CHRIST THE UNIQUE PREACHER

 Dear Friends,                                     May 22, 2022

On Tuesday I continued at the International Presbyterian Church (what last week I foolishly entitled the ‘Independent’ P.C.) in my scheduled three lunchtime evangelistic studies on “The Work of Christ the Prophet.” I am examining why is it that people said, “No one ever spoke like this man.” And my second answer this week was, because of the astonishing claims he made. They are all the more extraordinary because of the humility of the man. Thomas Goodwin’s The Heart of Christ opens up those familiar words of our Lord, “For I am meek and lowly of heart,” and Dan Ortlund has written a best-selling book using this approach of Goodwin as he describes the character of Christ. The new book is called Gentle and Lowly. It is this meek man who had made fence posts and shelves for two decades in a one donkey village surrounded by thorn bushes who was to begin his public ministry for the final three years of his life. During that time the carpenter’s son made many, many extraordinary claims. Muhammed Ali, the late boxer, could boast about himself and refer to himself as ‘the greatest.’ That was all about vanity, money and showbusiness. But Christ was so meek; when they nailed him to a cross he prayed, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” No impression was imprinted upon his disciples more deeply than his humility, wrote Warfield. His life endorsed meekness and self-abnegation, and yet his claims were as high as the throne of heaven itself.

For example, the Lord Jesus claimed to be himself the way, the truth and the life and that there was no other way of coming to God except via him, so that people should honour him just as they honour the Father, that everyone who believes in him Jesus himself will raise up from the grave on the last day, that it is he alone who is going to determine the destiny of every single person on the globe, that the standard of judgment will be how they have related to him. He claimed that he never began to exist – as compared to all the rest of us who’ve known a beginning to our lives. But he was there in the beginning; in other words, there never was a time when he was not; before Abraham was he lived. He even claimed equality with God, “I and my Father are one.” And the most remarkable of all is the fact that he does not make these claims boastfully but meekly, as one beset with gentleness and weakness, in the most matter-of-fact manner. He was simply stating them as undeniably factual. That is how it has been, and is, and ever will be. He and God  - were one!

In many ways the challenge of Christianity is that self-consciousness of the Lord Jesus. The logic is plain; that as he says that he is your God then to him you have to respond accordingly. We are challenging the world not with some emotional challenge but an intellectual challenge, with the veracity of the claims of Jesus, with what men must otherwise dismiss as a ‘megalomaniac Christ'. There is one great reason for being a Christian and that is that it is true and so the Christian has the right to say to every single person all the round world over, “Stop! The tomb was empty. Christ arose. Christ is God. Submit to him because of the objective reality and veracity of all that the Lord Jesus said.” Then of course he endorsed his words continually by displaying his authority over the wind and storms, over the work of the devil, over every kind of disease, even in its later stages, and even over death itself, He was quite capable of reversing its killing, destructive power. He resurrected the dead. There were tens of thousands of these mighty miraculous acts that he did. It seemed to John his apostle that all the books in the world could be filled with the reports of his signs and wonders. These works of Christ are a multitude of confirmations of the truth of his claims. ‘Believe me on the basis of my works’, he can plead. He was not a conjuror or magician for when he opened his mouth it was not with some weak voice that he spoke but with depth and beauty. What more could he say or do to persuade you to acknowledge his deity?

If this central significance of Jesus Christ, especially the importance of his redeeming achievements, are rejected, then you can see what inevitably happens, that the vacuum is filled by the marginal activities and claims of mere men and women. They are bound to replace what our Lord has done. For example, it has just been announced in early May by the Vatican that in September and October two rib fragments, both kneecaps, muscle from the right thigh and some other tissue all cut away from the body of the 19th century French women Bernadette Soubirous, have been locked within an ornate box called a ‘reliquary’. They are going to be brought from the U.S.A. (where they are currently being driven around the different states) to the British Isles to be driven from each Catholic cathedral to another right across England, Wales and Scotland, none to be omitted. They will also be driven to Wormwood Scrubs prison in west London, where a special Mass will be held for the convicts. This box will also be displayed at the Church of England’s Liverpool Cathedral. What is the Church of England thinking of?

