M. Horts & Biblical Testimonies

Whenever I think of what a 'testimony' should be, I'm reminded of, humbled by, and challenged with this quote. But I can never find it when I want it. So I sat down and spent about 40 minutes finding it. It's long, but at least chew on the bolded sections:

"Evangelicals, of course, have courageously defended the historicity of Christ's bodily resurrection and return in glory against the dogmatic anti-supernaturalism of liberalism. At the same time, when it comes to popular piety, both evangelicals and liberals (to the extent that they share a common heritage in pietism) often emphasize the immediacy of Jesus to our experience more than the reality of his bodily resurrection, ascension, and return. Whenever this happens, however important these dogmas may be for defending Christ's diety, his humanity seems to play a minor role. For example, why should we long for Jesus Christ's appearing in the flesh when he already lives in our heart? As one gospel song puts it, "You ask me how I know he lives, he lives within my heart," but this is a sentiment that could just as easily warm the heart of any liberal protestant. It makes no difference whether Jesus rose from the dead in the flesh two thousand years ago, as long as he is somehow "still with us" in our personal experience today.

In sharp contrast, Paul defended the resurrection in the flesh as a datable event with eyewitnesses. John begins his letter of warning about the "antichrists" who deny that Christ has come in the flesh by immediately stating, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life--the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it" (1 John 1:1-2). Similarly, Peter testifies, "For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty" (2 Peter 1:16). It is significant that for the apostles, offering their testimony meant witnessing to the concrete person and work of Christ in history, where for us today it usually means witnessing to our personal experience and moral improvement."

-Michael Horton, Christless Christianity, p. 182-3

Guerra del Fin del Mundo

"Desde el fondo de esa ambigua realidad de fuego y hielo que era su cuerpo encogido en la oscuridad de la gruta, siguió oyendo todavía el relato de Antonio el Fogueteiro, reproduciendo, viendo ese fin del mundo que él ya había anticipado, conocido, sin necesidad de que ese resucitado de entre los carbones y los cadáveres se lo relatara." -Mario Vargas Llosa, La Guerra del Fin del Mundo

This past week, I've definitely been a recluse, using all my free time to read. And it was worth it, Guerra was so good it was ridiculous. I mean, Vargas Llosa did just win the nobel prize in literature. So read it, whether you do in English or in Spanish (I chose the latter). As his first book to take place out of his native Peru, Guerra is a wonderfully written, engrossing, fictional retelling of Brazil's bloodiest war.

Tom Waits, Total Depravity, & Grace

Tom Waits continues to impress me as a musician, songwriter, and human being. Today, he released an amazing poem, whose purchase will help fund agencies providing relief to the homeless (Redwood Food Bank, Sonoma County's Homeless Referral Services, & Family Support Center).

But, as to why his lyric-writing greatly impresses me (drawing mostly from Blood Money and Mule Variations) is Tom's recognition of total depravity and God's grace. How often we forget that we are dead in trespasses and sin (Eph. 2:1), "bad through and through (in head and heart and will)" (KDY), and even (as Christians) our righteous deeds are like filthy rags before God (Isa. 64:6).

Though the Bible does it better, T$Waits helps us out:

"If there's one thing you can say about mankind, there's nothing kind about man." -Misery is the River of the World

"All the good in the world you can put inside a thimble and still have room for you and me." -Misery is the River of the World

"I don't believe you go to heaven when you're good, everything goes to hell, anyway." -Everything Goes to Hell

"We are all lost in the wilderness, we're as blind as can be." -Eyeball Kid

"Man's a fiddle that life plays on. When the day breaks, and the earth quakes, life's a mistake all day long...a man must test his mettle in a crooked ol' world." -Starving in the Belly of a Whale

But, luckily, Tom doesn't leave it there. Again, while the Bible does it much better, Tommy boy has songs pointing to God's common grace evidenced among mankind (so that we don't bask in utter depravity) and in God's grace through His own action. But this grace can only be appreciated upon understanding our fallen state.

"The face forgives the mirror, the worm forgives the plow, the questions beg the answer, can you forgive me somehow? Maybe when our story's over, we'll go where it's always spring, the band is playing our song again and all the world is green." -All the World is Green

"So if you find someone, someone to have, someone to hold, don't trade it for silver, don't trade it for gold. I have all of life's treasures and they are fine and they are good. They remind me that houses are just made of wood, what makes a house grand ain't the roof or the doors, if there's love in a house...it's a palace for sure." -House Where Nobody Lives

"We are all lost in the wilderness, we're as blind as can be. He came down to teach us how to really see." -Eyeball Kid

"Does life seem nasty, brutish and short? Come on up to the house. The seas are stormy and you can't find no port. Come on up to the house...And you been whipped by the forces that are inside you. Come on up to the house." -Come on Up to the House

"Come down off the cross, we can use the wood. Come on Up to the House." -Come on Up to the House

Amigos en Boston: La Oportunidad de su Vida

Julieta Venegas, la leyenda de Mexico

Saturday, February 26 here in Boston!!

$42, but that's cheap for this Mexican Legend. Serious vocals, serious street cred.

I'm definitely going and would love to go with friendz. so if anyone in B*town is interested in going, please hit me up soon as I want to purchase tickets soon!

You are always mine to keep when you're gone

I knew what you were doing
That summer when Candy came around
But I had too much hurt to bother you
When we lost our first child I thought a little payment was overdue
And I want you so bad...

Cause you are always mine to keep when you're gone
Two silver rings, one's on my finger and the other one's gone
It went underground with you, oh John.

-Ryan Adams & Norah Jones, 'Dear John'

I love songs that capture the bleakest of human emotions, yet hold out hope at the end. This song, as well as almost every song on Jacksonville City Nights does just that. Though perhaps this song's bleak points are even drearier than most. Do yourself a mighty big favor and pick up this album if you don't have it.

KDY

"We are unable to do good and are bent toward evil, unless we are born again by the Spirit of God. Unfortunately, the phrase "born again" has become just another sociopolitical category. We have forgotten where it comes from. Jesus, borrowing from the prophet Ezekiel, is the one who first used the phrase. "You must be born again," He told Nicodemus (John 3:7).
We must not forget this command from Jesus. Yes, Jesus wants us to love, to forgive, to pray, to be humble, to do justice, and to love mercy. But we must not forget the fountainhead command from which the river of obedience flows. Trying to live a Jesus life won't help us get into heaven and it will only discourage us over the long haul if we are not born again. This is where well-meaning socially minded Christians sometimes get off track. They want the world to live like Jesus, but forget that we can't live like Jesus unless the Spirit of Jesus first changes us.
We must be given a new heart. We must be regenerated. We must be converted. We must be changed. The Christian life--the life of faith in God, hope in Christ, and love for others--necessitates, first of all, a life that has been given a supernatural new start by the Holy Spirit. We must be born again."
-Kevin DeYoung, "The Good News We Almost Forgot," pg. 31
seriously good stuff (reflections on each Lord's Day from the Heidelberg Catechism). and my devotional for this first part of the year.