Last night, we finished the Drivers Ed series of messages with Rules of the Road, a message from Mark 12:28-34. (Can he do that, ending the Proverbs series in Mark?) Yes, I can! Because I don’t want anyone to come away from the Drivers Ed series thinking that if they just do certain things and don’t do other things, then they are making it in the Christian life.

We looked at how a scribe (one of the religious experts of the day) asked Jesus a simple question: “Which commandment is the most important of all?” In other words, “what are the rules I need to keep to get to heaven?” Jesus doesn’t even really answer his question, pointing him instead to this simple (but hard) idea: “Living for Christ is not about living by rules but loving Jesus Christ.”

Christianity doesn’t start with rules, it starts with Jesus Christ. Being a Christian isn’t about a long list of things you don’t do, but it is about what you do: love Jesus Christ with all your heart, with all your soul, with all mind, and with all your strength.

I told a story about two different approaches to the Christian life. In Greek mythology, the Sirens were deadly cannibals whose irresistibly seductive song lured many hapless sailors to their death. To safely pass their island, Ulysses (aka Odysseus) decided to take a defensive approach: stopping his men’s ears with beeswax and having himself strapped to the mast. He clearly heard the Sirens’ song and begged to be cut free, but the lashes held, and they safely passed the island.

Another Greek adventurer took a more offensive approach. Jason had a guy in his boat named Orpheus, whose skill with the flute and lyre produced the most captivating, enchanting, delightful, irresistible music in the world. As they approached the Sirens’ island, Jason had Orpheus light it up. No beeswax, no tying anyone to the mast. The sailors were so delighted by Orpheus’ song that they were not even tempted to jump ship to their deaths.

Some people go through the Christian life like Ulysses: they really want what the world has to offer: it is irresistibly beautiful to them. But they know it will kill them, so they go through life tied to the mast with an extensive series of rules about what they may or may not do.

But others go through the Christian life so delighted by Christ that the world’s draw doesn’t pull them out of the boat. They enjoy the freedom of not being tied to the mast, but they don’t want to leave the boat. In other words, they are willing and eager to find “rules” that will help them obey Jesus Christ.

How does this work on in real life? Take this with you: if you ask question like this…

• “What’s wrong with FILL-IN-THE-BLANK?”
• “Why can’t I FILL-IN-THE BLANK?”

…then you are asking the wrong question. The question Jesus leads us to ask is: “How will this (movie, music, friend, hobby, clothes, etc.) help me to love Jesus Christ more?” If you’re not sure, ask your parents. If you disagree, be humble. This is the most important question: “How will this help me love Jesus Christ will all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my mind, and with all my strength?“

Categories: Drivers Ed, five15 blog
2 Comments »

Last night, Jamie Leach came down from Philly and gave us Drivers Ed Part 7: Proverbs on Money.

Jamie had some fascinating statistics: the Gross National Product (total value of all goods and services produced) of the United States is $12.41 trillion. That’s more than all of Europe and a large slice of the world’s $59 trillion total. We live in one of the two wealthiest counties in the country, and enjoy physical comforts that would have been completely unimaginable only a century ago. As Jamie said, “Does it look like I’m overworked and underfed?” Nope. Me either. We are wealthy people! Proverbs has a lot to say about wealth: see Proverbs 3:9-10, 13-18; 2:2-8; 7:1-4; 8:10-11, 17-21; 16:8, 16.

Jamie helped us to see that real wealth is in Christ and his kingdom. He quoted one of my favorite lines from missionary-martyr Jim Elliot:

“He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

How do we do this? By getting our focus off the next five minutes or the next five days, and looking a million years down the road. What is going to really matter on that day? See Proverbs 4:20-27.

Jamie also peppered his message with helpful evaluation questions. Here are some great questions for parents and teens:

• When I say wealth, what comes to mind?
• What do you have in your life that you won’t take any amount of money for?
• Do you tithe? What is your attitude towards tithing?
• Are you generous?
• Has your work ever interfered with church or a five15 event? Why?

