Here is the litmus test: Would we be just as delighted if we were able to witness God accomplishing that same work through someone else?

It is still true that we should have joy in God using us.  In light of our personal acquaintance with the gravity of our own sin, we should be amazed and rejoice that God can use even us. All things considered, if we are rejoicing in the work of God, then it should be inconsequential who He chooses to use.  If we are rejoicing in ourselves, then we will have joy when we are used by God, and we will be prone to jealousy when God chooses to use others.

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This testimony served not only to give insight into the calling of John Piper, but also to answer the question:  what is a pastor?  Here are two excerpts from Justin Taylor’s blog post that inform us about true pastoral ministry.

1.  Bill Piper, John Piper’s dad and a long time itinerant evangelist, wrote a letter to his son concerning the call he was sensing.  In this excerpt, he paints a compelling picture of true pastoral ministry:

Now I want you to remember a few things about the pastorate. Being a pastor today involves more than merely teaching and preaching. You’ll be the comforter of the fatherless and the widow. You’ll counsel constantly with those whose homes and hearts are broken. You’ll have to handle divorce problems and a thousand marital situations. You’ll have to exhort and advise young people involved in sordid and illicit sex, with drugs and violence. You’ll have to visit the hospitals, the shut-ins, the elderly. A mountain of problems will be laid on your shoulders and at your doorstep.

And then there’s the heartache of ministering to a weak and carnal and worldly, apathetic group of professing Christians, very few of whom will be found trustworthy and dependable.

Then there a hundred administrative responsibilities as pastor. You’re the generator and sometimes the janitor. The church will look to you for guidance in building programs, church growth, youth activities, outreach, extra services, etc. You’ll be called upon to arbitrate all kinds of problems. At times you will feel the weight of the world on your shoulders. Many pastors have broken under the strain.

If the Lord has called you, these things will not deter nor dismay you. But I wanted you to know the whole picture. As in all of our Lord’s work there will be a thousand compensations. You’ll see that people trust Christ as Savior and Lord. You’ll see these grow in the knowledge of Christ and his Word. You’ll witness saints enabled by your preaching to face all manner of tests. You’ll see God at work in human lives, and there is no joy comparable to this. Just ask yourself, son, if you are prepared not only to preach and teach, but also to weep over men’s souls, to care for the sick and dying, and to bear the burdens carried today by the saints of God.

No matter what, I’ll back you all the way with my encouragement and prayers.

2.  In the closing of the first sermon he preached at Bethlehem, as a candidate, John Piper expresses his intentions as future pastor:

When I become a pastor, I am going to have one all-encompassing goal, a very simple goal, that in nothing I might be ashamed but that in everything I might magnify Christ whether by life or by death. To that end, I aim at three things.

1. I will aim to love Christ with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my strength. Because when I die in the midst of my ministry and say farewell to a beloved flock and a cherished family, I want to be able to believe that it is gain. And in my dying I want to be able to bear witness to a church that Christ is great indeed and worthy of all our trust.
2. While I live and minister, my goal is going to be to make the people glad in God. Woe to the pastor who uses his position to hammer year after year in chiseling out a hard sour people! He has forgotten his calling. “I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your advancement and your joy of faith.”
3. Since joy comes from faith, and faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of God, it will have to be my main goal–my tremendously fulfilling and joyful goal–to feed that flock the Word of God every week, week in and week out. I will pray that Jesus’ words will become fulfilled in my words. The banner of every sermon I preach will be this: “My words I have spoken to you in order that my joy might be in you and that your joy might be full” (John 15:11).

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Popular Christianity seems to have given the most attention to two particular views on this subject.  On the one hand, there are those who stress the doctrine of assurance in terms of eternal security.  These people will say, “If you believe, no matter what tempest of doubt or sin may overcome you tomorrow, you are still saved, now and forever.  Even if you walk away from God, He will never walk away from you, because He will never leave you nor forsake you.”  On the other hand, there are those Christians who place very little value, if any value at all, on assurance.  This camp will often describe salvation in terms of the present.  These people will say, “Indeed, today, if you believe, you are genuinely saved.  Yet tomorrow, if you rise from your bed without faith, you are lost, and are in danger of hell and in need of salvation once again.” As with many controversies, the pattern has been to preach fervently the Scriptures that support one view, and ignore the other Scriptures.

