Scripture is Sufficient and God is Sovereign

August 5, 2020

Leadership Notes

Is it true that the CDC is now recommending wrapping ourselves in bubble wrap? Or is it people-sized Habitrail balls?

Idea for a bumper sticker:

Flattening the Curve is Widening My Stomach

Back in March, when all this started, the idea was to slow the spread so hospitals would not be overrun. Sometimes it feels to me as if we've gotten to the point where the goal has shifted to eradication. Mandated shut-down was never meant to be a preventative. It was a tool to manage the spread of Covid-19. The death rate is now trending to about 1%, which shows effective detection and treatment. Seems to me an acceptable level of risk.

I do grow weary of news updates about obscure "celebrities" who test positive for Covid-19. I get it. They've contracted a rather virulent strain of the flu. Man, am I sounding cynical!

In all uncynical honesty, I've banished "unprecedented times" and "a new normal" from my vocabulary. I don't know about you, but I'm ready to move on.

I think most of all, we need to get kids back in school. My top three truisms are:

* When someone says, "It's not about the money," you know it's always about the money.

* When someone says, during a breakup, "It's not you, it's me," you know it is you.

* And when one of the nation’s largest teachers’ union says, "It's all about the children," you know…

Parents, teachers, and administrators have various reasons for and against

reopening schools. I think wisdom and common sense can get us to the point

where we do what's in the best interest of all involved. The bottom line is, kids need to be back in school. While some families can continue to home school/virtual school their children, that's not a possibility for every family. There are families where both parents work. There are single parent families for whom this would be a hardship. It is a form of elitism to think that all families can continue to home school/virtual school their children. My prayer focus for August is on getting our kids back in school!

Tim Keller has said, "Follow the pathway of the fear back into your heart to discover the things you love more than God." Almost 500 years before that, John Calvin said, "We shall never be clothed with the righteousness of Christ except we first know assuredly that we have no righteousness of our own."

In these past several months, we have seen all kinds of lamenting, protesting, and seeking for answers to what ails our culture. It has been interesting to watch. From many pastors and church leaders and Christian publications, these things are addressed from the position of Jesus + Social Justice, or Jesus + Social Analysis, or Jesus + {List Your Grievance} or Jesus + Community Engagement. But we know those equations are all wrong. Jesus + Anything or Everything = Nothing. The gospel truth is Jesus + Nothing = Everything. For 2000 years of human history, the gospel has been the answer to any trial, tribulation, situation or circumstance that may befall us. The gospel is everything and the only thing.

Luke 13:23-24 - "Someone said, 'Lord, will those who are saved be few?'

He said, 'Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek

to enter and will not be able.'"

Commenting on this passage, John Piper has simply said, "So he answers a question about the number by saying: be sure you're in the number."

I close with two final observations:

* Nathaniel Jolly: "As you wake to a crazy and uncertain world, remember that Scripture is Sufficient, and God is Sovereign."

* Alistair Begg: "In the Old Testament Jesus is predicted, in the Gospels He is revealed, in the Acts He is preached, in the Epistles He is explained, and in Revelation He is expected."

Come, Lord Jesus,

Richard