One of my favorite resources on this topic is Randy Alcorn’s little book, The Treasure Principle. Watch for posts on this book all week. The bottom line of this book: “Priceless treasure is within your reach. And with it, liberating joy…” Read more to find out!

Categories: Drivers Ed, five15 blog
No Comments »

I heard from some teens and parents that the message Saturday hit close to home. I’m not at all surprised to learn that the topics of speaking and listening are quite common between teens and parents. If you would like to study the topic more, you can’t do better than Paul Tripp’s War of Words. I love how Dr. Tripp teaches us that our words reflect our worship:

“This is the bottom line of biblical communication, the first and highest goal of all of our talk: that our words would reflect an attitude of worship that recognizes our utter dependecy on God for salvation.” (p. 76)

Dr. Tripp provides a gospel-centered understanding of words:

• God has a wonderful plan for our words that is far better than anything we could come up with on our own.
• Sin has radically altered our agenda for our words, resulting in much hurt, confusion, and chaos.
• In Christ Jesus we find the grace that provides all that we need to seak as God has planned.
• The Bible plainly and simply teaches us how to get from where we are to where God wants us to be. (pp. 132-133)

“Winning the war of words means speaking redemptively, and speaking redemptively is rooted in a restoration perspective on relationship. The purpose of human relationships is not human happiness. It is the work of reconciling people to God and restoring them to the image of his Son.” (p. 216)

Categories: Drivers Ed, five15 blog
No Comments »

What is the most valuable thing in the world to you? Here is one way to find out: try to imagine that your house is on fire (don’t worry: your family and pets are safe). What do you grab as you run out of the house. What is the one thing you most want to rescue from the flames?

How you answer that question will help you understand the rather odd verses that we looked at Saturday night in Drivers Ed Part 6: No U-Turn (Proverbs on Words). We looked at Proverbs 25:11-12:

A word fitly spoken
is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.
Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold
is a wise reprover to a listening ear.

These verses teach us an important lesson: words matter. And they matter in two directions: we need to be careful how we speak and careful how we listen. A word fitly spoken means using our words to serve others and glorify God. As one theologian explains:

“[A word fitly spoken] is to speak the right word to the right person at the right time.” Tremper Longman, Proverbs, 453.

And this is important because we have in our power the ability to speak words of tremendous value (apples of gold = whatever you plucked from the raging inferno, they are that valuable) or utter worthlessness. Part of the redeeming work of Jesus Christ is to transform how we use our words:

“Speaking in a way that serves the needs of others is at the heart of God’s will for us, and his enabling grace makes it possible.” Paul Tripp, War of Words, 209.

If verse 11 makes it clear that it matters how we speak, verse 12 is all about how we listen. What is in view here is far more thank just physically hearing others speak to us:

“Further, the idea of ‘hearing’ in the Bible does not only mean listening, it means listening and following up with right action.” Mark Dever, The Message of the Old Testament, 520.

A reprover is someone who brings correction (or advice or instruction, in some cases). For teens, the best ones in your world for this is your parents. As helpful as it can be to get input or advice from your peers, the fact is that they just don’t have the goods to give you dependable counsel for the long-haul. You need the wisdom and experience that God has given to you in your parents.

Two Christmases ago, my family laughed as Jack showed more interest in the boxes his gifts came in than the valuable gifts themselves. What is funny in a toddler’s Christmas is tragic in a teen’s relationships. If you are not currently benefitting from the advice, counsel, and instruction of your parents, something is broken. Come see me or one of the other pastors; we would love to help you fix what is broken.

The perspective of these two verses is that words matter, so we need to be careful how we speak and how we listen. Not that that’s easy to do. In fact, it is only possible through the transforming grace of Jesus Christ. But this is what the gospel gets done in our lives. If we are going to claim to follow Christ, it means that every area of life will be transformed by his grace and power.