Yet, as we seek God in his Word, we see degrees of truth in both the above explanations, and also particulars in both explanations that are deeply troublesome.  In our final analysis, we find both of these explanations entirely unsatisfactory.

Yes, it is true that Jesus keeps those who have faith in Him (John 10:27-29, John 6:37-39).  Yes, it is true that once I am joined to the love of God, no created entity or thing can ever separate me (Romans 8:35-39).  Yes, it is true that God who has started the work in me will finish it (Philippians 1:6).  Yes, it is true that from the moment we believe we are given eternal life (John 5:24, Romans 10:9).  Yes, it is true that we are sealed until the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30, Ephesians 1:13-14).  But, we see that it is also true that there are those who think they have saving faith in Jesus, but are not saved (Matthew 7:21-23).  And it is also true that there are those in the visible church, who will fall away and not inherit eternal life (1 John 2:19).  And it is also true that Paul himself was given to regular self-examination as to his own salvation, lest he be disqualification from eternal life (1 Corinthians 9:27).  And it is also true that our salvation is contingent on continued belief (1 Corinthians 15:2).  And it is also true that, though we have once believed, we are to examine ourselves to see that our faith is genuine (2 Corinthians 13:5).

So we find another way… a third option that has received less attention in many Christian circles.  Perseverance of the saints.

The gift of salvation, by grace through faith, received at a point in time, is evidenced by a faith that perseveres to one’s dying breath. Though the true Christian will have severe times of struggle, his faith is rugged.  And though his faith, once a flaming fire, may during certain times of testing be reduced to a small flicker, it is a faith that is never extinguished.  We must continually recenter ourselves, holding on to the glorious assurance of God’s work of salvation accomplished in us the moment we believed, and encouraging ongoing personal examination of the evidences of true saving faith. Everyone who possesses true faith in Christ for the salvation of their sins is completely and entirely saved, forever.  More than this, we can be assured of whether we do or do not have this true faith… we can indeed know whether we are saved.

God gives us assurance by his Spirit, in his Word.

The Bible gives many great witnesses of what a true faith looks like, what a true faith feels like, and what a true faith does.  We can read the Bible and know whether we have been saved! Let us examine ourselves by immersing ourselves in the Word of God!  In the light of God’s Word let us make certain that He has indeed begun to do a gospel work in us, so that we can also be certain that He will complete it.  The Scriptures center us in this way.

So the answer to the assurance controversy?  The Bible.  The answer to our own assurance?  The Bible.

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What ultimately qualifies someone for the pastorate?  Is it an MDiv?  Sound position papers on hot theological topics?  The ability to preach?  The respect of the congregation?  A strong desire?  Age and experience?  While all of these things are good, they are not ultimately what qualifies someone for the pastorate.  At the root, the question should be who, not what, qualifies a man for the pastorate.

It is God who qualifies a pastor.  When a man aspires to, qualifies, and takes up a pastoral office, it is not because of how holy or skilled he is.  Rather, like all of existence, it is about how big and glorious God is.  God chooses to use one of his sheep to shepherd the flock, ministering His Word through a sinful clump of dust.  God takes a God-hating individual, who is justly under His wrath and headed towards hell, and God makes this man a pastor. God puts a desire for eldership in this man’s heart and gives him sound thinking about God, His Word, the Church, and the world.  God sparks in this man an unquenchable passion for God and His people.  God puts a burning in this man’s heart to preach the Word, so that he can do no else.  God makes this man a true shepherd to his own wife and children, making their home a sanctuary of worship.  God opens up opportunities for this man to gain experience and training in the local church, and God places recognizable authority in him and keeps him humble.  God calls this man to the pulpit of a church to shepherd a particular body of believers.  God sustains this man in every trial of the ministry, laboring through him as a testimony of Christ’s servant leadership.  Pastoring is the work of God through fallen flesh, just like any God glorifying work.  God alone qualifies a man for the pastorate, and nothing else.  It is important for us to remember this and be humbled by it as we aspire to such an awesome and impossible task.

