Emmanuel Evangelical Church

Everything under his feet

Steve Jeffery — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 11:09:15 +0000

The title for the second essay for students on the Guided Reading Course is as follows:

How does Hebrews 2:5-9 develop themes found in Genesis 1:26-28, Psalm 8 and Galatians 3:19?

No more than 2000 words.

You may find it helpful to consult O. Palmer Robertson, The Christ of the Covenants; Peter J. Leithart, A House For My Name: A survey of the Old Testament; good commentaries on Genesis and Hebrews; and the chapter on angels in J. B. Jordan’s Through New Eyes.

But most of all, you’ll need to think hard about how the themes found in Hebrews 2:5-9 are developed throughout the Bible. Other biblical texts besides those mentioned in the title will be significant in helping you piece together the various strands of biblical material.

Nothing is beyond repair

Steve Jeffery — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:58:33 +0000

I don’t know whether this quotation appears in Agatha Christie’s original Appointment with Death, but it’s certainly in the screen version on the lips of Hercule Poirot: “There is nothing in this world so damaged that it cannot be repaired by the hand of Almighty God.”

Judges 2:1-15, Training the next generation

Steve Jeffery — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 18:57:27 +0000

Preacher: Steve Jeffery

Mocking the crucified Messiah

Steve Jeffery — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 12:39:09 +0000

“God is not mocked” (Gal 6:7).

“Oh yes he is!” declared the Roman soldiers, the Jewish leaders, the robbers and the Jewish bystanders (Matthew 27:27-44).

Oh no he isn’t.

Matthew 27:27-44, God is not mocked

Steve Jeffery — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 12:36:44 +0000

Preacher: Peter Leithart

An outline of Ruth 2

Steve Jeffery — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 10:16:00 +0000

For the benefit of the young people who’ll be looking at the book of Ruth in next week’s summer camp seminars, here’s an outline of Ruth 2:

A (1) Boaz introduced as a potential helper

B (2) Ruth offers to glean

C (3) Ruth gleans, and experiences God’s grace through Boaz

D (4-7) Boaz speaks to his men and hears of Ruth’s godliness

E (8-9) Boaz speaks with Ruth, assuring her of protection

F (10) Ruth exclaims, “Why have I found such favour in your eyes?”

G (11-12) Boaz speaks to Ruth about her godliness and the Lord’s reward

F’ (13) Ruth exclaims, “I have found favour in your eyes!”

E’ (14) Boaz speaks with Ruth, providing generously for her

D’ (15-16) Boaz speaks to his men and instructs them to help Ruth

C’ (17-18) Ruth gleaned, Naomi experiences God’s grace through her

B’ (19) Ruth reports her gleaning

A’ (20) Boaz described as a potential redeemer

Sacraments are symbols

Steve Jeffery — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 19:29:35 +0000

Sacraments are sometimes described as “symbols.” That’s a biblical way of thinking, provided of course that we understand biblically what a “symbol” is. We need to avoid the mistake of thinking that sacramental symbols are dispensable things, unconnected with what they symbolise. For God has chosen to “use sacraments as a means to communicate what they symbolize” (Leonard J. Vander Zee, Christ, Baptism and the Lords Supper, p. 33). That’s why Jesus can say of the bread, “This is my body” – not because there’s magic in the Hovis Sliced Wholemeal, but because as we eat of the bread he feeds us on his flesh by faith.

Perhaps we might say that a sacrament is a symbol in something like the way that a wedding ring is a symbol. The ring is related to the reality of the marital devotion it symbolises. You couldn’t thrown away your wedding ring without upsetting your spouse, because the ring and the love are intimately connected. Of course it’s possible, in theory, to give or receive a wedding ring without loving your spouse, but that’s not how we define its significance. The ring symbolises love because your spouse uses the ring to communicate love. Through the gift of a ring your spouse says, “I love you.”

The re-evangelisation of Europe

Steve Jeffery — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 14:27:38 +0000

Roughly 0.5 – 1 % of the French population attend evangelical churches. Last week I had the privilege of speaking at the first Huguenot Heritage Conference to a group of Elders, Ministers and others who are praying that God will be at work in the coming years to increase those figures a bit. Or, better still, a lot.

The theme of the conference was “Biblical Evangelism with a European Flavour.” Francis Foucachon spoke on how culture affects evangelism, and his talks will no doubt be made available online in due course at Huguenot Heritage. I gave a couple of talks, and you can listen online by following the links below.

1. “To the Ends of the Earth”: The Why of Evangelism

2. “Do the work of an Evangelist”: The How of Evangelism

2. The How of Evangelism

Steve Jeffery — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 14:26:48 +0000

The second of two talks given at the 2010 Huguenot Heritage Conference on the subject of “Biblical Evangelism with a European Flavour.”

Speaker: Steve Jeffery

1. The Why of Evangelism

Steve Jeffery — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 14:26:04 +0000

The first of two talks given at the 2010 Huguenot Heritage Conference on the subject of “Biblical Evangelism with a European Flavour.”

Speaker: Steve Jeffery