Christianity

Twelve Ways to Order Your Week by the Son (Part 2)

/ davidsschrock

Last week, in application of a recent sermon, I outlined six ways to set your watch by the Son. In order, these included.

  1. Start your day with God.
  2. Consume God’s Word on the way and make plans to feed on his faithfulness.
  3. Pray without ceasing.
  4. Make a midweek gathering a priority.
  5. Preserve and protect the altar.
  6. Make space in your calendar to meet with other Christians.

By and large, these six orientations were given as guides for making the most of the time between the time you gather for worship on the Lord’s Day. Today, I am adding six more ‘Helio’-centric orientations. Here they are.

  1. Enter the darkness of the city with the light of Christ.
  2. Lead others (family, friends, peers, strangers) to the altar of God on the Lord’s Day.
  3. When home (on Sundays), look for ways to bless the people who gather at your altar.
  4. When traveling (on Sundays), look for other faithful altars to visit and encourage.
  5. When sick (on Sundays), lament your absence.
  6. In each season, solidify your schedule and guard your time with God.

As you can tell, four of these orientations are directly related to the Lord’s Day (8–11). And three of them are directed to ways to make the best use of the Lord’s Day (9–11). In all, I hope these 12 orientations help you reflect on the best ways to order your week in a way that is centered on Christ. For a further reflection on these twelve points, you can listen to my Sunday School lesson.

Continue reading →

Leaving ‘Left Behind’ Behind: Sixteen Ways to Read Matthew 24 with the Grain of Scripture

/ davidsschrock / 1 Comment

6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
— Matthew 24:6–8 —

A few years ago I read a book about Mark’s Gospel, The Cross at a Distance. In it, Peter Bolt argued that Mark 13 was not an eschatological vision of the future, despite its world-shaking imagery. Rather, he showed that in the context of Mark’s Gospel, the Olivet Discourse was an apocalyptic explanation of the cross. That is to say, that when the Olivet Discourse is read in the context of Mark’s Gospel it functions as explanatory of what was going to happen on the cross.

In another blogpost on Mark 13 I have captured his arguments in 16 points. (Until this blogpost is completed, you can see why I think the Olivet Discourse should be read historically and not futuristically). In this blogpost I want to offer a similar reflection on Matthew 24.

From the start it should be clear that if Mark uses Jesus’s Olivet Discourse in Mark 13 to prepare the way for the cross, then Matthew 24 is most likely to do the same. The same could be said for Luke 21, but we will leave Luke be for now. Certainly, these three “synoptic” Gospels rely on one another, and while each has its own focus and particular details, it would be highly unlikely for Jesus’s message to his disciples about the destruction of the temple to have a different interpretations in each Gospel.

Rather, if Bolt is correct about the way Mark 13 functions in his Gospel, then it follows that Matthew 24 is more than likely related to events forthcoming in the life of Jesus and not just events that remain to be set in the future—as these passages are often read. Thus, in what follows I will make the case from Matthew 24 for a partial preterist reading of this passage that highlights the reality of Christ’s ascension.[1]

This reading stands against the popular Dispensational interpretation that puts all of these events in the future. It is different than the view of someone like D. A. Carson who takes an eclectic approach to the passage—some of these things are fulfilled in the first century and some are future. It is similar to that of R. C. Sproul, who argues that Matthew 24 is all about the destruction of the temple. Yet, for all the ways that Matthew 24 does find fulfillment in the events of A.D. 70, I believe the treatment of the Son of Man coming on the clouds is an explicit reference to his ascension (see Matt. 24:29–31).

So, in the remainder of this blogpost, I offer a partial preterist reading of Matthew 24 in 16 points. My interpretation will highlight the events of the cross, the ascension, and the coming destruction of Jerusalem. This reading does not deny the forthcoming return of Christ and his judgment on the last day. In fact, unlike Mark 13, I believe Matthew does include a description of this final judgment in Matthew 25. But like Mark 13 and Luke 21, the primary focus of the Olivet Discourse is related to events that will occur during the generation that lives between Christ’s crucifixion and the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70.