Here are a couple questions for further discussion:

1. What is the most valuable thing in the world to you? Has there ever been a time when someone told you your words were that valuable to them? Was there ever at time when someone else’s words were that valuable to you?
2. What is a reprover? Who does that in your life?
3. How often do you act on what you hear? Why is that?
4. Are you able to humbly consider what others point out as sin in your life or do you deny rationalize, shift the blame, or wallow in your failure? Explain.
5. [Parents, ask your teens:] What do I do that makes it difficult for you to listen to me?
6. [Teens, ask your parents:] How could I do a better job listening to you and acting on what you tell me?
7. How has Christ promised through the gospel to help you change the sinful ways you use words?

Categories: Drivers Ed, five15 blog
No Comments »

It’s time again: We’ve got a five15 BIG MEETING Saturday. This is for all high school and middle school students and their parents.

If you’d like to begin preparing your heart for Driver’s Ed, Part 6–No U-Turn: Proverbs on Words, you can read Proverbs 25:11-12. Please pray that we would experience the full range of the Holy Spirit’s work in our meeting: illumination of God’s Word, conviction of sin, serving one another through spiritual gifts, and so on.

Please consider coming early to pray with Zach and the others. 6pm, Room B01. Other than the preaching of God’s Word, there will be nothing more important happening on Saturday night than this.

As usual, pizza & ping-pong at 5:15pm, the meeting starts at 6:30pm. See you there!

Categories: Drivers Ed, five15 blog
No Comments »

Some more on work…

Have you ever heard of William Wilberforce? Born in 1759, Wilberforce was a tireless opponent of slavery in England. He succeeded in abolishing the British slave trade in 1807, and his efforts helped more forward the abolition of slavery in the entire British empire.

There is a lot for us to learn from William Wilberforce. As an adult, he was a tireless worker for social justice, persevering through challenging political difficulties and failing health. He was a chronically joyful and optimistic man, known for regularly singing hymns to himself. He delighted in children, and savored a child-like faith.

If you’d like to read more about William Wilberforce, I recommend John Piper’s brief introduction to his life in The Roots of Endurance. Dr. Piper explains that while Wilberforce made some terrific accomplishments with his life, it wasn’t always that way. Converted in the winter of 1785 at the age of 26, Wilberforce lamented his wasted young adult years:

“By October he was bemoaning the “shapeless idleness” of his past. He was thinking particularly of his time at Cambridge–”the most valuable years of life wasted, and opportunities lost, which can never be recovered.” He was so ashamed of his prior life that he wrote with apparent overstatement, “I was filled with sorrow. I am sure that no human creature could suffer more than I did for some months. It seems indeed it quite affected my reason.” (Piper, The Roots of Endurance, 126)

He explained further:

“No man has a right to be idle. Where is it, that in such a world as this, [that] health, and leisure, and affluence may not find some ignorance to instruct, some wrong to redress, some want to supply, some misery to alleviate?” (Piper, The Roots of Endurance, 119)

The question for us is not: “am I idle?”, but: “in what ways am I idle?” Given our incredible health, leisure, and affluence, there is much that we and should do for the kingdom. Let’s get to work.

Categories: Drivers Ed, five15 blog
1 Comment »

Here are the quotations from Saturday’s message:

“Present ease is all [the sluggard] calculates on, all he provides for. The future he carefully keeps out of sight, to be provided for, like the present, when it comes. Thus life runs to waste.” Charles Bridges, Proverbs, 61.

“The wise man will learn while there is time. He knows that the sluggard is no freak, but, as often as not, an ordinary man who has made too many excuses, too many refusals, and too many postponements. It has all been as imperceptible, and as pleasant, as falling asleep.” Derek Kidner, Proverbs, 43.

“What we are to learn from this, of course, is that work is an appointed part of a godly life… Therefore, we reflect the character of God in caring for others, in producing things, in being purposeful in our actions.” Mark Dever, The Message of the Old Testament, 513.

