February 15, 2012
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Linger, linger, linger – so you might know God's love
I recently came across the song "Who Is He?" by Json, featuring LeCrae, in Tim Challies' post John Piper's Unexpected Career in Hip-Hop. Near the conclusion of the song, there's an excerpt from a John Piper sermon from 1995 on Ephesians 4:32-5:2 (HT: Tim Challies & the commenters on Challies' post Linger, Linger, Linger). I went back and listened to that portion of Dr. Piper's sermon and transcribed it more fully below...
In order for Jesus to suffer and die,
He had to plan it way ahead of time
because as the Logos who existed before creation,
He couldn't die.
Immortal.
He didn’t have any body.
He could not die.
And yet He wanted to die.
For you.
So He planned the whole thing
by clothing Himself
with a body,
so that He could
get hungry
and get weary
and get sore feet.
The incarnation is the preparation
of nerve endings
for the nails.
That's what the incarnation is.
The incarnation is the preparation
of a brow
for thorns to press through.
He needed to have a broad back,
so that there was a place
for the whip.
He needed to have feet,
so that there was a place
for spikes.
He needed to have a side,
so that there was a place
for the sword to go in.
He needed cheeks,
fleshly cheeks,
so that Judas would have a place
to kiss,
and there would be a place
for the spit
to run down
that the soldiers put on him.
He needed a brain and a spinal column –
with no vinegar and no gall –
so that the exquisiteness of the pain
could be fully felt.
I just plead with you,
when you’re reading the Bible,
and you read texts like:
“He loved you and gave himself for you"
– you wouldn’t go too fast over it.
Linger,
linger,
linger,
and plead with Him
that your eyes would be opened.
When was the last time you lingered with the Word of God?
Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Where you linger, there your heart is also.
Where have you been lingering lately?
When was the last time you lingered in the Word of God, so that you can say you supped with the Lord Jesus Christ?
Ought not the people of God linger with their God in His Word?
Have you been lingering long at the mixed wine?
Proverbs 23:29-35
Who has woe?
Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions?
Who has complaints?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who has redness of eyes?
Those who linger long at the wine,
Those who go in search of mixed wine.Do not look on the wine when it is red,
When it sparkles in the cup,
When it swirls around smoothly;
At the last it bites like a serpent,
And stings like a viper.Your eyes will see strange things,
And your heart will utter perverse things.
Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:
“They have struck me, but I was not hurt;
They have beaten me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?”Or, have you been lingering long at the new wine from the true Vine?
Psalm 119:30-32
I have chosen the way of truth;
Your judgments I have laid before me.
I cling to Your testimonies;
O Lord, do not put me to shame!Psalm 63:8a
My soul clings to you...
Luke 24:28-31
Then they drew near to the village where they were going,
and He indicated that He would have gone farther.
But they constrained Him, saying,
“Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.”And He went in to stay with them.
Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them,
that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.
Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him;
and He vanished from their sight.Ought not the people of God cling to and linger long with their God in His Word?
May God give us grace to cling to and linger long
with Jesus Christ and His testimonies,
to cry out to constrain Him to abide with us
and plead with Him,
that our eyes might be opened,
that we might know Him and His love for us in increasing measure!John 8:31b
“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed."May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give to us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of our understanding being enlightened; that we may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.May God grant us, according to the riches of His glory to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith; that we, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that we may be filled with all the fullness of God.
(Ephesians 1:17-21 and 3:16-19, adapted)
Along with John Piper, I plead with you...
when you’re reading the Bible,
and you read texts like:“He loved you and gave himself for you"
– you wouldn’t go too fast over it.
Linger,
linger,
linger,and plead with Him
that your eyes would be opened.
Related:- Considering Jesus: (1) Making time to consider Jesus
- Considering Jesus: (2) Why do we do quiet time anyhow?
- take to heart ALL the words (more on quiet time)
- Get gnawing, put your nose down in the Book to feed the white-hot flame of God's gift
- "Garbage In" (Are you truly His disciple?)
- Are you a foolish or a wise pilgrim? (What have you done with your roll?)
- Luther & the Bible: "I would seek no other wealth than a copy of this book."
- "The honeycomb I lift!" ~ Will you join me? I Samuel 14:24-30
- my ministry & your attitude toward the Word of God
- Thanksgiving Eve: How hungry are you for Him
- Things To Look for in a Church, 6: A People Hungry for the Word of God
- Things To Look for in a Church: What We Might Learn from Solomon's Temple, # 8
- Herein is love ... Vast as the ocean ~ And let him that is athirst come!
- ♥ Valentine's Day Posts ♥ (Series Links)
- Bible Reading: Lamentations 1:12-Is His Sacrifice nothing to you?
- Christmas Day: why Christians should "Sing the Incarnation"
- First Sunday of Advent: The most scandalous bailout ever
- "My situation was so dangerous, so hopeless, that nothing less than the incarnation..." (Payson)
Scripture unless otherwise indicated taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Comments (2)
Lovely post! And thanks for the reminders.....I really love how you're connected to "formal" teaching of Scriptures, as well as the music that can go along with it. I like your references to Json and Lecrae....they're among my favs
@TigerLily_24 - Thank you! We all need these kinds of reminders, and we need to keep reminding one another ~ Heb. 10:24-25. My oldest son introduced me to Lecrae several years ago. I don't listen to a whole lot of rap or hip-hop, but I've found some of these artists have better theology than you find in the sermons you'll hear in many churches, which is a sad commentary on the condition of the church at this point in time.
Music is really powerful, so it's a blessing to hear it being used for the glory of God and to build up the Body of Christ.