Christ Church (Moscow, ID)

INTRODUCTIONLeviticus 2 explains the Tribute Offering, an offering of flour and oil, often cooked into a cake or loaf of bread. This offering expressed love and loyalty and devotion for God the King. It teaches Christians that Christ is our King, and therefore, we are called to even greater devotion.THE TEXT“Now when anyone presents a grain offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it…” (Lev. 2)SUMMARY OF THE TEXTThere are several types of grain offerings described: uncooked ground grain with oil and frankincense (2:1-3) and baked/cooked unleavened cakes/wafers made with oil or spread on top (2:4-10). In both, a memorial portion or handful is put on the altar, but the rest is given to the priests (2:2-3, 9-10). There is to be no leaven or honey in any of the grain offerings offered on the altar; they may be given as first fruits offerings but not put on the altar (2:11-12). Every grain offering is to be seasoned with salt, so that the “covenant of salt” is remembered constantly (2:13). Israelites could also bring early ripened grain as a grain offering, much like the offering of uncooked flour (2:14-16).THE TRIBUTE OFFERINGIt makes sense that the Ascension Offering is the first thing in Leviticus since it is the most common daily sacrifice, but Numbers 28 makes it clear that grain offerings were offered continuously with the daily Ascension Offerings (morning and evening), along with morning and evening drink offerings that were poured out to the Lord. This is likely why it comes next in Leviticus. It may also be that the grain offering was an additional option for the poorest in Israel who could not afford even a pigeon or a dove. It seems to be closely associated with the Ascension Offering given the repeated refrain: “up in smoke on the altar as an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord” (Lev. 2:2, 9, cf. 1:9, 13, 17). The word translated “grain offering” is “minchah” and literally means “tribute.” While it always refers to this grain offering in Leviticus, it is used more generally to refer to any kind of sacrifice elsewhere (Gen. 4:3-5, 1 Sam. 2:17, 29, 26:19) and often refers to a gift of honor from an inferior to a superior, vassals to their lord, i.e. tribute (Gen. 32:19ff, Gen. 43:11ff, Jdg. 3:15ff, 1 Sam. 10:27, 2 Sam. 8:2ff, 1 Kgs. 4:21, 2 Kgs. 8:7-9). While frankincense is only added in the uncooked Tribute offerings, they are always mixed or anointed with oil, presumably highlighting the royal nature of the gift. This gift of bread proclaimed Yahweh as King.THE GRAIN OFFERING OF JEALOUSYThis notion of tribute or loyalty perhaps explains why this offering was used for the jealousy rite in Numbers 5 as well as the Nazirite vow in Numbers 6. In Numbers 5, God established a trial by ordeal in which a woman suspected of adultery swears an oath of innocence before the Lord and a tribute of jealousy is offered in the process (Num. 6:15-18, 25-26). The Tribute offering swears allegiance to the Lord, and the woman is swearing that she has been faithful to her husband and her God, faithful to all her covenant vows in other words (cf. Prov. 2:17). The flip side of this is the Tribute offering that is offered at the conclusion of a Nazirite vow, which is a temporary oath of dedication to the service of the Lord (a sort of semi-priestly service, often associated with holy war). The point is again complete allegiance, loyalty, dedication.COVENANT OF SALTAll of this is related to what is referenced in 2:13: “the salt of the covenant.” Salt was to go on the Tribute offering as well as all of the offerings (2:13). The same notion is referred to in Numbers 18:19 and 2 Chron. 13:5 where the covenant is called “a covenant of salt.” In context, this designation refers to the permanence of the covenant: it is forever. This also underlines the covenantal character of the sacrificial system: “Gather my godly ones to Me, those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice” (Ps. 50:5). The sacrifices were not impersonal rites to appease the deity. They were personal, covenantal ceremonies of confession, devotion, and love. We also know that salt was used for judgment, as in Sodom and Gomorrah (Dt. 29:23, cf. Jdg. 9:45). But salt was also used for healing, as when Elisha healed the bitter spring of water (2 Kgs. 2:20-21). Salt, like the covenant, is therefore potent either to cause barrenness or else life, blessings or curses because it is a personal relationship with the God of the universe.This seems to be the point Jesus is making in the gospels: He says we are the “salt of the earth” (Mt. 5:13). In context, the point is the savor/flavor of righteousness and obedience, and that gives