And some other quotes on the topic that I like but wasn’t able to use:

“The sluggard is pretty easy to recognize. You can recognize him, first, by his failure to take advantage of his present opportunities… You can recognize a sluggard by his inordinate love for sleep… You also can recognize a sluggard by his failure to ever finish what he starts.” Mark Dever, Promises Made, 513.

“When we ask him (6:9, 10) ‘How long…?’ ‘When…?’, we are being too definite for him. He doesn’t know. All he knows is his delicious drowsiness; all he asks is a little respite: ‘a little… a little… a little…’. He does no commit himself to a refusal, but deceives himself by the smallness of his surrenders. So, by inches and minutes, his opportunity slips away.” Derek Kidner, Proverbs, 42.

“First a thing is impossible, then it is difficult, then it is done.” Bob Schultz, Created for Work, 25.

“Always, therefore, look at sloth, not as an infirmity, but as a sin, affecting the whole man: growing upon us with unperceived power. Allow it therefore no rest, no time to root itself. Resist it in all its forms—bodily, mental, spiritual: indulgence of sleep and appetite: self-pleasing in all its subtle and plausible workings. Live by rule. Have your time strictly arranged. Be employed in early work for God. Store the mind with useful knowledge; ever reserving the first place for an industrious and prayerful study of the book of God.” Charles Bridges, Proverbs, 62.

And the funny story about President Lincoln:

“One day . . . I got into a fit of musing in my room and stood resting my elbows on the bureau. Looking into the glass, it struck me what an ugly man I was. The fact grew on me and I made up my mind that I must be the ugliest man in the world. It so maddened me that I resolved, should I ever see an uglier, I would shoot him on sight. Not long after this, Andy [naming a lawyer present] came to town and the first time I saw him I said to myself: “There’s the man.” I went home, took down my gun, and prowled around the streets waiting for him. He soon came along. “Halt, Andy,” said I, pointing the gun at him, “say your prayers, for I am going to shoot you.” “Why, Mr. Lincoln, what’s the matter? What have I done?” “Well, I made an oath that if I ever saw an uglier man than I am, I’d shoot him on the spot. You are uglier, surely; so make ready to die.” “Mr. Lincoln, do you really think that I am uglier than you?” “Yes.” “Well, Mr. Lincoln,” said Andy deliberately and looking me squarely in the face, “if I am any uglier, fire away.” Charles Osgood, Funny Letters From Famous People.

Categories: Drivers Ed, five15 blog
No Comments »

Last night, we had part 5 of our Drivers Ed Series, “Road Work Ahead: Proverbs on Work.”

We looked at Proverbs 6:6-11, and saw that God is telling us two things:

1. Go and look.
2. Go and do.

In particular, there are a couple lessons for us to learn from the ant.  First, the ticket to not being labelled a sluggard is to take initiative.  To go through life eyes wide open, doing what needs to be done.  Even if it’s not convenient.  Even if no one sees you do it.

Second, God is calling us to make wise use of our time.  Most young people have more time right now than they will ever have.  So what are you doing with your time?  Are you being wise, doing the right thing at the right time.  Why is it bad to fritter our time away on the wrong things?  Keep reading the verses…

Solomon also warns us that sleep can be dangerous.  Sleep is healthy, necessary, and a gift from God.  But inordindate love for sleep can lead to destruction.  These verses explain that you can waste your life in small bits if you aren’t careful.

God is calling us, through these verses, to work hard for Christ.  Working hard is hard work, but working hard as a Christian is working hard for Christ.  Check out Colossians 3:23-24 to understand this better…

More to come.

