Multiply

Join us Friday, November 9th at 7 pm at Rockport Baptist Church for The Multiply Event

Two Great Responses to the "Statement"

I have really wanted to respond to the so-called "Statement of the Traditional Southern Baptist View of Salvation" that was issued recently (and which ought to be called, "A Statement of the Neo-Traditionalist Arminian View of Salvation"), but frankly I have not had the stomach or the time to do so.   Fortunately, several faithful brothers have done what I could not do.  Let me commend to you the following.


First, a dear brother named Scott Weldon has issues this excellent response, which he calls 

My Two Cents re: "A Statement of Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God's Plan of Salvation".  I highly recommend it.

Second, Brother Tom Ascol is doing an excellent point by point analysis.   It also is highly recommended and you can find it at the Founder's Blog here. 

My many thanks, brothers, for taking the time to declare truth.

Ephesians: A Celebration of Salvation

I have, for years, had a desire to lead our church through a study of the Book of Ephesians.  With that study finally beginning this Sunday, I've written the following as a sort of "introduction" for our congregation.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

 To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus: 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Ephesians 1:1-2 

With these words we begin what I believe will be an exciting and faith-building journey through this book of Ephesians.  It’s been called many things.  William Barclay called it “the queen of the epistles”  Another man likened it to “the Grand Canyon of Scripture”.  It’s “pure music!” says another.

But what is it about this letter that has drawn such high praise?  For surely “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God” as 2 Tim 3:16 declares.  So it can’t be that this book is ”more God’s word” than some other portion of Scripture.   Yet it is here that we have, distilled into it’s purest essence, the very heart of the Gospel itself.  So let me give you three things that have been noticed about this book of Ephesians before we begin our study

(1) Someone has noted that Ephesians is intercession!  

More than any other book in the New Testament, it has the feel and quality of an extended
prayer.  As you read it, it takes hold of you and lifts you up into the very presence of God Himself in the “heavenly places” (1:3)

(2) Ephesians is exaltation

There’s a celebration going on here! This is not just some dry tome giving us our doctrine as it instructs us about the grace of God.  This is a riotous explosion of grace that brings great joy in Christ!

(3) Ephesians is evangelism

Here, in the clearest possible terms we will see again and again the great lengths and heights to which God has gone to rescue us from our sin and to bring us home safely in Christ.

That’s why I’m calling this study,   A Celebration of Salvation!  Here is something that is meant to make you rejoice as you see just how extravagant the grace of God is, that has been poured out for us sinners in Christ Jesus!!

May God give us eyes to see!  
Pastor S. Scott Lee

Camp Meeting Messages

What a great time God gave us at this year's Grace Camp Meeting! Here is a link to all the messages from this three day conference at Rockport Baptist Church.

Rockport Systematic Theology Class Downloads

Why Study Theology? Bottom line: Because God is worthy to be known. Indeed, Jesus said that this, in and of itself, is what eternal life is really all about -- "that they may know You, the One True God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (John 17:3). And so that is our goal at Rockport Baptist Church: to know God as fully as possible (as we make Him known to the world).

And when we say "to know God, we don't just mean to know him in a merely intellectual way. As Puritan Pastor William Ames once put it, "Theology is the doctrine or teaching of living unto God." That is what we want: real knowledge of God that is more than just knowing about God. It is knowing God as a Person who is real and who has revealed Himself clearly in the Scriptures (and most fully in His Son) so that we may delight "to glorify God and enjoy Him forever" as the old catechism says.

That is our aim. And so we are meeting each week at Rockport to study God's wonderful revelation of Himself! We are using Dr. Wayne Grudem's excellent book, "Systematic Theology" as one of our guides. But of course, the Scriptures are our main and surest guide of all!

These studies are available for download here -- both the mp3 audio files as well as the Powerpoint slides that I use each week.

Our hope is that these may be a help to other travelers who desire to know God even more.

To the Praise of the Glory of His grace.

S. Scott Lee

The 180 Challenge

If you have not done so yet, please take time the watch this video.

Grace Camp Meeting!

Looking forward to our Grace Camp Meeting this year at Rockport Baptist Church.

Frank Jenner - George Street Evangelist

After I posted the story below, my fellow elder Bob Schembre sent me a link to this video which gives even more details about this amazing story.