a good “flavor” to the whole world (Mt. 5:16-20). But when the salt loses its savor, God throws it out to be trampled by men (Mt. 5:13). The same point is made in the following verse about God’s people being the light of the world; if the world goes dark, it is because God’s people have been disobedient/disloyal to their God. In Mark, Jesus says that everyone “will be salted with fire” (Mk. 9:49) and urges the disciples to have “salt” in themselves and be at peace with one another (Mk. 9:50). Right before this, Jesus warns about causing little ones to stumble and taking drastic measures to cut off the hand or foot or eye that causes stumbling in order to avoid Hell fire (Mk. 9:42-48). That is loyalty. It’s striking that Jesus describes a sort of dismembering to avoid fire but adds that everyone will be salted with fire – like all sacrifices. In Luke, Jesus speaks of salt that has become useless for soil or manure in the context of complete surrender to Him, giving up everything, even family and following Him (Lk. 14:26-35). The covenant of salt is potent: either for life and blessing, or else judgment and cursing.CONCLUSIONThe Tribute Offering forbids yeast and honey (2:11). At the same time, we know that grain offerings were usually offered with a drink offering, although the wine was poured out at the base of the altar (Ex. 29:40-41, Num. 28:9). Yeast and honey can both ferment, a certain kind of passive aging, while bread and wine are both products of human labor. Paul says that we must constantly get rid of the leaven of malice and wickedness, and we are to keep the feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Cor. 5:6-8). This is talking about our work, our labors. People were made to work, and because we are made in the image of God, our work is potent. But it is either potent for blessing or cursing because of the salt of the covenant. Malice and wickedness grows naturally in a fallen world, just like weeds, but the blessing of God needs constantly tending. We need to put our labors on the altar every morning and every evening (and double on Sundays) which is to say put them on Christ and in Christ because He is our King.

INTRODUCTIONWe are still in the middle of one of Micah’s consolation sections, and we have come to the passage where the birth of the Messiah is promised.THE TEXT“Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: He hath laid siege against us: They shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, Though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Therefore will he give them up, Until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: Then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord, In the majesty of the name of the Lord his God; And they shall abide: For now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth. And this man shall be the peace, When the Assyrian shall come into our land: And when he shall tread in our palaces, Then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, And eight principal men. And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, And the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: Thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, When he cometh into our land, And when he treadeth within our borders” (Micah 5:1–6).SUMMARY OF THE TEXTIsrael and Judah are told to muster the troops because they will be under siege (v. 1). Not only so, but they will be apparently humiliated in that the judge of Israel will be struck on the cheek with a rod, as happened to Christ in His trial (Matt. 27:30). But the prophet is about to instruct us not to go by surface appearances. Bethlehem was an obscure little town. It was famous because Rachel was buried there, and because David was from there, but it was still an obscure little town. Most places could raise a thousand men for battle, but apparently not Bethlehem (v. 2). Nevertheless, just as Bethlehem had once produced the greatest king Israel had ever had, so she would do so again. This king would be even greater—His goings forth were from of old, from everlasting (v. 2). God was not going to undertake on Israel’s behalf (for a good six centuries) until the time this ruler was eventually born (v. 3). It was a long gestation, and a hard delivery, but then the remnant would return. But at this point the Messiah would stand, and He would feed the people in the strength of Jehovah (v. 4), and they would be enabled to abide by Him. This Messiah would be able to deliver us from all the enemies of God, who are presented here under the figure of the Assyrians and Nimrod (vv. 5-6).COMMON KNOWLEDGEThe rabbis of the first century knew that the Christ was to be born in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:4), which is the answer they gave to Herod in response to his inquiry (Matt. 2:5-6). That answer might be different now, now that Bethlehem is so closely associated with Jesus.And the same thing was common knowledge on the streets as well.“Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, of a truth this is the Prophet. Others said, this is the Christ. But some said, shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said, that Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? So there was a division among the people because of him” (John 7:40–43).Jesus was a Galilean. He had arrived in this world at Bethlehem, but He also departed from Bethlehem as a baby. Although He might well have gone back later in His life, we have no indication of that in Scripture. The appearances would seem to indicate that God moved the heart of Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1-4) simply in order to touch that base. The point was prophetic and typological only. LITTLE AMONG THE CLANSGod loves underdog stories, and He loves to deliver His people using unlikely means. Bethlehem was a hamlet, just a bend in the road. And yet . . .Not only so, but David was from a family of shepherds, and he was the youngest son, out tending sheep while his brothers were inside with the prophet Samuel at the big kids’ table.“But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).God loves this way of doing things so much that He does it over and over again. And man loves looking on the outward appearance so much that he misses it, also over and over. The lesson should be straightforward. It is quite possible that you might be too big for God to use, but it is not possible for you to be too small for God to use.HOUSE OF BREADThe name Bethlehem means House of Bread, and this is the place where the line of David was going to be restored. The king who was going to feed Israel was to be born in the House of Bread.When this king was raised up, what was He going to do? His goings forth were from everlasting, and in this new station, He was going to “stand.” He came from the eternal realms, and His kingdom was going to last forever. He was going to “stand.” From that place, as a Shepherd King, He was going to feed His people, doing so in the strength of Jehovah. This is something that the Lord Jesus most clearly did—He not only healed the people of their diseases, but He also fed them.In that same verse, it says that we will abide, and we will abide as a result of this feeding, and in the majesty of the name of Jehovah God. There is as much strength in you to abide in Christ as there is majesty in God. This is another way of saying that although you are charged to abide in Christ (John 15:4), you are not able to do this in your own strength. You are kept by the power of God. “My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:29).

If we are not able to comprehend joy in the suffering, then consider our faith, which is the assurance of what is hoped for and in the suffering the answer is the love of God in His Spirit that is given to us. And that Spirit doesn't disappoint.

INTRODUCTIONFirst, why Leviticus? It’s one of those portions of God’s Word that can be challenging to modern Christians. But Leviticus is where the Second Greatest Commandment is taken from (Lev. 19:18). In some ways you might organize the whole book under the headings of the First and Second Great Commandments: Love God: Lev. 1-17, Love Your Neighbor Lev. 18-27. We live in a world that has attempted to redefine love as mere sentiment and feeling (although that is changing), but the law is how God taught us to love Him and one another when we were young in the covenant (cf. Gal. 4:2-4, 1 Jn. 5:3). Related is also one of the great themes of Leviticus, which is holiness. Peter quotes from Leviticus in his letter: “Be holy as I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:16). And Hebrews says that without holiness no one will see the Lord (Heb. 12:14). We are still called to be a holy people, and Leviticus was our Elementary School training in holiness.Here in Leviticus 1 we are introduced to the most common sacrifice and the central invitation from the Lord for sinners to draw near to Him with hearts sprinkled clean, which is most pleasing to Him, a sweet-smelling aroma.THE TEXT“And the Lord called unto Moses and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, if any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle even of the herd, and of the flock. If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish…” (Lev. 1:1-17)SUMMARY OF THE TEXTThis first chapter explains the burnt/ascension offering and gives three examples: the first