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This afternoon I went on the radio to talk about sex, or rather no sex. Following an article that appeared in the Independent last week which stated that the Bush government’s drive to promote sexual abstinence was coming to an end due to it simply not having any effect, the BBC’s Welsh language station Radio Cymru rang asking if I’d be willing to make a comment about it. The column in question said

“Last week came the “shocking” news that President Bush’s $1bn abstinence campaign has failed. Despite its shaming slogans like, “Would you eat a cookie that already had a bite out of it?”, the Department of Health found no evidence that programmes such as the Silver Ring Thing affected rates of sexual abstinence.”

And it isn’t just on the American side of the pond. Another article, also in the Independent, talked about findings in this country on the same topic - “A new report from Ofsted, the education watchdog, concludes: “There is no evidence that abstinence-only programmes as the only education reduce teenage pregnancies or improve sexual health.”

So what have we gathered? That young people like sex - love it. Hardly worth spending a billion finding that one out, was it? No matter how much they try, people just can’t stop wanting sex, and doing it. No matter how intense the campaign to promote abstinence, young people, just can’t do it.

And that’s pretty much what I said on the show. Sex is good and fun and natural - why would people not do it?

Now, of course, as a Christian, I have some pretty clear opinions on the subject - Sex is good, but for the person that you marry. If you don’t have those bits, don’t think about them. Until that person is your spouse, they are your sibling in Christ, and doing stuff with a relative is beyond wrong. So keep all the bits kids play ‘you show me yours and I’ll show you mine’ with covered up until God says that you are one flesh.

‘One flesh’ is the Bible’s way of saying, married. Sex is the reward for promising to love and honour and care for a person from the day you’re married until the day God calls one of you to glory. Between these two (fairly) massive events in your life, sex is to be enjoyed. God’s even dedicated a book in the Bible to the subject of enjoying sex. What I was hoping to get across on the show this afternoon was not that the Bible (and therefore Christians) is anti-sex, God is very much pro-sex, but only when it’s done on his terms.

As a Christian, it doesn’t surprise me to read that the Abstinence programme that Bush’s government implemented and funded didn’t work. What did surprise me is the way that the news was reported. “Success of abstinence in cutting teen pregnancies is a ‘myth’” was one headline that I read (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/12/01/nsex01.xml).

Hang on a minute… ‘Success of abstinence in cutting teen pregnancies is a ‘myth” - am I reading that properly? Is the paper honestly telling me that it’s a myth that teenagers can avoid getting pregnant by abstaining from sex? Isn’t the best way to not get pregnant by not doing the sex thing? Whilst we’re on the subject, surely the best way to not catch an STD is to not T the D by S?

Of course, this is not what the paper is saying. The ‘myth’ is that the teenagers are abstaining from sex in the first place. No matter how much money is spent on encouraging them to not do it - why should they not, when they find out how good it is?

You see, it’s a question of motivation. Sex is too powerful to simply give up, too good. When you refrain from sex for no other reason other than ‘your own well being’, you simply ain’t going to be able to do it. Instead what’s needed is a motivation that’s bigger than even the fear of catching a baby or a very nasty itch. And the only thing that’s big enough is God. When He’s your motivation, you can.

As I’ve been writing, I’ve been thinking about why people want sex on their terms. Now the good old fashioned reformed answer would be ‘because we are all depraved sinners’, but I don’t think it’s as simple as that. What is it about sex that makes sinners want it on their terms, and not God’s?

Might it be a longing for the high you get from love, but without all the faff of ‘is this the one?’? I’m sure that for a lot of people it would be - they know that love will satisfy them, and they (rightly) see sex as the physical sign of the love that people desire so much.

And of course, we live in a world where we ‘get’ instantly, and we’re used to taking the short cut if there’s one available. So if you want coffee, but without having to wait to grind the beans - instant coffee. ‘You want credit but without all the form filling? Et viola! Internet instant credit!’

You want love but without the wait? Sex. The only problem is, no matter how much you get, it will never satisfy you. And you know what? The bit that’s really going to get you is that even if you find that one partner that you remain totally monogamous with, you’ll still not be satisfied. Deep down, there’ll be a part of the satisfaction that’ll be missing.

Do you want real love? Even when you’ve been at your most deplorable, God has loved you. Even when you have told him that you make the decision in the life that he gave you, God has loved you, and has given himself for you. No matter how broken or dirty your heart is, Christ died to let you experience love that satisfies. His love is instant, and eternal, sustaining and satisfying.

