Shepherds’ Conference 2010 – Thursday Evening Notes from Albert Mohler

Al Mohler was the speaker on Thursday evening at the 2010 Shepherds’ Conference.  If you would like to watch these sessions via live streaming, go here or download the videos of previous sessions here.

Al Mohler began by commenting on John MacArthur’s reading of Colossians 1:24 saying that he, Al Mohler, hears this Scripture with special attentiveness when it is read by a man who has live it.  He said he feels elevated by being here.  He preaches in a special sense, in a special spirit, and with a special energy because of all the pastors in attendance.  He is looking forward to heaven and that “Shepherds’ Conference” as there are a lot of men he wants to meet.

Francis Schaeffer wrote a book No Little People regarding the importance of the ministry.  There are no little people and no little places and there better not be little sermons, that will not do.

Turn to John 9:1-41

When Jesus passed by He saw a man blind from birth.  
The disciple saw a question but Jesus saw a man (there are no little people).  The disciple’s questions was about who the man’s parents were that he was born blind.  In other words, there must be a reason (sin) for this blindness.  Since he was born blind, it must be his parents that are being judged.  So they ask Jesus was it this man’s sin or his parents?

Theologically the answer is not sin.  Every single thing that goes wrong, all evil (including natural evil or moral evil) traces back to the fall; earthquakes, tsunamis, an adders venom, etc.  Sin is the right answer, but not sufficient.

Jesus gives a rebuke before healing the blind man; neither the man nor his parents are responsible for his blindness.  The question was not about “who” is to blame, the man was born blind so that the works of God might be displayed in him.  Jesus then spits on the ground, makes clay and applies it to the man’s eyes and tells him to go wash.  The blind man does what he is told.  John 9:7  “so he went away and washed and came back seeing”.  This is an incredible picture – the incarnate son of God spit in to the earth that he had made, applied it to his eyes.

First, the disciples had a question, now that the blind man is healed the neighbors have a question – Is this not the one that used to sit and beg?  Before he was healed they noticed him, they had him pegged, they ignored him, they thought themselves superior to him, they may even have felt pity for him.  But no one celebrated that this man now sees! – His neighbors do not, and his parents do not.  In fact some are wondering whether he is even the same man.  Some are saying “he is like him”…”they all look alike”.  He kept saying I am the one.  Of all people, who knows who he is…the blind man “I was blind, but now I see”.

They then took him to the “experts”, the Pharisees.  It was the Sabbath on the day Jesus healed him (Jesus seems to have a habit of healing on the Sabbath and the Pharisees can’t stand this.  The Pharisees asked him who healed him.  The blind man doesn’t identify Jesus but the Pharisees already know.  “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs”.  So they ask the blind man again. What do you say about him since he healed you?  The Pharisees are the ones that can’t see.  Even in their questions they display their blindness.  The blind man answers, He is a prophet.  Here is a man ignored by everyone, and now they are asking him how he was blind and sees; he becomes the theologian.  The blind man has an answer “Prophet” — He is right, Jesus is prophet, priest and king!

Vs. 18 The Pharisees then called his parents.  When you don’t get the answer you want, assume he isn’t who he says he is.  So they call in his parents who must have had the same questions in the past – why is our son like this, what have we done?  In response they say Yes, he is our son and he was born blind.  So they are then asked  “How does he now see?”  The parents didn’t know.  They know its their son and that he was blind…but now that he sees and who opened his eyes they don’t know.  They say, “ask him, he is of age, he will speak for himself”.  They didn’t want the judgement of the Pharisees.

Now a second time they called the blind man.  [Be careful when you hear “Give glory to God”.  There are a lot of people that will use glorified language to subvert the gospel. ]  Verse 25  “though I was blind, now I see”.  He was not going to be entrapped by the Pharisees.  This story isn’t what we thought it was about.  This is not about a man born blind and now seeing but a story of the glory of God in the man receiving sight.

The people (Pharisees) that think they see are blind.  When asked how he was healed the blind man answers again, bravely, why do you want to hear it again – you don’t want to become his disciples too do you?  The blind man knew who Jesus was and that he had disciples.  The Pharisees then reviled him.  “You are his disciple, but we are the disciples of Moses”   Here is an amazing thing, now that the blind man sees he finds that the world was not what he thought it was…everyone is blind.  He was blind and thought all were seeing, but now that he sees he realizes he was surrounded by blind people.

