How the Supremacy of Christ Creates Radical Christian Sacrifice

I really like to listen to sermons. Maybe I'm a sermon junkie. I opened up iTunes today and noticed that I have 513 sermons via podcast on my iPod... and that doesn't include a couple hundred others that are not counted as podcasts. Have I listened to all of them? No. Will I ever? Probably not. So why have all of them? My weary soul needs the Word of God preached to me all the time.

I do have my certain pastors/churches that I listen to consistent basis: John Piper, Matt Chandler, Mark Driscoll, Covenant Life Church, Paul Tripp, Mark Dever, Tim Keller, my old church from college (Clear River Church), and most importantly, my home church (Sovereign Grace Church). In addition, I'll even listen in on some seminary classes from Covenant Theological Seminary and Reformed Theological Seminary. All of them have been great resources to make my soul happy in God and to teach me doctrine.

However, once in a while, I will come across a sermon that I will listen to over and over and over again. For the past year, that sermon has been How the Supremacy of Christ Creates Radical Christian Sacrifice by John Piper. It is a fervent reminder to consider the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the fleeting pleasures of sin (Heb 11:24-26). It is a call to live with a radical, risk-taking, sacrificial, Christian flavor.

If you want to listen to it, you can either listen to the audio or video via the web, or you can download the audio to your PC. Here's a short excerpt. I hope it serves you as much as it has me this past year. I think I'll be listening to this on the way to work tomorrow.

"When he bids us leave the securities and comforts of life and take up a radical, risk-taking, sacrificial way of love in his service, it is not a path that we take alone. In fact, Jesus is there outside the camp in a way that he is nowhere else. He is not just telling us to go out there. He is inviting us come out here. Here is where I am. Come to me outside the camp.

The supremacy of Christ is not just his perfect fitness to bear our sins, and not just the supremely valuable future Reward that frees us from fear and greed and worldliness, but in his supremacy he is also now our present, personal Treasure.

And there he is outside the camp bidding us come. The sweetest fellowship with Jesus you will ever know is the fellowship of his sufferings.

So I say it one more time: My desire and prayer to God for you is that your life and ministry have a radical, risk-taking, sacrificial flavor.

Let us go to him outside the camp. For here we have no lasting city. But we seek a city which is to come, whose builder is God and whose light is the Lamb."

DA Carson on Spiritual Gifts

The Gospel Coalition has now posted some of the sermons that were the basis of DA Carson's book, Showing the Spirit. If you have any questions about the gifts of the Spirit, this is one of the first books I would recommend to you. For a good overview of the book, listen to these sermons.

1. The Unity of the Body and the Diversity of Gifts (1 Cor. 12)
2. The Most Excellent Way: When Does Perfection Come? (1 Cor. 13)
3. Prophecy and Tongues: Pursuing What Is Best (1 Cor. 14:1-15)
4. Order and Authority: Restraining Spiritual Gifts (1 Cor. 14:26-40)
5. Unleashed Power and the Constraints of Discipline: Toward a Theology of Spiritual Gifts
6. Praying for Power (Eph. 3:14-21)

Or, if you want more, just read it.

Free Tim Keller Sermons

Redeemer Presbyterian Church has done the Christian church a favor by making many of Tim Keller's sermons available online for free. I know I'll be spending some time downloading many, if not all, of them. Ha! Here's Redeemer's reasoning for making these sermons available for free to anyone and everyone.

"Redeemer’s Sermon Ministry has been faithfully recording, cataloging and reproducing all of our sermons for the past 20 years. To celebrate all 20 years of our history, and to meet the growing demand for our church’s teaching in New York City and around the world, we have created this resource of 150 sermons and lectures covering a broad array of topics, completely free to download and share.

The recordings chosen for the Free Sermon Resource were culled from classic sermon series as well as lectures and seminar addresses delivered to various Redeemer ministry gatherings, and are intended to present to the listener the full scope of teachings they would receive over several years of active involvement at Redeemer."

If you are not familiar with Tim Keller is, here is a brief intro. He is the pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. Mr. Keller also co-founded The Gospel Coalition. In addition, he is also the author of best-selling The Reason for God, The Prodigal God, and his brand new book, Counterfeit Gods. I would highly recommend them all to you.

Thanks to: Justin Taylor

TGC Conference: Don Carson

The last talk of the Gospel Coalition Conference was given by Don (or better known as D. A.) Carson. Here is a man who is not only one of the most well-respected theologians in the world, but also one of the most pastoral scholars you will ever meet. My own experience with Dr. Carson has been nothing short of that. So please meet Dr. Don Carson.

Don Carson is a research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL. He is by far one of the most influential biblical scholars of his day. Therefore, if you see anything with his name on it, read it, listen to it, and absorb it. While I would highly recommend you read anything by Dr. Carson, a few books worth reading immediately are How Long, O Lord?, Showing the Spirit, and The Gagging of God.

