R.C. Sproul's Blog, page 39

Empowered for Ministry

Everyone who is born again of the Spirit of God is also empowered by Him for the work of ministry. In this brief clip, R.C. Sproul considers how a prophecy of Moses was fulfilled in the church at Pentecost.

Transcript:

Now this isn’t a prophecy. This is a plea, a prayer from Moses, when he’s saying, “I wish that God would not simply anoint seventy from our group, but that God would put His Spirit upon all of them.”

Now that desire, that plea of Moses did become a prophecy later on, as it was written by the prophet Joel, where Joel said that in the last days, God would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh, not meaning upon all animals or everything, but upon the whole body. And that’s one of the grand differences between the Old Testament church and the New Testament church. In the Old Testament, only special people were given this work of the Holy Spirit in their lives, this empowering for ministry. But after our Lord comes and is the supremely anointed One, the supreme Mediator, and He ascends into heaven together with the Father, They send the Spirit that was upon Him, and They anoint the whole church, so that every believer now in the new covenant has been empowered by God the Holy Spirit for ministry.

Now Paul elaborates that in First Corinthians when he explains that every Christian, every believer, is gifted by the Spirit of God, but not every person has the same gift as every other person. There are a wide variety - there is a wide variety of gifts, according to Paul, but every Christian receives the Spirit, not only in terms of being reborn or indwelt by the Spirit, but everyone is also empowered by the Spirit for ministry, so that now the church in the New Testament is truly a charismatic church - that is, a gifted church that has been empowered from on high to fulfill the mission that Christ gave to His people before He ascended.

 

Since Jesus Was Born of "the Substance" of the Virgin Mary, How Was He without Original Sin?

Since Jesus received His human nature or “substance” from His mother, who was a sinner, how could Christ have been born without original sin? From one of our Ask R.C. events, R.C. Sproul considers the mystery of the incarnation.

Message us for clear, concise, and trustworthy answers to your biblical and theological questions at ask.Ligonier.org.

Read the Transcript

The Glory of Christmas

On the night Jesus was born something spectacular took place. The plains of Bethlehem became the theater for one of the most spectacular sound-and-light shows in human history. All heaven broke loose.

Luke tells us what happened:

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2:8-14)

The angelic visitor was surrounded by the glory of God. The glory was shining. This glory did not belong to the angel himself. It was God's glory, signifying His divine mode of being. It was the divine splendor that shrouded the heavenly messenger, a visible divine radiance.

When the shepherds of Bethlehem quaked in fear, they were admonished by the angel: "Do not be afraid, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:10-11, NKJV).

Every human being longs for a savior of some type. We look for someone or something that will solve our problems, ease our pain, or grant the most elusive goal of all, happiness. From the pursuit of success in business to the discovery of a perfect mate or friend, we make our search.

Even in the preoccupation with sports we show a hope for a savior. As a sports season ends with far more losers than winners, we hear the cry from cities across the land—"Wait till next year!" Then comes the draft or a new crop of rookies, and the fans pin their hopes and dreams on the new kid who will bring glory to the team. The rookie, the new client, the new machine, the news that will arrive in tomorrow's mail—all are invested with more hope than any creature can possibly deliver.

The burst of light that flooded the fields of Bethlehem announced the advent of a Savior who was able to do the task.

We note that the newborn Savior is also called "Christ the Lord." To the astonished shepherds these titles were pregnant with meaning. This Savior is the Christ, the long-awaited Messiah of Israel. Every Jew remembered the promise of God that someday the Messiah, the Lord's anointed, would come to deliver Israel. This Messiah-Savior is also Lord. He not only will save His people but He will be their King, their Sovereign.

The angel declares that this Savior-Messiah-Lord is born "unto you." The divine announcement is not an oracle of judgment but the declaration of a gift. The newborn King is born for us.

Wishing You a Merry Christmas

“‘ . . . The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’” (1 Pet. 2:7).

Merry Christmas from the Ligonier team.

 

He Is Enough

Here’s an excerpt from He Is Enough, Nathan White's contribution to the December issue of Tabletalk:

Inspired by the nineteenth-century showman P.T. Barnum (of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus), the 2017 musical The Greatest Showman tells the story of a man on a mission for fame. Ambitious and relentless, Barnum rises from the depths of poverty to unimaginable heights of worldwide sensation. But this is no common rags-to-riches story. Not satisfied with extraordinary success, Barnum craves more. At the height of his fame, Barnum gambles everything to use a famous opera star to satisfy his critics. Capturing the true irony of Barnum’s desires, the opera singer’s capstone ballad is the repetitive and haunting cry of “never enough,” which serves as a commentary on Barnum’s insatiable hunger and eventual downfall. “Towers of gold are still too little,” she sings. “These hands could hold the world but it'll never be enough.”

