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Redeemer Bible Church Blog

Christmas

“Behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And called his name Jesus.”–Matthew 1: 20b-24a

              Christmas is that joyful time of year we set aside to focus on the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Incarnation means, ‘in flesh.’ We must not take for granted the astonishing goodness of God to send His only Son, Jesus, to live in humility with us. He came as the long awaited and long foretold Messiah. God with us, Immanuel. The prophecy quoted here by Matthew is from Isaiah, written approximately 800 years before Matthew wrote his gospel. The faithful in Israel never lost heart in hoping for God to send a Savior, one who would fully and truly make a way for the sins of God’s people to be forgiven. But there was mystery. How could a virgin bear a child? How could the fearful God of Moses who often displayed His presence as fire in the Old Testament, come and live in our midst?

              Yet, at the appointed time, there was a shift from waiting for, to accomplishing God’s will. Everything began to change. An angel appeared to Zechariah. Elizabeth pregnant in her old age. An angel appeared to Mary. An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream. Suddenly, the normal patterns of life are altered by the Lord breaking in to accomplish the salvation of His people! I want us to see the continued pattern of the Lord to involve and work through normal faithful believing people to accomplish His perfect will.

              Who were Joseph and Mary? They were not exalted special people. They were not at all the type of people that any of us would choose if we were writing this story! They were poor, working-class people, from a little-known town, from families of no particular importance during their lifetimes. They were not people of great learning or great accomplishment. How is it that God chooses to send the mighty angelic messenger, Gabriel, to visit young Mary and proclaim to her, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” Mary is naturally terrified of this angelic messenger, but also seems confused, trying to understand what this all means. She doesn’t see herself as one greatly favored of the Lord. Nothing about her physical life indicates that she is greatly favored of the Lord.

              Why is the eye of the Lord, which is constantly looking upon the earth to see and strengthen the righteous (2 Chronicles 16:9), turned toward this betrothed couple of no earthly account? From the accounts of Joseph and Mary we learn a number of important things about them. First, they were poor. They had no earthly wealth to give Jesus, such that He was born in the poorest possible situation – with animals in a stable. Shortly after the birth of Jesus, according to the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary present Jesus at the temple for “purification.” They present two birds, instead of the prescribed lamb. This is a permissible sacrifice, but the sacrifice prescribed in Leviticus 12:8 specifically for the poor, who cannot afford a lamb.

              Second, Jospeh and Mary had no earthly status. Though Joseph is in the linage of King David, to fulfill prophecy, but at the time of Jesus Joseph is far from royalty. Instead, he is a working-class man. We assume that Joseph was a carpenter because Jesus was trained as a carpenter (Mark 6:3). Joseph is a working craftsman, who teaches Jesus to also work with His hands. Third, Joseph and Mary are not people of any educated status. Throughout the ministry of Jesus the crowds marvel at His theological learning, because he did not come from a background of formal education.

              If nothing about their lives points to worldly “favor,” why are these two people so blessed of the Lord? The overriding answer is that they are appointed by God for this task, but in that appointment, they live out what is most valued by God. Jospeh and Mary are both humble, devout, godly, and pure people. The Lord does not look to the outward appearance but looks to the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). First, the heart of Mary and the heart of Joseph, are both earnest in their love for the Lord. Their earnest godly hearts are proved out in the same way as every other truly godly person. Their devotion is proved by their obedience, “he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him.” For Mary, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord” (Luke 1:38). By faith they believed and obeyed the Lord. Second, the various passages about them speak directly to their sexual purity. Part of their obedience to the Lord before this calling was their obedience to the sexual morality that the Lord had commanded. This purity was part of why the favor of the Lord was upon them.

              In the same way that the favor of the Lord came to Joseph and Mary for spiritual reasons, the favor that was granted to them was of a spiritual nature. In the birth and life of Christ, earthly favor does not seem to be upon Joseph and Mary. They lived a working-class life, with a large family (Mark 6:3), in a small town, and apparently Joseph died before Jesus’ ministry began. Gifts worthy of an earthly king were only given once early in Jesus’ life. The rest of the time there was daily work. There was no palace. There were no servants. There was no luxury and ease. The kingdom of God is not of this world.

