk

in the world.

They would say,

how dare you challenge

this person

on the truthfulness

of native spirituality.

Same thing happens

by the way

with morality,

doesn't it?

It's a very,

very interesting thing.

I really try to find,

it's very interesting

how many people

who on the

first of March

trumpeted

that you do

whatever you want

and the state

can't tell you

what to do

and by the

31st of March

were saying

that you were

a bad and evil person

if you didn't wear

a mask

or you didn't do this

or you didn't do that.

It's very interesting.

The same people

have gone from

being extreme relativists

to almost totalitarian

in the way they talk.

You can see it

in columnists

and it's a very,

very interesting thing.

But the fact of the matter

is we all know

that people basically say

well that's just true for you

like morality

is just right for you

and it's not,

it can be right for you

but not right for you.

How dare you say

that something's right

or wrong

for something else?

Because you see

the fact of the matter

is that in Canadian culture

we've broken thinking

and not thinking

into all these

different silos

and categories.

And the problem

with the Bible

is this.

The problem

with the Bible

isn't that it tells you

to stop thinking.

Andrew,

could you put up

a second point?

The problem

is that the Bible

reveals that

since your thinking

is too narrow,

incomplete,

short-sighted,

and unrealistic,

it needs to be

redeemed,

reformed,

and renewed.

That's the problem

with the Bible.

Because the fact

of the matter

is that

from a biblical

point of view

if somebody said

so you're a Christian

and I say yes

so that you believe

in God created all things

I would say yes.

That's a fair thing.

Are you a Christian?

Yes.

Do you think Jesus

rose from the dead?

Yes.

And if they challenge

me on that

that's a completely

valid thing.

In fact the Bible

says be prepared

to give an account

for the reasons

that you believe.

The fact of the matter

is that the four

biographies of Jesus

which we call Gospels

are eyewitness biographies

of what Jesus

actually did in history.

The central claim

that goes back

to the very first

New Testament writers

is in fact

that on the third

that Jesus predicted

he would die upon the cross

in fulfillment

of ancient prophecies

that he is the one

promised in ancient prophecies

that he has arrived

that these miracles

actually happened

that he would die

by crucifixion

that he did die

by crucifixion

on the third day

the tomb would be empty

because he rose

from the dead

and the heart

of the apostolic witness

is that on the third day

the tomb was empty

because Jesus

had risen from the dead

and appeared

to give trustworthy proves

to many, many, many

eyewitnesses

that in fact

the Christians

that's the Christian claim.

Now we might not be

very good at defending it

and I'm not saying

that every one of you

I mean I don't have

a master's in apologetics

we don't have to have it

but the fact of the matter

is it's a valid thing

to say to a Christian

well how can that

possibly be true

and to try to give an answer

and if you can't give an answer

you call up Daniel

you call up me

you call up somebody else

and you work it out

you read some books

and you have a conversation

because we believe

well here's the beauty

of what the Christians believe

and just think about

for a second

how beautiful it is.