The Little White-Haired Man on George Street -- An encouragement to persevere in planting good Gospel Seed

This true story has been told many times by my seminary professor Dr. Roy Fish who knew some of the persons involved. It has always been a great encouragement to me to be faithful sowing Gospel seed, knowing that it is God who can and will ultimately bring fruit.

There was a Baptist preacher in England named Francis Dickson. He had a man in his church named Peter. Now they don't have church staff in English Baptist Churches, but Peter was the closest thing Francis had. One Sunday they asked Peter to give his testimony in church.Peter stood to share and said,

"Folks, let me tell you how I was saved. I was stationed with the Royal Navy in Sydney Australia." And he said, "I was walking down George Street in Sydney one day when out of nowhere came a little white-haired man. He stopped me on the street and said, 'Excuse me sir, but I want to ask you a question. I hope you won't be offended, but tell me, sir, if you were to die today, where would you be in eternity? The Bible says it will be either heaven or hell. Think about it wouldn't you sir? That's all, God bless you. Tudelu.' And he was gone." Peter said, "Those words cut like an arrow shot out of heaven to my heart. I was deeply disturbed. But I didn't know what to do. For six months I was under conviction. Finally we sailed back to England. I had one Christian friend. I sought him out, and he helped me to Christ."

They had what we would call a revival meeting in that church where Francis Dickson was pastor.And part of the revival team was a young man whose name was Noel. They asked Noel to share his testimony.

He said, "Folks, I'd like to tell you how I was saved. I lived for a while in the beautiful Australian city of Sydney. I was walking one day down George Street and out of nowhere came a little white-haired man who stopped me on the street and said, 'Excuse me sir, I want to ask you a question. I hope you won't be offended, but tell me, sir, if you were to die today, where would you be in eternity? The Bible says it will be either heaven or hell. Think about it wouldn't you sir? That's all, God bless you. Tudelu.' And he was gone. I knew enough gospel to get saved. So I went to the house where I was living and that afternoon I got down on my knees and trusted Jesus as my Savior.

When that service was over, Peter went up to Noel and said, "Noel, you've got my testimony. It happened to me just like that. The little old man on George Street." And the pastor overheard them.

Francis Dickson was preaching not too long afterwards in the city of Adelaide, Australia, some 500 to 1000 miles from Sydney, way down in the southern part of the country. And he felt impressed to tell the story about the two men in his church and the little man on George Street.When he started telling the story, a man toward the back of the church stood up and started waving his hand like this. Now we don't do that in Baptist churches, and so Dickson tried to ignore him. But he kept waving until he got his attention.

Dickson asked him, "Hey mister, you want to say something?" "Yes I do! I want to tell you how I got saved. You see, I was walking down George Street in Sydney, Australia. And out of nowhere came this little white-haired man..." And the story was the same!

When Francis Dickson got to Perth, Australia, the largest city on the western coast, he knew he had a story. So he told the story there in Perth. When the service was over, a Baptist deacon came up to him and said, "Sir, I'm another. I was walking down George Street in Sydney, when out of nowhere came this little white-haired man..." That's how I became a Christian.

When Francis Dickson got back to his church in England, he knew he had a story. He told his own congregation. When the service was over, a young woman came up to him and said, "Sir, I'm another. I was walking down George Street in Sydney, when out of nowhere came this little white-haired man..." That's what led me to Jesus

Francis Dickson preached at Keswick, England in the north part of the British Isles. He told this same story. Afterwards an aged man came up to him. "Sir, I'm another. I was walking down George Street in Sydney when out of nowhere came a little white-haired man." That got me started to Christ.

Francis Dickson preached all over the world. He told this story to a group of missionaries in India on one occasion. They said, "Would you talk to us about personal evangelism." After he told this story, a woman missionary came up to him and said, "Sir, I'm another. I was walking down George Street in Sydney, Australia..., It happened to me like that.

He told that story on the island of Jamaica, and an eighth person came up to him and said, "Sir, I'm another. That little white-haired man on George Street helped me to Christ."

A godly layman named Gene War in Oklahoma City is a friend of Dr. Fish. He was telling this story to a gathering of chaplains at Fort Benning, Ga. And as he told the story one of them raised his hand. "Mr. War, you're not gonna believe this. But let me tell you how I became a Christian. I was walking down George Street in Sydney, Australia when out of nowhere..."

Well, Francis Dickson made sure that Sydney was on his itinerary the next time he was in Australia. He wanted to meet this little old man. He got there, but didn't really know what to do.So he called a Christian friend of his and said,

"You'll probably think I'm crazy, but have you ever heard about a little old man who stands out on George Street and asks people when they die, if they know where their going to spend eternity?"

