Pray for Steven Curtis Chapman

Please be praying for Steven and his wife Mary Beth and family...this morning it was announced on WCRF that his 5 year old daughter Maria died yesterday as a result of an accident. It appears that one of the teenage sons may have struck her with the car in the driveway...so be praying for the whole family during this crisis!! Also, be sure and give your spouse and kids a hug and kiss as soon as you can. It is a reminder to us that our lives are but a vapor, that appear for a little time and then vanish away...and that every day we have is a precious gift from God and another opportunity for us to "love God" and "love each other" with a Christ-like love!!

Below is the announcement on Steven Curtis Chapman's website:

MARIA SUE CHAPMAN, DAUGHTER OF STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN, DIES IN ACCIDENT AT FAMILY HOME

NASHVILLE, TN...5/21/08... At approximately 5pm on the afternoon of Thursday May 21st, Maria Sue Chapman, 5 years old and the youngest daughter to Steven and Mary Beth Chapman was struck in the driveway of the Chapman home in Franklin, TN. Maria was rushed to Vanderbilt Childrens Hospital in Nashville, transported by LifeFlight, but died of her injuries there. Maria is one of the close knit family’s six children and one of their three adopted daughters.

One Mediator between God and Man

My morning thought from Octavius Winslow went along so well with what I posted yesterday and what I am currently reading in "In my place condemned He stood"...so I thought I would share it in case anyone would like to read more...

And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions [that were] under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. - Hebrews 9:15

"Viewed in its proper aspect, the humanity of our Lord will be found to occupy a place in the scheme of salvation, as important and essential to its perfection as His Deity; that the humanity was pure humanity, and the Deity absolute Deity, while the mysterious union of the two, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, constituted Him the proper and the "one Mediator between God and man." Glorious is this aspect of our Lord's complex person; full and clear is the testimony of the Spirit to its truth. Where Christ speaks of Himself as inferior to the Father-as having received "glory from the Father,"-as receiving "life from the Father,"-of "the Father being greater than He,"-He must invariably be regarded as alluding to Himself in His mediatorial office only, and not in His Divine character. He is equal to the Father in nature, subordinate to Him only in office. On this truth hinges all the glory and efficacy of redemption.

It was, then, essential to His fitness as the Surety and Mediator of His covenant people, that He should be "bone of their bone, and flesh of their flesh." That forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; "it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren." The nature of His office, and the success of his undertaking, required that the union of every Divine and human perfection should meet and center in Him. He was to be the middle person between God and man. He was to bring together these two extremes of being-the Infinite and the finite. He was to mediate for the offended Creator and the offending creature. How could He possibly accomplish this great and peculiar work, without a union of the two natures-the Divine and the human? Jehovah could admit of mediation only by one of equal holiness and glory, and man could negotiate in this great business of reconciliation but with one "in all points (sin excepted) like can to himself." Behold this wondrous union in the person of Jesus. As man, he was made under the law-honoring it in its precepts by His obedience, and in its penalty by His sufferings. As God, He imparted a dignity to that obedience, and a virtue to those sufferings, which rendered them eternally efficacious in the salvation of men, glorious in the sight of angels, and infinitely satisfactory to law and to justice.

Beloved reader, stand not aloof from the pure humanity of your blessed Lord. It was humanity that obeyed, that bled, and that died for you. Cling to the doctrine of His Deity. It was God in the man that rendered His obedience meritorious for your justification, and His death effectual for your redemption. Oh glorious person of the God-man Mediator! What a foundation is here laid for a poor condemned sinner to build upon! What a "new and living way" to God is opened-what a wide door to His very heart! He may come now, and feel that not a perfection of Jehovah is trampled upon in His coming-that not an iota of His law is dishonored in His salvation-but that the law appears in its richest luster, and every perfection shines in its resplendent glory, in the full and free redemption of a sinner through the blood and righteousness of the Son of God. Is it any wonder that over the door of mercy should be written in letters of brightness that might dazzle an angel's eye, "Whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life"?

Back in the action!!

These past week has been difficult for me...as some of you know, my laptop computer is giving me trouble. Therefore, I have had very little access to a computer or to the internet. It is amazing how much we (or should I say "I") depend upon computers these days. In fact, when a pastor friend of mine heard that I was without a computer he asked "so, are you able to preach?". Although this sounds funny...he was putting his finger right on the button. It has made my preparation much more difficult. I dont know how Spurgeon did it without "microsoft word" or "online bible commentaries"??

Anyway, I wanted to share with you the latest book that I have been reading. It is called "In my place condemned He stood" by J.I Packer and Mark Dever. Obviously the title comes from the hymn "Hallelujah, what a Savior" which includes these words:

"Bearing shame and scoffing rude
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!"

The book is a celebration of the glory of the atonement. In the first chapter, J.I Packer mentions that the word "propitiation" is only found 4 times in the New Testament but the concept of "propitiation" is found everywhere in the Bible. The doctrine of propitiation is this..."that God loved the objects of His wrath so much that He gave His own Son to the end that He by His blood should make provision for the removal of His wrath...by doing so, Christ would make those who are objects of wrath into children of God by and for His good pleasure".

This is a great place to spend your quiet time...reflecting on this great truth. So, here are the 4 verses of the New Testament that include the word "propitiation":
1. Romans 3:21-26
2. Hebrews 2:17
3. I John 2:1-2
4. I John 4:8-10

Now, if you would really like to saturate yourself with this great teaching then let me suggest that you do what I have done these past few days. Spend time reading not just where the word is found...but where the concept or doctrine is taught. As Packer said, it is all over the New Testament.

Here are a few:
1. Romans (chapters 1-5)...by the way, this is where we are in our ABF study...so join us!!
2. Galatians 3
3. Ephesians 1-2...by the way, we are reading chapters 1, 2, and 3 daily for this month
4. Hebrews 8, 9, and 10
5. I John 1-3

Maybe read a chapter of these a day...and saturate yourself with the love of God in Christ on the cross on behalf of sinners like you and me!

It will cause you to break out in praise with words similar to how one of my favorite hymns begins:

"My song is love unknown,
my Savior's love to me,
love to the loveless shown,
that they might lovely be,
oh, who am I that for my sake,
oh, who am I that for my sake,
the Lord should take frail flesh and die!"

As you can tell, this has been another great book that God is using to draw me near the Cross and near Christ!