The Blog of Pastor Jude St. John
In The Trenches
One of the things I love about football is its applicability to life. So much of what happens on the football field corresponds to our experience of living. And in particular, one can draw many parallels between the game of football and our life of faith in Jesus Christ. Most of my years playing football were played “in the trenches.” That is, I was an offensive lineman who plied my trade on the line of scrimmage. That no-man’s-land of much physical violence between opposing forces which derives its name from the battle situations of the World Wars. That place which seems, as often as not, to be an experience much like our lives. I hope to communicate with you a few things that will hopefully be of some help as you fight the good fight of faith. And since I am in this battle too, you might consider that I write these thoughts as I live my life for God in the trenches.
Books I've Read in 2019
- John Newton by Jonathan Aitken
- Supernatural Power for Everyday People by Jared Wilson
- The Freedom of the Will by Jonathan Edwards
- The World-Tilting Gospel by Dan Philips
- Biblical Theology by Nick Roark and Robert Cline
- Understanding the Lord's Supper by Bobby Jamieson
- The Works of John Newton: Volume 1 by John Newton
- Understanding the Congregation's Authority by Jonathan Leeman
- Pierced for Our Transgressions by Steve Jeffery, Mike Ovey, and Andrew Sach
- The Common Rule by Justin Whitmel Earley
- The Works of John Newton: Volume 2 by John Newton
- Heart to Heart: Octavius Winslow's Experimental Preaching by Tanner G. Turley
- The Inquirer Directed to an Experimental and Practical View of the Atonement by Octavius Winslow
Archives
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This past Sunday the topic for the sermon was adoption; the glorious truth that through the redemption of Christ God the Father brings sinners into his family. We encouraged to see in the beautiful act the great love that the Father has for us. For this week’s post, I simply share with you a song. I threw a forgotten CD—that’s a disc that contains music…there are such things believe it or not—into my truck stereo and heard this song I had not heard for some time.
It is called “The Father’s Love” and it can be found on the Sovereign Grace Music album Sons and Daughters. I encourage you to read the lyrics below with an eye for all of the ideas that relate to our sermon series on the atonement. Below the lyrics will be the song itself.
THE FATHER’S LOVE
VERSE 1
How has the sinner been forgiven
How has the rebel been made clean
Or blinded eyes been made to see
How have the orphans been adopted
Who hated Your love and ran from grace
Despised and rejected all Your ways
CHORUS
How wonderful the Father’s love
The Father’s love for us
That He would send His only Son
To come and rescue us
He has saved us, called us blameless
Guides us now and will sustain us
Oh how wonderful the Father’s love
VERSE 2
Your mercy floods our lives with kindness
Your grace has colored all we see
And You have promised not to leave
You freely give Your Spirit to us
So we can be sure we’re sons of God
And rest in the hope of what’s to come
BRIDGE
Though sufferings may fill our lives
We’re confident we’re heirs with Christ
And so we cry, “Abba, Father”
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