describes the offering of a bull (1:2-9), the second describes the offering of a sheep or goat (1:10-13), and the third describes the offering of doves or pigeons (1:14-17). For the first two, the bull, sheep, or goat must be a male, without blemish (1:3, 10). The animal is brought to the door of the tabernacle, the worshiper lays his hand upon the head of the animal, and the worshipper is to kill the animal himself (1:3-6, 11-13). In the case of the dove or pigeon, the worshipper would cleave the wings of the bird (1:16-17). The priests were responsible for sprinkling the blood around the altar (1:5, 11, 15) and for putting the pieces of the sacrifice on the altar (1:8, 13, 15, 17). Finally, in all three, the offering is described as an offering by fire, a sweet savor to the Lord (1:9, 13, 17).CORBAN & DRAWING NEARLiterally, the text says that if an “Adam” will “draw near” with a “drawing near,” he should “draw near” with a “drawing near” of the herd and of the flock (1:2). The first thing to note is that the whole sacrificial system goes back to the Garden of Eden, where God stationed Cherubim with flaming swords at the entrance after Adam sinned (Gen. 3:24), setting up one of the great problems of the Bible: how can man drawn near to their Maker? The answer is: through a flaming sword. The word for “a drawing near/offering” is “corban.” This is the word that Jesus uses in the gospels when He rebukes the Pharisees for allowing their traditions to run right over the clear Word of God (Mk. 7:11). The fifth commandment said, “honor your father and mother,” which includes caring for them and providing for them in their old age, but the Pharisees said if someone gave what they were going to use to support their parents to the temple, they were exempt. The descendants of Adam have a terrible habit of imitating King Saul, thinking that we can modify God’s commands, but obedience is better than sacrifice, and rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft (1 Sam. 15:22-23). We make excuses for our sin by pointing at other good things we have done. But all disobedience is disobedience. Related to this, is the age-old hypocrisy of seeking to draw near to God in worship with your lips, while your heart is far from the Lord (Is. 29:13, Mt. 15:8). But we are always lifting our hearts up to the Lord.A CONTINUAL ASCENSION OFFERINGThe name “burnt offering” or “whole burnt offering” is not really a great translation. It is called this because the whole animal is put on the altar and burned, but the word literally means “going up” or “ascension,” and therefore would be better translated “ascension offering.” The word that is used for “burn” (cf. 1:9) literally means “turn into smoke,” which seems to highlight the same point. The action is not merely in the destruction of the animal, but rather in its transformation into smoke to ascend to God, Who receives it as a sweet-smelling aroma. This is the most common sacrifice offered at the tabernacle and temple, the morning and evening sacrifice, that constituted the “continual” sacrifice of praise (Ex. 29:42, Num. 28:3-10ff).“And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor” (Eph. 5:2). And he immediately adds: “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient, but rather giving of thanks” (Eph. 5:3-4). Clearly this does not mean that we cannot say those words because then Paul would be breaking his own rule. No, the point is that we should be so careful to avoid those sins that we cannot be accused of being guilty of them, and the Bible says that this is how we walk in love, as Christ loved us. This is a sweet-smelling savor.CONCLUSIONSWe will no doubt come back to this passage as we consider all of the sacrifices, but the ascension offering reminds us of the command to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is our reasonable service and “be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…” (Rom. 12:1-2).The ascension offering reminds us that God wants all that we are consecrated wholly to Him. Everything goes on His altar. He claims all that we are. Christ is our head, our substitute, who went into the fire of God’s wrath first for us, but if we are His body, we must follow Him into the fire. However, if we are in Him, it is no longer a fire a judgment but a fire of purification and transformation. He is bending, breaking, burning, and blowing upon our lives until they shine.This is what Christian “headship” is. In contrast to many of our political leaders, Christian leaders must not ask of their people anything that they are not already doing themselves. We follow Christ because He laid His life down for us. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.

