Guest Preacher : Rev. Jonathan Edwards

It is time once again to do a historical sermon, and for all the historical sermons we have done, we have never heard a sermon from the Great Rev. Jonathan Edwards.

I am particularly excited about this sermon, "God Glorified in Man's Dependence". Based on First Corinthians 1:29-31.

First preached on July 8, 1731 in Boston, MA at a public lecture. It was so well received that several ministers wanted it published. It is considered the sermon that put Rev. Edwards on the map.

Come and join us this Sunday as we meditate on the words of one of the greatest theologians the USA has ever produced.

Pagan Christianity Critique

Yes, George Barna is at it again, co writing a book entitled Pagan Christianity which is suggesting the institutional church is a pagan concept.

George Barna, really annoys me and I find him arrogant and terrible at his exegesis and understanding of Christianity. I have not read the book, but I have no plans to send him or the publishers $$$.

Mark Driscoll has a critique of the book on his blog. It is a good read, I would encourage you to review it. Glad to see someone is on the ball and seeing through Barna's arguments.

Mark Driscoll is far more gracious than me in regards to Barna, and I think he is very fair in his treatment.

Thomas Boston

I am referring to him again in the sermon because of his work, The Four fold State of Man. Excellent work, a must read.

Thomas Boston

“The Humanity of John Calvin”

This Friday, a special lecture will be taking place in Manchester, NH.

Thirteenth Annual Reformation Day Conference
on the 500th Anniversary of Calvin’s birth

"The Humanity of John Calvin"

John Calvin (1509 – 1564)

Lecturer: Dr Gregory Edward Reynolds

The lecture will present a portrait of the humanity of Reformer John Calvin
in response to his many detractors past and present.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30 AT 7:30 PM
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

AMOSKEAG PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
95 Brook Street, Manchester
Call 668-3069 or visit www.amoskeagchurch.org

personally, I refer to him as Jean Calvin. Look at the picture, isn't it obvious he is French?

Brainerd to Judson

Just finished reading David Brainerd, his journal and diary. Very good, enjoyed his personal writings more than his public journal for he missionary society from Scotland. Overall, really enjoyed it, and thought it was well worth the time. Some good quotes and thoughts from a man who suffered so much.

Now on to Adoniram Judson, reading To the Golden Shore, a biography on Judson. So far, it has been a great read, I am up to the formation of the Missionary Society. Not sure if I will finish it, I am mostly interested in New England and the majority of the book deals with his time in Burma. Not a complaint, it should spend most of it's time on the mission field. But I have a duel purpose in reading. One for transformation, and secondly for research. I have already found it useful for locating local New England historical spots. Looking forward to visiting these locations in the coming weeks.

Jonathan Edwards Resolutions

I was reading the Life and Diary of David Brainerd this weekend, and in the introduction, the editor has a short bio on Jonathan Edwards. I know quite a bit about him, so I was skimming over the intro when I came across the section, Jonathan Edward's 70 Resolutions.

It is worth reading through, and something I found very insightful and useful. Not that I am about to write mine own, but I may start using them to guide in my prayer life. Edwards continues to impress me in his Christian Walk.

Anyhow, here is a list of the resolutions on Yale University's Website.

Christianity Today Article on George Whitefield

This feels like self promotion, but I guess I will risk it. I was recently interviewed by a free lance journalist who was doing an article on George Whitefield. It appears in the July Issue of Christianity Today. Here is the link to the article.

(For those who don't want to read the article but are looking for what I said, go to page 3 of the online article.)

Getting excited about the Historical Tour

To get those who are going on our historical tour this Saturday excited, here is an article on George Whitefield that gives you a preview of where we are going.

I think this will be a wonderful time exploring New England Church History! I am such a nerd.

Sermon Text: John 16

This Sunday the Guest Preacher is George Whitefield. The sermon is based on John 16. I think it is an excellent sermon.

This is our third historic sermon. The focus is the Holy Spirit. I think it will be very very encouraging. Please plan to join us!

John 16:1 “These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling.
John 16:2 “They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God.
John 16:3 “These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me.
John 16:4 “But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. These things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.
John 16:5 “But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’
John 16:6 “But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.
John 16:7 “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
John 16:8 “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;
John 16:9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;
John 16:10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me;
John 16:11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
John 16:12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
John 16:13 “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.
John 16:14 “He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.
John 16:15 “All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.
John 16:16 “A little while, and you will no longer see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me.”
John 16:17 Some of His disciples then said to one another, “What is this thing He is telling us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?”
John 16:18 So they were saying, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is talking about.”
John 16:19 Jesus knew that they wished to question Him, and He said to them, “Are you deliberating together about this, that I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me’?
John 16:20 “Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy.
John 16:21 “Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world.
John 16:22 “Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.
John 16:23 “In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.
John 16:24 “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.
John 16:25 “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but will tell you plainly of the Father.
John 16:26 “In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf;
John 16:27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.
John 16:28 “I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father.”
John 16:29 His disciples *said, “Lo, now You are speaking plainly and are not using a figure of speech.
John 16:30 “Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; by this we believe that You came from God.”
John 16:31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?
John 16:32 “Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

How some things do not change

When I first entered ministry, I worked at First Presbyterian Church in Michigan. The building they are located at was built in 1929, completed right before the Great Depression.

To pay for the building, the church offered chicken pot pie suppers on Saturday Night in the fellowship hall, and then invited folks to come up to the Sanctuary to watch Movietone News.

After seeing the news, the minister would give a short synopsis of the sermon and invited folks to join them the next morning.

The church thrived during the Great Depression.

And now I am seeing a repeat.

Just read this in the news this morning. How some things do not change. Maybe there is a lesson for the church.

New Biography of Francis Schaeffer

Saw this on my Google Reader.....

Click Here to Read....

Kinda interesting to see the connection between L'Abri and OMF. Given my respect for Hudson Taylor and Francis Schaeffer, I thought that was pretty neat.

I feel a connection with these men. Schaeffer ministered less than 10 miles from my hometown, his article on infant baptism is very good. Hudson Taylor and his love for China. Great men of faith.

Anyhow, great to see Francis Schaeffer getting some recognition.

Historical Sermon : Martyn Lloyd Jones

We did this once in the summer, and I got a wonderful reaction from the congregation, so I thought we would try it again.

Last time we had George Whitefield preach, but this Sunday we will hear from someone who lived through the greater part of the 20th Century.

I really enjoy his preaching and reading materials, and I hope you will too. To read a short article on Martyn Lloyd Jones, click here.

Hope to see you Sunday!