Perhaps, this will be a fresh way of reading Matthew 24 for you. But I assure you that it is not novel. Rather, it has many advocates in church history, including most recently men like Sproul, Kenneth Gentry, Brian Orr, and others. Take time to consider, therefore, the exegetical points made below and then draw your conclusions from the best reading of Matthew 24, even if it stands against the popular versions of Left Behind theology that sees this chapter as one that speaks about some yet-future cataclysmic event.[2] Continue reading →

Twelve Ways to Order Your Week by the Son (Part 1)

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Last Sunday I preached a sermon entitled, “Keeping Time at the Altar By Setting Your Watch by the Son.” That sermon was part two of series of sermons explicating Genesis 8:20–9:7. You can find the introduction here. In all, my aim is to help members of my church, who are new creations in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17), order their lives by the pattern that comes in the New Creation. And, because Genesis 8:20–9:7, offers a glimpse of the new creation and that pattern, we are looking at each part. (For an overview of the whole pattern see this sermon on Genesis 8–9).

In the first sermon in this series, I argued that Christians should arrange their lives around the altar, which today occurs when the saints gather on the Lord’s Day to worship Christ. Yet, what do those saints do for the other six days of the week? That is what I attempted to answer in the second sermon. And in that sermon, I took three steps to move from (1) Israel’s calendar in Leviticus 23, to (2) Christ’s fulfillment of that calendar, to (3) our lives that should center themselves on Christ. If you want to see how this biblical theology moves to Christ, listen to the sermon. Yet, in that sermon I left out what I am writing here (in two parts)—12 ways to order your week by the Son.

Truly, if Christ has purchased us (1 Cor. 6:20), we are not free to do with our time whatever we want. Instead, as Paul puts it in Galatians 5:13, “you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Paul’s focus in this verse relates to the law, but part of that law relates to time—i.e., the Sabbatical Calendar (see Exod. 23:10–19; Lev. 23:1–44; Deut. 15:1–16:17).

Israel, as God’s son, was too immature to rightly define their own time. Rather, as Galatians 4:1–2 tells us, God’s children were treated as slaves and put under a guardian (the law) until the proper time. Jesus himself was born under the Law (Gal. 4:4) and had to keep the entire law, including all the commands related to the Sabbath. Yet, in keeping the Sabbath, he not only became the Sabbath-giver (cf. Matt. 11:28–30) but also reordered the calendar, such that annual feasts (like Passover) and mid-year rituals (like Yom Kippur) were all fulfilled in him.

In the New Testament, the consequence of this eschatological change was that the people of God now worshiped on the Lord’s Day, as found in 1 Corinthians 16:1–2; Acts 20:7; and Revelation 1:10. Indeed, as Jesus fulfilled and transmogrified the Passover into the Lord’s Supper, this became a weekly feast to be enjoyed everywhere God’s people gathered (1 Cor. 1:3; cf. Mal. 1:11), not just an annual feast celebrated in Jerusalem. To that end, the New Testament, as I understand it, defines Sunday (the Lord’s Day) as one day in seven to gather and worship. And this should be both the high point of the week and the central point of the Christian calendar.

Historically, liturgically, and confessionally this “Christian Sabbath” has been defined, specified, and applied in all sorts of ways. And at some point in the near future, I hope to say more about that. For now, I want to talk about the other days of the week and what Christians should do to orient themselves from and toward worship on the Lord’s Day.

Admittedly, these twelve orientations have to be general principles, not specific commands. And, if I am honest, these principles will need qualification that this article won’t have time to specify. Also, there are other principles that could be added to. So, don’t take this list as exhaustive or overly prescriptive. I am not trying to over-regulate what a Christian life looks like. Clearly, seasons in life, differing vocations, divergent interests, and various family dynamics will force these principles to form in asymmetrical ways. Over time, they will change in our lives, as well. That said, I am trying to offer wise counsel for those who are moving from the altar of God’s of worship to the city of their work.