INTRODUCTIONWe are continuing to work through the consolation section of the second cycle. As this section encompasses two chapters, we are tackling it in pieces. Today we will be working through the latter half of chapter 4.In this section, God promises the restoration of Israel’s fortunes, and that this deliverance will come through the midst of great difficulties. We will consider some of those difficulties, along with our triumphs, as we work through these verses.THE TEXT“In that day, saith the Lord, will I assemble her that halteth, And I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted; And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: And the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever. And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; The kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem. Now why dost thou cry out aloud? Is there no king in thee? Is thy counseller perished? For pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail. Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: For now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; There the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies. Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion. But they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand they his counsel: For he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor. Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: For I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: And thou shalt beat in pieces many people: And I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth” (Micah 4:6–13).SUMMARY OF THE TEXTRemember that this great deliverance does not land in one swift moment. Recall that the kingdom grows gradually, steadily, and inexorably. When the process begins, God will gather those who are limping (v. 6), and God will assemble those whom He afflicted (v. 6). The battered people of God will be made into a strong nation (v. 7), and Jehovah Himself will reign over them in Mount Zion forever (v. 7). Remember that He will reign in Mount Zion because His law goes out from Mount Zion (back in v. 2). The kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem (v. 8). But this restoration will not be trouble-free (v. 9). The daughter of Zion will have a hard delivery (v. 10), and will be delivered from Babylon. Our deliverance will not look like deliverance, because many nations will be gathered against us (v. 11). They taunt us because they do not know the Lord’s methods and ways (v. 12). They gathered around to destroy us, and found instead that they had actually been gathered by God in order to be threshed (v. 12). So, daughter of Zion, arise and thresh (v. 13).REMEMBER WHAT IS COMINGWe know that this consolation is fulfilled in and through the Messiah because just a few verses down we are told that the Christ would be born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2). These latter days begin with the return from exile in Babylon, but they continue on in the days of the Messiah.THE NATURE OF DELIVERYWhen a woman is about to give birth, we call what is coming to her delivery. We call it this, knowing what is to come. But imagine going through childbirth not knowing that a child was involved in it, and simply assuming that you were suffering an attack of some kind. You, not knowing that key piece of information, would radically misinterpret every wave, every contraction, every pang. You would naturally assume that this was the worst thing that had ever happened to you when it was about to be the best thing that had ever happened to you.Christians who do not have a strong view of God’s sovereignty, a biblical view of His methodology, and an optimistic view of His purposes, are in this position. They misinterpret everything.NOT ONLY SO…Not only do Christians misinterpret how the kingdom grows, the unbelievers do as well. They surround us, and declare their intention to gobble us up. And we, for our part, say oh no!But notice how this goes. These nations gather all around you. They assemble themselves together. They say of the Church, let her be devastated. Let her be defiled. They cast their eyes over the people of God, and think to themselves that they will just take us. But what are they leaving out of their calculations? They do not know the thoughts of the Lord. They do not understand the wisdom of His counsel. They do not get the fact that our Lord conquered them by dying, and that we are privileged to imitate Him in this. Have they completely surrounded us? Have they gathered to overwhelm us? Well, then, arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion.Are things hopeless? Then this is our moment. Rise up, o men of God.THE HANDS OF THE LORDWhen we doubt that our afflictions and chastisements are from the Lord, it is consequently easy to doubt that He has the capacity to deliver us. But if in the first place the tribulation was laid on us from His right hand, then why would it be difficult to believe that He can lift that affliction with His left hand? All things are from God. We do not live in a godless world.And we know that we do not live in a godless world because we do not live in a Christless world. The Christ has come. Messiah the Prince was born in our midst, which is why we call Him Immanuel, God with us. In fact, we even know His birth place—Bethlehem, little among the clans of Judah.“And the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever” (v. 7). This is Yahweh, the Lord. This is Jehovah. This is the Christ—He is here with us, ruling from Mount Zion, through His holy word. And because Jehovah rules from Zion, this is why the daughters of Zion can rise up and thresh. How long? Forever, the prophet says.

As we go out into this world our job is to bring the taste of heaven and of life to a world that tastes everything as bland.

Why do Christians lose? Why do God's people lose battles when our God is infinitely stronger than the gods of all of our enemies?

