Dr Paul Allen

Andrea Mantegna's Agony in the Garden, circa 1460, depicts Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) What was the nature of Jesus ’ temptation in the Garden that made Him say, “Let this cup pass from Me–that’s My desire”? That was a perfectly holy desire. Any other desire would have been an unholy and godless desire. Why? Because a holy man can never have any wish or desire or purpose to experience a sense of divine desolation. It was not within our Lord Jesus ’ holy humanity to ever desire to be in a position where He would cry out, “My God , I am forsaken by You. Why?”1 John Maclaurin, in his sermon “ God’s Chief Mercy ,” looked at our Lord’s prayer from the perspective of His relationship to His elect for whom He came into the world to drink that cup of His Father’s wrath: When we read, therefore, the Redeemer’s expression in his agony,—If it was possible the cup should pass from him,—we are not to understand it as if there was any appearance of imposs

Sinclair Ferguson , Robert Godfrey , Steven Lawson, Albert Mohler , and R.C.Sproul were asked the following questions:  How do US army chaplains stay faithful to God and His truth, and provide the gospel to same-sex couples? How do they stay faithful amidst the persecution? (00:13)  I have a son who has entered into a homosexual lifestyle. How do I handle this, how do I act, what do I say? (02:58 )  I have many Christian friends who are libertarians and say the state should not be involved in marriage at all. Is this a correct position? (14:13)  I have a relative who is constantly trying to say that if I try to say something is false or sinful I am “condemning” the person or the thing and am not being loving. What do I say in response? (23:13)  Is personal peace and affluence the biggest impediment to Christian witness? (28:37)  How do I explain the reality of sin? (29:41)  Since there is one God, why is it that we have so many different views and denominations? (30:27)  W

English: Detail of stained glass window created by Louis Comfort Tiffany in Arlington Street Church (Boston) depicting the Sermon on the Mount. March 2009 photo by John Stephen Dwyer (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 7:7 –11 “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (v. 11). Knowing God as judge has a sanctifying and restraining effect on our lives. In other words, reflecting on God’s perfect holiness drives us to recognize our own sin and deal with it before we judge others ( Matt. 7:1–5). We begin to see who we are — depraved men and women who cannot merit the Lord’s forgiveness. This helps us to be merciful. If our Father in His infinite goodness can pardon us, surely we sinners can forgive others. However, we still often find it hard to show mercy even when we know the  Lord’s character. We still need wisdom to distinguish between those who will  mock the

Dore Bible Sermon on the Mount (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 5:33–37 “Let what you say be simply ‘ Yes ’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil” (v. 37). As we look at the Sermon on the Mount , we must again be clear that we may not read Jesus in a way that contradicts the Old Testament . He comes to fulfill the Father’s purposes and promises and to show Himself as the goal of the old covenant revelation ( Matt. 1:18–25; 4:12–17; 5:17–20). What at first appears to be a contrast [between  Christ ’s teaching and the Old Testament] is really Jesus’ proper explanation and application [of the Old Testament]. Therefore, it would be a mistake to abolish oaths and vows altogether based on this passage. Matthew 5:33–37 has little bearing on the swearing of oaths in a solemn setting, such as when we testify in a court or enter the marriage covenant. Jesus is dealing more generally here with the priority of truth and our tendency to break everyday commitments. Oaths and vo

English: Detail of stained glass window created by Louis Comfort Tiffany in Arlington Street Church (Boston) depicting the Sermon on the Mount. March 2009 photo by John Stephen Dwyer (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 5:8 –9 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (vv. 8–9). Christians are not free to embody only some of the traits in the Beatitudes (pp. 35–36). As believers, we must possess all the qualities of Matthew 5:2–12, at least in some measure, lest our claim to have faith be proven false. This text tells us the “pure in heart” receive God’s blessing and will one day see Him (v. 8). Jesus’ instruction in this verse is not new information for those well-versed in the Old Testament . It is based on  Psalm 24 , which says that only those with “clean hands and a pure heart” can stand in the Lord’s presence (vv. 3–4). According to Augustine, seeing God face-to-face when He renews all things

