Counting the Cost of Commitment

As they were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." ⁵⁸And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." ⁵⁹To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." ⁶⁰And Jesus said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." ⁶¹Yet another said, "I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home." ⁶²Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." -Luke 9.57-62 (ESV)

The parallel Scripture is found in Matthew 8.18-22. This section talks about a total commitment to Jesus Christ.  Both Matthew and Luke record this event.  Luke highlights the term “follow” in his account.  He also demonstrated the centrality of Christ in the heart and life of a believer.

In this passage, we see three interactions with Jesus.  First, an unnamed person says, "I will follow you wherever you go."  It reminds me of Luke 22.33 where Peter says, "Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death."  A rash statement.  The speaker, like Peter later on, makes a commitment without counting the cost. Jesus points out that commitment is not an easy thing; it has a price.  Jesus makes the man aware that there is hardship in following Him.  I do not believe this man went with Jesus.  There is nothing to indicate that he did, and the tone suggests that Jesus did not count the man as one of His twelve or even a follower at all. 

Many today are willing to say they are a Christian, or wear a 'Christian t-shirt', or even put a 'Christian bumper sticker' on their car.  However, they will not stand for Jesus in their lives.  They will not witness about Christ to others, they will consistently compromise with the worldliness they encounter (coarse joking at work, flirting with someone other than their spouse, gossiping, etc.) and they will not stand for Biblical morality in their personal lives.  That means they may be single and promiscuous, or demonstrate road rage, or use profanity consistently without a second thought- just to touch a few areas.  

I think this is well illustrated by the story of a man driving behind a car with a "Honk if you love Jesus!" bumper sticker on the car.  The man, being a Christian, honked.  Just a mere second later a hand came out of the driver's window with a 'one finger salute' (extended middle finger).

Jesus called us to commitment, not comfort.  The fact that we can, thus far, be comfortable in our Christianity is a fading Western phenomenon.  Many parts of the world see Christians murdered, tortured and shunned for their faith in Christ.  At this time we have no such problem in most cases.  However, we better not get comfortable even with that.  Times may change and Christianity may become less comfortable one day.

The unnamed man in this Scripture make a verbal commitment that he probably has not thought through.  He has apparently not counted the cost.  That is most likely the reason for Jesus' response.

When we follow Jesus, we are taking on something we are totally unable to handle.  It is beyond our frail abilities.  It is a task requiring more than we may realize.  We can only follow Christ if He is empowering us. It is Christ who keeps us standing, as Jude 1.24-25 says so clearly, "Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." (ESV)

The second person Jesus interacts with is the one He personally calls.  I believe that we do not decide on Christ, rather, He chooses us.  It is the Father who draws us into salvation.  It is by His grace that we are saved.  The punishment we so unmercifully deserve Jesus so mercifully received on our behalf when we receive Him.  Jesus, here, calls this man and says to him, "Follow me."  The man has his noble task to perform and let's Jesus know about it.  He must bury his father, as is the duty of the eldest son in the family at that time.

Despite the noble convictions the man is planning on fulfilling, Jesus makes one point very clear.  He must be the first priority.  Jesus puts it into perspective for the man.  He echos His teaching in Matthew 6.33, to "seek first the Kingdom of God."  God will take care of the rest.

Another point of interest is that Jesus makes what some may see as a callous statement.  He says to follow Him and to "Let the dead bury their own dead."  I believe this is a play on words.  The dead can refer to the spiritual state of the man's relatives.  Since their devotion is not to Christ, they are spiritually dead.  Let them take up the noble task of burying the man's father.  This man has a clear call on his life to follow and proclaim Christ.  There is no higher calling.

He, like those of us who have received Christ, was called to proclaim the Gospel.  Our call is found in Matthew 28.18-20, "Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'" (ESV)

If we are called by Christ, we are called into a life of service to our Lord and King.  If we are called into such service, we are to follow Him even through suffering or death.  If an earthly leader has an army under his command, they are his servants.  If he orders them into battle they go and risk suffering or even death in battle for the sake of the king.  We, Christians, are called in the same manner as "soldiers of Christ Jesus," (2 Timothy 2.3-4) no matter the cost, we are to obey and follow Him.

