John Stott 1921-2011 // Christ Abolished Death

John Stott, one of the greatest Christian leaders of the last century, has died this week aged 90. I’ve personally been impacted by his ministry and was saddened to hear of his death. Yet so encouraged by his faithful service and thankful that he is now with Jesus, which is better by far! Earlier this year I read his final book The Radical Disciple. Simple, precise, challenging. Throughout the book he actually spoke about it as his final book. He knew he didn’t have many years left in him, so deliberately wrote this as a farewell book.

We’re currently using Stott’s Basic Christianity as the part of the material in our Confirmation Classes at St Faith’s. It’s good stuff!

His book The Cross of Christ has probably had the most profound impact around the world in enabling Christians to see the multi-faceted jewel that is the Death of Jesus.

I’ve enjoyed reading some obituaries and tributes this week on the life and ministry of Stott.

Here’s a few:

Michael Jensen Facebooked this not long after his death, “Please, you evangelicals out there: don’t say ‘RIP’ for John Stott. It’s a prayer for the dead!” I’ve been uneasy with RIP before, but didn’t know it was a prayer for the dead. Another fella in the comments that followed Jensen’s status quoted Stott (2 Timothy commentary). Check this:

“One of the most searching tests to apply to any religion concerns its attitude to death. And measured by this test much so-called Christianity is found wanting in its black clothes, its mournful chants and its requiem masses. Of course dying can be very unpleasant, and bereavement can bring bitter sorrow. But death itself has been overthrown, and ‘blessed are the dead who die in the Lord’ (Rev. 14:13). The proper epitaph to write for a Christian believer is not a dismal and uncertain petition, ‘R.I.P.’ (requiescat in pace, ‘may he rest in peace’), but a joyful and certain affirmation ‘C.A.D.’ (‘Christ abolished death’)”

Brilliant. John Stott 1921-2011 C.A.D.

Top 10 Books to Read in Your First Year out of School

In Vanuatu I gave a list of my top 10 books for a Christian to read in their first year out of school. The list actually had 11. And then it kinda grew to almost 20. Here is the final list. Shout out to Dan Godden, bro-in-law and co-host extraordinaire, who helped me to decide what made the cut. Have you just finished school? I believe that if you read each of these books it will give you a good foundation for the rest of your life. 10 books works out to be a book per month with 2 months off throughout the year. As you work out your reading plan, make sure your first priority is to have programmed into your daily schedule time with God to hide his word in your heart.

most of these covers have since been updated...

  1. Don’t Waste Your Life – John PiperPiper has a stack of books worth reading. This is a good place to start. You get some of the thesis that runs across all of his books, that the chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying him forever. The book is cross-centred in the way it calls you to live with urgency as you invest in eternity. You can also download it for free (along with a billion other Piper books).
  2. Guidance & The Voice Of God – Phillip Jensen & Tony Payneas an 18 y/o this radically changed my thinking about how to make decisions. In speaking to teens and twenties, I regularly have the framework from this book in the back of my mind.
  3. Knowing God – JI Packergold, pure gold. This really is a beautiful book. It’s all about knowing God and being known by God. I often go back and re-read the section on ‘Sons of God’.
  4. How Long O Lord, Reflections on Evil & Suffering – DA Carsonthe way of the cross is suffering, it’s normal for Christians to suffer. This book will equip you to know how to suffer. Deals with key Bible texts. You won’t find a better book on this subject.
  5. The Cross Of Christ – John Stottmy aim is to read a book on the cross every year. There is no better place to start than this one! It’s thick, but readable.
  6. Sex Isn’t The Problem, Lust Is – Josh Harris one of the great things about this book is that it is PG. It’s suitable for guys and girls, young and old. Josh Harris takes holy living and fleeing from sexual immorality seriously. You’ll be armed to live God’s way in a fallen sex-crazed world.
  7. Know & Tell The Gospel – John Chapmancrystal clear on what the gospel is. Very practical on how to share the gospel. Highly recommended!
  8. A Book By A Dead Guy – there are 2000 years of Christian church history. Some pretty sweet gear has been penned by some dead heroes of the Christian faith. Find one. Read it. Meditate upon it. Here’s a few suggestions: Holiness by JC Ryle; Mere Christianity by CS Lewis; A Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan; Morning & Evening by CH Spurgeon; Classics of the Reformation by Luther, Calvin & Cranmer.
  9. A Book About A Dead Guy – some of those dead heroes also had books written about them. Biographies will help you to learn from the successes and failures of those who have gone before us. John Piper’s brief biographies are a really good starting point: Athanasius, Owen & Machen; Tyndale, Judson & Paton; Bunyan, Cowper & Brainerd; Augustine, Luther & Calvin; Newton, Simeon & Wilberforce. (All free to download).
  10. A Piece of Classic Fiction – reading fiction helps you to read more betterer. Do it. Here’s some suggestions: Moby Dick by Melville; Robinson Crusoe by Defoe; Gulliver’s Travels by Swift; Pride & Prejudice by Austen; The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien.

Each of the authors in books 1 through 7 are great. If you like the book I’ve suggested, read anything else by the same author you can get your hands on.

Most of the links above are to the publisher’s website. In some cases you might want to buy them direct from the publisher. Looking for a bargain? Check out booko.com.au – they find the best online prices for purchasing from Australia.

If you’re having a crack – let me know how you go!!

I’ll pay for my own lunch thanks…

Chatted to a guy at a 21st last night for about an hour and a half. I’d been praying that I’d be bold and take the opportunity to chat to him… one of the speeches was gold! It really lead well into a discussion. It was tragic to chat to this guy. The last thing he said was that even if I could 100% convince of the truth of the claims that Jesus makes about himself, he’d rather just stand before God and take his own punishment. Tragic. Row found this quote from John Stott (The Cross of Christ) today. The last sentence (in bold) pretty much summarises this chap. Pray for him that God would give him ears to hear.

The doctrine of substitution affirms not only a fact (God in Christ substituted himself for us) but its necessity (there was no other way by which God’s holy love could be satisfied and rebellious human beings could be saved). Therefore, as we stand before the cross, we begin to gain a clear view both of God and of ourselves, especially in relation to each other. Instead of inflicting upon us the judgment we deserved, God in Christ endured it in our place. Hell is the only alternative. This is the ‘scandal’, the stumbling-block, of the cross. For our proud hearts rebel against it. We cannot bear to acknowledge either the seriousness of our sin and guilt or our utter indebtedness to the cross. Surely, we say, there must be something we can do, or at least contribute, in order to make amends? If not, we often give the impression that we would rather suffer our own punishment than the humiliation of seeing God through Christ bear it in our place.

Yesterday I got my mobile phone back from 3 months using a loan phone. This photo was taken last night. 7 warm fuzzies to the first person or reptile to correctly identify the car I was driving…

The Cross

I’ve just been reading through the opening chapters of CJ Mahaney’s book Living the Cross Centered Life

“The Cross is the blazing fire at which the flame of our love is kindled, but we have to get near enough for its sparks to fall on us.” John Stott

“The gospel cannot be preached and heard enough, for it cannot be grasped well enough…Moreover, our greatest task is to keep you faithful to this article and to bequeath this treasure to you when we die.” Martin Luther

“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1Corinthians 1:18 ESV

“But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Galatians 6:14 ESV

May our boast be only in the cross.