              It’s likely that Joseph never understood the ministry of Jesus, but he believed and obeyed. We still now struggle to understand the spiritual work of Jesus in our time. We naturally want to see a very visible work, a work that fully transforms the here and now. But now as then, the work of Jesus Christ continues to be primarily a spiritual work. The salvation of Jesus is a work that begins in soul, transforming that most important part of us – the seat of our person. From the salvation of the soul the entire person begins to change. That change is certainly real, and the salvation of the soul changes all our priorities. Whereas once we were people of a worldly mind, loving the things of the world, we become by the grace of Jesus, people who awaken and look to heaven with new eyes. By the Spirit of the Lord, we understand new realities and live in a new direction. The Lord promises to provide our physical needs, but accumulation of what the world offers is no longer a priority. The Kingdom of God is compared to a mustard seed, beginning so small and only much later growing into an overwhelmingly large reality.

              As we look to Christmas this year – over 2,000 years after the heavenly visitation of Jospeh and Mary, long after the birth and ministry of Jesus – is the Lord still accomplishing His saving work? We have been met late this year with unsettling news of dramatically rising violent crime, the lowest per capita attendance in Christian churches that has ever been recorded, young people abandoning Christianity, the lowest rate of marriage ever recorded in America, fear of disease, fear of war, and fear of crumbling social structures. And yet there is the promise of Jesus, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

              In the midst of the struggle of our time the Lord Jesus continues His spiritual work of salvation! Not among the rich and powerful, but in our very midst. Amidst the struggle of my life and yours. For such a time as this the Lord Jesus has formed our local church. A local church where many people may hear the good news of the salvation of Jesus in the midst of endless angry rhetoric. A place where people may experience the real peace and safety of Jesus in the midst of rising turmoil. A work that has more than doubled in the past year instead of fading away. A work that displays the power of the Lord instead of the weakness of humanity. A work where youth gladly proclaim, “Jesus as Lord” and are not ashamed to live for Him. A church where marriage is held in honor and sought after (I’ve performed five weddings in three months, and as a church, we have four more on the horizon. Rejoice!). A church that is pressing outward to new places to new people. A church that loves the weak and is not ashamed of the poor. A church not characterized by fear of the world and division, but one filled by the fruit of the Holy Spirit which brings love and unity and joy.

              Yes, the salvation work of Jesus continues in our time! Come near. Be a part of what Jesus is doing in our time!

May Jesus be exalted in our hearts this Christmas,

Pastor Vic

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

              I have recently been inspired and encouraged reading the short biographical accounts of US immigrants written by former president George W. Bush. In his book, Out of Many One – Portraits of America’s Immigrants, Bush recounts story after amazing story of people coming to the hope of America from every country imaginable. The stories have common themes of tenacious hard work, help from friends and family, faith in the Lord God for a better future, and deep thankfulness for the opportunity to live in the United States of America. On Thanksgiving Day, I offer to you this excerpt about the life of Thear Suzuki. May we each be reminded of the goodness of God and that it is His will that we be a thankful and content people.

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              Thear was born in Sokunthear Sy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in either 1972 or 1973—she doesn’t know. “The first eight years of my life were spent in war and refugee camps,” she explains. “Upon their victory of the civil war, the Khmer Rouge, a Communist regime led by Pol Pot, drove millions of people out of cities and into the countryside, where men, women, and children were forced into labor camps.” The crazed, craven dictator tried to reset time to “Year Zero” when he seized power. By year four, he had presided over the deaths of two million of his people. “The Khmer Rouge wanted to turn the country backward into a socialist, agrarian society where all citizens were expected to work for the common good, living arrangements were communal, and meals were rationed,” Thear says. “They persecuted the educated, outlawed schools, and targeted Christians, Buddhists, and Muslims.”

              Thear’s family of seven managed to survive the genocide, which took place on sites across Cambodia now known as the Killing Fields. They worked in forced labor camps and lived in the jungle for years before escaping to a Thailand refugee camp in 1979. After two years bouncing from camp to camp, they found support from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Migration and Refugee Service, which sponsored their move to the United States. “They helped us find housing, secure food stamps, find jobs for my parents, and register us into school in Dallas.”

              Thear’s family only needed the food stamps for three months before becoming independent. “My father and mother worked minimum wage jobs to support our family,” she remembers. Her dad spent twenty-five years working as a janitor at Bradfield Elementary. Her mom took jobs at a local restaurant, Highland Park Cafeteria, and as a maid at the Mansion Hotel. She learned English by watching The Price is Right. The five kids pitched in by rooting through trash and redeeming cans for a nickel and bottles for a dime. They wore clothing donated by Bradfield Elementary families and dresses sewn by their mother.

