My Last Few Poems of the Year

The Living Need the Dying
M. Justin Wainscott, 2009

The living need the dying,
Not so much as a reminder of death,
But as a reminder of life.


Maternity
M. Justin Wainscott, 2009

How wonderfully marvelous
(Yet altogether natural)
Has been the transformation
Of my wife into motherhood.
It’s amazing how quickly
She mastered the mundane
Matters of maternity
And turned them into something
Truly beautiful to behold.
I sometimes pause
(Without her knowledge)
And listen in
As she reads or sings
To our daughter.
I’m tempted to cry,
But I don’t –
Because my smiling
Prevents it.


Dreams in D Minor
M. Justin Wainscott, 2009

In my dreams, I am a musician.
Not a great one, but an able one.
I play with skill and grace,
But I wouldn’t overly impress you.
I’m good enough to accompany
The songs in my head, and I can
Get by with reading simple music,
But that’s about the extent of my ability.
Yet how my feet dance on the pedals
And my fingers float across the keys
When I play the beautiful pipe organ
In the grand cathedral of my mind.
The sounds of Bach which bellow forth
Make sleeping worth the while.
But unfortunately I’m awake now,
And my fingers and feet are as awkward
As they ever were (and always will be).


Strangely Beautiful Grace
M. Justin Wainscott, 2009

Most of the time,
A meal is just a meal.
It satisfies the appetite.
And there’s nothing wrong with that.
But on rare occasions,
It is so much more.
Not because of the food,
But because of something else –
Because of the person
Sitting across from you,
And the conversation that ensues.
I had such a meal today.
The food – cheap.
The atmosphere – lacking.
But the company, the conversation –
Like fine wine that
Is sipped and savored;
To waste or rush
A single word
Would have been shameful,
Would have been inconsiderate.
It’s not that we solved
The problems of the world;
We didn’t even solve our own
Plethora of problems.
But we shared life –
Pains, struggles, joys –
And there was something
Strangely beautiful about it.
Grace seems to work that way.
It’s beautiful but strangely so,
Like a messy masterpiece.

Top Ten SBC Stories and Events of 2009

Baptist21 offers their top ten list of stories and events from 2009 in the Southern Baptist Convention.

1. Missionary Work Overseas
2. Changing Presidential Leadership
3. Dr. Danny Akin's GCR Sermon
4. Increased SBC Unity
5. Union University's "Southern Baptists, Evangelicals, and the Future of Denominationalism"
6. Higher Attendance at SBC Louisville
7. Cancer Classroom
8. Christmas in August
9. SBTS's Sesquiencentennial
   
10. GCR Task Force
    

Click here for the full story.

The Silkworm as a Type of Christ

Over the holidays, I have been enjoying Douglas Sweeney's biography of Jonathan Edwards (and quoted from it earlier this week). One of the things I have found interesting (and helpful) about Edwards was his refusal to limit typology to the text of sacred Scripture; he saw divine images and patterns imprinted in all things God had created and formed. He even saw a glimpse of the gospel in such things as silkworms:

The silkworm is a remarkable type of Christ, which, when it dies, yields us that of which we make such glorious clothing. Christ became a worm for our sakes and by his death finished that righteousness with which believers are clothed, and thereby procured that we should be clothed with robes of glory.

--Jonathan Edwards, "Images of Divine Things," in Typological Writings

Top Ten Theology Stories of 2009

Collin Hansen, of Christianity Today, offers his Top Ten Theology Stories of 2009.

The Precious Treasure of the Bible

"What a precious treasure God has committed into our hands in that he has given us the Bible. How little do most persons consider how much they enjoy in that they have the possession of that holy book....What an excellent book is this, and how far exceeding all human writings....He that has a Bible, and doesn't observe what is contained [in] it, is like a man that has a box full of silver and gold, and doesn't know it."