Finally, there is one last man who interacts with Jesus in this passage.  This man tells Jesus that he will follow him once he bids his family farewell.  This is a reflection of Elisha's call to follow Elijah.  Elisha asked to go home and say goodbye and complete some things.  He was allowed to do so: 

So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him. ²⁰ And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” ²¹ And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him.   (1 Kings 19.19-21 ESV)

The people in Israel at this time were taught the Scriptures very thoroughly.  The man pledging to follow Jesus in this instance is most likely overstepping his bounds, being presumptuous, in likening himself to Christ.  Jesus did not give this man such a privilege.  Jesus responded to him that, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." 

As Jesus said in the second case, He is to be first priority.  If we say we want to follow Christ, but want to do something else first, we fail.  We are unworthy.  We are like a farmer who is plowing his field and looks back.  His rows are no longer straight.  He is messing up the task.  Likewise, if we look back, we are not worthy of the task.

Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, "Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3.13-14 ESV)  If we do anything but press on we are showing ourselves to be unworthy.  And we cannot press on without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  If God is not indwelling us, we are not His followers and we are powerless to live for Christ.

Two men called on Jesus.  They were not accepted, Jesus countered their pledges of commitment with a word of correction.  One man was called by Jesus.  When he was in error, Jesus corrected him and commissioned him.  Two did not count the cost.  One had the cost plainly explained to him.  By Jesus' interaction with that man, I believe he counted the cost and followed Christ as Jesus said he was called to do.

Have you counted the cost of being committed to Christ?  Are you taking this commitment seriously?  Examine your heart.  This is not something to take lightly.  The consequences are eternal.

Pete Garbacki is a minister with Time for Truth Ministries and Mission.Brasil.  Follow him on Twitter @mission_brasil or FaceBook at http://www.facebook.com/pete.garbacki.

To forgive or not to forgive ... that is the question

by Pastor Matt Ellis

I had a conversation with someone a while back regarding the topic of forgiveness. He was grappling with the desire to forgive and yet the inability to act on that desire.

With a sincere heart, he asked me how he could win this battle that was raging within him.

I noted that refusing to forgive is an illogical response to wrongs committed against us. Essentially, when we refuse to forgive, we are saying: "Since someone wronged me, I will continue to abuse myself for years to come."

But as illogical as that response may be, I know all too well the problem he described. I struggle with it. Truth be told, everyone does.

And yet, the command in Scripture is clear and we must comply:
"And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ." (Ephesians 4:32).

In our conversation, I gave a few suggestions on how I've been able to forgive and move on. I'll share the one that has helped me overcome the big stuff.

It begins with this conviction: The person who claims to be a believer and yet, having committed a large offense, refuses to make it right is showing themselves to be lost.

• Matthew 18:15-17 tells us that if someone doesn't make things right after repeated attempts at reconciliation, they are to be treated as a lost person regardless of whether or not they claim to be saved.
• 1 John 3:6 states that anyone who claims to be a believer will not sin (in the original language, this is written in the present, continuous sense - "He will not keep doing wrong."). Believers will sin but will eventually make it right.
• Passages like 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and Ephesians 5:3-5 tell us that folks who claim to be believers and yet remain in sin are deceived. They are not saved and are not on their way to Heaven no matter what they think.

These three bullet points are VERY serious. They are stating that folks who remain in sin, refusing to make it right, are showing themselves to be lost and on their way to Hell.

(If you want a little glimpse into what Hell will be like, click on the link at the end of this post to view a sermon I preached on the subject.)

So, as I talked about forgiveness, I mentioned that I found it easier to pray for someone when I realized that if they continued in their sin, refusing to make it right, they may be bearing the fruit of someone who will spend eternity in Hell.

That paradigm shift has helped me cross the line. Instead of holding onto grudges, I have found it easier to  forgive and pray for the offender. I have prayed that they would make things right. I have prayed that if they are not saved, that they would make that right before it's too late.

I don't care how justified you may feel in holding onto grudges against someone who has wronged you. I've struggled with those feelings, too. The real issue is where people will spend eternity. Only the most calloused of hearts can remain indifferent to someone who may soon experience the torments of Hell forever ... and ever ... and ever ...