              Like so many immigrants, Thear struggled with the new language and the strangeness of the food. She remembers repeating a grade to get a better grip on English and scrapping the toppings off her pizza. Eventually, she mastered the language and even took a liking to fried chicken.

              The family initially lived in housing projects in West Dallas, where they feared for their safety. “We often received phone calls telling us to go back to our country,” she says. “We moved out as quickly as possible.” Others in the new community were more welcoming. Thear’s parents had “heard the Good News” in a Thailand refugee camp and converted to Christianity. In Dallas they found a church that embraced and supported them. When Thear was a teenager, Ron Cowart, a police officer who patrolled their neighborhood, got her involved with a scouting group he had started for Southeast Asian students. The program, Exploring, taught Thear about community service and helped her study for her citizenship exam. She aced it and became an American on June 16, 1992.

              Thear credits her third-grade teacher, John Gallagher, as another inspiration. “He helped me through my formative years and helped my family rebuild our lives. Through his kindness and advocacy for my education, my life was completely transformed.” When Thear graduated from Skyline High School in 1992, after serving as student body president, Mr. Gallagher nominated her for a scholarship to Southern Methodist University. “I have been able to achieve some level of success because so many have helped and took a chance on me,” Thear says.

              With her degree, Thear went on to work as a technology consultant at Accenture for sixteen years. She’s currently a principle and talent leader at Earnst & Young. She serves with more community organizations than there’s room to list. She and her husband, Eric, are raising their four boys. Thear says, “We have come full circle, from receiving help from others when we were in need, to now serving others in need. My father has dedicated his life to sharing God’s Word and building disciples. He led the efforts to translate the first Cambodian study Bible. My mother has built water wells and churches in Cambodia, and at age eighty-one, she still goes on mission trips.”

              “Being an American means I am free,” she concludes. “I have rights. I can believe what I want and make choices for my family. I can use my skills and resources to help others improve their lives.”

Ascension-Part 8

Ascension

“… as they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing into heaven as He went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.’” Acts 1:9-11

The Apostles’ Creed I believe in God, The Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day he arose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

              After the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, He appeared to His disciples and hundreds of eyewitnesses on a limited number of special occasions. During this final segment of Jesus’ ministry, he tied up some loose ends and made very clear to His followers that He had risen from the dead into a new and glorified state. These scenes are recorded at the ends of the Gospels and the beginning of the book of Acts. After this brief period, Jesus ascended into heaven never to die again.

              We don’t spend enough time thinking about heaven and contemplating its existence and importance. Heaven is spoken about constantly in the Bible and especially in the New Testament. Heaven is the perfect and mysterious dwelling place of God Almighty. In a number of places in the New Testament a window is opened between heaven and this world, causing the glory of heaven to spill over into our fallen and corrupt world (Luke 2:8-14, Matthew 17:1-8, Mark 9:2-8, Acts 7:54-60, 9:3-6). Heaven is a real place, but also a spiritual place. Heaven is where the triune God dwells with those angels who serve Him and those souls that have preceded us in salvation.

Spiritual things are not visible and tangible in the same way as physical objects, but they are no less real. You cannot reach out and touch or see the soul of another person, but that does not mean that their soul is not real. The soul is, in fact, what animates the physical person. The Bible seems to indicate that the spiritual and physical worlds coexist, with the spiritual only being revealed at specific times according to God’s purposes.

              In John 14 Jesus speaks to encourage and comfort His disciples by telling them about heaven. Jesus says that He will one day take those who believe in His salvation into heaven. Jesus says that a heavenly place is being prepared for them because Jesus wants us to be where He is! That is an incredible statement that we should spend time thinking about. What would it take for us as sinners to enter into the perfection of heaven? It would require our sins being forgiven and taken away (John 1:29). It would require a salvation that only Jesus could accomplish.

But the reality that Jesus wants us to be near Him eternally is shocking. We know who we want in our house and who we don’t want in our personal space. It’s special to have someone invite you into their home for dinner, but something else entirely to have someone prepare a place for you to move into their house. But this is exactly what Jesus calls heaven, “my father’s house” (John 14:2). Jesus laid down His own life on the cross and rose from the dead to accomplish our salvation. He has now ascended into heaven and will accomplish our salvation by bringing us one day to dwell with Him in glory. Eternal life with Jesus in glory is the end of the gospel. Through our salvation Jesus is glorified now and forever.