--Jonathan Edwards, quoted in Jonathan Edwards and the Ministry of the Word, Douglas Sweeney

Wesley's Original Hymn

Most of us are quite familiar with the carol, "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing." However, the words we have grown accustomed to are not the original words that Charles Wesley wrote (at least, not all of them). The arrangement we traditionally sing is due to the work of the First Great Awakening preacher (and friend to the Wesleys), George Whitefield. Below is Wesley's original hymn.

Hark, How All the Welkin Rings
Charles Wesley, 1739

Hark, how all the welkin rings!
Glory to the King of Kings!
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
Universal nature say,
Christ the Lord is born today!

Christ, by highest Heaven adored;
Christ, the Everlasting Lord;
Late in time behold Him come,
Offspring of a Virgin's womb:
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail the Incarnate Deity;
Pleased as man with men to appear,
Jesus, our Immanuel here!

Hail, the heavenly Prince of Peace!
Hail, the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings,
Risen with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.

Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us Thy humble home!
Rise, the Woman's conquering Seed,
Bruise in us the Serpent's head!
Now display Thy saving power,
Ruined nature now restore;
Now in mystic union join
Thine to ours, and ours to Thine!

Adam's likeness, Lord, efface;
Stamp Thine image in its place;
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love!
Let us Thee, though lost, regain,
Thee, the Life, the Heavenly Man;
Oh, to all Thyself impart,
Formed in each believing heart!

Christmas History Quiz

What is the history behind some of the popular Christmas rituals, carols, treats, and traditions? ChristianHistory.net has an interesting little quiz you can take related to that question.

Click here to test your knowledge.

The Synoptic Gospels and Christ's Threefold Office

While all four of the Gospel writers seem to highlight the threefold office of Christ (Prophet, Priest, and King), it has struck me this Advent season how the synoptic Gospels each appear to emphasize one specific office in the way each introduces Jesus.

Matthew - Priest

Although it could be argued that Matthew emphasizes Jesus' kingly office by beginning with a genealogy that places him in the royal line of David, it is here (and here only) that we learn why this holy Child is to be named Jesus. "She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). His name is tied to the priestly sacrifice he will offer for his people's sins - for that is how he will save them.

Mark - Prophet

The Gospel of Mark does not include a birth narrative of the Christ Child. Instead, Jesus comes onto the scene at the beginning of his public ministry. And the first time we hear him speak, he is fulfilling his prophetic office (preaching about the kingdom). "Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel'" (Mark 1:14-15).

Luke - King

When Luke tells about the angel Gabriel visiting Mary, he emphasizes what Gabriel says regarding the kingly office of Mary's Child. "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end" (Luke 1:32-33).

As stated earlier, no one Gospel is limited to one of Christ's offices. And just because the Synoptics begin the way they do does not mean they only emphasize that particular office. For instance, Matthew goes on to emphasize the prophetic office of Christ with the Sermon on the Mount and with the five major sections of teaching included in his Gospel (reflecting the five books of Moses and showing that Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of Moses' prophetic office). In addition, his Gospel has more parables about the kingdom than any other - and there is little doubt who the King is!

But it is interesting to see how Jesus is introduced in these three Gospels, and it seems that each emphasizes one of Christ's three offices - Prophet (Mark), Priest (Matthew), and King (Luke).

2009 Advent Poem

This poem is written from the perspective of the saints who lived during the inter-testamental period - that long period of silence and waiting.

Lord, Break the Silence Long Endured
M. Justin Wainscott © 2009 (Advent)

Lord, break the silence long endured,
And end the darkened night;
Let anxious fears all rest assured,
With news of coming light.

O how we need to hear your voice,
The good news that you bring;
Good news in which we can rejoice,
The coming of our King.

Let prophets’ words be now fulfilled
In all their grand design;
And mysteries be now revealed,
Through grace and pow’r divine.

The second Adam, send to us,
Redeem our fallen race;
Immanuel, great God with us,
Come quickly with your grace.

A Lyrical Exposition of "Sing Highest Praises to Our King"

I normally don't comment on the hymns and poems I write. In fact, it is probably a good rule of thumb to suggest that if you have to explain every line or every image, it isn't good poetry in the first place. To seek to interpret every word or metaphor usually harms more than it helps (which is why dynamic equivalent or "thought-for-thought" translations of the Bible often miss the beauty and imagery of Hebrew poetry).

