notes from lausanne

From John Piper's message on Ephesians 3, delivered at the third Lausanne congress in South Africa:
When Paul was willing to go to prison for the sake of Christ, he showed the nations that Christ is more precious than freedom. When he was willing to suffer for Christ, he showed the nations that Christ is more precious than comfort and security and prosperity.

In other words, the infinite value of the unsearchable riches of Christ shine brightly not in Paul’s prosperity, but in his imprisonment. With his suffering, he draws the nations to the glory Christ and displays the wisdom of the cross.

But no one chooses prison,

* no one turns from prosperity,
* no one sees the breadth and length and height and depth of the love Christ that passes knowledge,
* no one is filled with all the fullness of God,
* no one says, “I count everything as loss for the sake of Christ”

without supernatural, omnipotent power coming into their lives.

And how does it come? Paul shows us that it comes by prayer.

Most of the peoples of the world where the church is not yet planted, don’t want us to come and bring the gospel. But they will perish if the gospel does not reach them. If, for Christ’s sake, we are willing to go—and Christ commands us to go—then we will suffer. And if our suffering is to be the glory of the world, then we must pray.

So to you, O Lord, who are able to do far more abundantly
than all that we ask or think,
according to the power at work within us,
to you be glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations,
forever and ever.
Amen.

Instead, be confident that singleness is intended by God to say something glorious about Him, about His supreme sufficiency to supply every need, and His supreme worth to be loved and devoted to exclusively by all.

Brooks Waldron.

diy goody bags

this is random. but i really like it.
diy goody bags. from babyccino kids via swissmiss.

the gospel changes everything

Really good series linked by Justin Taylor, on discipleship and the gospel.

think and do something about

from D. A. Carson.
If I have learned anything in 35 or 40 years of teaching, it is that students don’t learn everything I teach them. What they learn is what I am excited about, the kinds of things I emphasize again and again and again and again. That had better be the gospel.

If the gospel—even when you are orthodox—becomes something which you primarily assume, but what you are excited about is what you are doing in some sort of social reconstruction, you will be teaching the people that you influence that the gospel really isn’t all that important. You won’t be saying that—you won’t even mean that—but that’s what you will be teaching. And then you are only half a generation away from losing the gospel.

Make sure that in your own practice and excitement, what you talk about, what you think about, what you pray over, what you exude confidence over, joy over, what you are enthusiastic about is Jesus, the gospel, the cross. And out of that framework, by all means, let the transformed life flow.
via Justin Taylor.

think

from justin taylor.