INTRODUCTIONA striking feature of heaven-born reformations is a restoration of Biblical worship, and from this fountain springs psalms & hymn of praise. In our time, we face a similar need to restore biblically ordered worship to the church. This means going to the Word, not our preferences, to determine how to bring the glory due His name. The overwhelming instruction in Scripture is to give glory. All too often we give mass-produced nonsense. Nowhere is this more evident than in the prevailing approach to music in our corporate worship services.THE TEXTSGive unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness (1 Chron. 16:29).And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away (Isa. 35:10).SUMMARY OF THE TEXTAs David brought the Ark into Jerusalem after it had been in exile for over a hundred years, we’re provided with a de- tailed description of everything from the utensils, to the divisions of the Levites, to the sacrifices offered. While the ex- pected thank-offerings are made, a new offering is described. That new offering stands out like a successful trick play at a football game. The chronicler describes this new offering which David arranges: a sacrifice of song. David has composed a psalm to sing and then arranges Levitical choirs to sing it. In that Psalm––among other things––the saints of God are called to “give glory”and to “worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.”The glory can be embodied in both volume & quality (Ps. 33:3, 98:4). We’re repeatedly summoned to make a loud & joyful noise accompanied with the understand- ing of faith. There’s no shushing of the heavenly choir. This reformation of worship which David led by establishing the tabernacle of Zion as the center of Israel’s worship should be seen as the OT’s high-point.Zion was the stronghold of David, which is where the tabernacle of David was erected and where the Ark was brought. The offerings in the tabernacle of David were primarily offerings of song (at David’s time, animal sacrifices primarily took place in Gibeah, until Solomon’s temple was constructed).Skipping ahead a few centuries, Isaiah’s vision presents a scene of redeemed and restored saints ascending to Zion with songs and everlasting joy (Is. 35:10). Though the threat of judgement loomed over Judah, the promise behind it was that God would restore His people to Zion, and they would come singing merry songs.All of this (both David’s reformation of emphasizing song in Israel’s worship, and Isaiah’s vision of the Restored Israel) anticipates that Messiah’s courts would be filled with songs from both Jews & Gentiles. As one commentator points out, whereas the Tabernacle of Moses was filled with a cloud of smoke, the Temple of Christ is filled with a cloud of song.THE SONG OF MOSESAfter great OT victories, it is the songs that are recorded in detail, whereas the details of thank offerings are oftentimes either passed over entirely, or very briefly described. Not only that, but the battles themselves often receive only the con- cise description: “the Lord wrought a great victory.” When God grants victory, the people sing. The songs are recorded so that we too might join the chorus of God’s saints and remember back to Jehovah how He has delivered His people in times past in hope that His mighty arm will once more be bared to deliver us in our present conflicts and in future battles.After Pharaoh and his army were defeated at the Red Sea, Moses & Miriam (Ex. 15:1ff ) led Israel in celebratory songs of praise. Moses again leads Israel in song after the 40 years of wandering, as they look to begin the conquest of Ca- naan (Deu. 32:1-43). Deborah & Barak ( Jdg. 5:1ff ) sang of the Lord’s deliverance of His people from the Canaanites. Hannah prayed a pray which rings with poetic glory, as she rejoiced over her rival (1 Sam. 2:1). David’s reformation was a profound incorporation of this musical tradition as a fixed feature of the worship of the Lord. Generations later, Jehosaphat famously sent the Levitical choirs which David had originally organized as the vanguard in a battle with Judah’s enemies (2 Chr. 20).There is a curious note in Rev. 15:3 that the saints who overcame the beast sing in joy for their victory. And what they sing is the song of Moses. John’s vision invites us to see that Christ has delivered his people once more from Egypt (un- believing Jerusalem), while preparing them to conquer the land (by bringing Heavenly Jerusalem everywhere they go).Notice the pattern. God grants a deliverance, God’s people start singing. We not only see this throughout the OT, but after Pentecost and in early church history we see songs of praise to Christ being composed (Cf. Phil 2:5-11, Col 1:15- 20, 1Tim 3:16, Heb 1:1-3, 1 Jn. 2:12-14, and 1Pet 2:21-25) and sung heartily (Cf. Rev. 5:8-14), even in the face of fierce persecution.MISMATCHED MUSICThere’s a modern tendency, especially in Christian circles, to assume that the music is interchangeable, and merely a matter of preference. None of us would dare break into a yodeled polka tune at a funeral; nor would we think