As an undergraduate I loved studying church history. As an assistant Pastor I was mentored by Kevin Adams who also loved church history and encouraged me to read and apply it to my ministry. I love church history.

But I also love thinking about how people will look at our generation in the years to come. What will the students of WEST be taught about Western Evangelicalism at the turn of the Millennium in 2207?? What would their study of source materials (Blogs more than books) tell them about our passions and struggles? What heresies will they be able to see that snuck into our church under the cover of night?

10 years ago I thought they would have a module in historic pneumatology called ‘The Toronto Blessing: Laughter, Lying or Lord?’.

Five years ago I was convinced there would have been a module in the Doctrine of God called ‘The omission of ‘omni’: the day God lost His mind in the openness of God debate.’ At the same time I was worried that we would have a module called ‘The rise of fusion and the fall of united and effective witness on Campus’.

However, all three issues: the Toronto blessing (so-called), open theism, and the alleged rise of Fusion have come and gone (even if a handful of die-hards try to keep the flames alive).

But I believe with all my heart - and wish it were not so - that there will be a module called ‘the atonement controversy at the turn of the millennium’. In fact, there may even be a module called ‘the split of Evangelicalism and the rise of neo-liberal Evangelicalism’ which will be marked by a rejection of penal substitution and therefore a necessary rejection of the authority of Scripture, the character of God, Biblical counselling, and mission.

I truly believe that the ultimate defining moment of our generation is not our embrace of new songs, the rise of house churches, our pneumatology, or even our search for a biblical model of social action. No, the one thing that our generation will be known for and held accountable for is our handling of the debate over penal substitution. EA have dropped the ball, so has Spring Harvest and Christianity magazine. EA have debated and made a statement - but they have not made a clear and defining stand. They have not led us as our forefathers have. Spring Harvest and Christianity magazine (probably the biggest influence on the more left field evangelicals) have embraced Britain’s popularist of the rejection of penal substitution (Steve Chalke) and given him a legitimacy and platform.

A bit of church history: Let me quote a very academic source (Wikipedia!);

‘In the summer term of 1910 an evangelical student called Norman Grubb of Trinity College, Cambridge and a friend, met with ten representatives of the Student Christian Movement to discuss their concerns that SCM was promoting an overly liberal view of Christianity in the British universities. Grubb posed the direct question, “Does the Student Christian Movement put the atoning blood of Christ central in its teaching?” After a little deliberation the answer came, “We acknowledge it, but it is not central.”

Grubb and his friends at Cambridge decided that they could no longer work in partnership with the SCM saying that it had divorced a biblically-based, cross-centred emphasis. They began the Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union (CICCU). Soon, their contemporaries at Oxford did the same, and new Christian Unions (CUs) began to spring up in a number of universities over country.’

That was the start of UCCF.

They took a stand on the Cross. They did what we and every generation must do;

-Define the Cross - make sure we have a full and Biblical view.

-Declare the Cross - ensure that all have the opportunity to embrace and love it.

-Defend the Cross - this is our non negotiable. It is not an optional or secondary doctrine.

Men and women, we MUST make sure that we understand the Cross (Define), we must then share it with non Christians for their salvation and with Christians for their sanctification and joy (Declare), we must also make sure that our generation and the generation to come are not taken captive by the heresy that is circulating contemporary evangelicalism (Defend).

Please meditate on the following:

Isaiah 52:13-53:12

2 Corinthians 5:21

1 Peter 2:21-25

1 Corinthians 15:1-8

Galatians 1:6-9 - With a heavy heart I say that this undermining of penal substitution is another gospel. And Paul is clear on how we are to respond to it.

Let us do all we can to make sure that the students of WEST look at our generation with admiration as we stand against this tide of heresy. Is there a new Norman Grubb out there? Will someone stand as Luther did?

This is our defining moment.

Stand!

A few days ago, Jonny Raine and I ended up in Bridgend, specifically Bryntirion. Jonny had picked up some information about a day conference on ‘The Call’. So off we trotted down the M4 heading WESTwards.

Now I use the word conference rather generously, as when we arrived, there were 6 of us…and 4 of them we’re speaking at the ‘conference’. This was most definitely an intimate gig. But it was great to be there and learn from 4 experienced pastors. We kicked off with a session on the theology of the call, and then moved onto a week in the life of a pastor. After lunch we looked at things they don’t tell you in Bible College and my first year of ministry surprisingly led by a guy who’s just completed his first year of ministry. It was a good day with plenty of opportunity to discuss and ask questions. A shame more didn’t turn up. I was encouraged by the guy who had just completed his first year of ministry and is seeking to reach out to the local community he’s in. He was rightly excited about it.