               Lastly, I would mention that the Bible states that in heaven Jesus serves as our great high priest and advocate. This means that within the mystery of the trinity, the Holy Spirit has been sent to be with us in this life while Jesus is our mediator in heaven. “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ” (1 Timothy2:5). One of the main focal points of the book of Hebrews is the explanation of how Jesus is the “high priest” and mediator of the new covenant of grace (Hebrews 8:1-6). Jesus, in His sinless perfection, offered Himself to God – in substitution for us – so that we might be recognized before God through the righteousness of Jesus. As we confess our sins, from heaven, Jesus forgives our sins by His grace and assures our salvation before God the Father.

              We have a great salvation that we should not neglect! I encourage you to spend more time examining heaven in the Bible. It will turn your heart toward our eternal salvation in Jesus and lift your mind’s eye off the corruption and struggle of this world.

Lord Jesus we look for your coming!

Pastor Vic

< This is part eight in a series of articles on the Apostles’ Creed. If you have missed previous articles, they can be found on the church blog. To learn more about the Apostles’ Creed read: “The Apostles’ Creed: Discovering Authentic Christianity in an Age of Counterfeits” by Albert Mohler. >

Apostle’s Creed-part 7

Apostle’s Creed-part 7

“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.” Luke 24:5-6

The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, The Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day he arose again from the dead …


“He descended into hell” is the most controversial statement in the Apostles’ Creed. I’ll say a few basic things about this phrase. First, the Apostles’ Creed is a basic summary of belief. In its basic nature, much is left unsaid. For all these things we go to the Bible which is our authority and teacher. My understanding of what the Apostles’ Creed is seeking to affirm here is that Christ truly died and truly spent three days in the realm of the dead, from which He arose again to eternal life. Where Jesus was, exactly, during this time is not revealed to us. It is important that we hold back speculation where Scripture does not speak.

The Old and New Testaments use various words to describe the realm of the dead. The Old Testament word is sheol, and the New Testament word is hades. Both words refer to the temporary realm of the dead who are awaiting final judgment. The New Testament uses the additional word gehenna to speak of a place of eternal torment and punishment for those who died without the salvation of Jesus. However, the translation of hades into Latin and then to English often is rendered as “hell.” This can be confusing. The Bible is clear that Jesus died and entered the realm of the dead but does not say that He entered Gehenna (the place of torment and judgement). Some verses that relate to this subject: 1 Peter 3:19, Luke 16:19-31, Psalm 16:10, Acts 2:29-31 (which quotes Psalm 16:10).

From this real death Jesus rose up on the third day, never to die again. A real death and a real resurrection. In Colossians 1:18 Paul writes of Jesus as “the firstborn from the dead.” This means that Jesus is the first to be raised from the dead unto eternal life. By His living power, he has overcome the final and inescapable enemy of all humanity – death. Jesus had spoken of His coming death and resurrection often with His disciples, but they did not understand what He meant. This was in part because what He spoke of was completely impossible according to the normal course of natural life. The bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the defining event of the Christian faith. Because He lives, we also shall live!

On the third day after His resurrection, Jesus is walking down the road to Emmaus with two disciples. They are despondent, thinking Jesus is dead and their hopes are dashed. But, (not aware that Jesus is speaking to them) Jesus says to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scripture the things concerning Himself” Luke 24:25-27.

Sending of Jesus as Savior had always been the plan of the Father, and now the plan was accomplished! The resurrection of Jesus radically energized the disciples and powerfully validated the message of Jesus. There was no more talk from Jesus of “telling no one.” Instead, Jesus commanded His disciples to go and bear witness to the entire world that He had risen from the dead. We still carry that message today!

This resurrection power of Jesus Christ also relates directly to the doctrine of regeneration and new birth. It is by the same power that raised Christ from the dead that spiritual life comes to our souls and our nature is made new (regenerated). If this power does not really reside in Jesus Christ, it cannot be given to us as well. His immeasurable power toward us who believe, is the same power that worked in Christ to raise Him from the dead (Ephesians 1:19-20). It is an “immeasurable” power! So great that no unit of measure can comprehend or quantify the glorious power of God bringing one lost sinner from death to eternal life. What a glorious salvation we have in Jesus! A salvation that begins now, will be worked out in this life by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, and one day be completed in glory!

