Matthew Burden's Blog, page 13

Photo of the Week

A seedling of Jesse shall flower,A ruler descend from his line,Instinct with the spirit of power,The spirit of wisdom divine.Then children the tiger shall lead;The wolves shall lie down with the flocks;The goat with the leopard shall feed,The lion eat straw with the ox.The word that goes forth from His mouthA light to the nations shall be,To spread from the north to the south,And flow like the tides to the sea.
- from a hymn by William Harcourt

Quote of the Week

"As he that fears God fears nothing else, so he that sees God sees everything else."
- John Donne

The Evangeliad (28:45-47)

(Click here for an introduction and previous installments of the Evangeliad)
Section 28:45-47 (corresponding to Mark 10:19-20; Matt. 19:18-20)
"But which ones do you mean?" the man then pressed,"Which of the commandments would you suggest?""You know them already," Jesus replied,"Those rules which God gave as a way of life--
Commit no murder, nor adultery,Neither steal nor give false testimony,Love your neighbor, don't defraud another,And honor your father and your mother."
"But I've kept all these," said the rich young man,"Kept each from my youth, the best that I can.I want the kingdom-life; what do I lack?I'm still missing something--what holds me back?"

Photo of the Week

Be at rest, be at rest once moreO my soul, for the Lord has been goodBe at rest, be at rest once moreO my soul, o my soulBe at rest once moreFor the Lord has been good to you.
- from a song by Steve Green

Quote of the Week

"There are two things we cannot do alone. One is to be married and the other is to be a Christian."
- Paul Tournier

The Evangeliad (28:42-44)

(Click here for an introduction and previous installments of the Evangeliad)
Section 28:42-44 (corresponding to Mark 10:17-19)
As Jesus continued to walk along,A rich young ruler ran out of the throng,Came up to Jesus and fell on his knees,And with the crowd watching, ventured to speak:
"Tell me, good teacher, because I must know--For eternal life, where should I go?What must I do, and how should I live,To gain that prize above every gift?"
At this Jesus smiled, and made his replyBy noting what the man's words would imply--Asking him for God's ultimate gift,With Christ as the guide to render him this.
"Now why do you call me good?" Jesus said,"For no one is good but God, my friend.And as for eternal life, don't you know?--The commandments' way is how you should go."

Photo of the Week

Come, let us search our ways and try;Have they been just and right?Is the great rule of equityOur practice and delight?Then may we raise our modest pray'rTo God, the just and kind;May humbly cast on him our care,And hope his grace to find.
- from a hymn by Isaac Watts

Quote of the Week

"The most holy and necessary practice in our spiritual life is the presence of God. That means finding constant pleasure in His divine company, speaking humbly and lovingly with him in all seasons, at every moment, without limiting the conversation in any way."
- Brother Lawrence

Church History: The Challenge of the Present Moment

(Click here for the church history series page)

Lecture audio: The Challenge of the Present Moment (click here to listen or right-click to download)

Lecture Notes Outline

-       Challenges in “Post-Christian” Societies

o   Christianityamid the World Wars

-  DietrichBonhoeffer & Corrie ten Boom

o   Declinesin church attendance in Europe & North America

-  Anew wave of apologists: G. K. Chesterton, C. S. Lewis, Francis Schaeffer

o   Evangelismin a post-Christian context

-  BillyGraham crusades & friendship evangelism

o   ChristianRights and Non-Christian Ideologies

-  MartinLuther King, Jr., and the civil rights movement

o   TheCold War & the Christian resurgence in eastern Europe

o   Assessingthe present moment through a historical lens

-       Historical Turning Points in the PresentMoment

o   Majormilestones in Bible translation and unreached people groups

o   Flourishingof “kingdom movements” around the world

o   Growthof Christianity in Muslim-majority areas

o   Widespreadpersecution

o   Christianityin China

o   Christianityin America

The Evangeliad (28:40-41)

(Click here for an introduction and previous installments of the Evangeliad)
Section 28:40-41 (corresponding to Luke 12:20-21):
But God rebuked him, saying, 'You fool!Don't you realize you've no right to ruleOver such circumstances of your life?It will be taken from you this very night!
And when you have died, what good will this do?Another person will take it, not you.Yes, all this grain you've laid up for yourselfWill just go to enrich somebody else.'
This is how it will be," Jesus went on,"With all who seek to build wealth of their ownWithout being rich toward the things of God;They lie to themselves, their wealth is a fraud."