However, there are times when a little background information and explanation can prove beneficial. And sometimes doing a little lyrical exposition can put the theology of a hymn into sharper focus. I hope that will be the case in this instance, as I attempt to give you an idea of what motivated and inspired me to write this most recent hymn.

Let's look at it one verse at a time (each verse will be listed with a brief explanation underneath).

1. Sing highest praises to our King,
Who left His throne above;
And clothed Himself in flesh to bring
The blessings of His love.

There were several truths I wanted to communicate here in this opening verse: (1) that Christ is the King who is worthy of our highest praise (2) that the pre-existence and eternal nature of Christ are significant aspects of the gospel story (3) that the incarnation meant Christ had to leave heaven and take on human flesh and (4) that in doing so, Christ brought countless blessings and benefits to the redeemed.

2. The glory He had long enjoyed,
He humbly set aside;
How great the means which Christ employed
To save a sinful Bride!

One main truth dominates this verse - the depths to which Christ went to redeem us. Specifically, I wanted us to ponder the glorious truth that Christ would leave the glories of heaven, only to come and suffer and die on behalf of sinners.

3. In Bethlehem by virgin birth,
As prophets did foretell;
Our God descended to the earth,
And didst among us dwell.

This verse incorporates some of the more familiar themes of Advent and Christmas: (1) the virgin birth (2) Bethlehem and (3) the Old Testament prophecies that found their ultimate fulfillment in the birth of our Savior. But I also wanted to emphasize the condescension of God (implied in John 1:1-18), where the fullness of deity dwelt in bodily form amongst sinful human beings. This is an amazing truth that we speed by all too often.

4. Yes, see Him in the manger lay,
But let us ne’er forget;
This precious Child was born to pay
Our cursed, sinful debt.

I had a seminary professor that enjoyed reminding us that everybody loves baby Jesus, but they forget that he grew up to be a man - a man who taught hard truths and died a cruel, bloody death. It is all too easy in our sentimental culture to divorce Christmas from Calvary. But the Jesus in the manger and the Jesus on the cross are the same person. I wanted us to make that connection.

5. This perfect Lamb for sinners slain,
Who died and rose again,
Now sits on David’s throne and reigns
In vict’ry over sin.

Here, several theological themes come out: (1) the sinlessness of Christ - "This perfect Lamb" (2) substitutionary atonement - "This perfect Lamb for sinners slain" (3) Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension (4) Jesus' fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant and (5) the inaugurated reign of Christ. I think it is important that we celebrate the entirety of Christ's ministry at Christmas, not just one aspect of it. The incarnation finds meaning in Jesus' death and resurrection. His death and resurrection find meaning in the ascension and second coming. And all of these fit together.

6. So let our longing hearts all burn
With zeal for Christ our King,
And for the day of His return,
When He shall reign supreme!

Like much of evangelical hymnody, I like to end with an eschatological note. This final verse highlights the theme of "longing," which is so characteristic of the Advent season. It also reminds us of Christ's second advent, which will result in the full and final consummation of his kingdom. Oh glorious day!

This Year's Advent/Christmas Hymn

Sing Highest Praises to Our King
M. Justin Wainscott © 2009

Sing highest praises to our King,
Who left His throne above;
And clothed Himself in flesh to bring
The blessings of His love.

The glory He had long enjoyed,
He humbly set aside;
How great the means which Christ employed
To save a sinful Bride!

In Bethlehem by virgin birth,
As prophets did foretell;
Our God descended to the earth,
And didst among us dwell.

Yes, see Him in the manger lay,
But let us ne’er forget;
This precious Child was born to pay
Our cursed, sinful debt.

This perfect Lamb for sinners slain,
Who died and rose again,
Now sits on David’s throne and reigns
In vict’ry over sin.

So let our longing hearts all burn
With zeal for Christ our King,
And for the day of His return,
When He shall reign supreme!