While we chatted about the difficulties faced in Christian ministry, there was a comment ‘what often keeps me going is a reassurance that I’m called to this work’. This got me thinking about what is our motivation for doing anything. If that’s what keeps some pastor’s going, then what keeps Steve working down at spar going? Surely something bigger than reassurance of our situation we’re called into keeps us going?

It’s the gospel keeps us going in the face of difficulties. Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith keeps us pressing on. There are many aspects of the gospel that keep us going; here are just a few tasty ones:

Knowing that the gospel has saved me, free of charge, all by grace. And so too, it can save others, and it’s so powerful it can even save the hardest nutcase in the east end.

Knowing that our great high priest has gone before us into heaven. So we can freely and boldly approach a holy God and never be turned away.

Knowing that I’m seen as pure and righteousness because I’m clothed in Jesus’ purity and righteousness, all because of him.

Knowing that God remembers my sins no more, they’re totally forgotten.

Knowing that the message of the gospel is true and is relevant for everyone whether they think that or not.

Knowing that one day I’ll be home with Jesus in heaven and all the struggles I faced in here on planet earth will be nothing compared to the glory that’s coming. It’ll all be worth it.

The gospel is so rich and so deep and yet we so often want to be driven by anything else. But whatever our situation is, whether we’re pastoring a church, or beeping through items on the checkout in spar, it’s the gospel that should keeps us going, shape our actions and our attitudes and its Jesus we need to fix our eyes on. We’re called to be gospel driven people.

By Dave Walker

Not that long ago actually, if your talking about the anniversary of the event. An event that is maybe one of the most hotly debated in history. You hear that, IN HISTORY!?

Jesus said, when he was meandering around the Middle East , “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). No wonder it is so hotly contested. If it’s true, then it obviously has some pretty big implications, even if we die, we live. If it isn’t true then hey, when we die, we die.

Nowadays you don’t even need to be an aggressive atheist to argue the fact that Jesus rose on Easter Sunday, apparently it’s become something that us vicars are allowed to uphold… or cast aside…or, you know, whatever. But, if our Bible has a 1 Corinthians in it and that 1 Corinthians has a chapter 15 and verses 3 through 6 then we can not do anything but hold it up so high, so long, that our arms drop off.

There is evidence both within and without of the Bible to support the facts of history, which confirms that Jesus did rise to life three days after he was buried. Over the next few weeks I’m hoping I can cover a few (or more, there are lots you see) of these evidences to help us find more and more certainty in an event which is central to our faith.

From within - Old Testament Prophecy, Jesus predicted it, Jesus actually died, Jesus was actually buried, Jesus appeared to thousands afterwards, within 5years it was a Church Creed, Jesus family started worshiping him, Saul becomes Paul.

From without - Chumps to Champs (the disciple’s transformation), perseverance of the disciples (lying to death), the breaking of the Commandments, empty tomb syndrome, H-bomb Mushroom clouds and how they look a little like an early Church.

All in all it’s a pretty convincing case. I hope it’s going to be useful, even if only for me.

So Word Alive is coming to Wales in 2008 with a genius new name: “New Word Alive”! And personally I think it’s great! Word Alive previously ran one very good week at Spring Harvest in Skegness. Now they are holding a week long conference at Pwllheli in North Wales .

I think the funny thing is that the previously called FIEC Pwllheli Conference has gone to Cheltenham and now New Word Alive has taken its place. I heard a rumour that the site in Pwllheli weren’t happy because the FIEC people weren’t buying enough booze, so if that’s the case then they obviously think UCCF/Keswick people are more likely to booze it up – students huh?!

It’s pretty awesome that since Wales lost a conference, it gained a conference. And the list of speakers lined up, including Don Carson and John Piper, is pretty darn enticing! I’ve been to Word Alive a few times and I think they were the best week-long conferences I’ve been on, so it’s great that something of that quality is coming to Wales .

As for the controversy, I don’t think there’s much to say that hasn’t already been blogged elsewhere. Word Alive won’t have Steve Chalke to speak, because of his views that reject penal substitution. The leaders of Spring Harvest have upheld (at least to an extent) penal substitution but aren’t happy about Word Alive not allowing Steve Chalke to speak. If you want more detail about this look at the article on Adrian Warnock’s blog “Word Alive and Spring Harvest to Separate After 15 Years Because of the Atonement”.