Here's the sermon (video) on Hell: http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=KGD66PNX


Matt Ellis is Senior Pastor at the First Baptist Church of Brooksville, Florida. Follow him on Twitter @mattellis1997 or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mattellis1997.

Living Worthy of the Gospel

I started training in martial arts when I was eight years old.  My motivation ... The Ninja Turtles!  When I first started there was so much that offended my young Saturday-morning-cartoons sensibilities.  I had wanted to be a ninja master after my first lesson, spinning a bo staff above my head, able to take on anyone who would challenge me.  Instead, I had to learn the proper way to bow when entering the room.  I had to learn how to say “sir” before and after every reply to my instructor.  I was forced to do pushups, situps, pullups and all the other painful “ups”.  

Needless to say, I was not impressed.  That is until I received my first award.  After several weeks of training, my Instructor called me to the front of the room.  He took hold of my very white belt and wrapped a simple black stripe around the end - an accommodation for having learned the first several techniques.  

I couldn’t tell you why, but I was ecstatic.  A huge smile beaming across my face, I bowed proudly to my instructor, hurried back to my place in line and kept looking down, unable to take my eyes off the belt now.  Before it had been something I resented, but now I folded the belt neatly and placed it on my dresser so I could look at it as I passed by.  I made sure to remind my mother to wash my uniform before each class.  I bowed with purpose each time I entered the training area.  I began punching stronger and kicking faster.  Now, contrary to my initial attitude, I wanted my conduct to be worthy of that stripe.

In Philippians 1:27 Paul tries to communicate something similar about the Christian’s conduct.  

“Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ ...” (Philippians 1:27)

Do you feel the weight of that command?  First notice that this isn’t a single shot, one time action.  Paul is telling us to augment our entire lives, to change the way we live.  But, it goes even deeper than that.  The phrase “let your manner of life be” is actually one very complex word in Greek: politeuo.  It is a word that comes from the noun polis, meaning city.  In Paul’s time citizenship carried with it a much greater responsibility than it does today.  To be a citizen of a city-state meant you represented that state in your actions, your words and your beliefs.  In our day, one can be a citizen of a state without even knowing its capital.  One can be a citizen of a country without ever participating in its government.  But in Paul’s time those things were expected and even commanded; the polis was one’s life.

Of course, Paul has his mind set on things above.  He is not thinking that his readers belong to any physical city, but that they belong to eachother to the church, and their citizenship is in heaven.  And it is the gospel which has redeemed those people and formed a church.  The gospel has brought together the Jew and the Greek.  And how is it that our conduct will be worthy of this gospel?  The answer lies in the following verses.

“... so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents.” (Philippians 1:27b-28a)

Notice what marks those whose conduct is worthy of the gospel.  First, they are unified with the body.  Are you in unity with your local church?  Do you stand behind your pastor and elders and lift them up in prayer?  Do you work hard to see that the visions of your church are realized?  So often people make church about themselves.  If a new program, teaching series or ministry opportunity is not something that helps them immediately or is in anyway inconvenient or uncomfortable, then they’ll choose to stay home that week.  But, your church cannot be unified if you’re not there.  Unity does not simply mean “believing the same thing”.  Unity means worshipping together, praying together, doing ministry together and striving together.

But striving towards what?  Paul says we should be striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.  Though, fighting side by side may actually be a better understanding of the Greek word he is using, especially since he points out that we should not be frightened by our opponents.

And here lies the true test of our conduct.  As saved individuals and as local bodies of believers we should be fighting for people to know and believe the truth.  Keep in mind that the sword has no place in the gospel, and people are saved by grace through faith, not by coercion and force.  Those things considered, who are you talking to about Jesus?  Who are you discipling?  Is it hard?  It’s supposed to be!  It’s a fight we are in after all, and our opponents are very real.  But, so is our God ... and he always wins.

It was just a piece of tape wrapped around the end of my belt.  It was worth nothing, but to my young eight year old mind it represented everything.   The gospel, wrapped around our hearts, is of such a greater value.  Do we live worthy of it?