We serve a risen Lord Jesus!
Pastor Vic


< This is part seven in a series of articles on the Apostles’ Creed. If you have missed previous articles, they can be found on the church blog. To learn more about the Apostles’ Creed read: “The Apostles’ Creed: Discovering Authentic Christianity in an Age of Counterfeits” by Albert Mohler. >

Parenting

Parenting

Children, obey your parent in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor you father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:1-4 
(Sermon follow-up)

For many of us, it is easy to honor our father and mother. For those of us who were blessed with godly or moral parents, they are worthy of honor because their actions are honorable. But some of us are not in this category; unfortunately, some of us were abandoned by our parents or suffered physical or emotional abuse growing up. How do we honor such parents? Should we honor them?
 
With the help of the Holy Spirit, the first way to honor an abusive parent is to come to a place of forgiveness. We all must forgive those who have wronged us, no matter how grievous the wound. This will honor your parent and bring a measure of healing to your own heart. This does not mean that you should allow the abuse to continue. It is important to set up appropriate boundaries. If conditions allow, you can discuss those boundaries with them and explain why they are needed. In many cases though, this may not be fruitful or wise. It is not possible to provide good counsel for each individual circumstance in a general sermon or newsletter. If you have suffered abuse from a parent (biological parents or other caregivers), I would encourage you to seek a mentor or Christian counselor if you need help establishing proper boundaries and working through forgiveness.

Honoring our parents means that we work to ensure that they are cared for, especially as they age. It does not mean that we meet their every expectation or desire. But we should maintain involvement and connection with them (again, assuming abuse or neglect is not an issue). Few people have ever expressed regret over giving their parents too much of their time, but many have regretted losing connection with their parents. I know how easy it is for the weeks to slip by, but I am reminded of how important it is to stay in touch.   In closing, I want to address the discipline of young children.

As I detailed Sunday, the Bible uses the word “rod” in describing how to discipline a child, but the “rod” itself is not described. It is important to never wound your child, so the use of a proper “rod” will ensure that you get their attention and correct their heart attitude without abuse. A good “rod” for young children is a simple one-gallon paint stirrer. Again, if you have questions, please reach out to older parents who have successfully raised their children.  

God bless,
Bob Sawyer
Elder

Mission Update

Mission Update

“We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecution and in the afflictions that you are enduring.”
2 Thessalonians 1:3-4    

This week in Rwanda has been tremendous and full of answered prayer. Thank you for your faithfulness to pray for us while we are out of country. I’ve been posting daily updates to our church Facebook page. What I have not been able to post there, or write about here, is the strangulation of the Rwandan church through dictatorial government regulation. It’s death by a 1,000 cuts. We’ll talk more about this when we are together in person. For now, pray for the Christians here, and pray for the Luttrull’s mission to this country. Pray that both will know how best to share the share the Gospel with boldness and wisdom.

On another note, I have been thankful throughout this week to be able to speak about the vibrant health of our church. I am thankful for your growing faith, increasing brotherly love, and steadfast Christian character. I am thankful for what God is doing in our church, so that I might go to other places and encourage them with what is possible. I’m able to speak with people about what the Lord is doing in our time and under the current world situation in realities, not possibilities. It is greatly encouraging for people to hear what the Lord is doing at Redeemer. We didn’t just read about these things in a book but have lived them and seen them happen by the power of the Holy Spirit in our town.        

Important Note:
Josiah and Stephanie Luttrull, the missionaries we are visiting in Rwanda, are looking for in-country missionary partners for the next two years. The IMB has approved a position for a married couple, or two single men, to assist in the work of teaching and church-planting missions for two years. This posting is fully funded by the IMB. Do you feel the call of God to be involved in foreign missionary work in Africa? Here’s your open door! I’ll be talking more about this when we return and pressing to see if God will fill these positions from Redeemer.  

Sermon this Sunday:
Many thanks to Bob Sawyer for filling the pulpit this Sunday. I am announcing this sermon because I know it will be of particular value to the church. Bob will be preaching from Ephesians 6:1-4 which speaks to Christian parenting. In an age when almost every cultural force is pulling our children away from Christ, this is vitally important teaching. We must struggle, according to God’s will, against the spirit of this age to see our children come to salvation and grow up in godliness. With four godly children and four grandchildren, Bob and Kim have much practical experience in this area as Christian parents. Sometimes the task of Christian parenting can be very discouraging. I urge you to come so that you can be both instructed and encouraged by God’s word in your Christian parenting.
 