As for penal substitution, I most definitely uphold it, as I’m certain all the other authors on this blog would. Penal substitution, simply put, is the belief that on the cross Christ was punished in man’s place. I don’t think it is the only explanation of the cross, the Bible also speaks of the cross being a ransom and a victory. The cross is also transference of Christ’s righteousness and an example of love and obedience. And I don’t think penal substitution is the complete explanation of what happened at the cross but it is one of the main Biblical explanations of what was going on at the cross. Christ has suffered the wrath of the Father that was deserved by me.

Can I get an Amen?!

It may seem suprising, but there is meaning behind this seemingly odd title. There is a profound link between truth and melons.

In the last blog, John mentioned the Truth of God reaching his mind and the heart, something deeper than merely knowing or understanding. That’s what the melon is all about; truth that isn’t merely cerebral, belief that is based in the heart, ideas that are more than abstract theories but are grasped with faith and in real hope.

Confused?

The second century church leader, Irenaeus, had a bit of a problem with people who loved ideas. People who were crazy about leaping from one exciting and gargantuan theory to the next, consistency and integrity were nothing, all that mattered was philosophy and intellectualism: people whose minds were buzzing but whose hearts were silent. What was his response? Well, naturally he made up a story about melons, gourds and cucumbers!

There exists a power which I term a Gourd; and along with this Gourd there exists a power which again I term Utter-Emptiness. This Gourd and Emptiness, since they are one, produced (and yet did not simply produce, so as to be apart from themselves) a fruit, everywhere visible, eatable, and delicious, which fruit-language calls a Cucumber. Along with this Cucumber exists a power of the same essence, which again I call a Melon. These powers, the Gourd, Utter-Emptiness, the Cucumber, and the Melon, brought forth the remaining multitude of the delirious melons of Valentinus.

This was his attempt, brimming with irony, to show that to live by changeable ideas and theories is entirely subjective. His point was that truth that is made up is not truth, any meaningful truth that can be gained about God, must come from God!

We live in a world that loves to speculate, it loves the unknowable and the mysterious. Irenaeus’ melon set out to show that speculation is pointless, God can neither be known by mysterious speculation nor by scientific research. The melon was an attempt to reveal some eternal truth about God and his self revelation, in a relevant and comprehensible way.

There is an important lesson to learn here. The truth about God was never meant to find its resting place in our minds, it was never meant to stop there. Christians, students, Sunday school teachers, parents, lecturers, pastors…the truth is intended for the heart not merely the mind! If it is left in the mind alone then it will become at best forgotten, and at worst, theorised, rationalised and critiqued.

The truth God has revealed about himself in the Bible, is an eternal, glorious and powerful thing. How are we getting this across in a way that does not solely encourage its dissection in the mind? How are we encouraging others to grasp this truth in their hearts? And how are we putting it across so that it can be understood? I guess it comes down to that old chestnut again – eternal truth for a contemporary world; the progressive practice of the one unchanging truth.

So where do melons fit into your way of thinking? What are you doing to make the revealed truth of God known in a way that goes beyond intellectualism? Clearly I am not against rational thought, discussion and theorising, but surely our greatest need in relation to God’s truth, is to embrace it, grasp it firmly by faith and live by it in our hearts.

So, I’ve gone away on holiday. Easy. I’m in glorious Nottingham (ish) with my in-laws, and next week we’ll go to a little cottage in Newcastle Emlyn. My aim? To spend quality time with my lovely wife, read books and watch some sermons on my iPod. My wife is very easy to spend time with and I love reading – so this should be a no-brainer.

But there is a problem.

I have too much to read and watch/listen to – much too much. One thing I love about being a Pastor is the ability to spend so much time reading and listening to sermons. But there is always more to take in than time to take it in.

Many non-pastors say that they wish they could study as much but they don’t have the time. But whilst I see that they cannot read during work time (unless they work in a very relaxed environment) I cannot understand why they do not read so much on their days off and holidays. Could it be that they are not disciplined? You see, I and other pastors have to arrange our own time. We do not have anyone looking over our shoulders or putting work on our desks. Also, we cannot go to a church twice/ three times a week and be spoon fed from the Bible – as we are doing the spoon feeding. Therefore we must discipline ourselves to seek out teaching, rebuking, correcting and teaching every week. Because unless I am growing spiritually and being amazed at the scriptures day in day out – I will have nothing to offer my people when I stand up front.

