Sermon on Colossians 4:7-15
Reflection verse: Philippians 2:1-3
v. 14: [Interesting that Calvin does not identify Luke here as the Evangelist, noting that the Evangelist would be too well known to stand in need of such a designation.] Demas here who greets is generally accepted as the same who deserted Paul later (2Ti 4:10).
Questions for Discussion/Self Reflection:
1. Are you more interested in the message than any messenger...?
[For me it would be both. May or may not be the intent of the question. An interest in knowing the messenger helps me interpret the message through his mouth accurately, without mistaking much of its intent. So this is nothing to do with personal taste of the speakers. Just because I love a specific speaker more, does not mean what he say is more "right" to me than others. So there is no need to separate the message and messenger in such inorganic way.]
2. Zeal for God is diverse. Growth in Zeal. [I appreciate the pastor's acknowledgment of this. Diversity and Zeal, which I find lacking sometimes in the fundamentalists, especially the combination of the two.]
3. What inhibits modern fellowship...?
[This only reminds me of individualism. And "Say not thou, what is the cause that the former days were better than these" Ecc 7:10 also shows that there is no excuse to compare today with past culture as if the American culture were more Christian in a nationalistic sense. Because though it can be argued that in the past, there were more great Christians known in this country, what today is, if any worse, cannot be blamed to God and therefore, the failure in passing down such inheritance from previous generation to the next is left to be blamed. And this is a blame on us, on the previous generation. And because of some complacency into individualism, many, especially the reformed, have come to a mutated corruption in a belief, that they need not work hard on their zeal, calling it - Not God's calling, not their business. Which is now becoming destructive for the church at best, dwindling in numbers, and yet calling in their hearts (for they know it is wrong to say it out) those without and who left apostates.]
The pastor shared his Bob Jones Uni chapel experience one time, a missionary from China preached having the audience stood for the entire time listening without any reason given. Making them feeling annoyed until the end, to prove how the suffering of Christians in China was greater than these who mere stood for 35 mins of sermon.
Earlier in Sunday School:
WCF 18:1-3
This notion of "none of our business" came up again, in 18.1-2: If they are not saved, none of our business. No, I have learned enough about pastor Chris to not immediately accuse him of having no zeal in the Gospel. But the language of it, I would take care to learn in their language to speak better. I could say:
[...By none of our business, you meant that we do not police their walk of life, but still seek to love from the angle of the Gospel/Great Commission every opportunity we get, right?]
Other accounts:
In music service, we researched and played How Vast the Love by Sovereign Grace Music:
As usual, I am not one to be able to pay attention to the lyrics of these kind. I would say it's a time thing, I don't have the time to focus on such, not just the fact that I naturally just do not discern lyrics from music. Whenever I hear a song, the music is my only focus, not the lyrics, at least not at first. So I won't comment on the lyrics, which even now I have yet looked into. Moses did not have to see the sacrifice of the golden calf in detail but by mere audio from afar he knew what they were doing.
This song has a lot of syncopations. I asked myself, what then is the use of syncopation in general? Certainly not common for battle songs, or anything firm or sure. At best is witty, cunning, wise?
Over the week, I've learned from Liebenzell Fest 2022 dinner (from Tom) that church membership requirement for holy communion isn't necessarily a thing in OPC. I have to take Tom's word for it since he does appear to know more about OPC than I do, seeing that he's been to several in NJ while I've only just been to on in Westfield. If that is so, that means the Westfield folks brought this fundamentalist ideal into OPC out of custom. Later from Rodolfo I've also learned that the church he left was promoting this legalistic view that members should attend both morning and evening services, which is a familiar practice at Westfield OPC as well (and one of the member I recall spoke of attending evening service as if it's a sin not to). Boy I've learned so much of American church custom all of the sudden. Especially on the conservative side. I thank God for directing me out of CCCNY, out of certain churches, to be able to learn all these.
I recall earlier during rehearsal before the Sunday School, Tom mentioned that he would not attend Reformed Baptist church while pastor would. I didn't get a chance to follow on that. Because I wanted to say I would attend it, though I do not know if the pastor's reasoning would be the same as mine - be prepared to say: Lord, forgive them for they know not what they say" in my heart when I meet those folks.
Also, on baptism, Tom told me that Lane Tipton would not allow membership for those who do not want to have their children baptized. If I heard correctly. If so, this is news to me. And after careful thinking, I think I agree with Lane on this. No, it's not about a theological vengeance against the Baptists (i.e. if you are of Baptist mindset, you shall be disciplined in such, we do not take the accusation of pedobaptism = golden calf likely), but this is all about the understanding of COVENANT.