In that way, take what is helpful. Retrofit what is partially helpful. And reject anything that stands in the way of walking faithfully with the Lord. Hopefully, however, there will be little rejection and much reflection. And so, to that end, here are twelve ways to order your week by the Son. Continue reading →

On Earth, As It Is in Heaven: Making Plans That Please the Lord

/ davidsschrock / 1 Comment

Welcome to Quitter’s Day.

Until this week, I didn’t even know that such a day existed. Sure, I was familiar with the fact that the gym seems a lot less crowded by the end of January. But I didn’t know that we coronated the breaking of New Year’s resolution with an unofficial holiday. But some do, and today USA Today even ran a brief article on it.

Apparently, the Second Friday of the new year is dubbed Quitter’s Day because of the way that so many plans have been broken in the new year. To speak personally, my own Bible reading plans were thrown off yesterday because an early morning meeting took the place of my typical morning devotion. Yet, today I picked up the plan again, read yesterday’s Psalm (and todays), and continued in my reading in Matthew. Such is life.

If we are going to make progress in the world, we must make plans and keep them. And I suspect that everyone who makes and breaks a new year’s resolution to eat better, work out more, or spend less money—these are the Big 3, apparently—still maintains other plans. It’s not possible to finish a degree, order a home, build a career, or lead a team without making and keeping plans. Yes, some of us are better than others at making plans and keeping them, but part of being human is to order our steps for the purpose of accomplishing a goal.

In Proverbs, there are many such passages that describe this way of planning. Consider a few. In Proverbs 15:22, we learn that “without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” More positively, Proverbs 20:18 says, “Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war.” Later in Luke 14:31–33, Jesus will say something similar. When discussing what it takes to follow him, our Lord compared discipleship to kingship and the need to count the cost before engaging in war. Truly, planning is what kings do. And because humanity is given the task of ruling over the world, planning is part of what it means to be human.

Think about it. Before God made the world, he made a plan. And that plan included the “foundation of the world” (John 17), the storyline of history (Eph. 1:11; Rev. 13:8; 17:8), the cross of Christ (1 Pet. 1:20; cf. Acts 2:23; 4:27–28), and the election of every of sinner who would come to faith in Christ (Acts 13:48; Rom. 9:22–23). Indeed, the kingdom of God was not an after-thought in God’s mind; it was the reason why God created the world in the first place (Matt. 25:34). Though in time redemption came after creation, in the mind of God redemption in Christ came first. And thus, the world God made is filled with order, and if we are going to be like our Creator, we must order our days too. But how? Continue reading →

Via Emmaus On the Road: A Brief Introduction

/ davidsschrock
Via Emmaus 01

** Yes, this first episode only comes out one speaker. The next one will be better. And the one after that even more so. Or at least, that’s the plan. 

Introduction

In 2025, I am putting together a Bible reading plan for my family and a few others in my church. I am hosting that reading plan here and will start posting next Monday (January 6). Along the way, I hope to offer a short reflection (less than ten minutes) on each chapter of the New Testament (Monday-Friday). So, follow along, as we journey through the New Testament this year. And don’t stray too far from this website as I will point to other resources that might help reading the New Testament this year.

For now, here’s a quick list of navigation tools to acquire.

Navigation Tools to Acquire

Think Oregon Trail, the video game. Before starting reading through the New Testament, you will need to pick up a few resources. And below is a list of essential and premium supplies and/or strategies for reading the New Testament.