Dr. Carson's talk was entitled That By All Means I Might Win Some from 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. The main point of his talk was to discuss the contextualization of the gospel. His conclusion is this. As long as we are not flexing on the gospel message, we, as Christians, are free to flex in other areas (e.g. not eating meat when preaching to the Jews). Out of everything that I heard in this message, the one thing that I will not forget is this: "Do not jeopardize the exclusive sufficiency of Jesus!" Here are the audio and video of his talk.

TGC Conference: Ligon Duncan

The ninth talk of the Gospel Coalition Conference was given by Ligon Duncan. Once again, I knew little of this man before I heard him speak. Now, I don't have that excuse anymore. Please meet Ligon Duncan.

Dr. Duncan is the Senior Minister of First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, MS. On top of pastoring a church, Ligon is also the President of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals as well as being heavily involved with Together for the Gospel, the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, and The Gospel Coalition (just to name a few). He has written a plethra of books, including Fear Not and Women's Ministry in the Local Church. It would be well worth your time check out these titles.

Ligon Duncan's talk was entitled Finishing Well from 2 Timothy 4:6-22. It is worth noting that this text is the end of the Paul's second letter to Timothy where he sends personal instructions (such as "Do your best to come to me soon" and "Bring the cloak... [and] the books") and final greetings to Timothy and his church. This is the section of the book that I would so quickly glance over. However, Ligon does an exceptional job of pulling everything he can from these final verses to show Paul's overarching care and concern for Timothy through the gospel. I'll never glance over the end of one of Paul's epistles again. Here are the audio and video of his talk.

TGC Conference: Ajith Fernando

The seventh session of the Gospel Coalition Conference was given by Ajith Fernando. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend this session and have yet to listen to the audio. However, that does not keep me from compelling you to become acquainted with Mr. Fernando.

Since 1976, Ajith Fernando has been the national director of Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka. Along with his duties as national director, Ajith also mentors younger Youth for Christ staff and helps counsel Christian workers. He has authored eleven books including The Supremacy of Christ and A Call to Joy and Pain.

Ajith's talk was entitled Gospel-Faithful Mission in the New Christendom. Here are the audio and video of his talk.

TGC Conference: Bryan Chapell

The sixth talk of the Gospel Coalition Conference was given by Bryan Chapell. Dr. Chapell was another speaker who I knew little about going into the conference but came away thirsting for more of his biblical teaching.

Bryan Chapell is the president of Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis since 1994. He teaches a class at the seminary named Christ-Centered Preaching and has even written a book with the same title. They encompass some of the most biblically faithful and powerful teaching on preaching available today.

Dr. Chapell's talk was entitled Preach the Word! from 2 Timothy 3:10-4:5. The main point of his talk was this: God is still in the business of speaking today... through His Word. He makes this point beautifully when he connects the preaching of the Word with God's voice. He says that when preachers truly preach the Word of God, they are not only preaching about Jesus or for Jesus. No, they are preaching as Jesus. It is a powerful reflection on the very essence of the Bible that we hold in our hands daily. As Augustine says, "When the Bible speaks, God speaks." Here are the audio and video of this session. Pay special attention to the story of the young girl in youth group. It was especially moving for me.

TGC Conference: K. Edward Copeland

The fifth session of the Gospel Coalition Conference was given by K. Edward Copeland. This was another pastor that I was not aware of until this conference, and I came away glad to have met him for the first time. Preaching with fervor and spirit, he has a heart to see the power of the gospel transform lives everywhere.

K. Edward Copeland is the senior pastor of New Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Rockford, IL. He is the author of Riding in the Second Chariot. And for those who are wondering why Pastor Copeland does not use his first name, email me.

Pastor Copeland's talk was entitled Shadowlands: Pitfalls and Parodies of Gospel-Centered Ministry from 2 Timothy 3:1-9. The main point of his talk was this: Though there is Godlessness in these last days, nothing can thwart the power of the gospel. Here are the audio and video of this session. Get ready for the fire!

TGC Coalition: Mark Driscoll

The fourth session of the Gospel Coalition Conference was given by Mark Driscoll. Though branded as controversial and crude, Pastor Mark is deeply committed to following Christ and preaching his cross amidst opposition in one of the most unchurched cities in all of America. He has even had a man rush the pulpit with machete in hand.

Mark Driscoll is pastor of one of the fastest growing churches in America, Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA. He is president of the Acts 29 church planting network and has founded The Resurgence - a missional theological coop that "resources multiple generations to live for Jesus" with theologically correct and culturally relevant media. Check out MarsHillChurch.org and TheResurgence.com for Driscoll's sermons, essays, and many more theologically correct and culturally relevant resources. He is the author of nine (soon to be ten) different books, including Vintage Jesus, Death by Love, and, most recently, Vintage Church.

