Deus Misereatur

  If I have it figured out, William Symington, a Scottish Covenanter for the 19 th Century, wrote “Messiah the Prince: The Mediatorial Dominion of Jesus Christ” as an apologetic for his branch of the Scottish Reformed and Presbyterian Churches in Scotland, many of whom had immigrated to the America, but also had congregations in Ireland, France, and beyond.   His points (in a nutshell) seem to be: 1. Jesus fulfills the threefold office of Prophet, Priest, and King. These three offices, though having different functions, are indivisible. To receive Christ as (atoning, saving) Priest, one has the whole Jesus – including his royal office (King) and declarative office (Prophet). One can’t pick and choose. It is very much the way the saving LORD (Isaiah 32:5-6) puts it in Isaiah 32:22, “For the LORD is our judge; the LORD is our lawgiver; the LORD is our king; he will save us.”   2. As the prophetic, priestly King, he exercises his whole authority for his church, “A...

  There are many voices noting that men and fathers have forfeited the game and thrown in the towel. Some of those voices coach their male audiences to curl up in fetal positions, kick their feet, swing for the air and squall victimhood. Others instruct their viewers that they must reassert themselves forcefully, maybe even abusively, manhandling women and a womanized world. But some authors and talking heads that see the multidimensional problem squarely, are beckoning men to return to the game, unashamed of their masculinity, and to step out in manly fashion, even as gentlemen. And these fill the spectrum from Louis Perry to Jordan Petterson to Anthony Bradley, and more. Soon, Reformation Heritage Books will be stepping into the ring to offer biblical direction for men with a 296-page paperback, “The Redeemed Man” edited by Joel R. Beeke, Richard D. Phillips and Paul M. Smalley. This straightforward volume includes chapters of scriptural direction from a number of pastors and tea...

  Joy is a word that shows up repeatedly in Advent and Christmas. Some think it’s simply happiness. Others assume it means pleasure. A few might even consider it to imply amusement. But real joy seems to come from a deeper place than peppy surface emotions. As one of the Psalm writers describes it, “ to God my exceeding joy ” (Psalm 43:4). And that writer didn’t scribble those words flippantly. He was in a very dark place, a distant land, a far-off spot longing for “ God my exceeding joy .” [1]   Augustine gets at the same point in his Confessions . I have pondered these words during dismal and dreary times, as well as happier seasons. I have quoted them in numerous sermons at Heritage over the last 13 years, and will likely do so until the end of my days. And as we move through Advent to Christmas, it just seems fitting to hear from Augustine about joy, once more: “There is a joy which is not given to the ungodly, but to those who love you for your own sake, whose joy y...

  “ I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation ” (Psalm 18:1-3, 46). Holy God, we pray for all nations and countries, these United States of America, Sudan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Syria, Libya, Luxembourg, Laos and Lithuania, and for the leaders of the world. O God be gracious to us and bless us and make your face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you (Psalm 67:1-5)! We give you thanks for ...