Essential

  • A Bible — You can’t read the Bible without a Bible, so find a Bible that you can read in 2025. And better than a Bible App, find a Bible you can hold in your hands.
  • A Notebook — In addition to prayer, Bible Study goes best with deliberate reflection. And reflection goes best with a place to write your thoughts down. So grab a notebook or a journaling Bible (see below).
  • A Weekly Questionnaire (see Week 1 ) — Each week, I will put up a set of questions to help you engage with the Bible. Print these out and use them as a guide, not a homework assignment. They are intended to help you see what is in the Bible, not to just get the right answer to the test.
  • Community — While we can read the Bible on our own, it is better to read the Bible and discuss it with others. That’s a point I made in this sermon, and it is something this Bible reading plan is intended to foster. Just as walking down the road goes better with others, so does reading Scripture.
  • A Place and Time — Finally, you will succeed in your Bible reading most if you commit to a place and time to read Scripture. For me, this is first thing in the morning. But for you, it could be at lunch, in your car, on a break, or before bed. Most importantly, find a fixed time and place and make it happen. And don’t be ashamed to ask God to help you or for friends / family to hold you accountable.

Premium

  • The ESV Bible Journal — This was a Christmas present to each of our kids, and it is a great way to read and reflect all in the same place. Right now, Amazon still has the whole New Testament half off.
  • A Study Bible — There are countless study Bibles to choose from, but you might find help by having one or two to answer questions as you go. The ESV Study Bible is still my favorite.
  • A Commentary — Going one step further, a commentary can help answer questions of history, culture, or language as you read. The New Bible Commentary is a good one-volume commentary.

The Basic Description of Via Emmaus On the Road

  • A 10 Minute Reflection on 1 Chapter of the Bible
  • 5 Days out of the Week, 52 Weeks out of the Year
  • Equals the Whole New Testament in a Year

May the Lord help us read his Word with understanding this year, and may his Word produce in us faith, hope, and love.

Soli Deo Gloria, ds

5 x 52: A New Testament Bible Reading Plan for 2025

/ davidsschrock / 2 Comments

How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
— Psalm 119:103 —

But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
— Matthew 4:4 —

Did you know that there are 260 chapters in the New Testament? I am sure I had learned this number before, but I forgot about until the other day. Yet, with this numerological epiphany in view, my mind began to race and to consider what a fifty-two week Bible reading plan would look like for those just getting started.

Indeed, if you read five chapters of the New Testament, every week for 52 weeks, you would finish the whole New Testament in a year. Certainly, this feat can be accomplished in a much shorter period of time, and for those who have already adopted a pattern of reading the Bible, there is no reason to skip the Old Testament, or to take a whole year to read twenty-five percent of Scripture. For those with larger appetites for Scripture, this Bible reading plan may be too scant. Or, for reasons I’ll explain below, it might be a portion of your Bible reading to be joined with others.

Indeed, for those who have never read the Bible in a systematic way, I have rarely encourage reading through the whole thing to start. Just as newborn babes have small stomachs and need assistance in their eating, so do newborn babes in Christ. Certainly, there might be counter examples to this counsel, but as Scripture so regularly compares itself to bread (Matt. 4:4) and honey (Ps. 19:10), milk (1 Pet. 2:2) and meat (Heb. 6:12), I do believe it is wise to start out slow and build an appetite over time.

To that end, I’ve encouraged new Christians and newborn Bible readers to make use of the E-100 Scripture Reading Plan. In twenty weeks, this plan leads readers through the whole Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, it picks up some of the most important parts and helps show how the whole Bible fits together. Equally, Christianity Explored is a tremendous resource that introduces Christ through the Gospel of Mark.

To have a full-formed faith, one does need to read the whole Bible. But reading the whole Bible (by oneself) is—if we are honest—a mark of maturity, not a necessary prerequisite to faith or salvation. Even more, giving someone a Bible and the imperative, “Read!” might do more harm than good. Just consider how many people have burned out trying to read the whole Bible. And others, while reading the whole Bible might take up very idiosyncratic views of God and his Word, when they read Scripture without conversation or communion with others. Truly, God has given his church pastors and teachers for a reason (Eph. 4:11–16)—and that reason includes rightly interpreting God’s Word and protecting young Christians from error (Titus 1:9).

So, back to reading the New Testament.