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In celebration of the mercies of God towards me in this way, I want to give you a gift!

There will be 2 opportunities for a total of 3 people to receive a copy of Hendrickson Publishers printed edition of The Institutes of the Christian Religion, by John Calvin, in one volume.

Drawing 1 (For Everyone): simply leave a comment on this blog-post , and you will be entered into a drawing to receive a free copy of The Institutes.

Drawing 2 (An Additional Opportunity For Bloggers): add my blog to your best blog list, let me know that you added me by mentioning it here in comment form, and you will be entered into a drawing to be one of two people to receive The Institutes.  Note: This will enter you into BOTH drawings, giving you 2 chances to win.  To automatically enter yourself a second time in the bloggers drawing (doubling your chances of winning the bloggers drawing), write a blog-post letting people know about this giveaway!

All entries must be received by 11:59pm (CT) on October 20th.  Both drawings will take place on October 21st, and the winners will be announced on 2mites by 6pm that day.

Are we supposed to respond with comments like, “It looks like you don’t have to do anything to get the Peace Prize anymore,” or, “They’ll give those awards to just about anybody these days.”  (Note: these quotations do not reflect specific comments from particular individuals, rather I have heard a lot of comments like these today).  Our president is honored with, perhaps the most internationally esteemed award, and rather than give him a congratulations we say, “It’s a paper weight, and it don’t mean nothing!”  I am not trying to say that we are to esteem the things that the world esteems… no.  We boast only in the cross, and in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.  However, we must be careful not to shame or mock our president.  When we make comments that belittle or dishonor our president, we are in reality dishonoring God.  Let us remember to, “Fear God, and honor the king,” as Peter exhorted us to (1 Peter 2:17). Let us look for ways to honor God by honoring our President.

This doesn’t mean you must believe President Obama deserves the Noble Peace Prize.  Rather, you must not, as a Christian, state your opinion in a way that mocks our president.  Let us be motivated biblically, not politically.  We have at this time, an awesome opportunity to honor our president.

Here is a related post I wrote on November 5th, 2008.

The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually… so the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land,” (Genesis 6:5-7).

After the flood, God recognized the continual wickedness of man and determined to be merciful.

The Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth,” (Genesis 8:21).

Perplexing.  Pre-flood, wickedness and judgment;  post-flood, wickedness and mercy. The difference?  A sacrificial offering. It was just before the Lord promised to “never again curse the ground” that Noah presented the first recorded sacrifice to God.

Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.  And when the Lord smelled the pleaseing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth.” (Genesis 8:20-21)

This sacrifice was not sufficient to atone for the wickedness of man, but it gave the aroma of the future atonement which is sufficient.  This insufficient sacrifice was only made sufficient inasmuch as it was anticipatory of the ultimate sacrifice for sins, once for all.

For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.  Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure…” For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. (Hebrews 10:4-6, 14)

Welcome Christ as the offering for sins on your behalf, and live your life in celebration of what He has done.

Thank you God!  I have so fallen from your original design that my works are a stench in your nostrils, worthy of your just wrath.  But you have loved me!  You have sent your Son to be a pleasing aroma to you, on my behalf.  It is his sacrifice that atones for all of my sin!  Thank you God!  Bless your Holy name!

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13

“So then, there remains a Sabbath rest fro the people of God, for whatever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.  Let us therefore strive to enter that rest…” Hebrews 4:9-11

It can be easy for us when we are anxious, lacking peace and lacking joy, to look at God and say:

“God?  Why aren’t you giving me joy?  Why aren’t you supplying me with peace?  Why don’t I feel hope?  You are supposed to give us these things.  I read the bible, and it appears that Christians should, by nature, possess joy, peace, and hope… yet you have not given them to me.  I know I cannot give them to myself, I can only get them from you, but you have not given them.”

We say this as though the grace for joy, peace and hope should come to us, as autonomous objects, direct from the sky.  Yet, in Romans 15:13, Paul tells us that we are filled with joy, peace, and hope through believing.  God’s grace for joy, peace, and hope will come to us in the form of a rugged belief in the faithfulness of God availed to us.  We are to engage all our energies to trust God.  We are to strive, as the author of Hebrews reminds us, to enter the rest that comes apart from works, but comes as ardent trust in the promises of God availed to us in Christ.