May the Lord Jesus strengthen His church in Rwanda,
Pastor Vic

Rwanda Mission Trip

Rwanda Mission Trip

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations …”  Matthew 28:18a

We’re off to Rwanda! I’m writing this waiting for our plane to depart Dulles. Please pray for me, Clay Hicks, Rodney Swann, and Coleson Herron this week as we strive to obey the missionary call of Jesus. Below is our itinerary for the week. Please print it off and pray for us as you have opportunity. By prayer, you truly partner with us and undergird these efforts. All fruit and progress in ministry comes from the Lord by His Holy Spirit. The same Lord Jesus reigns in Kigali, Rwanda as in Spotsylvania, Virginia!
 
Friday: Arrive in Kigali and go to hotel for required quarantine. We cannot be released from quarantine without a clear COVID test. Please pray for a clear test.
 
Saturday: Depart hotel for airbnb near the Luttrull home. Visit with and encourage IMB missionaries Josiah and Stephanie Luttrull, and their four boys. Get bearings for a week of ministry. Coleson will join a local church to practice with their worship team.
 
Sunday: Vic will preach at one local church through an interpreter, and Coleson will help lead musical worship at another local church. After service, we’ll fellowship with and start getting to know local Christians.
Monday / Tuesday: We will be going out into a more rural location to teach a group of rural pastors and Christian leaders. These brothers and sisters have a very basic understanding of Christianity. Vic, Clay, and Rodney will rotate throughout the day teaching, and Coleson will lead in worship. This teaching will be done through an interpreter.

Wednesday / Thursday: We will be teaching a group of thirty urban pastors in the city of Kigali. They will have gathered from various places for two days of prayer, teaching, and worship. This will be a more seasoned group of pastors, and teaching will be in English.
 
Friday: We will begin the day at the child food assistance charity. This Christian charity feeds hungry children and shares Jesus with them. We will be delivering the total gift collected ($327) from our children during VBS and, in Jesus’ name, giving it to these needy children. It will supply meals for approximately a week.

We will then meet with a group of young Christians interested in planting churches outside Kigali. We’ll take questions and speak to them about what God is doing at Redeemer, and how to form a biblical New Testament church.

This day will end with the first session of a community teaching session. Approximately sixty people will gather for teaching from Vic, Clay, and Rodney, and Coleson will again lead us in worship.
 
Saturday: We will complete the seminar by lunch, sign-off with the Luttrulls, then head for the airport.
 
We love you all. See you soon!
 
May the gospel of Jesus Christ go forth in power,
Pastor Vic

Prayer, Book Review, Rwanda

Prayer, Book Review, Rwanda

“For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.”
2 Corinthians 1:5

Please continue in prayer for Afghanistan, our fellow Christians facing increasing persecution, and our soldiers in harms way. First, with the August 31 deadline approaching when the Biden administration will end the airlift, we must continue in prayer for the escape of Christians and others from the captivity of Taliban rule. Join us TONIGHT at the Patterson’s house for prayer. Second, many airlift efforts are underway by public and private organizations. If you feel led to contribute to the airlift effort, I suggest donating to Samaritan’s Purse or No One Left Behind (nooneleft.org). Both organizations are well established, well organized, and have already effectively evacuated 1,000s of people in their target groups.
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Book Review: “Alongside: Loving Teenagers with the Gospel” by Drew Hill
 
I want to recommend an excellent and unique book. I think we all struggle with how to best love and communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ to teenagers. We all know teenagers, and many of us have teenagers, that we love deeply. We should long more than anything for them to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ and follow after Jesus with genuine faith. But we live in highly divided and confusing times. There seem to be new competing and conflicting struggles every day that make it harder and harder to communicate with our teens – much less communicate life changing spiritual truths.
 
“Alongside” teaches parents and youth workers, through inspiring and practical chapters, how to walk with our teens through the struggles of life. Each short chapter includes vital teaching, practical advice for parents, practical advice for youth workers, and lots of questions. These questions are not for you, but for your teen. The questions apply the truth of the chapter in a way that gets the conversation going with your teen. The beginning of any relationship is conversation. If you’re not talking with your teen in a meaningful way, your relationship is doomed.
 
In my opinion the single greatest theme of this book is that we show our gospel love for our teens by pursuing them. Often teens withdraw to themselves, or for some reason conflict comes into our relationship and shuts down communication. It’s our job to show our teens how much we love them by pursuing them. We must demonstrate the love of Christ through relationship. This is not the kind of book you sit down and burn through. This is the kind of book you read one chapter a week and then do your best to apply each week.