 

When similar body parts of Teresa Martin of Avia, Spain (who died when she was 24) were brought to Britain in 2009, half a million people went to see the box of her bits. Organisers of the mummified arrival of parts of Bernadette’s body call this the ‘most important relic ever to be brought to the U.K.’ They are hoping that a million people will come and look at the Victorian box containing those fragments. The Roman church has announced that some catholics have prayed to these dead women and their prayers have been answered in a miraculous way. The seriously ill took a turn for the better and lived. So the two women have now been pronounced by the pope to be ‘saints,’ and the church encourages everyone to pray to those women, especially when boxes with bits of their bodies inside are brought to the country where they now live - they don’t have to go to Lourdes or Avila to see the box of bits. It is all very medieval and most grievous. But when Jesus Christ is lowered then other stuff is exalted.

 Of course there is not a hint of any protests of such an event, but Billy Graham’s son, Franklin Graham arrives soon for a tour of some of the main cities in England, a tour entitled ‘God Loves you.’ Already there are protests and interruptions of the services hinted at. The Mayor of Liverpool, Steve Rotheram has said that Franklin Graham is a ‘hate preacher’ and that advertisements for the Liverpool meetings should be removed from buses because they leave passengers feeling ‘uncomfortable’ and ‘unsafe’. The chief minister for Wales, Mark Drakeford, told the Welsh senate that he deeply regretted that this preacher was coming to Wales. Adam Price the leader of Plaid Cymru said that Franklin Graham was not entitled to preach at the Newport Convention centre that is 50% owned by the Welsh government.

 Well, I feel uncomfortable with bits of bones and mummified tissue being brought to Wales and people being encouraged to look at the box in which they are kept, and that they are being taught that such a visit to the casket of bones will help them to get to heaven. Very uncomfortable. But I will not protest about adverts or interrupt the surveillance of the box of relics though my friends could well be giving out leaflets to the people waiting to glimpse the reliquary.

 I have been listening to the testimony of how a man called Elliott Osowitt became a Christian. It was for me most touching. After being called up and fighting in Viet Nam the nice boy had changed. He become an unfaithful, selfish, family-destroying man, and all he was drawn into he marred, including his family, his wife and children. God lifted him out of it all and He made him a preacher. I think you can find a copy of him telling his story if you put ‘Elliott Osowitt’s Testimony’ on Google. That is what I did and after filling in one or two places I finally heard another pastor introducing him. Then I listened to his humble story of how God lifted him from sinking sands and despair. Nice voice.

Blessings on you,                        Geoff

P.S. James A Dickson is expecting the delivery of my In the Shadow of the Rock at the end of the coming week and will be selling it for £14.99

DR PALMER ROBINSON AND SPEAKING ON CHRIST THE PREACHER

 

Some of you are very familiar with one of the most reliable and creative scholars of the Hebrew Old Testament extant today, Dr Palmer Robertson. But others of you don’t know a thing about him. Allow me to let you into our relationship. Palmer and I met in September 1961 at Westminster Seminary, Philadelphia. I was beginning the three-year course there, while Palmer was the senior student and completing his studies. He was chairing the welcome meeting for us freshmen as the new term began. That is the first time I was to hear his beautiful Mississippi accent that I have come to consider the Number One accent in the USA.

We were to meet 18 years later in 1979 when we were speakers at the Pensacola Institute of Theology in Florida. We both had three girls and the six got on well together as did our wives. Subsequently Palmer, on his sabbatical years from teaching at various USA Presbyterian seminaries, came to Cambridge generally to write his helpful books and it was in that university city we also met on a number of occasions. For example, I preached at the university CU Christmas carol service, not very well, but Palmer encouraged me afterwards. He has also spoken at an Aberystwyth Conference weekend and at Banner of Truth Ministers’ conferences.