Sinclair Ferguson on "Santa Christ"

"How sadly common it is for the church to manufacture a Jesus who is a mirror reflection of Santa Claus. He becomes Santa Christ.

Santa Christ is sometimes a Pelagian Jesus. Like Santa, he simply asks us whether we have been good. More exactly, since the assumption is that we are all naturally good, Santa Christ asks us whether we have been "good enough." So Just as as Christmas dinner is simply the better dinner we really deserve, Jesus becomes a kind of added bonus who makes a good life even better. He is not seen as the Savior of helpless sinners.

Or Santa Christ may be a Semi-Pelagian Jesus - a slightly more sophisticated Jesus who, Santa-like, gives gifts to those who have already done the best they could! Thus, Jesus' hand, like Santa's sack, opens only when we can give an upper-percentile answer to the none-too-weighty probe, "Have you done your best this year?" The only difference from medieval theology here is that we do not use its Latin phraseology: facere quod in se est (to do what one is capable of doing on one's own, or, in common parlance, "Heaven helps those who help themselves").

Then again, Santa Christ may be a mystical Jesus, who, like Santa Claus, is important because of the good experiences we have when we think about him, irrespective of his historical reality. It doesn't really matter whether the story is true or not; the important thing is the spirit of Santa Christ. For that matter, while it would spoil things to tell the children this, everyone can make up his or her own Santa Christ. As long as we have the right spirit of Santa Christ, all is well.

But Jesus is not to be identified with Santa Claus; worldly thinking - however much it employs Jesus-language - is not to be confused with biblical truth.

The Scriptures systematically strip away the veneer that covers the real truth of the Christmas story. Jesus did not come to add to our comforts. He did not come to help those who help themselves or to fill life with more pleasant experiences. He came on a deliverance mission, to save sinners, and to do so He had to destroy the works of the Devil (Matt. 1:21; 1 John 3:8b)."

--Sinclair Ferguson, In Christ Alone: Living the Gospel Centered Life

Peter Leithart on the Nativity Completed

Matthew's Gospel begins and ends with scenes of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. In chapters 1-2, the Mary and Joseph are his parents; in chapter 27, there's Joseph of Arimathea and Mary has "doubled" into Mary Magdalene and the "other Mary."

The first story is a story of life, the second a story of death. The first tells about the miracle of the virgin conception, while the second tells of a burial. The first focuses on the child in the womb, the second on the crucified man in the tomb.

Overriding the contrasts, though, is a basic similarity: The first scene is about the coming of the Son of God, the second about his coming again from the tomb; the first presents him as the firstborn of Mary and Joseph, the second as the firstborn of the dead; the first is Jesus' birth story, the second a story of his rebirth, and the rebirth of creation.

As Matthew tells the gospel story, the incarnation at Christmas is wonderful but it is not completed until the resurrection story of Easter. The story of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in Bethlehem is good news, but it's not yet the whole good news without the story of Jesus, two Marys, and the other Joseph in a garden near Jerusalem.

--Peter Leithart, from the "Quodlibet" section of Touchstone (Nov/Dec 2009)

Immortal God in Mortal Flesh

Immortal God in Mortal Flesh
M. Justin Wainscott © 2008

Immortal God in mortal flesh,
Our Lord has come to earth.
Incarnate God, he came to bring
The gift of second birth.

Spread gospel tidings all around.
Let sinners celebrate!
For, Christ was born to save us all
From sin’s condemning fate.

In mercy God has sent his Son
To bear the curse of sin;
To hang condemned on Calv’ry’s cross,
And pardon sinful men.

This precious babe of Bethlehem
Will be forever blessed;
He ransomed us from hell’s domain,
To enter heaven’s rest.

So to our great Immanuel,
Glad songs of praise we’ll sing.
From now and through eternity,
He’ll reign, our saving King.

Chapter by Kauflin

This week, I am posting quotes from different chapters in John Piper's and Justin Taylor's The Power of Words and the Wonder of God.