Children and Communion: How Can Parents Help Their Children Prepare Their Hearts?

My son Elijah and I were pretty excited that evening in March of 2011. That night, at our community group, Eli was preparing to speak to our church elders about taking Communion for the first time. Because he is my son and I love him deeply, we had been working to prepare for that night for a few months. 

Here is an important question: What should parents do to help prepare their children for this big moment of meeting with the elders before taking the Lord's Supper? 

As a church in the Reformed tradition, we have a high view of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper (see WCF 27 and 29). We believe that this is more than just a memorial of Christ's death (although it certainly IS that) but that we are also brought into the Real Presence of Jesus Christ at the Table. For this reason, it is necessary for us ALL to heed Paul's advice in 1 Corinthians 11:28 that a believer "examine himself before he eats the bread and drinks of the cup."

While our elders have not created hard and fast rules for children who profess their faith in Jesus, I would suggest that the following guidelines make a good mental checklist for parents before having a child come before the elders for their interview:

1)     Does the child have an awareness of his or her sinful condition before a holy God? If so, can he or she give a credible explanation about how the cross "paid for our sins"?  Can he or she state this in personal terms?

2)     Is there an emphasis on God's Word at home to correspond with what is taught at church? Have the parents been working through the Children's Catechism Scripture memory system together? Is the child making adequate progress in learning the basic story of redemption?

3)     Has the child memorized the Apostle's Creed yet? Being able to state the content of the Christian faith from memory is an important ability that he or she will want to acquire as soon as possible.

4)     Has the child learned the Ten Commandments by heart yet? Can she give an age-appropriate definition of some of the more difficult words in the Commandments such as "Sabbath,” "adultery" or "coveting"?

5)     Has the child learned the Lord's Prayer by heart yet? This is a vital component of the prayer life of any believer. Also, is he or she able to pray in his or her own words aloud yet?

While we should be cautious not to make any legalistic requirements in order to "quantify" a child's faith, nevertheless, the thoughtful parent should be helping children to grow in their faith by consistently working on these five steps.

For both of my older children, Soriah and Elijah, these steps took a number of months to master. But that night, Elijah was so confident in his knowledge of these Christian basics, he couldn't wait to nail the interview in my office. And he did. 

Matthew Everhard is the Senior Pastor of Faith Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Brooksville Florida. Follow him on Twitter @matt_everhard

The Bible, Homosexuality, and Shellfish

By Matthew Everhard 

When President Barack Obama recently endorsed gay marriage this month, an “evolution” of his previous position, the focus of many Americans was again turned to our real national pastime, human sexuality. (No it is not baseball anymore!) More aggressive than in recent months, it seems that many columnists, pundits, and amateur liberal theologians have been discussing--and even mocking--the Bible’s perspective on this controversial matter. 

One of the more common assaults against the conservative “one man, one woman” definition of marriage is to make the Biblical position affirmed in our Scriptures to appear outlandish, strange, and untenable to modern minds. The strategy to make the traditional view of marriage seem obsolete runs as follows (with some slight variations): Yes, the Bible technically forbids the practice of homosexuality in Leviticus 18:22, but it also forbids eating shellfish (Leviticus 11:9-11), and commends the stoning of blasphemers (Leviticus 24:16). Since the latter two are ridiculous, so is the former. This argument would appear credible, if it weren’t such terrible exegesis of the book of Leviticus. 

It is ironic that those arguing such a progressive position would choose these three elements of Levitical law as examples of their “ridiculous by association,” argument. As you will see, these given examples perfectly illustrate the three distinct strands of laws given by God in the Old Testament. 

A redemptive-historical approach to Biblical interpretation demands that we interpret passages of the Bible with their historical context--as regards God’s saving acts of redemption--in full view. During the giving of the Mosaic Law at the covenant of Sinai, God imposed three types of laws upon Israel: (1) First, God imposed moral laws that are binding and timeless. These relate to holiness, ethical purity, and the natural law written on the hearts of men. Absolute in their application, violations of moral law are always sinful. (2) Second, God imposed ceremonial laws given to distinguish national Israel (the people of the covenant) from their unsanctified neighbors. These dietary and cultural restrictions, along with tabernacle/temple sacrificial regulations, were intended to make clear the distinction between God’s people and the surrounding pagan nations. (3) Third, God mandated civil laws imposed upon Israel as a nation-state, much the same as we have federal law here in the U.S. today. These laws pertained to the application and enforcement of the Sinaitic code, with particular reference to Israel as national government.  As long as national Israel existed by standing in the Sinai covenant with God, all three types of laws (moral, ceremonial, and civil) governed the hearts and lives of the people. 