When his lovely wife died he subsequently married the delightful Joanna. He honoured me by inviting me to be best man. God subsequently gave them three sons, Murray, Daniel and Elliot. Palmer spent many years teaching in a couple of East African countries. We even met there! But now he has retired to Winston Salem in North Carolina and his oldest son Murray has just got married to Hannah.

Last year came the great test for Palmer and family. Early in the year he was ill and upon examination was told that he had rectal cancer. He says, “The doctor’s words didn’t arouse fear, terror, hopelessness, but instead a complete calmness. God knows what he is doing. We will wait on Him. Then came the surgery, and I was told, ‘for several weeks you will not feel like doing anything. You will not be able to concentrate. You will hardly be able to move about.’ Then after some months came the post-operative analysis and the medics’ conclusion was this, ‘You are perfectly cleared of all cancer. You have no need of chemotherapy.’ Hallelujah!

“Then followed the months of recovery. At first I could not walk from one end of the house to the other without panting for breath. Then gradually I could walk a block to the end of the street. Finally I would walk 15 minutes, and then a half-hour, then a full hour. Praise the LORD! Glory to Him for his healing grace. As the psalmist says, He heals all your diseases, either in this life or in the life to come.”

All this made a memorable 2021 for Palmer and Joanna, but more was to come that same year. Palmer has been on an eight-year writing project entitled The Christ of the Consummation. A New Testament Biblical Theology. Volume 1: The Testimony of the Four Gospels. Off the Robertsons went again to Cambridge, ileostomy bag and all! Palmer spent a month in Tyndale House to do the final research under the eye of the publisher’s editor, and in the opening days of this year that project was done and dusted. Incredible . . .  but why should we be surprised at the mountains of achievement that men of God climb – Luther, Wesley, Chalmers, Spurgeon, Bavinck, Lloyd-Jones, MacArthur, Mohler. Even we mere Christians too can do all things through the Christ who gives us strength and enables us, certainly achieving much more than we are doing now. Palmer has written at least fifteen books including Christ of The Covenants,  Final Word,  The Israel of God: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow,  Covenants: God's way with his people, The Christ of the Prophets. I fondly think of him as the Alec Motyer of the USA.

The pastor of the International Presbyterian Church in London (that was founded by the late Francis Schaeffer), Paul Levi, asked me to speak at three consecutive Tuesday lunch time meetings at their church this month of May at 1.05 p.m. I decided I would give three messages of one of the offices of Christ, that is, the fact of his being a prophet. So, I asked the question what were the people referring to when they agreed that no man every spoke as he spoke. The first morning I answered it by speaking of the authority with which he spoke and I broke it down into three categories.

Firstly, the independence of thought and originality with which he spoke. He never quoted the ancient rabbis and hid his opinions behind their statements. He said, “Very verily I say unto you,” and on the basis of his own authority spoke out on oaths, divorce, the sabbath and Scripture itself, constantly and simply in his own name. Even demons recognized his authority,

Secondly, he had this tremendous cogency, how beautifully compellingly he spoke, though constantly provocative and controversial. He commanded attention in whatever he said.

Thirdly, the Lord Jesus had the deepest confidence in what he was saying, that it was utterly relevant to every single one of his hearers. Are you building your life on the teaching of Christ? Then you are like the man He spoke about who built his home on a rock and so it was able to withstand all the pressures and storms of a hostile world. Christ’s teaching accepted and practised makes you a survivor, but better still, even “more than a conqueror.”           

Geoff Thomas 

 THE FIRST WEEK BACK FROM THE USA.