a death metal song appropriate for a bridal procession.We want our music to rhyme with the truths they proclaim.Thus joyful reverence is the tone.Trying to cram the eternal glories of the Triune God into the tin can of pop-music is a fools errand. Monosyllabic la-la’s set to pop melodies don’t compare to Watt’s skillful poetry paired with the harmonic glories of Bach. Our music, whether we acknowledge it or not, is part of a larger battle. Is there objective truth and beauty? The brilliant ordering of notes into melodic patterns with thrilling harmonies stacked on top is an arrow in our quiver that should not be tossed aside.WITH SKILL AND UNDERSTANDINGA visitor could attend our services for a year and be unaware of our primary distinctives (i.e. Reformed, postmillennial- ism, etc.). But on their first Sunday they’ll be confronted with our musical priorities. But let me state explicitly what our music states implicitly. We aim to be a mighty choir belting out Psalms of God’s faithfulness and songs of God’s grace to us in Christ.To get there, however, we must not begin with musical literacy, that should come after. A musical reformation must begin with evangelical faith. We understand and know that the Son of God has come, and we are in Him (1 Jn. 5:20). That is the key signature that dictates the rest of our musical endeavors. While we should strive to learn our parts, raise our children to be musically skillful, it must spring from Gospel joy and every song must conclude with a faith-filled “Amen.”THE SON OF DAVID SINGING THE SONGS OF DAVIDThe pitch-note, then, of our Lord’s Day worship is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We aren’t aiming to have the Reformed Evangelical equivalent to the Vienna Boys Choir or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Nor do we want to mindlessly just go along with whatever the record companies decide we should prefer.Biblical worship is not a job for those people “up there” to do; whether they’re an ornately robed priest muttering Latin, or a ripped-jeans worship band with a gnarly bassist. Biblical worship is the righteous work of Christ alone. Yet since we are in Him, we come by Him to offer glory. This service of worship is the work of Christ’s body, the church. You cannot worship God rightly if you do not come to Him by the Son. We come to God, clothed in the righteousness of the Son of David to sing the psalms of David. As one hymnist said, “So come to the Father, through Jesus the Son.”

One of the hallmarks of the Protestant Reformation was the motto ad fontes, meaning: “to the sources.” This led them to read the Bible for themselves in the original languages. What they found there they could neither keep to themselves, nor keep quiet about it.The Apostles’ Gospel of free grace, which the Reformers rediscovered, was found by reading Scripture’s witness. The Word of God was the engine for the whole project. As Tyndale discovered the glories of Scripture, he remarked, “Christ desires his mysteries to be published abroad as widely as possible. I would that [the Scriptures] were translated into all languages, of all Christian people, & that they might be read & known.”Calvin frequently exhorted his people to read Scripture: “Thus must we also read the Scriptures. We must greedily, and with a prompt mind, receive those things which are plain, and wherein God openeth his mind. As for those things which are hid from us, we must pass them over until we see greater light. And if we be not wearied with reading, it shall at length come to pass that the Scripture shall be made more familiar by continual use.”A later Reformer insightfully said, “a home without a Bible is a ship without a rudder and a Christian without a Bible is a soldier without a weapon.”We’ve been undertaking to renew a fervor amongst God’s people for the regular reading of Scripture. Our BRC campaign flows from the reality that your spiritual life cannot be sustained by infrequent reading and hearing of God’s Word. The condition of our Nation is directly the result of our neglect of reading, believing, and obeying the Bible. So Augustine was once told, “Take up, and read.” The Reformation we desire won’t come apart from the conquering sword of the Word.In an age where our phones have every imaginable translation of Scripture and even the tools to read Scripture in its original languages, we have opted for the distractions of newsfeeds, quizzes about what our spirit animal is, and all manner of other frivolities. It’s no wonder we are a skittish generation, for we have no foundation and no anchor. Our nation is a crumbling ruin, for we have sought to build on another cornerstone than God’s Word. Our nation is a ship adrift in a hurricane––without sails, oars, or a compass––for we have cast overboard the eternal Gospel declared in Scripture. The church has, all too often, treated the Word flippantly, and this shows in the fact that frequent reading of Scripture is a duty which few have fulfilled. May God forgive us for neglecting His Word, and may He renew in us a hunger for the Bible as never before.