Categories: Drivers Ed, five15 blog
1 Comment »

Thanks for coming to the five15 BIG MEETING on Sunday. I preached the fourth message in our Drivers Ed series entitled Yield: Proverbs on Friends. We started by coming up with lists of what should you look for in a friend. Here are some of the lists we came up with:

1. Loyal
2. Prays for you
3. Holds you accountable
4. Will tell you if you have brocolli in your teeth
5. Laughs with and at you

1. Loyal
2. Has money and will buy you Starbucks
3. Will speak the truth to you
4. Is willing to correct you
5. Is in your business

1. Will tell you the truth
2. Is dedicated to Christ
3. Carries your burdens with you
4. Loyal
5. Listens

1. Is concerned for your well-being
2. Shares your interests
3. Someone you can talk to
4. Challenges you
5. Will share their mints with you

1. Is honest & loyal (Wait, that’s two things!)
2. Remembers your birthday
3. Is focused on God and prays for you (Two things again!)
4. Will correct you
5. Serves you with their time

Then we looked at Proverbs 27:17, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” In other words, a good friend influences others towards God and godliness.

So we have to ask: who is influencing you? And how are you being influenced? Is it towards God and godliness or away? Mark Dever explains:

“According to Proverbs, the wise and godly person also pays heed to his or her friends are. The book is full of talk about friendship, and we find that friends fall into one of two camps: good or bad.”

In other words, being a friend and having a friend is a little bit like being in a car on a hill with no brakes. You can push the accelerator and drive up the hill, or you can roll backwards down the hill, but there is no standing still. Friends are like that in that they are always helping us move towards God and godliness or away.

Here are some questions to help you evaluate this. Discuss these with your parents; be honest, and tell them what you really think.

• What are five words that you think describe what a friend should be or do?
• What qualities do you look for when you’re choosing friends?
• What is your goal in friendships? What do you hope to get out of your friendships?
• Make a list of the friends you feel closest to. Next to each name write a description of what affect that friend has on you.
• Are there any changes you think God is calling you to make in your friendships?
• What kind of friend are you? What is the effect of your friendship on other people? What is one way you could be a better friend to others?
• Ask your parents, “What do you think of my friendships?” Be humble, listen well.

Categories: Drivers Ed, five15 blog
No Comments »

Saturday night, we had Part 2 of our Drivers Ed series. I called this ONE WAY: Proverbs on Wisdom and Folly, and preached from Proverbs 9:1-6 and 13-18. These verses show us that the choice between wisdom and folly is ultimately the choice between Christ and the world. Three points:

1. TWO HOSTESSES

Solomon uses the imagery of two women to personify wisdom and folly. Wisdom is living all of life wiht God in view, in submission to His Word, like he really exists. Folly is living for yourself, making decisions without regard to God, as though he doesn’t exist or doesn’t care. Ultimately, the choice between wisdom and folly is a choice between Christ and the world.

One notable difference between wisdom and folly that emerges from these verses is that wisdom takes work, while folly is usually the path of least resistance. No one drifts into wisdom.

2. TWO INVITATIONS

It’s amazing how similar the invitations in verses 4 and 16 are. But the two invitations are also very different. But the most important thing to see is that everything we do includes an invitation to follow the path of wisdom or the path of folly. And it turns out that wisdom offers a choice meal: like a steak and baked potato with everything, and a large side salad. Folly proves to be like cotton candy: briefly pleasing, but if it’s all you eat you end up with rotten teeth and a stomach ache.

3. TWO DESTINATIONS

Finally, we must see that these two invitations lead to very different destinations. A few years ago, Mark helped me think about the seriousness of sin in a very practical way by asking me: “Where would that sin take me if left unrestrained and unopposed?” The final destination of wisdom is life; the final destination of folly is death. Let us fight sin and find life in Christ Jesus.

“The wisdom of God has become personified in Christ who died on a cross: that this should be the climatic expression of God’s wisdom and power cannot be grasped by human wisdom.” E. J. Schnabel.

If you are interested in the comparison between Woman Wisdom and Woman Folly, you can dowload it: Pr 9 Wisdom & Folly Comparison.doc

Categories: Drivers Ed, five15 blog
1 Comment »