I have acted, and I have done something radical concerning these weekly ‘musings’ that you receive. The situation is this, that the number of my friends receiving them has increased over the past year exponentially (I have always wanted to use that word), and whereas I was able to send them out one by one for many years that activity has now come to dominate a whole day. I could occasionally pray for this brother or that sister as I Emailed each one, but now another dozen In Texas have asked me if they could receive my letters. I am glad of that but, reluctantly, I decided I would do what I should have done some time ago. I have compiled a list of those receiving my letters and the theory is that henceforth at the press of a button with a kind of ‘woosh!’ out will go all the weekly musings in one fell swoop. That is the theory.

But achieving this has not been easily affected. I fear I have added a duplication of the addresses of some . . .  perhaps many. My apologies. If you could write back and tell me that there is an old address that you do not want to be used then I will attempt to remove it, anything like that. I am an utter amateur in this business. I fear there will also be an awkward adjustment to this new system and some friends will perplexedly cease getting any letters at all. I am very sorry about that possibility, but we have to try to cruise along together until we get a bit of order into my communications. Of course, these days are also the perfect time to drop me a note and tell me that you are so busy that you do not have the time to read my musings. Then in a flash I will relieve you of that embarrassment, without any bitter feelings, and save you from being on the receivers’ end of my list. We are all getting too much Email. I hope that this decision does not result in much confusion and many new problems.

I got back from the USA very refreshed. I had the best of health while I was there after the hiccups of the last month and a half. Renewed friendships were a delight and I enjoyed the ministry I heard while I was there. Iain Murray once said to me that ‘something is happening in the USA.’ A couple of things struck me confirming this fact. The first was conversions. In both the Denton and the San Antonio congregations I met loads of converted men and women, old and young. It was perfectly natural for them to tell me of how they had become Christians six or ten years ago, with their spouses and children too. There was a vitality and earnestness in these congregations. There were well attended prayer meetings and no shortage of men getting to their feet and praying during the prayer hours. Timothy Conway had seen such blessings of saving grace during his years in San Antonio. Today he is confronted with the comparatively fallow ground of the UK where he is now working. The baptistry is not being used as it had been regularly opened in Texas. Of course, this happy phenomenon is not everywhere commonplace in the USA. It is in the South that I have been during the last month. New England is one of those other areas in America where spiritual growth is slower, just as it is here in Old England; it is hard going in the U.K. Things are more resistant to the true historic Christian message. Also decisionism has everywhere created, in the claims of ‘conversions’, a patronizing cynicism amongst observers. But I was impressed and encouraged at meeting many converted people and I joined those other British preachers who customarily testify of the refreshment received while preaching overseas meeting the interested response of new converts. There is a harvest time in some places that is not so readily evident anywhere in the U.K.

The second feature in the USA is the impact of the publishing houses, the volumes produced, as well as the expanding work of the seminaries - Baptist, Presbyterian and Reformed.  For example, take the city of Grand Rapids a community that is the size of Cardiff. Larger Grand Rapids and large Cardiff each contain about a million people though the city limits themselves have smaller groupings, Grand Rapids 200 thousand and Cardiff 470 thousand. But Grand Rapids has a tradition of evangelical and reformed Christianity that is quite remarkable. A few years ago there were three men living in that city, Joel Beeke, Al Martin and Greg Nichols. They each produced some enormously valuable big sets of volumes of theology. Amongst the many books Dr Beeke has written are the first three of a predicted four volume set of Reformed Systematic Theology, each volume lap-breaking in its size, that is about 1300 pages per book. While Al Martin has also produced three hefty volumes of Pastoral Theology on preaching, pastoring and evangelism, the smallest of which is almost 500 pages. Then Gregg Nichols of the Reformed Baptist Church in Grand Rapids, the former lecturer in Systematics in Montville N.J., has just completed his fourth volume of Lectures in Systematic Theology to be published maybe at the end of the year, which set he would like to see being completed in yet a few more volumes. This would then become the best ever and most comprehensive Baptist work of systematic theology. All these productions are nicely preachy and doxological in tone, exegetical and historical while remaining full of application. They are not ‘dry as dust’ dogmatics. There is gold dust. So those three men lived in that relatively small community, a half hour drive from one another and these tomes have appeared. But on top of that fact is the presence in Grand Rapids of the ‘Dutch Translation Reformed Society’ (a group of businessmen and professionals) that has organised the translation in the last twenty years of the four volumes of Reformed Dogmatics of Herman Bavinck, and that is being followed by three volumes of his work on Christian ethics which is still in the process of translation and production. In the meantime Reformation Heritage Books in Grand Rapids is producing for the first time in the English language the entire works of the Scottish Reformer, John Knox. Two volumes of his writings have appeared exclusively in Latin hitherto. Then there is the Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and that is the largest seminary in the world with 5000 students and over 70 professors most of whom are Reformed in their theology. There are also over a dozen Presbyterian seminaries teaching up to 3000 students all of which seminaries would claim to be continuing the evangelical confessional convictions of old Princeton. Something is happening in the USA. One consequence is that there is hardly a valued conference in the England without one of the main speakers being from America and possessing a strong preaching gift and qualifications. We are encouraged and edified by the American contribution to the worldwide reviving of historic Christianity.