Notice what this man now knows, he sees not just with his eyes.  “We know that God does not hear sinners….” If this man was not from God He could do nothing.  You don’t know who He is, but He opened my eyes.  The Pharisees then rebuke him, “You were born entirely in sin and you are teaching us?  They still think God’s judgement was on the man and he fit into their theology as long as he was blind…but now he sees.  What do you do with this theological problem – the only result is a sovereign saving God.

Jesus hears that the Pharisees put him out and so He finds him and asks if he believes in the Son of Man?  This man answers as a man that has been touched by the Savior.   “Who is he Lord” (he will believe anything that this man tells him).  Jesus answers – “You have both seen Him and He is the one talking with you”.  The resulting profession from the blind man is simple, “Lord, I believe”.  Salvation has come not only to his eyes but to his soul.

Jesus comes into the world in its blindness.  The Pharisees ask “We are not blind too are we?”  If you have to ask if you are blind, you just might be blind!  It is a pathetic question.  Jesus tells them their problem is not blindness like this man, its a different kind with a different end.  If you have to ask if you are blind you are.  Jesus was referring, not to a genetic blindness, but rather spiritual blindness.  Jesus came to illuminate the world. Isaiah 29:18; 35:5-6; 42:6-7  The light of the world brings light, and is light.

What do you do with this story, preach a little message?  The hinge of it all is found in verse 3 – “it was neither that this man sinned nor his parents, but so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”  This is an earth-shaking reality here.  This man was born blind, so that the works of God might be displayed in him.  This blows theological fuses everywhere!

If that is true, than it is not just true about this man, it is true about each one of us and true of every person that ever lived.  Why does anything exist?  That the works of God might be displayed.  This means that before there was time, God determine that in this day God planned that this man was blind and would be touched by Jesus and begin seeing.  There are not just a couple principles here – there is an entire universe of meaning here!

We are blind from birth.  This means just what the man came to see.  He thought he was the blind among the seeing, but he was the blind among the blind.  This means God had a particular purpose, a particular plan to display in a particular way.  How can you say that and not come to the conclusion of other particulars?

Do we trust God to be God or not?  How many people do we pass every day that need the gospel.  May we see that there are no little people.  There must be no little sermons.  There are no little texts, every word is fully inspired.

The entire cosmos is the theatre of God’s hand at work for His glory.  We know the secret to the universe, so we should not be in the position of the Pharisees.  If you don’t know, don’t preach.  Never see little people, a little God, a little gospel, a little message, with little conviction, with little passion or a with little sermon.  If don’t believe this, if it isn’t life to us to the glory of God than “any little old sermon will do”.

Shepherds’ Conference 2010 – Thursday Q & A with John MacArthur

Rick Holland sat down with John MacArthur for a Q & A from the audience.  Below are some short excerpts and great comments from this interaction.

>>  When asked if he struggles with the tension involved in the issues of divine election, John said that he struggles with this as well.  He knows he can’t solve all the vast theological issues.  However he does not believe Jesus died for nobody, but for somebody, those elected and atoned for.  The issue is the nature of the atonement.  Why is there a hell and why are people going there?  This is the difficult question to ask.  Romans 9 – who are we to question how He gets glory.  No one goes to hell but that they are guilty of sin and unbelief.

>> Who lives your spiritual life?  
Some would say, the Holy Spirit…but you don’t want to blame Him.  If that is true than what are all the commands about?  “I don’t even know how my own spiritual life works”.

>>  What about disloyal staff members?
Their loyalty comes as a byproduct of my loyalty to them.  Look at The Twelve Ordinary Men.  We are all just a bunch of clay pots.  I take whomever God brings around me.  I’m the last guy that any member wants to come to and complain about a staff memeber.  You get trust when you give trust.

>> When asked about building the church, John’s answer is “No that is Jesus’ job and I don’t want to compete with Him”.

>> I believe in church membership.  This is not a vague issue.  At the day of Pentecost someone counted the number present.  They knew who these people were.  When they were added to the church they were baptized (believer’s baptism).  When you join a church you are coming under pastoral authority.  

>>  In the past, when a church member went from one church to another they went by letter of introduction.  Nowadays we have free-wheeling Christianity.  Many who claim to be Christian, have never been obedient through baptism and have never become members to come under the authority and shepherding of the church.  It is the nature of the Evangelical church today that people come to your church, they refer to them as ”non-member regular attenders”, they should be called “regular, disobedient non-members”.

>> John MacArthur has a new book coming out in January 2011 titled “Slave”.