From Bob Kauflin's chapter, "Words of Wonder: What Happens When We Sing?"

...God didn't intend that music supersede the Word or that music undermine the Word. He gave us music to serve the Word. When that relationship is understood and appreciated, music becomes a powerful gift from God that complements, supports, and depeens the impact of the words we sing....

...Words should be the first thing we consider when we think about what songs to sing when we gather as the body of Christ....

...We should make it our aim not only to preach the whole counsel of God but to sing it, as well....

...The question isn't, Do you have a voice? The question is, Do you have a song? If you've turned from your sins and trusted in the finished work of Christ, if you're forgiven and reconciled to God, then you have a song. It's a song of the redeemed, of those who have been rescued from the righteous wrath of God through the cross of Jesus Christ and are now called his friends. Once we were not a people, but now we are the people of God, and our singing together, every voice contributing, is one way we express that truth....

...The sound that unites the church should be the sound of voices, not a particular music style. When people are focused on that sound and the fact that Jesus has made it possible, style becomes secondary....In the book of Revelation, the host of heaven aren't in unity because of the style of music they are using but because of the focus of their song....

Chapters by Piper and Driscoll

This week, I am posting quotes from different chapters of John Piper's and Justin Taylor's The Power of Words and the Wonder of God.

From John Piper's chapter, "Is There Christian Eloquence? Clear Words and the Wonder of the Cross"

There is a statement that James Denney made over a hundred years ago that haunts me. Whether we are talking about the more high-brow eloquence of oratory or the more low-brow, laid-back, cool eloquence of anti-oratory, Denney's statement cuts through to the ultimate issue. He said, "No man can give the impression that he is clever and that Christ is mighty to save."

...The cross is the place where our sin is seen as most horrible and God's free grace shines most brightly. Both of these mean we deserve nothing. Therefore, the cross undercuts pride and exalts Christ....

...Self-exaltation and Christ-exaltation can't go together.

From Mark Driscoll's chapter, "How Sharp the Edge? Christ, Controversy, and Cutting Words"

For you who are faithful to pray for your shepherd or who in reading this aspire to join the faithful, I encourage you to pray for your shepherd in seven ways.

1) Please pray that God would give your shepherd a discerning mind.
2) Please pray that God would give your shepherd thick skin.
3) Please pray that your shepherd would have a good sense of humor.
4) Please pray that your shepherd would have a tender heart.
5) Please pray that your shepherd would have a humble disposition.
6) Please pray that your shepherd would have a supportive family (and please pray for his wife and children).
7) Please pray that your shepherd would have an evangelistic devotion.

Chapters by Ferguson and Taylor

Yesterday, I posted two excerpts from Paul David Tripp's chapter in The Power of Words and the Wonder of God. I have decided to provide a few quotes from each chapter of the book for the rest of the week (except for Friday, which of course will be a hymn or poem).

From Sinclair Ferguson's chapter, "The Bit, the Bridle, and the Blessing"

We foolishly assume that our real struggles with sin are in the areas where we are "weak." We do not well understand the depth of sin until we realize that it has made its home far more subtly where we are "strong" and in our gifts rather than in our weaknesses and inadequacies. It is in the very giftedness God has given that sin has been at its most perverse and subtle!

From Daniel Taylor's chapter, "Story-shaped Faith"

When Israel remembered the stories that told them who they were, where they had come from, and who their God was, they prospered. When they quit telling the stories, they no longer understood who they were, and they invited disaster. And the same is true with us....

Propositions are important....But propositions depend on the stories out of which they arise for their power and meaning and practical application....

Imagine having all the propositions of the Bible but none of the stories. No Genesis or Exodus, none of the historical books of the Old Testament, no Gospels, no Acts - only Romans, parts of the Epistles, and scattered assertions and commands from here and there. Those assertions and commands would still be true, but we would have very little idea of what to do with them.

The Funeral We All Want to Attend

"Some day we'll be invited to the one funeral that we all will want to attend: the funeral of sin. The promise of the gospel is that sin will die and we will be with Christ and will be like him in holiness forever and ever and ever."

