#ortlund

[calebyap]

Jesus defeats all of God’s enemies, including the last enemy, death, in his death, burial, and resurrection. By taking on death for us, he defeats it for us. Death has been swallowed up in death, because the one who died for us is life. There is no indication here of a Harrowing of Hell or an emptying of Hades, as in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox views, but instead a simple affirmation that Jesus has taken away death’s sting by experiencing it for us and thereby conquering it.

What would you encourage evangelicals to think of when they hear or recite this phrase [”He descended into hell”, from the Apostles’ Creed] in worship services?

http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/death-has-been-swallowed-up-by-death

[fromherrenhut-blog]

[calebyap]

The reason is how you see Christ. It may be that you have no complaints about him. He may seem to you an unobjectionable Savior. But if you have no passion for him, it’s because you do not see in him mighty passion for you and a mighty salvation for you and a glorious future for you. That vision of Christ is unworthy of him. The truth is, the Lord Jesus Christ is a glorious Savior

Ray Ortlund, Proverbs Commentary

[smijus]

To "seek" the Lord is to stop dawdling and to become intentional, setting highest value on him, removing everything that keeps us from him, hearing his word without back-talk, opening up to his will with no pre-conditions, budgeting our money for his cause first - the ever-widening circle is endless. Seeking the Lord is a whole-life realignment with Christ. We stop treating him as a religious garnish on the side. He becomes our continual feast, our defining centre. And the time to move in his direction is now.

Ray Ortlund on Isaiah 55:6 (ESV):

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;

Isaiah (God Saves Sinners), Crossway Books (c) 2005

[abiherrera-blog]

Strength-in-weakness / Ray O.

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. . . . For when I am weak, then I am strong.  2 Corinthians 11:30; 12:10 I am a pastor.  And I am weak.  I value strength, because God wired us men for strength.  And His grace imparts real strength (2 Timothy 2:1).  But for me, one of the surprises in Christ is strength-in-weakness. In a way, I wish I could be a formidable, always successful, always smart, always witty, always energetic, always cool, always positive Super Pastor.  Then people would admire my astonishing wonderfulness, and then I could always feel good about myself.  I would love that.  It’s one thing Jesus is saving me from. How does He save me?  He reduces me to weakness and need, and He allows me to see it for myself time after time.  Then, and only then, do I humble myself and ask Him for His grace.  Then, and only then, is He is exalted as my Super Savior. I am weak.  I am boring.  I get cranky.  I fumble my words in interviews.  I get into ruts.  I forget people’s names.  I don’t have all the answers.  I could go on and on with my remarkable inadequacies.  But I have come to believe that the power of Christ resting on a weak man makes more impact for Him than my fantasy Self batting a thousand ever could.  In fact, I have come to like the current arrangement.  Yes, I want to be strong in the right ways.  No one has ever accused me of being a wimp.  But my own carnal strength need no longer apply. When the power of Christ rests on me in all my weakness, everything gets better.