I strongly suggest every parent of teenagers read this book, and prayerfully get after pursuing your teens for Jesus. I thank God every week for the work that Mark and Kimberly do with our teens, but the role is given primarily to us as parents. May God bless your efforts and may none of our children be lost to the world.
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Mission Trip Rwanda: From September 2-12 Pastor Vic, Rodney Swann, Clay Hicks, and Coleson Herron will be working with International Mission Board missionary Josiah Luttrull in Kigali, Rwanda. This trip will be a combination of preaching, teaching, evangelism, encouraging local pastors, and encouraging our local missionaries on the ground. Please pray for clear passage there and back and for open hearts to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray for the Luttrulls and for local churches in Kigali.

Thank you for you faithful giving to Redeemer Bible Church. Most of the cost of this trip, for all participants, was offset by the general church budget. We believe strongly that the budget of the church should support foreign mission efforts. This is the first of many trips, God willing, that will be sent out from Redeemer. We plan to continue work with the Luttrulls and expand to work with unreached people in Madagascar through the work of Nathan and Tessa Baker.
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Church Planting Podcast: I had the chance to tell some of my story for the first on “The Church Planting Podcast.” This started as a journey Maria and I were on together, but along the way we all joined in together to plant a church. It’s our story now! Only Jesus knows what will happen over the coming years, but I’m excited to find out.
Episode 1: here
Episode 2: here  

May the good news of the gospel be proclaimed by each of us this week,
Pastor Vic  

New Church Plant

New Church Plant

“And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” –Acts 2:46-47

I want to update you on some exciting developments in our church family that have been prayed about for months but are now beginning to take shape. We ourselves are a church planted by another church – Spotswood Baptist Church. We believe that the multiplication of local churches is the foundation of how the great commission will be accomplished. It is in the local church context that new believers grow in their faith, use the spiritual gifts given to them, partake in the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and grow in relationship to each other. This has been the plan and purpose of God since the ascension of Jesus Christ. We believe that the multiplication of local churches happens best through churches planting new churches, instead of denominational structures planting churches or one famous preacher’s words being broadcast to many campuses.

Planting a local church begins with an able spiritual leader that feels called of God to lead a new church. Since early on in the life of Redeemer we have had a group of passionate Christians driving nearly an hour one-way from north Stafford (through weekend I-95 traffic) to be a part of what the Lord has been doing at Redeemer. I rejoice in the devotion and friendship of these dear brothers and sisters, but I have long felt that at some point in the future the Lord would call one of the spiritual men in this group to lead and form this group into a new church. That time has arrived.

I’m excited to announce that Justin Woodruff feels called of the Lord to begin forming up our first new church plant in northern Stafford, VA. Please be praying for Justin and Molly and their amazing family. Forming and planting a church is not like launching a business. A healthy church is formed around relationships, not marketing techniques. Relationships take time to grow and form in healthy ways. At this point, Justin has simply raised his hand and said “Yes!” to God’s call to lead. The current Redeemer elder board is working with Justin to establish a starting elder board for the new church. We are together in an exploration phase of determining where they will meet, what needs they will have, and who will fill key positions. When we were at this stage with Redeemer, it was a year before we launched our first service at Ni River Middle School. There is no set timeline, only steady and intentional progress forward.

Our goal is for Redeemer Stafford to become it’s own autonomous (self-governing) church. By creating new self-governing churches, there is a greater multiplication of Christian leaders and teachers. There is a greater focus on Jesus being the head of the church, than any one personality. There is also a greater accessibility to pastoral care. We talk often about not wanting Redeemer to become so large that we lose meaningful personal relationship. The answer to this is not to close the doors, but to expand the mission outward. My prayer is to create over years, a cooperating group of Redeemer churches that intentionally share doctrinal agreement, a commitment to expository Bible preaching, elder led / congregationally ruled church governance, and meaningful church membership.

Our vision is a group of churches that are organically related through shared discipleship and planting, but functioning under the SBC denominational umbrella. This will allow for much more personal encouragement and cooperation, but retain the benefits of national affiliation. We’ll see how this goes as the Lord leads! At this point, the elders ask you to pray for Justin and Molly, pray for the initial elder group, and consider whether you may want to join them in this effort. We strongly believe north Stafford needs a church like Redeemer! If you feel like you may want to be a part of this new church, please let Justin know.