--From Paul David Tripp's chapter in The Power of Words and the Wonder of God, edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor

The Antisocial Nature of Sin

"Sin is fundamentally antisocial, because sin causes me to love me more than anything else and to care for me more than anything else."

"If sin turns me in on myself so that all I live for is me, then sin in its essence is antisocial. Living for myself and the satisfaction of my selfish desires dehumanizes the people in my life. No longer are they people to me. No longer are they objects of my affection and service. No, my loved ones and friends are reduced either to vehicles to help me get what I want or to obstacles in the way of what I want. "

--From Paul David Tripp's chapter in The Power of Words and the Wonder of God, edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor

Advent Poem

A Symphony of Sweet Delight
M. Justin Wainscott © Advent, 2008

Sound the notes that heaven hears,
And let them ring in sinners’ ears.
Sing the chorus sung above,
That echoes forth redeeming love.

Angels, join in harmony,
To make a joyous melody.
Silence all the noise of sin,
And let God’s symphony begin.

Strike the prophets’ hopeful chord,
And listen for the coming Lord.
Run the bow across their strings,
And hear their songs to Christ the King.

Ring the bells of virgin-birth!
Glory to God and peace on earth!
Like the shepherds, spread the word,
And let the angels’ news be heard.

Christ has come in grace divine,
A son in David’s royal line.
Born in David’s Bethlehem,
And born to free us from our sin.

Christ has come! Rejoice, rejoice!
Now’s the time to lift your voice,
And join with ev’ry tribe and race
In songs of God’s redeeming grace.

Ev’ry bar and ev’ry measure
Speaks of our abiding treasure:
Jesus, our Immanuel,
Who saves us from despair and hell.

Blow the horn of hope and peace!
The gospel sings of our release
From Satan’s damning, sinful ploys,
And all his wicked, evil noise.

Hear the gospel music play,
And let the Spirit have his way.
Let symphonic sounds impart,
To quicken ev’ry lifeless heart.

Feel the rhythm; hear the sounds,
When mercy sings and grace abounds.
Oh! the joyous orchestration,
Freeing us from condemnation.

Christ has come, and this we know,
A gracious gift he did bestow:
A symphony of sweet delight,
Where ev’ry note is played just right.

And oh! the joy to be displayed,
When this, the final note, is played:
Sound the trumpet; let it blast,
For, Christ’s return has come at last!

Glorious Truths

As I came to the end of Micah this morning, I was overwhelmed by the glorious truths that end this prophetic book. These reminders of God's covenant love and faithfulness were the perfect balm for my sinful soul. They were the means I used to preach the gospel to myself this day. May they be of comfort to you as well:

Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old. --Micah 7:18-20

More Samwise Gamgee than Gandalf

Though others may see him as Gandalf, J.I. Packer sees himself as much more akin to Samwise Gamgee. Check out the recent WORLD Magazine article about Packer's life and legacy.

Drinking from the Same Fountain

"Perhaps all that is necessary to expose the shallowness of our songs and to cause us to praise God as we ought is for pastors and poets and musicians to drink from the same fountain. Then biblical exposition will issue in song and our hymns will be full of the gospel."

--Alistair Begg

Cyber-Week at Monergism Books

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Free economy shipping to anywhere in the continental USA. Coupon valid until Friday December 4th at Midnight. Not valid for any previous orders.

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Dever on The Trellis and the Vine

Above is a video of Mark Dever promoting Colin Marshal and Tony Payne's new book, The Trellis and the Vine: The Ministry Mind-Shift That Changes Everything.

And here's what folks are saying about it:

"This is the best book I've read on the nature of church ministry" - Mark Dever

"...a simple, beautiful book that I plan to have every pastor and elder at The Village Church read ... a book desperately needed among large churches in the West" - Matt Chandler

"...takes us right to the heart of authentic Christian ministry" - William Taylor

"My advice: Keep a good stack on hand at all times, and put this book to good use" - R. Albert Mohler, Jr.