There was one other discovery recently made; when I was in Texas I came across a book entitled The Reading Life with all the chapters written by C.S.Lewis. It is a result of the work of C.S.Lewis Pte.Ltd. and the Wheaton centre of C.S.Lewis studies. There is an insatiable appetite for anything written by C.S.Lews (who died on the same day as President Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963). Notes Lewis made have been enlarged into books, and in this little volume his chapters and paragraphs on the value of reading books in all his writings have been gathered together. It is 165 pages in length with many blank pages and both large margins and a large typeface. A number of the chapters are less than a page in length. It can be read in a couple of hours and it is delightful to read.

What did I learn? The claim that C.S.Lewis was the best-read man of his generation, one who read everything and even remembered everything he read. He began when he was a boy reading Milton and Shakespeare. He hung onto all he read. He carried an entire library in his head. Thus he reminds one of C.H.Spurgeon. He got through to those books, and more important they got through to him. He often added marginal notes as John Murray did with his copy of Charles Hodge’s three volumes of Systematic Theology (which three books I now possess). When C.S.Lewis attempted to complete reading a book that he found unacceptable he wrote inside the back cover, “never again.”

C.S.Lewis read and wrote from nine until one, and then again from five until seven. The other hours were spent in eating and in walking, but he also did his light reading over meals and in the evenings. Up to seven or eight hours a day were spent in reading. He belonged to that community of people whose worlds have been enlarged by books. In reading great evangelical writings you become a thousand Christians and yet you remain yourself. In worshipping and loving you transcend yourself, but you are never more yourself especially when you are reading the Scriptures. There we learn to see with inspired eyes, and to feel with another more enlarged heart as well as with our own. We discover windows and even doors by which we get out of our narrow lives. We also get into the heart of a psalmist, an apostle, or someone who once walked with the Lord Christ. We get to understand not facts as the world judges them in so much as facts as they really are, for Christ is the absolute; he is the truth. We are delivered from provincialism, and from the bias of the 21^st century. We are pursuing knowledge and we lose much that is the devices of man, and we gain wisdom. We put on scriptural spectacles and find freedom, insights, joys, fears and wonders that those glasses bring into focus. The Book has power to make us live this fuller life.

There is the non-reader, someone like my mother, full of goodness and good sense but living in a restricted world. She was content to be only herself, while what I came to discover in me was not enough; I needed to see myself as Augustine or Bunyan or Spurgeon or Andrew Bonar saw themselves. They spotted the wound and how it could be healed, the weakness and how it could be strengthened, the joy and how it could be found. I learned to transcend the boy born in Merthyr Tudful. That was the way I became the real me.