The Bible isn't saying

that you have to listen to opera

you have to read Shakespeare

it says that

whatever you think about

think about

eight aspects of reality

not the way

you normally think

and think about

the eight aspects

of reality

in the context

of God's revealed word

you see

why is most

non

why is most secular

thinking short-sighted

it doesn't think

about eternity

it doesn't think

about the fact

that one day

they will die

and they will appear

before God

it doesn't think

about the fact

that death

isn't the end

but that there will

be a judgment

so much secular thinking

is very very short-sighted

and it's very narrow

why

well because

as normal

natural human beings

we want to be

very short-sighted

not only about the distance

but we want to think

mainly about

what it affects

about ourselves

or within our own discipline

but if the Bible is true

what the Bible here

is encouraging you

is this

if you are a person

who's working

in the civil service

and you work

in the area

of government policy

if you are a business

working a business

and you're running a business

if you're a mom

or a dad

and you're trying

to manage your kids

if you're retired

and you're looking

at how to manage your home

if you're in

whatever it is

and you have to come up

with a business thing

or a policy decision

or a financial thing

and what the Bible

is saying is

don't be narrow

in your thinking

like first of all

think about what is true

like always try to find out

what's true

and true here in the Bible

this also said

true means what's real

like when you stop believing it

when you stop wanting it

what actually is

like think about what's true

but don't just think about

whatever is true

think about what's worthy

of honor

think about those things

because there are things

in life

that are just

a gust

there's a weightiness

to it

there's something

about it

that has

a type of

sense that if you're not

moved by it

moved by that act

of heroism

moved just by the

the depth

and the

it's just honorable

think about

not just the individual

little policy decision

about what it is

think big

think about what's true

want to know what's true

want to know what's honorable

think about what's just

like what's actually just

is this the just way

to make a policy

is this just a matter

of caving into what

the powerful want

is this going to be just

for the weak

that's what you should be

doing in policy

that's what you should be

doing in business

and don't only think

think about what is morally

pure

and think about what's

lovely

like why write something

which is a policy thing

which is unbelievably boring

why can't you make it

lovely

why can't you make it

beautiful

don't just think of

the most effective way

to get a person

into your shop

to buy the coffee

to get them out

make the whole experience

lovely

make it winsome

make it just

think about

how to bring in

that which is worthy

of praise

why would you do

something shoddy

when you could

seek excellence

and why would you

want to do something

like why don't you

want to take into account

those things

which really truly

are worthy

of praise

and all of our

secular friends

we're all

there's an inconsistency

we all know

that nobody

consistently says

that all morals

and all things

right and wrong

are completely relative

nobody lives up to that

the second you

the second

you just put them

in a line up

and make them

the first person

in the line

and then serve

the second

third and fourth

person ahead of them

and they'll say

it's not fair

like they

it's just

I mean it's not

serious thinking

when people say

it's not relative

and there's the same

thing about things

which are beautiful

and worthy of praise

like we all have

this basic sense

and understanding

if you hear of

an act of

tremendous heroism

there's this

wonderful story

of the fellow

in England

I can't remember

his name

that there was

an alt-right

demonstrator

and the African

the British African

the black fellow

he picks up the guy

who's hurt

and rescues him

in the face

that's just so

worthy of praise

isn't it

that's just

worthy of praise

we see an absolutely

beautiful sunset

and somebody says

yeah it's just

atmosphere

we think there's

something

think big

think of all

eight aspects

of reality

listen folks

you believe in

Christianity

because not only

the sun has risen

but because the sun

has risen

you can see

everything

look at the world

not just religious

things

look at business

look at law

look at politics

look at your

neighborhood

look at your

lawn

look at your

garden

look at your

kids

look at your

clothes

the whole

world is yours

Andrew if you

could put up

the third point

in the real world

where the triune

God claims

every square inch

and every split

second in the

universe

only the cross

of Christ

can redeem

comfort

and propel

you

to live free

in his creation

in the real

world

where the triune

God is

where the triune

God claims

every square

inch

and every

split second

in the universe

only the cross

of Christ

can redeem

comfort

and propel

you to live

free

in his creation

what I mean

is this

it's a frightening

thing

as it starts

to grasp you

that every square

inch of who I

am is claimed

and redeemed

by Jesus

it can be

very scary

when you're

thinking about

your autonomy

and your will

and like

really my money

you know like

the old Christian

thing is if you

give ten

do you know

how much of

your money is

God's

well you know

I've learned

tithing so ten

percent is God's

and no no no

a hundred percent

is God's

he asked for ten

percent but a hundred

percent is his

how much of

your mind is