"Sure," he said, "That's Mr. Jenner!"

"Mr. Jenner? Do you know him?"

"All of us know him. He doesn't get out very much any more. He's a bit infirm, doesn'tsee very well. He's getting on in years."

"Do you know where he lives?"

"I can take you right to his house."

They went to his house. Knocked on the door. A frail little old man welcomed them in. And after introductions were made, Francis Dickson, that pastor from Great Britain, told that little old man about all those people who'd come to Christ through his winsome word of warning and witness. And that dear little old man broke down and copiously wept. He said,

"I've shared with literally thousands of people on George Street in Sydney, and this is the first time in my life that I've ever heard of any who came to Christ through my testimony!"

So, faithful friends, be faithful in sowing. You never know what God may do with the smallest seed planted and watered with tears. He is faithful.

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A Son is Given!

“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus,

for He will save His people from their sins."

- Matthew 1:21

“He will save His People from their sins!” That’s the good news of Christmas we hope to celebrate this year! It's the fact that Jesus came to save us. From what? From our sins! From our God-denying, small-minded, earth-is-all-I-care-about meaningless and wasted lives! – from flittering away 20 or 30 or 80 years on nothing! – like money and sex and luxuries and houses and lands and vacations and beauty and fame or whatever else you might come up with!. "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and yet forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36)

Or maybe we can say it this way: What does it profit you to live your whole life and yet never know God! You see, that’s what Christ has done for us. Not only has He saved us from God’s wrath against our sin, He’s brought us into fellowship with God. “Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. !” (1 Peter 3:18). You and I were made for God! We exist to know God (John 17:3) – to glorify and enjoy Him as God! So any life lived without God, is a waste! You can be a millionaire celebrity, but without God, it’s dust and ashes! But if you have Him, if you know Christ the way a man knows and trusts a dear and faithful friend – even an ash-heap becomes a castle.

Do you know Him? This is the greatest gift you could gain this Christmas. Not just to have your sins forgiven by Christ, but to have Christ Himself reigning as Savior and Lord of your life! That’s how he saves His people from their sin, by giving us Himself!

In the Grace and Love of Jesus!

SSL

Soon...soon...

Sorry we haven't been updating this blog. Hopefully we will begin to do so soon! Until then, please "like" Rockport Baptist Church on Facebook and/or Follow us on Twitter (@rockportbaptist)

Rockport Family Camp 2011

Humble Thoughts on Teaching Children - Using the Baptist Catechism

We are so blessed with so many great parents at Rockport and they are great examples to those of us who have younger children. I say to the person reading this that perhaps is seeking where you might connect with a local body of believers, you should prayerfully consider Rockport if you desire to be a part of a community of fellowship where you and your children are part of the family together. I say these first few comments because I "feel" out of my league writing about the subject of teaching children since I am surrounded by such a great multitude of wonderful parents.

Today I would like to offer some practical suggestions on the subject of teaching your child in the ways of the Lord by using the catechism.  It is a wonderful thing that lately this thought has received much attention.  Later, if the Lord permits, I hope to go in to some other topics, but here we will start with how to begin.

First, it is important to answer the question, "what is a catechism?"  To the casual observer, especially those with a "modern Protestant background" you may have never heard this term or only heard of it in a derogatory way.  I hope that your opinion on the matter is justified and with reason.  If your opinion has been formed by "hear say" or any other means other than careful study with reason, then let me invite you to use such methods now to understand.

I will come back soon and write a follow up post with some practical instruction on the method of using the catechism, but today I will leave you with some helpful words from John Piper regarding the subject as he can put things much better than I.  May the Lord bless you and your family as we seek the Lord, trusting by His grace, teaching everyone that they might obey everything that the Lord our God has commanded! The following is taken from "A Baptist Catechism" hosted on the Desiring God Website.  There you will find a free, download-able copy for your joy!

Grace and Peace,

Aaron

I. What is a catechism?

In 1 Corinthians 14:19 Paul says, "In the church I would rather speak five words with my mind, in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue." In Galatians 6:6 he says, "Let him who is taught the word share all good things with him who teaches." Acts 18:25 says that Apollos "has been instructed in the way of the Lord."