Driscoll's talk was entitled Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth from 2 Timothy 2:14-26. His talk was mainly addressed to pastors, but many of his points still apply to all Christians everywhere. The main point of his talk was how to discover and positively respond to the negatives (people in your church who have a negative influence on many others in the church) in your ministry. Here are the audio and video of the talk. One word of caution: Laughter to ensue.

TGC Conference: Phil Ryken

The third session of the Gospel Coalition Conference was given by Phil Ryken. Before the conference, I had never really heard of Dr. Ryken. I'd heard his name in passing and maybe on a few books, but that was really it. Man, was I ever missing out!

Dr. Ryken is the Senior Pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, PA. He has authored many books including He Speaks to Me Everywhere and The Message of Salvation. Don Carson has even referred to him as one of the greatest expositors of Scripture the church has the privilege of knowing today.

Ryken's talk was entitled The Pattern of Sound Words from 2 Timothy 1:13-2:13. The main point of this session was that Paul was calling Timothy to remain faithful to doctrine and practice in his ministry. Therefore, so should we - whatever our ministry may be. Be sure to hone in on the last part of his talk where he addresses our faithlessness and God's faithfulness (2 Timothy 2:11-13). It's a solid reminder that the gospel is needed not only for non-Christians, but Christians as well. Here are the audio and video for you to enjoy.

TGC Conference: John Piper

The second session of the Gospel Coalition Conference was given by a personal icon of mine, John Piper. Driven by his passion for the supremacy of Christ in all things, Dr. Piper stamped his mantra on the hearts of men and women around the globe: "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him." Not only does he faithfully lead and shepherd his own flock at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN, but he is also building up a generation of men, women, pastors, and laymen around the globe who long to see God glorified through the gospel of Christ.

John Piper has written dozens of books, all of which you should read in your lifetime (I'm still working on that). His more infamous titles include Desiring God, The Pleasures of God, and his most recent release, Finally Alive. All of Dr. Piper's sermons, essays, manuscripts, and books are available online at DesiringGod.org at no cost to the user.

Piper's talk at the TGC Conference was entitled Feed the Flame of God's Gift: Unashamed Courage in the Gospel from 2 Timothy 1:1-12. His main encouragement throughout the whole talk was this: "Keep feeding the flame of God's gift in you - namely, unashamed courage to speak openly of Christ and to suffer for the gospel." He then continues on to explain that the flame of this gift (courage) is dependent on the feeding of it and the feeding of it is dependent on God's grace. The audio and video can both be found here.

One final note. If you have ever struggled with the fear of proclaiming the gospel and suffering for it, keep a box of tissues nearby. This message will mess you up... in a good way.

TGC Conference: Tim Keller

The first session of The Gospel Coalition Conference was given by Tim Keller. If you don't already know Pastor Keller, I suggest you get to know him... fast! Be sure to check out his page on Monergism.com. Monergism has many free sermons, manuscripts, and resources all by Keller himself.

Here is a brief synopsis of this highly influential pastor. He is the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, New York. According to Christianity Today, the church is "one of Manhattan's most vital congregations." He has written five books which include The Reason for God, The Prodigal God, and one due out in October, Counterfeit Gods. All of them come highly recommended.

Keller's talk was entitled The Grand Demythologizer: The Gospel and Idolatry. The main point of his talk was this: "Without challenging the idols of our day, effective gospel ministry cannot happen." He then went on to discuss how to discern, expose, and destroy idols. Here is the audio and video for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

The Gospel Coalition: Overview

For the past 3 days, I have been at the Gospel Coalition Conference 2009. It was, unashamedly, one of the most edifying, emotional, and powerful experiences I have had in a long time. Therefore, I want to make sure that I share that with you.

But before I do that, it might help to know what exactly The Gospel Coalition is. Tim Challies has a helpful post entitled What Is the Gospel Coalition? Here is an excerpt describing what the Gospel Coalition is not.

Sometimes it is easier to define something from the perspective of what it
is not. This may help alleviate confusion by allowing us to see what roles
this organization does not intend to play. And in this case we will find
that The Gospel Coalition is not a church and that it is not a denomination.
It seeks to support both churches and denominations but to exist separately
from them. It is wider than denominations even while acknowledging that
denominations must continue to exist. It seeks to support the local church
without replacing it.

It is also not a replacement for anything. It seeks to exist alongside
Together for the Gospel (which is why they have conferences on alternating
years) and the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. It exists alongside
churches and denominations.

The Gospel Coalition is also not a conference. It does (at least at the moment) have a large conference every two years, but this is only a part of what it is and what it does.

In the net few days, I'll post the audio and video from each of the sessions.