>> How do you define “style”?
Just about everything the church does is “style”.  John MacArthur says, its “Ok” if people wear clothes somewhat up to date, makeup, various hairstyles.  Grace Church’s stance on music is that the words be God-honoring and that the style doesn’t detract from the words.

>> “Don’t import things that represent the baseness of the world.  I don’t want to look gothic – I don’t want to preach in a black t-shirt with a skull on it.“

>> What do you recommend for a bi-vocational pastor?
Find good resources you can trust and give it the best you can.  Don’t kick yourself if you haven’t read 25 commentaries.  Just give the best understanding that you can.  The best you have to give is in the pulpit.  Be sympathetic, accessible, touchable.  The battle for all of us is the same.

>> What does the Bible say about deaconesses?
“Deacon” means being a servant.  It isn’t an official group.  It is an unofficial designation.  The question really is what is the role women should have serving in the church?  See the book of Titus.

>>  If you are looking for a church (as a pastor), would you accept a position in a church that doesn’t hold the same doctrinal statement?
John said, I’m would not look for the church that doesn’t need me.  Take a challenge.  Teach the Word and see what God might do.  Be patient, love these people and see what God will do.  We can’t keep going around in churches that only believe what we believe.  What is greater than the church that says “we need help”.

>> Paul was the founder of many churches, but he had to go back and correct things all the time.  All people want is a pastor that will love them, embrace them and teach them.  Don’t hit them with limited atonement.  Let them trust you, earn their trust and then teach them.

Shepherds’ Conference 2010 – Wednesday Evening Notes from John MacArthur

The evening session at the Shepherd’s Conference was taught by John MacArthur with a message on Integrity.  If you would like to view the live stream of the conference, go here.

There are three levels of integrity:

1. In your own family.
   Your life should match the message you preach so that the people that trust you never lose that trust.
2. In the church.
   The downside to spending a long time at one church, is that there are no secrets.  There is a level of exposure in this kind of long-term ministry.  The upside is if by the grace of God you can survive with your integrity intact there is great joy in the church family that is hard to describe.
3. People you influence beyond your church.
   They know you can be trusted as well.  Psalm 25 – “let integrity and uprightness preserve me”  Psalm 41:2 “uphold me in my integrity”  John MacArthur said personally, “Don’t let me live in any way that is divergent from what I preach and what I believe”.

Integrity should mark the one with the most at stake (the spokesman, the model, the leader). Integrity means whole or complete before the Lord.  Every part of your life should be in perfect order with every other part.  “Integer” means undivided, sincere (without wax), blameless and above reproach.

In today’s world the focus is on goals, courage, energy, individuality, and imagination whereas Scripture is more concerned about your integrity, your life, and your virture.  The most important thing you have is your personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Nobody wants to be Ted Haggard or anyone else like that.  You can’t hide that…eventually it comes out.

It is a hard thing to defend your integrity against your critics.  John MacArthur says he has had a lot of them, and with the internet they have gone “interplanetary”.  The hardest thing is to be accused of being unfaithful or unbiblical. When John MacArthur started into ministry he asked his father to pray for him and his father said he would pray two things for him:

1. To protect him from sin and
2. To protect him from people who accuse him of sins he didn’t commit.

Do you have a life worth defending?

Defending yourself doesn’t have to be self-serving or self-centered, because when untrue criticism comes against you it can destroy people’s trust in your ministry.  This can have a terrible fall-out.  In one sense it doesn’t matter.  Its not about personal feelings, self-esteem, self-protection, or a blissful life.  It is about what it does to your ministry opportunity.  It cuts you off from the people that buy into the lies being spread.  This can be especially painful within the church.  John MacArthur experienced this himself when a number of years ago 200 people left his church during the assault of a false accusation.

Turn to 2 Corinthians 5:11, and the phrase “we persuade men”.  This is in regard to Paul’s integrity.  He had been accused by the false teachers in Corinth who were trying to destroy the congregation’s trust in Paul.  So Paul had to “persuade” Corinth of his own integrity.  The accusers then attacked Paul’s virtue. Paul renounced that and said there was no hidden life (see Chapter 6 – “giving no offense”).  They accused Paul of being proud.  He said he was nothing but an earthen vessel.  They accused Paul of being in ministry for sexual favors and money.  He said he took advantage of no one.  They questioned his apostleship.  They attacked his giftedness and they attacked his message. All of these accusations were flying around the Corinthian church and gaining ground.

Defend yourself if you have a life worth defending.

