This past Sunday I was again privileged to fill in for our pastor by delivering the Sunday morning message. My theme this time was baptism, and I took as part of my title, the question that Ananias asked the future Apostle Paul before his baptism in Acts 22:16. He asked “why do you wait?” I enjoyed tracing the pattern of baptism as seen in the book of Acts and spent time talking about what baptism symbolizes and what it does (and doesn’t) do. I also looked at when it is appropriate to wait.
I trust this message will be a blessing to my readers. If you don’t have time to listen to the entire sermon (42 minutes), please do look over my notes.
Book Details:
• Author: Scott James
• Publisher: New Growth Press (2015)
• Format: hardback
• Page Count: 48
• ISBN#: 9781939946577
• List Price: $13.99
• Rating: Must Read
Publisher’s Description:
Rediscover the greatest rescue mission in history with your children. Spend the week before and after Easter walking with Jesus through the suffering of the cross, the joy of the resurrection, and the beginning of Christianity. Each of the fourteen devotions takes just ten minutes and is suitable for children of all ages. Included are family activities and hymns to help your family remember and apply the truth that Christ is risen indeed!
Review:
Looking for an easy to use resource for helping your kids go deeper into the Bible story this Easter? Scott James has given us a beautiful resource in his book Mission Accomplished: A Two-Week Family Easter Devotional (New Growth Press, 2015). This book is intended to lead families through a devotional each day the week before and the week following Easter.
I haven’t seen another devotional that is as Gospel-centered and true to the text, nor one as helpful and clearly laid out, as this little two-week devotional.
Each day’s reading is organized as follows: a selection of Scripture to be read, a short devotional (about 1 page), discussion questions (with answers for the parents), a suggestion about what to pray about in response to the lesson, and then either a family activity or a song to sing that is related to the lesson. The activities are usually a craft that is engaging for young minds. The songs are hymns. I appreciate that the text is not included, this will help kids learn to interact with their own Bibles.
The illustrations by A.E. Macha are bright and cheerful, but not overpowering. The insights and connections with the Old Testament (particularly the Passover and the sacrificial lamb), are very helpful and simple enough for young children to understand. I suspect that elementary and middle school children will be most appreciative of the book, but it can be used with even younger children.
I highly recommend this work and trust it will be a blessing to Christian families everywhere.
Excerpt:
This excerpt concerns Jesus’ driving out the money changers from the Temple.
Jesus then went into the temple — the House of God — and he did not like what he saw. The outer court of the temple was the one place where people could come and pray from all over the world (the inner part of the temple was just for the Jewish people). But the outer court was so full of people doing the business of the temple (exchanging money and selling the animals for sacrifice) that there was no room for the nations. God’s plan had always been that the whole world would be blessed through Jesus (Genesis 12:2-3), but instead of welcoming the rest of the world, the money changers and those selling animals were making sure there was no room for them. Not only that, the place that was supposed to show a clear picture of God’s greatness and holiness was full of cheaters and crooks. Jesus defended his Father’s name and made room for the Gentiles by running these people out of the temple.
As Jesus taught about what it means to have a true relationship with God, the angry religious leaders began to think about how they could get rid of Jesus. They were not interested in hearing about how they needed to be rescued. (p. 20)
Blurbs:
“Scott James has provided families with an easy-to-use, yet spiritually enriching Easter devotional. Starting with the events leading to the cross through the ascension of Jesus, families are encouraged to read the corresponding Scripture, discuss the passage, and make application through questioning and activities. In addition, many selections include a rich hymn to use in family worship. This little book is a great tool for focusing the hearts of your family members on the reality of Jesus’s redemptive mission.”
—Sally Michael, Author; cofounder of Children Desiring God
“A delightful, biblical, practical help for family worship during the Easter season. It connects the passion of Christ with the purpose of God, beckoning families to play our part in the greatest mission in all of history—the redemption of men and women all over the world.”
—David Platt, President of the International Mission Board; Author of Radical
“Mission Accomplished is just the sort of resource families need; one that draws them into the Bible, points them to Jesus, and stirs them to worship. For such a short book it provides a delightfully rich sampling of the many reasons we have to celebrate Easter.”
—Jack Klumpenhower, Author of Show Them Jesus: Teaching the Gospel to Kids
About the Author: Scott James (MD), is an elder at The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, AL, where he also serves in the children’s and youth ministries. Professionally, he works as a pediatric physician and researcher. Scott and his wife Jaime have four children–Will, Kirstine, Benjamin, and Bethan. He is also the author of The Expected One: Anticipating All of Jesus in Advent.