God's

just the Christian

no no

all of

all of your

mind has to

belong to God

all of it

all of it

and that can

be very frightening

you know the only

thing that can

possibly comfort

you is just

to remember

what most

perfectly reveals

the existence

of the triune

God

read John

118 later

on especially

if you know

anything about

the original

language

in John

118 the

beginning of

John's gospel

says it's

Jesus

his life and

death and

resurrection

which perfectly

interprets God

to human

beings and

helps us to

understand him

the father

the son

and the

holy spirit

and God

reveals himself

most perfectly

by showing

that he loves

you to the

uttermost

even to the

point of

emptying himself

of his glory

and taking

upon himself

your sin

and mine

and your

shame

and mine

and your

dishonor

and mine

and your

uncleanness

and mine

and the

accusations

against you

and the

accusations

against me

he reveals

his total

claim

and total

redemption

by taking

upon himself

every

bit

of shame

and sin

and uncleanness

from the

moment of

your conception

to the

moment of

your

death

all on

him

and so

those times

by which

your conscience

is afraid

of such

a total

claim

remember

the total

self-giving

of God

the son

of God

for the

total

you

to comfort

you

three

prayers

in

closing

the

first

one

Andrew

if you

could

put

it

up

Lord

please

transform

me

by the

renewing

of my

mind

that's

a great

prayer

to pray

the

Lord

the Lord

gave you

a mind

he wants

your mind

to work

as well

as it

is

some of

you have

unbelievably

brilliant

minds

and some

of you

have less

than brilliant

minds

but whatever

your mind

is

God

wants it

to work

well

for his

glory

he wants

it to be

uncluttered

he wants

it to be

long-sighted

he wants

it to be

broad

he wants

it to be

generous

he wants

it to be

rooted in

the gospel

and rooted

his word

he wants

to renew

it

and so

we pray

Lord

please

transform

me

by the

renewing

of my

mind

the second

prayer

point

number

five

Andrew

Lord

as I

read

your

word

written

cover

to cover

please

help

me

to

meditate

deeply

on the

gospel

and the

whole

counsel

of God

Lord

as I

read

your

word

written

cover

to

cover

please

help

me

to

meditate

deeply

on the

gospel

and the

whole

counsel

of God

in other

words

life

death

and

resurrection

is the

key

to

understanding

everything

from

Genesis

1

to

Revelation

22

and

so

the

gospel

has to

always

be

the

center

but

you

have to

read

Genesis 1

to Revelation

22

over the

course of

your life

if the

Lord lets

you live

long enough

and meditate

upon what God

is saying in all

of his word

in light of the

gospel and what the

gospel means in

light of all of his

word and meditate

upon it deeply

and finally

and finally

last point

Lord when I am

afraid of your

total claim

upon my

life

please grip

me deeply

with the

truth

and beauty

of the

gospel

because there

will always

be a time

Lord

you want

me to

do

this

Lord

you want

me to

give up

this

you want

me to

learn

this

and you

don't want

to do

it

and so

Lord

when I am

afraid of

your

total

claim

upon my

life

please

grip

me

deeply

with

the

truth

and

beauty

of the

gospel

Jesus

walk

with me

Jesus

walk

with me

and trust

that if I

put my

hand in

yours

I can

face

every

intellectual

issue

I can

face

every

moral

quandary

I can

face

every

demand

of

justice

with

my

hand

in

yours

your

nail

pierced

hand

let's

invite

you

just

to

stand

in

prayer

nothing

holy

about

standing

it's

just

good

to

have

a

change

of

position

let's

bow

our

heads

in

prayer

father

you

know

how

the

culture

Canadian

culture

can try

to squeeze

us

into

its

mold

and

you

know

father

how

we

can

feel

very

uncomfortable

about

making

the

claim

that

morality

there

are

moral

truths

that

are

true

and

there's

truth

about

praise

and

value

and

dignity

of

human

beings

that's

just

true

and

truths

about

sexuality

truths

about

justice

that

are

just

true

just

as

there

are

truths

about

history

and

science

and

chemistry

and

biology

that

are

just

true

father

you

know

how

deeply

the

world

can

try

to

form

us

into

its

mold

how

the

devil

can

try

to form

we'll

reject

anything

of

you

father

you

know

this

so

deeply

and

we

give

you

thanks

and

praise

that

you

saw

our

helplessness

and

sent

Jesus

to be

our

savior

and

our

redeemer

in his

life

death

and

resurrection

and

so

father

we

ask

that

the

holy

spirit

would

move

mightily

in

each

of

our

lives

so

that

we

might

be

gripped

once

again

with

the

beauty

and

the

greatness

of

Jesus

and

it's

by

our

faith

and

trust

in

him

that

you

make

us

right

with

yourself

we

don't

make

ourselves

right

with

you

you

make

us

right

with

you

all

by

faith

you've

done

all

the

work

and

grace

and

father

grip

us

with

this

truth

and

grip

us

father

with

your

word

so

that

we

aren't

formed

in

the

mold

of

the

world

the

flesh

and

the

devil

but

as

we

think

upon

Jesus

as

we

read

your

word

as

the

holy

spirit

moves

us

that

father

we

will

be

free

more

and

more

free

to

think

widely

and

deeply

about

everything

in

all

aspects

of

reality

through

the

lens

and

truth

of

your

word

that

we

might

be

free

to

think

for

the

glory

of

God

for

the

good

of

people

and

for

the

furtherance

of

the

gospel

in

your

kingdom

Lord

please

do

that

mighty

work

in

us

in

Jesus

name

we

pray

and

all

God's