God knows our true spiritual condition.   He knows your heart.  2 Corinthians 1:12 says “the testimony of our conscience”  He is saying that his conscience is clear.  Verse 11 then says  “I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences”.  Paul tells them he trusts their consciences better than the accusers because they know Paul personally.

There are five reasons to defend your ministry:

1. Reverence for the Lord.
   A reverential awe  “therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord”.  John MacArthur said that the most driving thing in his life is his view of God, which drives his view of Scripture.  He said the hardest thing to deal with in criticism is to think that I would do anything to bring shame on the name of Christ.  My fear of the Lord controls my life.  Not that I’m afraid of God, but that I love Him and I want to glorify Him
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2. Concern for the church
   vs 12  “those who take pride in appearance and not in heart” this described the accusers because false religion cannot change the heart.  False accusations were harming the church’s confidence in Paul and this hurts the unity of the church.  Paul was asking the Corinthians to defend him.  They needed to take up his case “so that you will have an answer”.  You want to have a church that rallies around you because they are rallying around the truth.
3. Devotion to the truth
   vs 13.  Paul is being accused of being insane or mad.  But Paul says if I appear overly excited and passionate it is for the truth of God.  He was a fanatic for God.  How could he not be passionate and zealous because of the divine truth he had received.
4. Gratitude for saving love
   What is behind all of this “for the love of Christ controls us….”  Paul fought for this because he was so grateful to God.  The verse also ways “One died for all” – who is “all”?  It is qualified in this text.  It doesn’t say “one died for all and all were saved”.  In some way all are believers in limited atonement, either you limit it or God does.  This “all” is “all who died”, so this is all who died and all who rose in Him.  Do not allow yourself to think that God did the same for all those in hell as those who are in heaven.  All sinners are dead and blind so how can they activate a potential atonement.  

John MacArthur said he can never get over that Christ didn’t die a general vague death, He died for me.  “The Good Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep”  This wasn’t because of my wisdom, my power, but I was moved by God to repentance and to life and faith.  This is what overwhelms him, the power of the cross.  He said he sings about the cross because he sees himself there.  This is why Paul lived the life he lived.  The cross so dramatically changed him.  This sovereign love causes Paul to live a life out of sheer gratitude.

Shepherds’ Conference 2010 – Wednesday Morning Notes from John MacArthur

This week, David is attending the Shepherds’ Conference held annually at Grace Church in Los Angeles, California.  I’ll be posting some notes and photos.  If you would like to view the conference LIVE, go here.

The morning began with beautiful music from the men of The Master’s Seminary, followed by a solo from Jubilant Sykes.  John MacArthur was the first speaker this morning and the notes from his message follow.

Separation was a big issue during John MacArthur’s growing up years.  Today, we live in an age of tolerance and acceptance, so what is to be the relationship between believers and non-believers?

2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1

This entire portion of Scripture is summed up in Chapter 7 verse 1: “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

Separation is a cleansing from defilement both internally and outwardly. The distinction between being a Christian and being a non-Christian has been blurred.  These are two opposing realms; righteousness vs. unrighteousness, Christ vs. Satan.  They are distinct and different, they cannot work together, they cannot have fellowship.  One is earthly, the other heavenly.  Believers cannot exist in both worlds.  Friendship with the world is enmity with God.  “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your  mind.”  Romans 12:2  The Corinthians were trying to live in two worlds.

Paul poured a lot of his life into Corinth and he was realizing that Satan had come and attacked the church.  Demons were assaulting the church with a compromise of pagan religion and idolatry, all for the purpose of making Christianity more popular and more readily received.  There is nothing new.

Everyone’s behavior goes back to their view of God. II Corinthians 6:14 says we have to be distinct from the world.  This is a command.

What Paul is not saying is that we never talk to unbelievers, we are told to take the gospel to the end of the earth.  He is not calling for complete isolation.  He is calling for the church to be a separate entity.  The culture and the church are separate.  We must reach the people of this world, but you can’t marry the church to the culture.

False teachers always come in with a blend of teaching and the culture.

II Corinthian 6:14-18 presents five reasons for separation.

1. It is irrational.
   These two opposing views are pulling in opposite directions and are controlled by opposite leaders.  Paul begins with questions regarding this:
   What partnership have righteousness and lawlessness?
   “Partner” means to “find common ground”.  This is impossible!  Unbelievers are “without law”.  In Matthew 7:22-23 religious people are told “Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.”  They are disobedient to the law of God.  Again in Matthew 23:27-28 the Pharisees and scribes are guilty of “lawlessness”.  Hebrews 1:9 says “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness.”  Ephesians 2:12 describes unbelievers as strangers with no hope and without God.  Whereas believers are righteous, forgiven, and  have a new nature.  Titus 2:14 says that believers are freed from every lawless deed.
   What fellowship has light with darkness?
   Light and dark are incompatible, they cannot coexist.  See I John and Colossians 1.  We have been called out of darkness into light.  