Because of this I dedicate one day off a week and at least a third of each holiday to reading and studying. And do you know what? I LOVE it! This morning I started the new book ‘pierced for our transgressions’ and was nearly bouncing off my chair with excitement when I read their explanation and application of Exodus 12. Then I moved onto John Piper ‘Future grace’ and my heart felt strangely warmed as I read and re-read the fact that I am saved by grace and I will be kept by grace. To see that Christ’s grace is sufficient for today, tomorrow, next week, and all the way into glory was a real encouragement –particularly for a natural worrier like myself. Then I spent some time looking at the ‘reformation study Bible (ESV)’ and really enjoyed it.

But it only gets better. I put my iPod on and started listening to ‘songs for the cross centred life’ (SGM) and had all these great truths applied not only to my head but to my heart.

Do you know what? It’s not even midday! What a privilege!

Why do I write this?

1. If you are a Pastor – make sure all your ministry comes out of rest. Make sure you take time to read for readings sake – ensure that you are excited about God and glory in Him on your own Sabbaths.

2. If you are not a pastor – don’t use that as an excuse to be lazy when it comes to the spiritual disciplines. Just set aside 1 to 2 hours a week (that means giving up Neighbours or surfing the internet –where you only end up in porn anyway!) to read and grow.

3. If you are going on holiday soon – get one of the books I’ve mentioned and a great praise album. Sit down and spend time with God. Feed you soul. Delight in the creator. Enjoy your master!

The only frustrating thing is that I have no idea how to put pictures up of the books without Sammy! Any help?

Black or White

That’s the picture people usually paint of Christianity. We are always being forced to take a side on an issue, we’re told if we aren’t extreme we aren’t true to God. Unfortunatly this kind of forced ’side taking’ is almost never with regards the cross (which is the definition of black and white if you ask me.) But is, far more often than not, with regards those things outside of Christ on his wooden throne.

Let me elaborate. Mission or Maturity? Highly Spirtual or Highly Practical? Charismatic or conservative? Faith or works? God’s sovereignty or our mistakes? Choose, choose, choose, choose, choose!

“Black or White?” is the rather aggresive question proposed in our direction. The truth is, Christianity is the religion that brought us the rainbow, a religion of great tension.

We are told we are “in the world but not of the world” The Church is told to “go make disciples” A favourite quote of mine is by our very own Pastor JT, “Pray like a Calvanist, share the gospel like an Arminian.” Men who do very wicked things are used mightly by God (in scripture). The truth is our Bible and Christian lives are full of tension and, honestly, rightly so. We shouldn’t be looking to settle on one side of the fence but rather to fulfil what God has commanded us to do through His scripture.

Unfortunatley each of the cases of tension seems to lend itself in one direction to us lazy Christians. We are far happier ‘Maturing’ the church we have rather than sticking our necks out to reach the lost. We like the idea that if we are just doing the things that ‘Christians’ do, then we don’t really need to depend on God or have real faith in Him. Being either extremly charismatic or extremely conservative is far easier than trying to figure out a truly biblical medium.

The real truth is that this tension requires us to really wrestle in the scriptures and wrestle in prayer with God and to be quite happy with not understanding but always searching for more clarity. It’s a tension in itself, but it’s got to be done.

What areas of tension are you guys finding in your lives at the moment, any scripture that you’ve read that makes you think, ‘Hey, I haven’t quite got it all sown up yet.’ Lets share and grow from it.

I just finished reading the book Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches, which I have to say was an excellent read. The basic concept was to get five emerging church leaders to write a chapter each on what their beliefs are. Then at the end of each leader’s chapter, get the other four to comment on it. The main thing I had instilled in me from reading it is that theology shouldn’t be like a fish out of water where theology is developed outside of practice, which ultimately leads to stagnation and death!

In years past, the model has been to send a guy to Bible College to sort out his theology and then he can put it into practice when he gets to a church community. When I was choosing how to best train for ministry, a wise man in ministry suggested to me that I consider theological training alongside practical ministry. His reasoning was so that I could apply what I was learning so that it didn’t become stale and vague. I firmly agree with this but I would also say that theology should be done alongside practice not just so that theology affects and informs your practice but also to an extent so that practice informs and affects your theology.