One of my favorite texts is Isaiah 35. It is pregnant with intertextual allusions – echoes of other Bible stories and passages. It is a classic “new exodus” passage, where Isaiah casts the future restoration of Israel in the terminology of the original Exodus from Egypt. There is a way through a wilderness, and a return to the land. What is especially important is how Christ’s ministry and many New Testament books indicate that this new Isaianic exodus finds a beginning fulfillment in Jesus Christ and the experience of the Church.
Recently, I had the opportunity to lead a men’s Bible study where we inductively worked our way through this passage. I prepared several questions aimed at encouraging the pursuit of textual links to this passage as a way to understand what Isaiah 35 is communicating poetically. May these questions spark your own fascination with this chapter and may your own wilderness experience find new life through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
If you want to interact further or suggest additional parallels, by all means join the converstaion in the comments section here.
Text:
Isaiah 35 (ESV)
1 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;
the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; 2 it shall blossom abundantly
and rejoice with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
the majesty of our God.
3 Strengthen the weak hands,
and make firm the feeble knees. 4 Say to those who have an anxious heart,
“Be strong; fear not!
Behold, your God
will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God.
He will come and save you.”
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.
For waters break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert; 7 the burning sand shall become a pool,
and the thirsty ground springs of water;
in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down,
the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
8 And a highway shall be there,
and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;
the unclean shall not pass over it.
It shall belong to those who walk on the way;
even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. 9 No lion shall be there,
nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;
they shall not be found there,
but the redeemed shall walk there. 10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain gladness and joy,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Questions/Observations:
Why does it refer to “wilderness” and “dry land” (vs. 1-2)?
Look at 32:11-16, 40:3.
What might the “glory of the LORD” be (vs. 2)?
Look at 40:4-5; Luke 3:3-6; Matt. 3:3; see also Is. 35:4.
Isaiah 35:3 is quoted in Hebrews 12:12, why?
Context of vs. 4 indicates this is an encouragement (see 40:1).
What can be drawn from Isaiah 35:5-6?
This may address the time or manner of fulfillment.
Water and streams in the desert – what might this imagery suggest (v. 6)?
See also: 41:17-20, 43:16-21, 44:3-4, John 7:38-39 (also 32:11-16 above).
A personal angle on this too: Ps. 42:1-2, Ps. 63:1.
Look at the parallels to 35:7 and see if an image or recollection from earlier in Israel’s history is coming to mind.
Look at 48:20-21, 49:9-13.
The King’s Highway (v. 8)– not just a road for God (40:3) but one he travels with us (Mark 8-10 – his journey to Jerusalem – 10:32, 52).
Jesus opened a “new and living way” for us Heb. 10:20, John 14:6.
Jesus leads us on the way like a shepherd leads the sheep (vs. 8-9).
Our shepherd leads us on the way 40:10-11, John 10:9, 27.
Our shepherd fights for us, too 35:8, John 10:10-12 (also Mark 1:13).
The way to Zion is only for the “ransomed.”
See also Is. 51:10-11, Rev. 21:23-27 (with Is. 60:3-12).
Ultimately there is “everlasting joy” – through Christ.
This Spring, I am teaching a 7-part SS series on the book of James, entitled “James: Faith in Action.” The audio is now available online for all seven lessons, and I have made my notes available here in PDF.
Here are links to the lessons if you’re interested.
This Spring, I am teaching a 7-part SS series on the book of James, entitled “James: Faith in Action.” The audio is now available online for the first three lessons, and I have made my notes available in PDF.
Here are links to the lessons if you’re interested.
This past Sunday I was again privileged to fill in for our pastor by delivering the Sunday morning message. My theme this time was baptism, and I took as part of my title, the question that Ananias asked the future Apostle Paul before his baptism in Acts 22:16. He asked “why do you wait?” I enjoyed tracing the pattern of baptism as seen in the book of Acts and spent time talking about what baptism symbolizes and what it does (and doesn’t) do. I also looked at when it is appropriate to wait.
One of my favorite texts is Isaiah 35. It is pregnant with intertextual allusions – echoes of other Bible stories and passages. It is a classic “new exodus” passage, where Isaiah casts the future restoration of Israel in the terminology of the original Exodus from Egypt. There is a way through a wilderness, and a return to the land. What is especially important is how Christ’s ministry and many New Testament books indicate that this new Isaianic exodus finds a beginning fulfillment in Jesus Christ and the experience of the Church.
This Spring, I am teaching a 7-part SS series on the book of James, entitled “James: Faith in Action.” The audio is now available online for all seven lessons, and I have made my notes available here in PDF.