God, in the midst of the trial, in the midst of anxiety, let me escape to you for refuge.  Grant me oh God, grace to strive to enter your rest, so that in believing I might inherit the hope, peace and joy which is our adornment in Christ!

There have already have been a few blogposts about the weird reaction to the opening of John Piper’s message to the AACC (American Association of Christian Counselors) in Nashville, TN on September, 16th. Jonathan Parnell at Reading To Walk, makes observations about the God given miracle of communication.  Justin Taylor, with his new blog home at the Gospel Coalition, comments on how millions of church members across America have been trained to laugh at sermons.  As these bloggers interpreted a very strange phenomena taking place at the AACC lecture, there was something else that I thought was needful to point out.  At the risk of redundant over-blogging to ad infinitum, I hope this will be helpful.

First, If you haven’t already, I encourage you to listen to the first five minutes of Dr. Piper’s “lecture” here.  Dr. Piper was being sincere, and it doesn’t appear that he made a single statement that was intended to provoke laughter.  Yet for some reason, people just couldn’t take him seriously.

Here is a man, transparently confessing sin, and a multitude of people who had no idea what to do with it…

Let’s imagine ourselves, sitting at this association conference with numerous other, well educated people.  Some of those in attendance have written more books  and journal articles than the average person reads in a lifetime.  We are getting ready to hear a lecture from the esteemed Dr. Piper, and he is about to contribute something to the conversation of how we, as Christian counselors, can assist in bringing about health to inner-workings of the human psyche.

Dr. Piper takes the stage, and he begins to confess sin.  Seriously?  He confesses his inadequacies, his self-consciousness, and his own need for Christian counseling during difficult periods in his marriage… and none of us think he is serious.  We laugh.  Why? Because confession of sin is the opposite of what would be expected at a conference like this.  All of us are naturally, self-conscious, wanting to contribute something to conversation – thinking we have something to give, but we know that we must earn the necessary clout so our words might be counted as weighty.  We have to prove ourselves to those around us, and we expect the key note speaker to do the same… “Go ahead, prove to me that I should listen to you,” we think.  “The only reason Dr. Piper could be opening with a confession, is to end it with some kind of punch line, to break the ice, to really dazzle his audience with clever prose,” we think, in our clout-proving posture – in our proclivity towards self-glorification.

But not when we walk according to the spirit.  And not this man, at least not on this occasion.  This man was graced, at this moment, with authenticity.  He was modeling the attitude that we are always to have.

We need to remember that not all of those present at the AACC conference are represented by those who we hear laughing on the audio recording. We also must be careful not to mar the perception of the AACC (or Christian Counseling as a whole) because of an error that any one of us could have been guilty of in different circumstances.  The type of sin described in this post is not restricted to the members of the AACC who laughed on the audio recording.  I recognize, that had I not been so familiar with Dr. Piper’s preaching, and had I been present at this conference, I could have very well been among those laughing.

Psalm 51:3 – “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.”

God give me grace to be authentic.  Give me grace to fight self-consciousness with a radical yielding to the truth of my inadequacies and sin, and let me find refuge in your perfection and grace, rather than in my accomplishment – which is none without you.  Make this kind of authenticity and confession far more common and far less alien in your Church.

This line of questioning, though, goes further.  Does God superintend where His goodness is, and where it is not?  Indeed, He does.  He has superintended even the absence of His goodness for His ultimate purpose… namely, the supreme glorification of Himself through His Son (Colossians 1:15-20).  In no other conceivable reality could God be equally made much of, as both the Just and the Justifier of those who trust in Him (Romans 3:26).

While this video is engaging, and even echoes certain biblical truth, it is important for us to remember that evil is not outside of God’s sovereign control.  We should find assurance and rest in the fact that nothing is outside of God’s control.  Even when evil comes upon us, and God seems absent, he is ever-present.  Nothing takes God by surprise, and we can trust Him in everything.

If I ascend to heaven, you are there!  If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.  If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. (Psalm 139:8-12)