TOT: The Cristeros
Theology On Tap continues with Chris Check’s lecture on “The Cristeros and martyrs of the Mexican Revolution”:
Main Talk (Download)
Q&A (Download)
Simple Grace
Today I was just thinking about how we try and complicate things so much. What prompted me to think of this was the story about Naaman which is found in the Second Book of Kings.
Naaman was a successful military commander who has everything the world has to offer, but he has a problem, he has leprosy. Although he’s a gentile, he comes to Samaria to see the prophet Elisha because he hears that he might be able to heal him. When he arrives at the prophet’s house, Elisha sends him a message…
“Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” – 2 Kings 5:10
Naaman is disappointed, perturbed and even rather angry! This prophet just wants him to go wash in the river! This isn’t what he expected. He explained to his servants:
“Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and cure the leper” – 2 Kings 5:11-12
Naaman had expected something of a show! Instead, he’s told to just go take a bath! Naaman initially intends to ignore the instruction, call it a day and just head home.
Fortunately, his servants reason with him, pointing out that if Elisha had asked him to do something difficult, he would have surely done it! If he were willing to do something difficult, why would he not do something that was easy? Naaman concedes this point, humbles himself and heads down to the Jordan:
So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. – 2 Kings 5:14
How many times do we try and complicate God’s grace? How many times do we think secretly that we can earn our salvation, bargain with God by doing some great deed?
Naaman’s story is a figure of New Covenant baptism. Naaman was plagued by leprosy and we are plagued by sin. Naaman was told to go wash and we are invited to the Sacrament of Baptism. A little bit of water and invocation of the Holy Trinity and we are healed, our souls cleaned and restored, as fresh as baby cheeks.
Music Monday: Let your kingdom come
I’ve been pretty much listening to this on a constant loop all weekend :-). This is “Let Your Kingdom come” by Sovereign Grace:
VERSE 1
Your glorious cause, O God
Engages our hearts
May Jesus Christ be known
Wherever we are
We ask not for ourselves, but for Your renown
The cross has saved us so we pray
Your kingdom come
CHORUS
Let Your kingdom come
Let Your will be done
So that everyone might know Your Name
Let Your song be heard everywhere on earth
Till Your sovereign work on earth is done
Let Your kingdom come
VERSE 2
Give us Your strength, O God
And courage to speak
Perform Your wondrous deeds
Through those who are weak
Lord use us as You want, whatever the test
By grace we’ll preach Your gospel
Till our dying breath
Popularize a pilgrim!
I can always tell when someone has shared one of my articles on social media as I see a sudden spike in the server activity as one of my posts reaches a new audience.
With that in mind, I have a request. I’d really like to expand the reach of this blog and you can help make this a reality. Could you share one of my posts with your friends today? Whether you use Facebook, Google+, Twitter, or whatever kids use these days, could you post a link to just one of my articles?
California and the Right-To-Die Bill
A new assisted suicide bill that has been introduced in the California legislature. Jimmy Akin was recently on PBS discussing it, together with another man who lost his wife to cancer:
There is also a fifteen minute radio discussion which is available for here
Friday Frivolity: (I’m so) Catholic
Nelfler Productions have produced a Catholic parody of Iggy Azalea’s “(I’m so) Fancy”:
The Epistle of Joy – Episode #1 (Video)
So, it’s nearly the end of January which means that we’re just a couple of weeks away from Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.
So, what are you going to be doing this Lent? Give up chocolate…again?! Don’t misunderstand me, fasting from treats is a good thing to do, but why not do something a little different this year?
With that in mind, why don’t you join me for Scripture study? Throughout Lent I will be posting videos on YouTube three times a week. Each video will be nice and short, enough time for you finish a nice cup of tea (or coffee, if that is your poison).
For an audio-only version of this video, please click here.
We’ll be working through St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians using the RSV-CE translation. More details to follow in the run-up to Ash Wednesday!
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