Continue reading He Is Enough, or begin receiving Tabletalk magazine by signing up for a free 3-month trial.

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Joy to the World...All Year Long

Two weeks ago, I sat in the large sanctuary of a cross-town church, within the strange confines of COVID-19 reality. Each person or group was spaced out for a six-foot radius, and of course we were all masked. We had gathered to mourn and celebrate the life of a dear brother who had battled cancer for a little over a year, ruggedly and courageously with his eyes fixed on Jesus. James was a year younger than me, and he left a godly bride and three school-age children.

Because my friend knew his time in this world was coming to an end, he had the forethought to consider the type of worship service that would most honor God, and so he prayerfully asked certain loved ones to participate—to read Scripture, to pray, and to offer a gospel-soaked biblical reflection. There were hymns to be sung as well. As I scanned down the page of the worship guide, my eyes rested on the final hymn, “Joy to the World.” “Joy to the World”? But, it’s not Advent! As I read the lyrics with fresh eyes, I realized this was a hymn for all year long. In fact, let me share how, from inception, this hymn was intended to be an all year long hymn.

First, “Joy to the World” was never intended to be a Christmas hymn. The text was written by Isaac Watts (1674–1748) in 1719. Watts penned the lyrics originally as a poem first published in his collection The Psalms of David: Imitated in the Language of the New Testament and Applied to the Christian State and Worship. Watts based the language and ideas of this poem from Psalms 96 and 98, as well as Genesis 3. The work was released at Christmastime, so it is thought that it was popularized as a Christmas hymn because of that. It is the most-published Christmas hymn to date. The tune that we identify with the lyrics is sourced back to George Handel (1685–1759). The nineteenth-century composer Lowell Mason used the Handel tune called “Antioch,” with various arrangements, publishing the version most closely resembling our modern rendition in 1839.

Second, “Joy to the World” is about the second and final advent, not primarily the first one. Watts wrote this poem within a collection of poems aimed at considering the Christological interpretation of the Old Testament. While “Joy to the World” echoes the aforementioned Genesis and Psalm texts and their prophetic voice of the coming Messiah, Watts wanted the reader to follow the prophetic thread, so to speak, out from the New Testament toward the ultimate future, where the Lord Christ would come, once and for all, to redeem all things. Let me say that this is what makes it a good Advent hymn as well as an all-year hymn. The reality of Jesus’ first coming—what we celebrate at Advent and Christmas as believers—should powerfully call our attention the glorious promise of Christ’s final advent. So, “Joy to the World” reminds us to keep our eyes on the glorious and imminent return of Christ both at Christmas and all year long.

Third, “Joy to the World” is beautifully painted with truths our minds and hearts desperately need, especially right now during COVID-19, especially in moments like the memorial service of a young father. The church needs to sing to God and to each other the fact that the earth, and all creation, must have joy, for Jesus is coming! We are to be prepared. We are to hunger for a world without sin and curse any longer. We are to be filled with His truth and grace, by which He rules. We are to be awed by the wonder of His love. We are to remember that joy is not just a preference for the Christian but a biblical command. I love that James chose this hymn to summarize his memorial service. We are to look to the horizon of God’s future in this moment of travail, to take hope, to seize joy—for the Lord is come, and He is coming again, soon.

Joy to the World; the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King!

Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room,

And Heaven and nature sing.

Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!

Let men their songs employ;

While fields & floods, rocks, hills & plains

Repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make his blessings flow

Far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness,

And wonders of His love.

 

Serving the Global Church through Trusted Resources

“As long as I remember, we never had any website like this to provide solid and Reformed teaching in Farsi. We love R.C. Sproul because of his simplicity of explaining hard theological concepts. He is our favorite teacher. I am using the website’s content in my teaching and asking our underground churches to study through it.” —Ram, Iran

Ligonier’s international gospel outreach is expanding, serving as an oasis of truth for the global church. This year, more people than ever are seeking out our teaching and discipleship resources to help them grow in their knowledge of God, of themselves, and of their calling in this world. Through the support of friends like you, and in partnership with Christians around the world, many resources from Dr. R.C. Sproul and the Ligonier Teaching Fellows are being translated into many of the world’s most spoken languages.

Chinese Outreach

Our dedicated-language outreach in Chinese was launched in October. The Chinese Ligonier website, zh.ligonier.org, is an online library of resources, featuring translated articles, dubbed video teaching series, study guides, books, and more.