INTRODUCTIONAs you all know, we have seen a steady stream of folks moving to Moscow, and, as you might not know, it shows no sign of letting up. Up to this point, we have all been pretty flexible, constantly dealing with a new situation. This has been true of those of you who have moved, and it is also true of long-time residents—pretty much everyone is a member of a very different church than you were in two years ago. And when confronted with a new situation, like this one, our reflexive action should be to turn to the Scriptures for direction.THE TEXT“Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Peter 1:21–23).SUMMARY OF THE TEXTI want to follow a typical Pauline pattern with this Petrine text. What is the basic doctrinal foundation upon which we are to build, and then, after that, what is it we are supposed to do? First, what are we to believe and trust? And second, how are we supposed to act?This passage begins with a sincere trust in God. You have believed in God, who raised Jesus from the dead, and who gave Him glory (v. 21). He did this so that your faith and hope might be in God (v. 21). You have been born again, not with perishable seed but rather with imperishable seed (v. 23), an eternal seed. Seeing that you have purified your souls in this way, obeying the truth through the Spirit, what are you then to do?Because all of this is true, because you have embraced this truth, the thing you are to do is love one another with a pure heart, and make sure that the love is unfeigned. A literal rendering of unfeigned would be “non-hypocritical.” Love one another with a cleansed heart (katharos). And the word for fervently means eagerly, like you are running toward something with outstretched arms.Because you have obeyed the truth, and trusted God, and have been blessed with the new birth, your love for one another needs to be all in.LOVE REQUIRES DATAOf course, love wants to do the right thing, because the motives are right, but because we are limited and finite, we need to be taught by the law of God. Say you borrow your neighbor’s lawn mower, and it blows up while you are using it. You want to do the right thing by your neighbor (love), but what does that look like? Scripture tells us. If you borrowed, you should pay him for the lawn mower. If your neighbor came over and was pushing it when it blew up, you don’t. If you rented it, you don’t owe him a lawn mower. That’s what love looks like.SOME SCATTERSHOT EXHORTATIONSWith that in mind, this will be my best attempt to imitate the very end of one of Paul’s letters, when he was running out of papyrus.Conduct all your business in the sight of God. Cut no corners. Do not expect anyone to cut you slack because you are “a brother” or a “kirker.” Remember that regeneration does not make anyone’s memory perfect, so write your commitments down (Ps. 15:4). Do unto others as you would have them do unto you (Matt. 7:12), which is not the same thing as waiting for others to do unto you as they would have you do unto them. That’s not in there.Be warm and friendly toward everyone, but do not make fast friends too quickly. Do not glom onto anybody. If you make friends too quickly, you will tend to do it on the basis of personality, instead of on the basis of character. Bad companions corrupt good morals (1 Cor. 15:33), and sometimes these bad companions aren’t necessarily bad, just bad for you. Navigating friendship is a big deal (Prov. 18:24)Get your bearings slowly. There is an awful lot going on, and give yourself time to acclimatize before making any major life-changing decisions. We assume that you newcomers will be pitching when the time is right, but if you jump in too quickly, you greatly increase the chances of a misfire (Prov. 18:13).Here is a delicate one. Be grateful for what the Lord is doing here in Moscow, without in any way feeling superior over it. “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” (1 Cor. 4:7). And do everything you can to avoid disparaging the places you came from. The same goes for your previous spiritual leaders, even if they let you down. Especially if they let you down. Spiritual pride is insidious, and it would be easy to let gratitude morph into pride. But also take that your battle against pride not lure you into ingratitude.If you were to move to Sri Lanka, you would expect things to be different, and so you would be in some measure prepared. But if you move to Canada or the UK, you are constantly thrown by things being almost what you might expect, but which are somehow not. Within the continental United States, there are significant cultural differences from region to region, and then we have our own kirker culture layered on top of that. As Moses knew, it is tough being a stranger in a strange land (Ex. 2:22).Returning to the passage from Peter, be quick to forgive. Love is the only oil that can make this machinery run smoothly. Check that oil regularly. Cultivate your relationship with God the Father through Christ, in the power of the Spirit, because our fulfillment of the second greatest commandment is going to be the direct result of our zeal to fulfill the first.“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also” (1 John 4:20–21).