In 2025, I am leading my family (with two teens and two pre-teens) to read five chapters a week for the whole year, with the goal of reading the whole New Testament. And to help them have a greater comprehension of what we are reading, I am putting together a few reading tools—tools that I will catalog here, if anyone else wants to jump in. Additionally, if all goes as planned (=if the Lord allows), I will record a short reflection on each chapter as we read, so that interested readers (my family and others) might have a growing interest and skill in reading God’s Word.

Continue reading →

Rejoicing in Christ’s Royal Priesthood: The 2024 Bauman Lectures (Toronto Baptist Seminary)

/ davidsschrock

In 2022, I wrote a book entitled The Royal Priesthood and the Glory of God. This book clarified, synthesized, and streamlined my doctoral dissertation. In 2013, I finished a biblical theology of the priesthood which sought to answer the question: For whom did Christ die? Looking at the priesthood from Genesis to Revelation I argued for a definite atonement. In that large volume I came to love the theme of priesthood in the Bible and what that means for knowing Christ and for imitating Christ.

Since 2013, I have written a handful of articles on the priesthood, and in the last few weeks I have spoken twice on the subject. The first series of lectures took place at Eden Baptist Church in Burnsville, Minnesota, and the second lecture series is taking place this weekend at Toronto Baptist Seminary and Jarvis Street Baptist Church in Toronto, Canada.

To assist students, faculty, church members, and guests of the Bauman Lectures, I am posting notes here. I will add to them as the weekend goes on, and in the end, I hope this post will link to all the priestly things I have written to date.

The Bauman Lectures (2024)

  • Lecture 1: Building a Kingdom of Priests — In this lecture, I survey the way in which the institution of the Levitical Priesthood came into being. This lecture simplifies my larger SBJT article and puts into lecture form the second chapter of my book, The Royal Priesthood and the Glory of God.
  • Lecture 2: In Search of a Priest-King Like Melchizedek (Genesis 14, Psalm 110, Hebrews 5–7) –In this lecture, I examine the context, content, and concepts found in three places where Melchizedek is named. Together, this helps us understand who Jesus is, as a royal priest.
  • Lecture 3: Seeing Melchizedek in the Book of 1–2 Samuel: An Exploration in Typology — In this lecture, I have written a working manuscript (with limited annotation) to show how Melchizedek is a figure found in the book of 1–2 Samuel. This reading depends upon a careful comparison between Bera, king of Sodom, and Melchizedek, king of Salem. It also explains how David saw his own son as a priest after the order of Melchizedek.
  • Sunday Morning Sermon: Getting to Know Our Great High Priest (Exodus 28–30; Hebrews)
  • Sunday Evening Sermon: A Kingdom of Priests: Washed, Worshiping, Working, Witnessing (Exodus 19:5–6; 1 Peter 1:22–2:10)

More to come . . .

Soli Deo Gloria, ds

Of Weddings and Witnessing: The Evangelistic Pressure to Stay Positive in a Negative World

/ davidsschrock

wedding reception

For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.

– 2 Corinthians 7:8–9 –

In a world without sin, sermons on marriage would not be needed.

In fact, without sin, pastors might not be needed either. Or at least, they would not be needed to condemn sin, preach repentance, or offer grace. They might be needed to organize the worship of God in Christ—for God, the almighty, good, and glorious Creator would still be praised. Or, they might be needed to study the history of God’s world and to report their findings.

But, in a world without sin, heralds of the gospel would not be called to preach Christ crucified for wicked sinners, for there would be no sin. Nor would such pastors have the task of identifying idols and destroying every false idea that stands against Christ. Instead, they could just be unswervingly cheerful.

Tragically, in a world overrun with sin, many preachers have taken this path. Famously, when Larry King asked Joel Osteen about the eternal condition of Jews, Muslims, and other unbelievers, Osteen said he didn’t like to talk about sin, only about love and what the Bible says about Jesus.

Yet, what does the Bible say about Jesus? And what does Jesus say about sin? Quite a bit, actually.

