EP*C

Darrin Patrick & Matt Carter Exponential 2010 from Exponential on Vimeo.

Part 2 of the CHANGE AGENTS series.

1 Peter 1:10-12 is a clear description of what we look back to during Advent.

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. (1 Peter 1:10-12 )

For four weeks, it’s as if we’re re-enacting, remembering the thousands of years God’s people were anticipating and longing for the coming of God’s salvation, for Jesus. That’s what advent means—coming. Even God’s men who foretold the grace that was to come didn’t know “what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating.” They were waiting, but they didn’t know what God’s salvation would look like.

You can read the complete article from Noel Piper here.

Here’s a question – how often do you think about the gospel? How often does Jesus and what he has done for us come up in your everyday life?

I ask the questions not to condemn, but as encouragement to focus on the important things in life.

Josh Patterson of the Village Church has an excellent post on the gospel, and whether it is something assumed in your life, or purposefully made explicit by you in your life. He says:

” The issue with an assumed gospel is that it is often too personal and, therefore, becomes private. The person who lives under the assumption of the gospel often knows how it relates to their life, but nobody else does…..their co-workers are left to wonder about what makes them different. Those who live under the assumed gospel often find it awkward to bring it up and talk about the work of Christ. Why? Because they never bring it up and learn to articulate the implications of Christ’s work and their life.

On the contrary, those who are explicit about the gospel in their relationships have a different effect. By living out the gospel and speaking about the gospel and working through the gospel (verbally), they are helping to connect the dots for those around them….co-workers are privy to the reality that this person is not simply a moral guy/girl, but one who is forgiven and transformed by the death and resurrection of Christ.”

You can read the rest of the post here.

So, are you explicit or do you assume the gospel in your everyday life? More importantly, how do you plan do become more explicit?

Tim Keller explains how the gospel should impact Christians in everyday life, thereby affecting culture.

The oldest Bible in the world can now be found online! The Codex Sinaiticus, a copy of the Bible from over 1600 years ago can be read on the web, although you’ll have to learn how to read Greek to understand it all.

What’s amazing is that the Codex Sinaiticus contains the entire New Testament, and is only missing small portions of the Old Testament. When you add this on top of manuscripts and parts of manuscripts we have from the first century A.D., the case for the reliability of the Bible in terms of it’s content is pretty strong.

So much for the theory that the Bible has been re-written over the years…

Francis Chan is a great pastor from California – he has this way of communicating hard subjects in a such a grace-filled way – you have to check him out.

In this clip, he challenges Christ-followers to see whether they actually WANT to follow Jesus.

Our world is a strange one. One second we’re living in absolute pleasure, and the next the love of our life has crushed our heart. There’s a constant tension between joy and pain, which for some reason never stops.

Josh Patterson from The Village Church shares about a tension-filled wedding – the joy of love, and the pain of loss at the same time. He says:

“The honest believer has to acknowledge the suffering around him/her or the suffering they are personally experiencing. We live in a world broken and fractured by the fall of Adam. Pain, suffering and grief are our companions in this life. But, the believer doesn’t live wallowing in suffering; rather, we experience the tension of joy and the confidence of hope. Christ is our hope…therefore our grief is shaded differently. So, we live in tension, and this is healthy for us. In fact, this is exactly what we see on the cross of Jesus Christ. There was intense suffering, pain and anguish. There is remarkable joy, hope and grace.”

You can read the rest of this short post here.

Ever wondered what it takes to go from someone that just lets life pass them by to somone that makes a difference? The answer – growing up! Not the ‘get older’ type of growing up…the real type of growing up.

P.J. Smyth has some great advice in a 3-part series on maturity over at the Resurgence blog. Here are a couple of excerpts:

“Titus got involved because Paul asked him to join in, and Titus said yes. Isn’t this usually how it all starts, with our attachment being more to the leader than to God? “Sure, I will help you put out the chairs” or “Lead a small group? I’ll give it a go but please help me!” Milestone 1 is simply to show up and be willing. Good things begin to happen to people who faithfully show up…..Take a look at what Paul says of Titus: “But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. What a jump! Titus goes from being the tag-on servant-hearted guy to a leader in his own right whom Paul now speaks of as “my partner and fellow worker.” How did this radical promotion happen? Answer: Titus gained his own zeal.”

Read the full series of posts here.