These first two questions have to do with our nature, the next questions have to do with the leadership of these two realms.
   What harmony has Christ with Belial?
   Unbelievers are subjects controlled by their father the devil. God uses Satan, but He does not associate with him.  The word “harmony” means coming together in a common cause.  “Belial” was used in OT and describes corruptions, a worthless person, Satan.  See Ephesians 2:2-3.  Satan is primarily religious.  Remember the story of Dagon in I Samuel.  There must never be fusion of God and Satan

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   What has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Amos 3:3
2. It is sacreligious. I Corinthians 1
   There are just these two options.  You can’t mix devil worshippers with God worshippers.  A church is a defined group of people who have come together and separated themselves from the Satanic system.  There is no hope for commonality with the other realm.  2 Kings 21 shows the results of Manasseh reconnecting with the culture.  He put idols in the house of the Lord and made his son pass through the fire, practiced divinations etc…provoking God to anger.  Verse 9 says he seduced them to do evil.    

Pagans don’t mind joining Christians, they welcome it because Satan wants to infiltrate, and it gives them legitimacy.  We can’t join with unbelievers in any enterprise that involves God’s name, that is blasphemy.  Why?  Because we are the temple of the living God and the “Living God” is in contrast to dead idols.  Any joining of ourselves in any common enterprise with unbelievers is a sacreligion.  It is putting our God next to Dagon.  And its even worse to call them believers.  We are His dwelling place. Can we make spiritual heros of people who violate these commands? Church discipline is necessary in these situations.
3. It is disobedient.
   How do we separate?  “Don’t touch what is unclean”.  It is such a privilege to be the temple of God that it leaves us no alternative but to be obedient to Him.  Paul calls the Corinthians to break all ties.  Remember Revelation 18, a picture of the world under anti-Christ, the final false world religion.  What is the message for the believer for that day?   “Come out of her my people.”  This passage could describe this culture today.  We can’t make a truce with any culture.  It is commanded that we come out.  “Be holy because I am holy”.  To import the styles of the world, is to import the culture and destroy the church.  Don’t “touch” implies a touch of intimacy, it is saying don’t fornicate with the world.  It is a harmful touch.
4. It is unprofitable.
   If you want to experience the favor of God, don’t do this.  There can be no fellowship or blessing until you become separate.  There is immense reward for the Christian that does separate.  God embraces those who separate themselves.
   John MacArthur then said “I don’t want to come to the end of my ministry and wonder whether God did it or I did it.”  “I’m not narrow minded separatist.  I want above all to obey the Word of God and be in the place of blessing.  I don’t want to make decisions that can actually cut off divine blessing from my people.  I want my wife and family to know the favor of God.”
   Great promises were given to David, but Solomon forfeited all of it.  Look at I Kings 11resulting in a split kingdom, the favor was gone.  John MacArthur then also said “I want all the discipline I need to be holy and no more” – I want to experience God’s protective discipline but not the corrective discipline.
5. It is ungrateful.
   II Corinthians 7:1  We have all the promises of being a child of God. This verse moves beyond the commands and gives blessing for obedience.  God has poured out endless promises.  “I will dwell in them and walk among them…”  Ask yourself, “Do I want the accolades of man in exchange for the favor of God?”  There is only one true grateful response – cleanse ourselves.  Let us cleanse ourselves from defiling alliances.  

The question is then asked, “If we isolate ourselves won’t it be hard to reach the world?”  No, you can’t reach the world anyway, God does.  The whole purpose is produce holiness in our lives.  He is our full delight.  He called you to Himself; He expects you to be obedient; You owe Him obedience and honor.  When you do this, watch God embrace you.

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The Christian’s Hope on Election Night

Two years ago I stumbled into the political process when I went to my first precinct caucus. I had never paid much attention to local elections, but I was determined to become a more responsible American citizen. I believed then, as I do now, that we have been blessed to live in the greatest country on earth, with a Biblical heritage and precious liberty that I want to see preserved. Growing up during the Reagan years, I came to appreciate what he stood for, the vision he had for America and the principles of conservatism.

As I opened the door to a local school room that day, I never imagined what lay ahead. Read more

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