The whole reason the Son of God became man was to climb the hill of Calvary and put an end to sin and death. Jesus’s whole ministry consisted of preaching about the kingdom of God and calling sinners to repent (Mark 1:14–15). Thus, it is a misnomer to speak of Christ’s love without addressing man’s sin (cf. 1 John 4:10). Unless we address the wrath of God, we cannot understand his grace or preach his gospel. Continue reading →

Tolle Lege: The Return of the Strong Gods by R. R. Reno

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an aerial shot of the apple park in california

Apple Park in Cupertino, California

From Brexit to the rise and fall of Donald Trump, we have heard a lot about the dangers of globalism and return of populism. Many charged Trump with a kind of nationalism that led to all kinds of racism, fascism, and other political maladies. But many others, would share a concern for commercial giants like Apple, Amazon, and Alphabet Inc. (that’s Google’s parent company) who are assuming powers that transcend geopolitical nations.

In short, debates range today over what is most dangerous: Is it the tyrannical rise of globalism which calls for diversity, antiracism, and economic justice? Or is the greater concern a view of the world that affirms boundaries, borders, and limited budgets?

Those are big questions which touch on every area inch of public life, but connecting them all is a shared history of how to make sure that the fascism of Nazi Germany and the race-based slavery of America don’t happen again. Indeed, the push towards diversity and the denial of strong authorities is strongly associated with a push against the world events that ran from 1917 to 1945. Throw in the boom of technology and the ideologies of the 1960s (chronicled in Carl Trueman’s The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self ) and you have a starting place for understanding our age.

The Return of the Strong Gods

renoAdding to this understanding in R. R. Reno’s book The Return of the Strong Gods: Nationalism, Populism, and the Future of the West. In this work of history and cultural commentary, Reno begins with the idea of the Open Society put forward by Karl Popper. He argues that Popper, along with many others, pushed hard against the militant authorities of the two world wars and called for a society that had no such “strong gods.” Reno explains how this worked out in the liberal policies of the 1960s and following, and how our world today is suffering under the weight of a world without any strong ideas. In other words, by evacuating strong leaders, strong ideas, strong gods from the world, it created a nice, safe, open space for individuals to express themselves without destroying others. Continue reading →

On Religious Liberty and the Freedom to Worship

/ davidsschrock

declaration

But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
— Jeremiah 29:7 —

Today marks the 240th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence—a day that marks the birth of our nation and reminds us of the wonderful liberties we have in America. In celebration our family read that founding declaration this morning and praised God for placing us in this country.

At the same time, though, my praise is mixed with pain and petition.

America is not what it was when it was founded. In many wonderful ways the liberties that were not afforded to all men have been extended. But in other less admirable ways, the liberties constituent in the Declaration, Constitution, and Bill of Rights have devolved into a libertine version of hyper-individualism. (On this point listen Albert Mohler’s recent discussion with Yuval Levin). Whereas rights were once understood to be endowed by our creator, rights have become things which men can create or castrate as they—or the Supreme Court–wish.

One of the greatest differences the founders vision of liberty and today’s is found in the increasing distinction between the “freedom of worship” and the “freedom of religion.” The former is the freedom of personal belief and private religious assembly; the latter is the constitutional right—the very first right—which says in the Bill of Rights: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; . . .”

In our day, the change in language to “freedom of worship” is altering the understanding of this first amendment right, and with societal pressure Christians are being forced to mute their beliefs—especially with regards to marriage, sex, and lifestyle choices (a clever euphemism in and of itself). For that reason, on this day of liberty I am both grateful and grieved.

But perhaps, as a pastor, I am most concerned about the way some Christians and Christian leaders celebrate the Fourth of July without voicing any concern for these changes. Can we watch fireworks, grill hotdogs, and eat apple pie, assuming all is well? I think not. As Os Guiness (A Free People’s Suicide: Sustainable Freedom and America’ Future) and Eric Metaxas (If You Can Keep It: The Forgotten Promise of America’s Liberty) have observed, America’s liberty is under threat from within. And therefore, this holiday leads me in two directions regarding religious liberty and the freedom to worship. Continue reading →