Nevertheless, the Mosaic/Sinai covenant was a conditional covenant, contingent on national Israel’s fidelity with Jehovah God as Lord (Deut 28). Two events radically changed the standing of Israel forever. First, the nation of Israel abdicated its role as the divine representative to the pagan nations by her overt and incessant covenant infidelity. This persistent covenant infidelity ultimately resulted in the Northern Kingdom being destroyed by the Assyrian in 722BC and the Southern Kingdom being sent into exile in Babylon, culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem in 586BC. (This is the dire message of Isaiah, Jeremiah and most of the OT the prophets). Israel, as a nation-state, ordained by God as a chosen people, ceased to exist. The civil law was neither possible nor necessary to enforce. 

Click here to read "Fried Chicken and Traditional Marriage?" by Lee Hutchings.

The other major event is of course the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the pinnacle event of all of redemption history. By dying a sacrificial death for the sin of His people, Christ fulfilled the ceremonial laws in a way that National Israel never could. His perfect obedience and complete fidelity to God fulfilled and abrogated the ceremonial law. Because of His atoning death, no sacrifice and tabernacle/temple offerings are any longer required. We no longer need to offer bulls, goats, or sheep. (This is the whole point of the book of Hebrews). Moreover, Christ fulfilled and abrogated all civil and ceremonial laws initiating a new Kingdom that transcends national Israel in every way. 

At this point, I hope interpreting Leviticus on the other side of the cross and empty tomb is becoming easier. Laws prohibiting shellfish (ceremonial law) and mandating the stoning blasphemers (civil law) seem outmoded and ancient because they are. Christ has come. Christ has died. Christ is raised again. We live on the near side of the cross. 

The moral law (summarized by the Ten Commandments), however, is the timeless law of God revealed in the Sinai covenant for which mankind is still responsible. These are the inviolable moral laws written indelibly on the consciences of all mankind (Romans 2:15), and the standards by which human kind will all be judged. Murder, lying, idolatry and theft will always be sinful no matter where or when they are committed. As homosexuality is a gross violation of the creation order in general (Genesis 2:18-24), and the seventh commandment in particular (Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18), the fact that this practice transgresses God’s standards of purity is beyond dispute. This is why the New Testament agrees with and reinforces the Old Testament’s prohibitions of this practice (Romans 1:26-27; Colossians 3:5; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10). 

Simply stated, the “homosexuality and shellfish” argument falls apart entirely when read as the Scriptures are meant to be read—with a redemptive-historical approach in view. 

Matthew Everhard is the Senior Pastor of Faith Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Brooksville, Florida. Follow him on Twitter @matt_everhard

 

Who Was John Calvin? (Part 3 of 3)

[Note: This is the concluding essay in a three-part short introduction to the life of Calvin. See previous posts: part 1/3 and part 2/3].

Calvin's Lasting Legacy
Calvin left a huge legacy for us to follow as Christians in general and as pastors in particular. I will briefly summarize this legacy with the following points.
 

1. First of all, his literary legacy is unmatched. From his Everest-like work, the Institutes of the Christian Religion, to his nearly unending series of Biblical commentaries, to his heart-felt letters, and his printed sermons, Calvin left enough Biblical teaching for a lifetime of learning. Considering the age in which he lived, the technology through which he wrote (pen and quill!) and the turmoil in which he fought, Calvin’s attention to every detail of every Greek verb is simply amazing. While reading his works are daunting and sometimes technical, one is always amazed at the way in which Calvin so clearly spoke as a tender pastor, relentlessly concerned for his people.