One of the hardest things about sending out strong leaders on mission is…sending out strong leaders on mission. There’s a reason why so many of the New Testament letters are filled with emotion about missing beloved friends. Separation is hard. We would all prefer to stay together and just enjoy those we already know, but this is not what Jesus would have us to do now. This rejoicing and rest will be fully enjoyed in heaven. We must now have a great love for the lost, like Jesus did. We must go out and seek them in Jesus’ name. We must be fishers of men. But for every leader that goes out, another must stand up and grow into their vacant place. As some of our strong leaders go out, I will be calling on others of you to fill their places.

My prayer is that this will be the first of many new churches planted out of Redeemer. Together let us live on mission for our Redeemer Jesus Christ.

What a joy to serve Jesus with you,

Pastor Vic

Cross, Death, Burial–Part 6

Cross, Death, Burial

“God shows His love for us in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, The Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried …

It is an incredible truth that Jesus Christ died upon a cross for the ungodly! During his sermon on the day of Pentecost, Peter makes clear (Acts 2:23) that Jesus was delivered up “according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God.” The death of Jesus Christ was not an accident, or happenstance. Jesus knew throughout His ministry that it was God’s will that He be delivered over to wicked men, mocked, shamefully treated, spat upon, flogged, and crucified (Luke 18:32-34). Each one of the Gospels record this event which is essential to our salvation.

The crucifixion of Jesus accomplished atonement for the sins of God’s people. As defined by Wayne Grudem, the atonement is “the work that Christ did in His life and death to earn our salvation.” We did not earn our salvation; Jesus did what was necessary by grace alone. It’s right to ask why Jesus had to die upon a cross. The answer to this question has to do with the holiness of God, the justice of God, and the love of God. In His holiness, God is perfect in all His character and all His actions. He is perfectly righteous and without sin. His command from the beginning with Adam and Eve still stands – if we rebel against the perfect ways of the Lord, we will surely die (Romans 6:23). The perfect justice of God requires a satisfaction be made for our sins.

The Bible calls this satisfaction of sin a propitiation. A propitiation is a sacrifice that bears punishment, or wrath, so that a just judge might be satisfied. Romans 3:23-26 speaks to this situation very specifically. We are justified (or made right) before God by the gracious substitution of Jesus Christ. God the Father sent His Son Jesus to be the substitutionary atonement for our sins (John 3:26). Through the cross of Christ the justice of God is met, and the overflowing gracious love of God is open to us in Jesus. For us, God is both just and the Justifier. This is good news!

Many people are offended by the cross, but a denial of the cross is a denial of the gospel. Those who would call the cross a form of “child abuse” wrongly isolate the crucifixion event from the broader Biblical narrative. It is clear in the New Testament that God the Father loves the Son (Matthew 3:17) and that through the saving work of Jesus on the cross, the Father will exalt the Son and bestow on Him a “name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:9-11). Jesus willingly gave up His life for His chosen people. He laid down His life for the sheep. But unbelieving non-Christians will never recognize these spiritual realities. They do not recognize their own sins, and they do not recognize Jesus as the Son of God (2 Corinthians 2:7-10). Without discerning these two basic spiritual realities, the cross just doesn’t make sense.

Jesus was crucified and died. Jesus called out from the cross, “It is finished,” then He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit (John 19:30). All the will of God the Father for Jesus to accomplish the atonement and salvation of His people – was finished. Jesus had accomplished this glorious atonement for which He had come into the world. There was no other way. He had drunk the cup of God’s wrath to the bottom and had born the penalty of our sins in His own body on the cross. It was finished! When He died, the gravity of this spiritual reality spilled out into the physical world with an earthquake, darkness, and the veil of the temple being torn from top to bottom.

Jesus was crucified and was buried. His burial was not just a matter of course. Jesus’s body was buried with honor and with love. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had watched Jesus’s ministry from afar, but in the end came out of the shadows and, by faith, honored the body of Jesus in burial. His death should have been our death. His grave should have been our grave. Jesus died in your stead, so that you might live.

May we never lose sight of the cross of Jesus,

Pastor Vic

< This is part six in a series of articles on the Apostles’ Creed. If you have missed previous articles, they can be found on the church blog. To learn more about the Apostles’ Creed read: “The Apostles’ Creed: Discovering Authentic Christianity in an Age of Counterfeits” by Albert Mohler. >