The below is a poem by Pastor John Piper I have set to music and pictures.
The sermon where I heard the poem is available HERE
Some time ago I was struck with the idea to write songs based on the 18 articles of faith found in the New Hampshire Confession of 1833 which our church has adopted.
They were to be a way to introduce and teach the doctrines to children at home and in the church. The Jr Youth kids at McFerrin already do a couple of them and I will continue to add them as time goes on. Several have asked about sharing them and I have intended to share them in a polished, published, recorded format… I haven’t gotten there yet but since some have asked for them here they are in a crudely recorded format.
There are 18 songs; one for each article. I have added a music player on my homepage (http://thewayweb.org/) but here is a link to just the player if it doesn’t show up in your browser as a part of this post:
Wait! Don’t look away! this is not a shame you into it kind of thing or a beat down about not having enough Bible time with your kids!
To prove it, let me begin with this:
When I announced we were once again going to begin having Bible time in the mornings (following a reading plan to finish the Bible in a year) and that some others we know were following the same schedule, the first question by my middle son was, “What happens when we miss a day?” He asks this because I must admit to never successfully maintaining the schedule all year long with my kids. He knows we will not make it some days.
That being said, we have attempted to emphasize the Bible in our home and encourage its reading. I praise God that He has enabled us to do as much as we have. It is important that we as parents teach Bible at home. This is not just so that they hear the gospel to be saved, although that is a primary reason to which all others point. We need to help them define categories of thought that are not naturally formed. They cannot have a biblical world-view unless we help them form it. If we do not teach them for instance about sin, they will learn from other sources, which means sin for them will be a relative concept to be decided by each individual rather than God’s Word.
I recently had a conversational experience with my children that makes me thank God for His grace in our lives and highlights the need for continuing to keep them in the Bible.
I had dropped my wife at a store while I drove over to get milkshakes. After driving away one of the kids asked why we were leaving mommy. In typical fashion I responded fecitiously that we were just going to get a new mommy. This caused some amount of back and forth between the children and myself. I ensured they understood I was kidding and that would never happen. They made it clear they never wanted that. Then one of them asked why people divorce. After carefully choosing words (and milkshakes) I tried to explain that I don’t fully understand all the reasons but that God didn’t like divorce and mommy and I never will. Before I could finish my thought my 5 yr old asks, “Daddy, doesn’t God bring good things sometimes out of a divorce?”
Here is where I am thankful and amazed that they are thinking in relation to scripture and God!
So now we got to discuss how God redeems bad things. We spoke about Joseph and his brothers in Genesis chapter 50 and then spoke about the crucifixion of Jesus. What a wonderful opportunity to discuss God’s redemption!
To top it off and make it personal they unanimously decided that their Uncle Tommy was definitely a good thing. According to my 5 yr old, “…he’s good acause he tickles us.”
So keep your kids in the Word! Read the Bible with them! Discuss it! Help them form categories of thought that will lead them to the Lord for understanding. Also, ask me through the year about our reading progress… I might could use the reminder myself.
My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed a date day recently thanks to my parents being willing and seemingly excited about a six-child invasion into their normally quieter lives (The kids do love their Mimi and Pop-pop so). We had a very nice meal and did some shopping before using a gift card to see a movie. Given that we very rarely go to the theaters we usually like to make the most out of such opportunities. Many movies are fine for watching on DVD or Netflix but offer no reason to see them in theaters. To be theater worthy in our book means it must be visually stunning (chocked full of special effects) and/or action packed such that the larger screen and improved sound system actually makes a difference. Comedies and Dramas usually are reserved for home viewing for instance.
Upon this occasion we chose the new Tron Legacy movie. I recall seeing the 1982 original on VHS many years ago and remembered how exciting the high-tech thriller was. Actually that’s mostly all I remember about it other than playing the video game a few times. Having heard the hype about Jeff Bridges playing opposite a computer animated younger Jeff Bridges and the revamping of the super cool light cycles I thought this was definitely theater worthy. We certainly enjoyed the day and the movie did not disapoint. Visually it is a thrill ride with improved graphics and all the user vs program tension from the original. The best part, however for me was afterward when discussing the movie with my wife.
We were conversing about the fact that although Jeff Bridges character was the creator of this alternate world and though his son somehow also was translated/teleported into it, they couldn’t just reprogram it all and end the conflict. This of course would have NOT made a hit at the box office and been much shorter… but more than that it struck me that the TRON storyline is the epitome of man made religion. It is a glimpse into the mentality of many unbelievers’ understanding (read MISunderstanding) of the gospel. It reminded me of talking to my kids about Greek mythology. Their gods in almost no way actually resemble God. They, like TRON: Legacy are the way men would have written the gospel and in some ways continue to write and speak about it today.
The mythological gods much like Flynn (Jeff Bridges) in TRON: Legacy are completely insufficient. He like they created a ‘world’ but then their own creation rebelled and became more powerful so that the creator becomes subject to the creation. This view reminds me of the first chapter of Romans where people professed to be wise and in fact were foolishly worshiping the creation over the creator. In TRON: Legacy the creator (Flynn) of the alternate digital world is called at one point a false deity. Many make the same claim of the One True God today.
Praise be to God that Christ is nothing like this in reality. He is all sufficient! Unlike these fictional characters He came into the world that He created but was NEVER subject to it. It is true that He ‘veiled His glory’ and in fact suffered in the flesh but never was He not in control. Never was the Lord unable to simply will that things cease and/or change. His authority was maintained throughout His earthly ministry (Matt 26:53) and He chose to continue to be obedient to the Father’s will even unto death for our atonement (Phil 2:8)
No friends I won’t spoil the movie for you but suffice to say Flynn and his son are absolutely subject to the applicable ‘laws of nature’ in the created digital neon world that makes TRON and its sequel so fascinating. They face real danger of being ‘de-rezzed’ which would be the end of them even in the ‘real world’. Jesus on the other hand willingly condescended being subject to the Father’s will, not to any of ‘creation’ or even fallen angels; openly displayed His authority over this natural world repeatedly by performing miracles (read any of the gospels); laid down His own life willingly (no one took it – John 10:18); and His death in this world led to victory over this world and forever has secured our justification (Rom 8:34). He and He alone is sufficient to save. He is both creator and Lord of all. His authority is never in danger of being over thrown. Winds and waves have always obeyed His will. Enjoy TRON and other stories but know that even these often atheistic entertainment venues declare the supremacy of Jesus Christ!
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