I have come back to my parent’s house for a week and when I come back home, although I’m the same person fundamentally, in a sense I’m different. My first evening back, some of us from the old youth club when we were younger went out for a meal and straight away I was back into the common Leicester accent and chatting about the same immature things we always did. Then, with my family, being the third of six children, I slipped back into my middle child ways and have the odd clash with one of my sisters. When I go back to Cardiff, no doubt I’ll go back to my Cardiff ways as I mix with Cardiff people.

Sure we have those fundamentals of theology (Dan Kimball would no doubt say those found in the Nicene Creed) such as the trinity, the deity and humanity of Christ, the atonement and so on. But beyond the fundamentals, is our theology not subject to change within biblical boundaries? And should it not depend on the particular church community at a particular time for theologies on such things as church government, worship style, dare I even suggest it, end times theology? Or are we going suggest that where our scriptural authority isn’t entirely clear, there is still a definitive theology of these things that we can pin down absolutely this side of death?

Is not the better model for growing a theology (the fish) within practice in a church community (the water) ultimately contained by our fundamentals of faith and our scriptural authority (the bowl)?

I’m sat in my study, preparing two sermons for Easter Sunday. The boss is preaching away so I’m minding the baby, if you will. Thought we’d pop off to Emmaus with Cleopas and his wife, Mary from Luke 24 (Here’s a thought. Why is every chick in the Bible called Mary?). As I was preparing, it struck me that the Cleopases, and for that matter, all the disciples’ big problem was that though they read their Bibles like good little Jewish kids, they truly had no clue what the Messiah was meant to do. They were all for the victorious, triumphant King, but missed the point about how exactly that triumph came about - through his suffering and death. They were all about the Psalm 2 Messiah (ironrod wielding enemy-crusher), and ignored the Psalm 22 Messiah (God-forsaken suffering servant). They read in part, and either ignored the bits they didn’t like, or didn’t understand.

Made me think about making pancakes.

To make pancakes you need flour, milk, and eggs. You’ll see that written clearly at the top of any pancake recipe. However at this point, if after reading part of the recipe you think to yourself; ‘I’ve got the ingredients, stuff the rest of the recipe, I’ll figure it out myself!‘ you won’t end up with pancakes at all. You’ll more than likely end up with Yorkshire Pudding. Which, from experience, taste very bad with marshmallows and banana in them.

The Cleopases missed out on recognising Jesus, because they weren’t expecting him. This happened through skipping over the bits of the Bible that they didn’t understand/like. And they ended up with a warped idea of what the Messiah was meant to do (Yorkshire Pud).

Jesus fixes the problem by showing them what to look for when they read their Bibles, er… Him.

Unless we become familiar with Jesus as he wants to be depicted throughout the whole Bible, I fear we may not even notice him if he were to come up to us on the street (get it?).

It all about him.

Jesus is the true and better Adam who passed the test in the garden and whose obedience is imputed to us.

Jesus is the true and better Abel who, though innocently slain, has blood now that cries out, not for our condemnation, but for acquittal.

Jesus is the true and better Abraham who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar and go out into the void not knowing wither he went to create a new people of God.

Jesus is the true and better Isaac who was not just offered up by his father on the mount but was truly sacrificed for us. And when God said to Abraham, “Now I know you love me because you did not withhold your son, your only son whom you love from me,” now we can look at God taking his son up the mountain and sacrificing him and say, “Now we know that you love us because you did not withhold your son, your only son, whom you love from us.”

Jesus is the true and better Jacob who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserved, so we, like Jacob, only receive the wounds of grace to wake us up and discipline us.

Jesus is the true and better Joseph who, at the right hand of the king, forgives those who betrayed and sold him and uses his new power to save them.

Jesus is the true and better Moses who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant.

Jesus is the true and better Rock of Moses who, struck with the rod of God’s justice, now gives us water in the desert.

Jesus is the true and better Job, the truly innocent sufferer, who then intercedes for and saves his stupid friends.

Jesus is the true and better David whose victory becomes his people’s victory, though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.

Jesus is the true and better Esther who did not just risk leaving an earthly palace but lost the ultimate and heavenly one, who did not just risk his life, but gave his life to save his people.

Jesus is the true and better Jonah who was cast out into the storm so that we could be brought in.

Jesus is the real Rock of Moses, the real Passover Lamb, innocent, perfect, helpless, slain so the angel of death will pass over us. He’s the true temple, the true prophet, the true priest, the true king, the true sacrifice, the true lamb, the true light, the true bread.

The Bible’s really not about you — it’s about Him.

(Tim Keller)