This website, available in both simplified and traditional Chinese script, has been specially designed to provide download options in video and audio format so that messages can be viewed and shared offline. This helps Christians with limited internet options to access resources and to share them discreetly under the shadow of persecution. Series currently available include The Holiness of God and Chosen by God from R.C. Sproul.

We also recently launched our Chinese social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to share faithful Bible teaching to Chinese speakers around the world. And the work continues in earnest. Our first audiobook in Mandarin Chinese, Surprised by Suffering from Dr. R.C. Sproul, is now being recorded for free distribution in 2021.

French Outreach

Expansion of translated resources to serve trustworthy teaching for the French-speaking world also continues. Ligonier’s French website (fr.ligonier.org) is updated with fresh content weekly, and we are active on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Thanks to our Canadian supporters through Ligonier Ministries Canada, we began translation of several titles from Dr. Sproul’s Crucial Questions series in French. These booklets are increasingly requested in several languages, offering succinct answers to common and challenging questions about the Christian faith.

French is currently the seventh most spoken language in the world. Please join us in praying that Ligonier resources can serve the church for many years to come as the need increases, especially with significant population growth expected in the French-speaking countries of North Africa.

Spanish and Portuguese Outreach

This fall saw the launch of the landmark Spanish edition of the Reformation Study Bible. We give thanks to God for the successful release of this pivotal work in Spanish, with a reprint already underway for many Latin American countries. In the coming months, we anticipate the release of the Reformation Study Bible in Portuguese.

Our online Reformation Day event for Latin America was streamed in Spanish, Portuguese, and English. The theme was Romans 8, and several Ligonier teaching fellows participated, as well as other gifted teachers from Latin America and Brazil. This innovative event generated considerable interest and enthusiasm among Christians in many different countries.

Arabic Outreach

An Arabic edition of the Ligonier Statement on Christology video is now available on YouTube. This video, which testifies eloquently to the person and work of Jesus Christ, has been widely shared on Ligonier’s Arabic Facebook page.

Two of Dr. Sproul’s classic video teaching series, The Holiness of God and Chosen by God, were recently dubbed in Arabic for the first time. This has taken place to help meet a rising demand for Christian resources in audio and video content as the availability of mobile devices and as access to the internet increases.

Farsi Outreach

Over the last twelve months, seven Ligonier teaching series have been dubbed in Farsi for satellite broadcast in Iran and surrounding countries. This outreach brings faithful teaching to many people who are suffering persecution for their faith in Jesus.

The list of broadcasted teaching series currently includes The Holiness of God, What Did Jesus Do?: Understanding the Work of Christ, Who Is the Holy Spirit?, The Attributes of God, The Book of Job, Basic Training, and Loved by God.

Help Us Reach More People with Trustworthy Teaching

Resources are currently being translated in many other languages, including Burmese, German, Hindi, Hungarian, Korean, modern Hebrew, and more. These outreaches would not be possible without your prayers and generous financial giving. Your support of Ligonier helps propel our international outreach. Thank you for helping to reach even more people around the world with the truth of God’s holiness and the gospel of His grace.

“It is a privilege for me to support the work Ligonier is doing to spread the good news about Jesus in the world. I found out about Dr. R.C. Sproul on my podcast app. Ever since, I have been blessed by his sermons and teachings on Jesus. This is really the least I can do. I’d love more people in the world to get access to these resources.” —Patrick, Cameroon

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

I studied Latin in high school. I’m not proud of it. I probably should have learned something more practical when the time came for me to choose a language. But Latin sounded cool and historical, and I’m sure someone told me it would help on my SATs. All in all, Latin was a wash for me, as I remember very little of it. But one thing I do remember was memorizing a few lines of a Christmas hymn that I found in Latin. It was, in part, God’s means of drawing me to Himself, as at the time of my Latin hymn memorizing I was not a Christian. That hymn was O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, or as I learned it, Veni, Veni, Emmanuel.