In each of these verses the Greek word for "instruct" or "teach" is katecheo. From this word we get our English word "catechize". It simply means to teach Biblical truth in an orderly way. Generally this is done with questions and answers accompanied by Biblical support and explanation.

II. What is the history of this catechism?

This is a slightly revised version of "The Baptist Catechism" first put forth by Baptists in 1689 in Great Britain. It was adopted by the Philadelphia Baptist Association in 1742. It is patterned on the well-known reformed Westminster Catechism. The few comments in the earlier questions are meant to help parents make things plain to their children.

III. Is there a Biblical pattern of doctrine?

Several texts teach that there is. For example, in Romans 6:17 Paul gives thanks that "you have become obedient from the heart to the pattern of teaching to which you were committed." 2 Timothy 1:13 says, "Follow the pattern of sound words which you heard from me." Acts 2:42 says, "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching." 2 Thessalonians 2:15 says, "Stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us." And Acts 20:27 says, "I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God."
So it appears that there was a body of authoritative instruction and even a way of teaching it in the early church.

IV. Why is it important?

1. We are required to "continue in the faith, stable and steadfast" (Col. 1:23).
2. We are urged to "attain to the unity of the... knowledge of the Son of God...so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine" (Eph. 4:13-14).
3. There are many deceivers (1 John 2:26).
4. There are difficult doctrines "which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:16).
5. Leaders must be raised up who can "give instruction in sound doctrine and also confute those who contradict it" (Titus 1:9).

Romania Mission

Dear Friends,

We are currently praying about an opportunity to return to Romania for a mission trip in March with dear friends Sorin, Ian and Alex from HeartCry Missionary Society who are in the process of planting a church in Brasov. Please pray for me and for my potential preaching/teaching partner, Mack Tomlinson as we seek the Lord concerning this opportunity.

Soli Deo Gloria,

S. Scott Lee

"God Be Gracious to Us and Bless Us" But Why?

“God be gracious to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us that Your way may be known on the earth, Your salvation among all nations.”

Psalm 67: 1-2

Psalm 67 is about missions! It’s a cry for God’s blessing. But unlike so many who cry for God to bless them, the Psalmist is not thinking only of himself He has a much greater goal in mind. He prays that God would bless us and be with us, not so we can be blessed, but so that through us the nations might hear and know and worship God as He deserves to be known and worshiped!

This has always been the motive behind the saint’s desire for the blessing of God. God does not bless us so we can hoard the blessing to ourselves. He blesses us that we might be a link in the chain He ordains to bring the blessing of Christ to others through the preaching of the Gospel.

We saw this in the call God gave to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 (That sermon can be found here) when He said, “I will bless you and you will be a blessing and all nations on earth will be blessed through you!” Clearly God doesn’t bless us so we can look in the mirror and say, “How wonderful to be blessed?” God blesses us so that other nations and people we’ve never met might be blessed through us! How? By hearing and responding to the Gospel of Christ that we preach and send to them through missions! This has always been God’s plan. It was God’s plan for Abraham. It was also His plan for Isaac and, as we’ll see this morning (Rockport Sermon for 12/12/10), for Jacob and his sons as well! Indeed, the Bible itself is a missionary book! It’s a call for us to realize what God is doing in our lives. He is blessing us for the purpose of making His glory known and enabling us to carry His Good News to the ends of the earth so that “all peoples” and “all nations” may hear and be glad in Him!

May God enable us to orient our lives and our church to that holy calling as we remember to give and pray for and go on mission until the whole world has heard and acknowledged the Salvation that has come in Christ!!

Don’t forget to make missions a part of your giving this year!
Pastor Scott Lee

Song of Assurance

We were talking about assurance in our C-Group last week, from Romans 8, when I remembered an old Welsh hymn I once heard Martyn Lloyd-Jones quote. I couldn't recall the words exactly, so i looked them up. It can be sung to the tune of "Come Thou Fount". There are other verses, also, but I can't seem to find them right now. I hope this is a blessing to someone.

Sung to the tune of Come Thou Fount

Speak I Pray

Speak, I pray, Thou gentle Jesus.

O, how passing sweet Thy Word.

Breathing o’er my troubled spirit

Peace that never earth affords

Tell me Thou art mine,O Savior

Grant me an assurance clear.

Banish all my dark misgivings

Still my doubtings, calm my fears.

O my soul within me yearneth

Now to hear Thy voice Divine

So shall grief be gone forever

And Despair no more be mine.