Dore Bible Sermon on the Mount (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 5:33–37 “Let what you say be simply ‘ Yes ’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil” ( v. 37 ). As we continue our study of the Sermon on the Mount , we must again be clear that we may not read Jesus in a way that contradicts the Old Testament . He comes to fulfill the Father’s purposes and promises and to show Himself as the goal of the old covenant revelation ( Matt. 1:18–25 ; 4:12–17 ; 5:17–20 ). Dr. Sinclair Ferguson comments, “What at first appears to be a contrast [between Christ ’s teaching and the Old Testament] is really Jesus’ proper explanation and application [of the Old Testament]” (The Sermon on the Mount, p. 95). Therefore, it would be a mistake to abolish oaths and vows altogether based on this passage. Matthew 5:33–37 has little bearing on the swearing of oaths in a solemn setting, such as when we testify in a court or enter the marriage covenant. Jesus is dealing more generally here w

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglican Church http://www.stjohnsashfield.org.au, Ashfield, New South Wales. Illustrates Jesus' description of himself "I am the Good Shepherd" (from the Gospel of John, chapter 10, verse 11). This version of the image shows the detail of his face. The memorial window is also captioned: "To the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of William Wright. Died 6th November, 1932. Aged 70 Yrs." (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) 1. Read the Bible with your children:  We believe the Bible reveals and communicates the Trinity in the best way possible. Therefore, let's expose our children to the Bible and let the truth of the Triune God soak into them over the long-term. Via the Bible's stories, letters, songs, and dialogues, they will gradually absorb the truth that God is one, but exists in three persons. 2. Catechize your children:  The need to add catechism instruction to consecutive Bible exposition. The catechism

Santa Jesus (Photo credit: agitprop ) In Dr. Sinclair Ferguson 's book, In Christ Alone , he shares the sad reality that many Christians have a Christology that is more informed by Santa Claus than Scripture. For them, the message of the incarnation has been so twisted or diluted that they have in fact created for themselves a savior who is nothing more than a Santa Christ. As you prayerfully read Dr. Ferguson's words, ask yourself the following question this Christmas season: "Do I believe in a Santa Christ?" 1. A Pelagian Jesus is a Santa Christ Santa Christ is sometimes a Pelagian Jesus. Like Santa, he simply asks us whether we have been good. More exactly, since the assumption is that we are all naturally good, Santa Christ asks us whether we have been "good enough." So just as Christmas dinner is simply the better dinner we really deserve, Jesus becomes a kind of added bonus who makes a good life even better. He is not seen as the Savior of h

So what are the lifestyle tendencies of a pastor ministering from a position of arrival? If you think you've arrived, you will: Think you don ' t need what you preach. Sinclair Ferguson has said that he determined to be a man who sits under his own preaching. Even your preparation should be an acknowledgement of ongoing need, a cry for divine help and a celebration of ever-present inexhaustible grace . Think Isaiah 6: "I am a man on unclean lips, and I dwell amongst people of unclean lips." If you think you have arrived, you prepare material from above for people who sadly still need what you no longer need. Are you desperately hungry for the truths that you regularly prepare to expound to others? Not be open to the ministry of the body of Christ . Arrival tends to produce self-sufficiency. If you think you're wise, you don't seek out the wisdom of others. If you think you're mature, you don't hunger for the protection of others. If you

"I am the Good Shepherd" (from the Gospel of John, chapter 10, verse 11).  (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) 1 John 2:1 — My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin . But if anyone does sin , we have an advocate with the Father , Jesus Christ the righteous. Sinclair Ferguson , in his sermon " Sin: Prevention and Cure " (May 6, 2012) — The essential exhortation John is giving to us rocks us back on our heels. He is saying this: If you desire anything less for yourself than absolute obedience to God , a life of total devotion to the Lord , a life of absolute sin-less-ness — if you desire anything less, you are fighting against God 's desire for you. It is overwhelming. But you see, he can issue such an exhortation because he knows that there is sufficient grace in Jesus Christ to support that exhortation. And it is when we feel both of these, by God's grace , that our lives begin to make progress. Related articles L