The Hymn in History[1]

This hymn is considered in hymnology to be one of the “Latin” hymns since it comes to us from a period in church history where most hymns and historical documents were written in Latin. It was initially written in the ninth century and had seven sentences that were sung as an antiphon used during the Advent season of the church calendar. Those seven sentences were:

O Sapientia (Wisdom), quae ex ore altissimi
O Adonay (Lord) et dux domus Israel
O Radix Jesse (Root or Rod of Jesse) qui stas in signum
O Clavis David (Key of David) et sceptrum domus
O Oriens (Orient, East, or Dayspring), splendor lucis aeternae
O Rex (King) gentium et desideratus
O Emmanuel, rex et legifer

By the twelfth or thirteenth century, still pre-Reformation, we see another change occur. These seven sentences, used as an antiphon, were reordered, some were cut, and the rest reworked as a hymn. The resulting hymn, according to each stanza’s key themes, was ordered this way:

Emmanuel (formerly the seventh antiphonal sentence)
Root of Jesse (formerly the third antiphonal sentence)
Orient or Dayspring (formerly the fifth antiphonal sentence)
Key of David
Lord (formerly the second antiphonal sentence)

Along with translation into English, the hymn has received a few more modifications through the years and, as of the most recent publication of the Trinity Psalter and Hymnal, appears this way, listed by the key theme in each stanza:

Emmanuel
Lord
Rod of Jesse
Dayspring
Key of David

Aside from being an old hymn that has been translated and modified through the years of church history, what does it have to teach us? This hymn teaches us to remain rooted in three critical moments in time.

Rooted in the Old Testament

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel is, by design, full of references to Christ in the Old Testament. It is sometimes hard for Christians, especially new Christians, to make sense of the Old Testament. When we begin to see the Old Testament as God’s plan to prepare for the coming of Jesus (Eph. 1:10), a plan that even angels were excited to see unfold (1 Peter 1:10–12), then we start to see that the Old Testament is much more than a history of Israel’s place in the ancient Near East. The Old Testament becomes for us a way to see and savor the glory of Jesus Christ in the types, shadows, and promises that predicted His coming. The author of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel wants those who sing this hymn to grow in that knowledge. Consider the different messianic promises of the Old Testament that are alluded to in this hymn:

Immanuel: Isaiah 7:14
Branch of Jesus: Isaiah 11:1
Dayspring: Luke 1:78
Key of David: Revelation 3:7–8
Lord: Lord is a name of God in the Old Testament that would be applied to Jesus in the New Testament

It is essential to learn and know the theology that describes how the Old Testament points to and prepares for the coming of Jesus. It is just as important to sing that theology. When we sing, we engage both our mind and our emotions in the worship of God. In this way, this hymn helps root us in the Old Testament in a way that is richly biblical and centered on Jesus.

Rooted in Church History

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel also roots us in the history of the New Testament church, a history that began with the Apostles and will culminate in the second coming of Jesus. Christians have a particular safety and camaraderie when they sing a hymn that has been sung by Christians for 1,200 years and counting. It is safe because multiple centuries of Christians have checked and affirmed this hymn’s orthodox theology. One of the difficulties of singing newer hymns and songs is not knowing how accurate they are theologically. There is also a fellowship in singing old hymns because we sing the same songs that our brothers and sisters have sung, brothers and sisters in Christ who have now gone home to their heavenly reward. We need to remember that our faith and our worship of our God unite us with Christians around the globe and with Christians who have lived through the centuries. Singing old hymns reminds us of this truth.

Rooted in the Return of Christ

When we sing O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, we offer our imperative prayer to God, longing for the return, the second coming of Jesus. The first two periods of time in which this hymn roots us are in the past. But this hymn is also expectant and forward-looking in its composition. It declares the first advent of Jesus even as it stokes our desire for the second coming of Jesus. We live in the inaugurated kingdom of God that is hurtling toward its great consummation at the end of all things, when Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead. That is why I argue that we should sing this hymn all year long. It is indeed set in the first coming of Jesus, but its real power is in the repeated emotive call “O come, o come . . .” that places on our lips the longing of our souls, a hope we share with the saints in the Old Testament, our expectant wish that Jesus will come quickly and wipe away every tear from every eye and make all things right.

So, Christian, this Christmas, sing this great hymn of the church, this great Christmas carol, with a recognition that, as you do, you stand in three distinct periods—in the Old Testament looking forward to Christ’s first coming, in the New Testament church rejoicing in the first coming of Christ, and with the expectancy of those who are waiting for the final advent of Christ at the end of all things. O come, O come, Lord Jesus. Come soon.

 

[1] I drew the history of this hymn from the excellent book on hymnody The Gospel in Hymns by Albert Bailey (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1950).

Kingdom of Priests

Here’s an excerpt from Kingdom of Priests, Quentin B. Falkena's contribution to the December issue of Tabletalk:

When I was in college, I studied abroad for a semester, which gave me the opportunity to travel to several countries. Recently, I looked through my old passport, and as I flipped through the pages examining the stamps and visas, I realized that I had visited only one country that was a kingdom. There are still numerous kingdoms throughout the world, but it can still be difficult to grasp what it means that God has made His church to be a kingdom.

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