Tell me Thou art mine, O Savior

Grant me an assurance clear.

Banish all my dark misgivings

Still my doubtings, calm my fears

Happy Reformation Day!

So many, today, are unaware of the great significance of October 31st. Greater than Halloween (or Pumpkin Day), for it was on October 31st, 1517 that God used a timid young monk to begin one of the greatest revivals in history: The Reformation. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

The Apostle Paul wrote, in Romans 1:16-17,

16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed,
a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written:
"The righteous will live by faith."

When he read these words, nearly 500 years ago, they stunned the young monk who's name happened to be Martin. Up to that point, he’d been taught by his Church that salvation came as a result of his own efforts to be righteous by doing good and trying his hardest to keep the commands of the Law laid down by the priests and bishops. And try, he did – as hard as any man could. He fasted. He prayed. He wept. He confessed his sins. Yet still he was plagued by doubts and tormented by the guilt of his sins. It nearly drove him mad!

How could he, sinner that he knew he was, ever hope to be righteous in the eyes of God! That was his problem. He knew his sin. He knew God was holy. He understood that even if he did manage to purge the sin from his life (as impossible as that was!) and even if he did come to the place where he could believe he was righteous 98% of the time, with only 2% sin remaining, still he knew he would fall short of God’s perfect standards. What could he do? When told by his superiors that he must simply “Love God”, in the agony of his soul he cried out,”Love God? Sometimes I think I hate Him!”

But God had mercy upon young Martin. He was assigned the task, by one of his superiors, of teaching the New Testament. And there, in the book of Romans, God opened his eyes and let him see the simple, life-giving truth of the Gospel – that God gives the righteousness He requires freely, as a gift, to all who put their faith in Christ alone to save them. Not by works! Not by religion! Not by morality! Not by ritual! But by grace alone through faith in Christ, sinners may be saved!

That realization changed everything for Martin, who’s last name was Luther. He began to share the good news with others, thinking it would find as welcome a home in their hearts as it did in his. It was that drive to let others know what he had found that drove Luther, on that cool October day, to post his 95 Theses (95 points of debate he wished to raise about the religious system of his day). He thought his publication would lead to a lively debate among scholars and perhaps even a return to the truths of Scripture for some. Instead, it touched off a firestorm that would erupt into the Protestant Reformation. Europe would never be the same. Millions who came to faith through his preaching and the preaching of those who followed him would never be the same. And now 500 years later I, as an heir of the Reformation, can never be the same.

The message that God used to open the eyes of a terrified monk, has come home to me as well. By faith in Christ I know that my sins are forgiven, and I have been accepted by God as righteous, not because of any good thing I have done, but because of the finished work of Christ received by faith! It is my hope that this same message will come home to you as well. There is hope for every sinner, who by faith will repent of his sin and trust in Jesus, God's Son, by Grace, through faith alone.

Oh! What a rich mercy!

Pastor Scott Lee

Psalm 32:6

The following few bits is taken from Thomas Watson's "Godly Man's Picture."  I pray that it might be a blessing to you as well!

Aaron

For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee. Psalm 32:6

David at the beginning of this psalm shows us wherein true happiness consists; not in  beauty, honour, riches (the world's trinity), but in the forgiveness of sin. "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven" (Psalm 32:1)

Here are the basic points made by Watson:

1.  Forgiveness of sin is an act of God's free Grace (Isaiah 43:25)
2.  God, in forgiving sin, remits the guilt and penalty (Genesis 3)
3.  Forgiveness of sin is through the blood of Christ (Hebrews 9:22)
4.  Before sin is forgiven, it must be repented of (Luke 24:47)
5.  God having forgiven sin, he will no longer call it to remembrance (Jeremiah 31:34)

Private Prayer

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." Colossians 4:2

In all the ages of the world, the saints have kept up secret prayer. In spite of all opposers and persecutors, in prisons, in dungeons, in caves, in chains, on racks, in banishments, and in the very flames--the saints have still kept up secret, private prayer.

A Christian can as well hear without ears, live without food, fight without hands, and walk without feet as he is able to live without private prayer! Private prayer is the life of our lives--the soul, the sweet, the heaven of all our earthly enjoyments. Of all the duties of piety, prayer alone is the most soul-sweetening, strengthening, enriching, spiritually fattening, refreshing, satisfying, and encouraging duty.

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace--that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16

- Thomas Brooks