2. As a pastor, Calvin stands as one of the greatest of all times. I will give just a bit of evidence of this. Even though he fought valiantly on the cutting edge of theological controversy of his day, Calvin took the time to visit all of the sick and even wrote letters to the martyrs who were suffering under French rule. More than that, Calvin counseled compassionately those who were hurting and in despair, even visiting daily those who were sick or dying under his care.

3. Thirdly, Calvin’s vision for church planting was way ahead of his time. While most within the Reformation movement were concerned more with theological faithfulness, Calvin was burdened to begin as many churches as possible. Newer research is showing that more than ever before thought, Calvin’s church and academy in Geneva was responsible for literally planting hundreds of churches in France, Europe—and even one attempt as far away as Brazil! The Genevan Academy under Calvin’s tutelage continually reproduced impassioned Christ-loving pastors ready to go forth from Geneva and die for the faith.

4. Fourth, Calvin’s theology sunk into the daily lives of his hearers in an unusual way. Because of his fixation upon the glory of God, Calvin taught his followers that God must be glorified by every act of our daily lives! One example will suffice. Today, if you have a watch from Geneva (still the source of all of the very best watches, clocks, and timepieces) it is no doubt because Calvin taught his Genevan brothers 500 years ago to aspire towards excellence in all things for the glory of God.

5. Fifth, Calvin, by his very precision as a theologian, has inspired generation after generation of believers to forsake the error of “easy-believe-ism” as strive instead toward a full and rich theology of heart and mind. Some of the best scholar-theologians in history were inspired by the French Master himself; from the English Puritans to the Dutch Reformed; from the Westminster Divines to Jonathan Edwards; from John Owen of Britain to Benjamin Warfield of New Jersey; from the French Huguenots to the American Presbyterians; from pastors living today such as John Piper of Minneapolis to Mark Driscoll in Seattle—Calvin towers above them all and summons them upwards.

In the end, Calvin would probably be a little bit disturbed if not angry to hear of his followers being called “Calvinists.” I am guessing that he would have disdained that terminology. He had no desires or aspirations in this life for fame or glory and would be satisfied only that his followers were Bible-preaching, God-exalting Christians. Dying in May of 1564, Calvin’s final wishes were honored: he was buried in an unmarked grave in a simple pine box. His lasting testimony was that John the Baptist’s words be made manifest in his own life: “He must become greater; I must become less! (John 3:30). 

Recommended Reading for Beginning Students of John Calvin

• John Piper, John Calvin and His Passion for the Majesty of God. (Wheaton IL: Crossway Books, 2009). A simple and very short 59-page overview of Calvin’s life and ministry by one of the most popular pastors of today.

• THL Parker, Portrait of Calvin. (Minneapolis MN: Desiring God, 1954). An excellent, short biography of Calvin’s life and times.  

• John Calvin, The Institutes of Christian Religion, Edited by Tony Lane and Hilary Osborne. (Grand Rapids MI: Baker Book House, 2004). This version is a significantly shortened version of the Institutes (thus the slightly altered title). In this condensed presentation, Lane and Osborne present Calvin’s teaching optimistically, that is, they leave out most of his more controversial teaches, especially his attacks on his opponents. For this reason, the book is a good enough sum of what he taught, while leaving out what he taught against.

Matthew Everhard is the Senior Pastor of Faith Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Brooksville, Florida. Follow me on Twitter @matt_everhard. 

A Poem for a Friend in Times of Trial

Through trials and tribulations
His mercy, grace sustains
In storm clouds and darkest night
He brings the gentle rains

Through many tribulations
of fire, sea, and sod
towards gates of greatest splendor
to Kingdom we must trod

Through many perturbations
of heart, and spirit, soul
with faces down, and hands held up
His glory stay our goal

Like Bunyan's pilgrim Christian
we 'midst Apollyon's lair
the precious face of Jesus
are bid to fix our stare

Endured the cross, despised its shame
our gentle Savior hung
copious blood and righteousness
alone our victory won

And though the world and devil
rage and bare their teeth
My Savior and His cross have won
the victor's crown and wreath

Matthew Everhard is the Senior Pastor of Faith Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Brooksville, Florida. Follow him on Twitter @matt_everhard