…on a Sunday. (I seldom eat out otherwise because food is so expensive!)

I don’t eat out on the Lord’s Day, and haven’t since I came of age in high school, because it is God’s special day of rest built into the fabric of the universe at Creation. This includes not causing others to work. Ex 20:10b tells us, “On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates.” This includes restaurants, pizza, Tim Horton’s drive through, [online] grocery shopping, etc.

And even if someone is not a Sabbatarian in a classic Christian sense, even if you only believe the Lord’s Day is a New Covenant ordinance for worship, does not the principle of Ex 20:10b compel you? I mean, isn’t it hypocritical for you to have the day off and to go to church but by purchasing one small thing or eating out, rob the employee of that same blessing? (Here I find it ironic that in England it is the socialist parties that still favour Sunday trading laws because they protects workers!).

Things never used to be open on Sunday and shouldn’t be open today. Alas, we live in a post-Christian world, and like most ethical area’s, we don’t have the godly law of the land to guide us. Everything is a test. Everything is an opportunity to trust the Lord’s ways and be a witness in the darkness, including keeping one day in seven as special.
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Instead of eating out, plan ahead, make freeing others to worship part of your worship, invite brothers and sisters or an unbeliever or a new couple at church over for a meal—show Christian hospitality. Enjoy the freedom that the gift of rest brings.

Life 100.3 interviewed Pastor Chris, interested in our evening service. It aired several times in late June, 2024.

Every age has a counter message that seeks to shroud, confuse or combat, the true Gospel. Our age is no different.

When in the city recently I came across a large mural on the glass of a leading Canadian bank. It read, “There’s no better feeling than being accepted for who you are.” Such a slogan is riddled with faults.

Firstly, expressive individualism rooted in subjective feelings (and not objective truth) is not a sure guide.

Secondly, total-acceptance (or the intolerance of ‘tolerance’) is as ridiculous. Sure, we respect people as being created in the image of God on the one hand, but we embrace others, not based upon who they put themselves forward as, but whether they, in truth and goodness, are nice and useful people.

Thirdly, the message is clearly ideological (cultural-marxism or woke), where if someone doesn’t agree with you on your terms, then they must be a bad oppressor and must be shamed and re-educated.

Beyond mere virtue signalling, much of our society seems to have bought into the anti-Gospel, lock, stock and barrel. No longer is it about LGBT, it has become the flag, or mantra of our day. It is the anti-Gospel. Embrace your sin, relish in it and demand others do too.

The true Gospel proclaims that we are sinners. That we are accepted by God only when we’ve been accepted by Christ through repentance and faith. That joy only begins when we receive grace and the Holy Spirit works to renew us into the people God wants us to be.
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I wouldn’t want to be accepted for who I am—what a hideous thought! Rather, my sole hope is being accepted before God by virtue of who Christ is—and has applied to me—through the imputed righteousness and imparted Sanctifier. It is only when I become a new creation and am transformed and await my glorification as a saved sinner that there can ever be a true feeling of joy, even jubilee.

​Christian, even yet-to-be-Christian, do not be fooled by the anti-Gospel of our age. It doesn’t satisfy or save. 

WORTHLESS MEN. It is an Old Testament category of its own- and you don't want to be one!

To be worthless can have two meanings: 1) perverted or wicked and 2) being good for nothing, useless, without profit or benefit. The first refers to not attaining to God's standards and the second to not contributing positively to your family or community.

Question- Avoiding judgementalism, what caricature comes to mind when you think of a 'worthless man?'

Look up the following Scriptural references and not what the context is and why the man/men are is being described as worthless. Use the following chart to summarize and expand.

​Job 11:11; Deut 13:13; Judg 9:4, 11:3, 19:22/20:13; 1 Sam 2:12, 10:27, 25:25, 30:22; 2 Sam 23:6; 1 Ki 21:10, 13

While worthless men certainly exist, is any man worthy? (Ro 3:23). Not referring to value as created in God's image, we are all worthless for we've not met God's holy standard nor aspired to His grand design for manhood. 

Who alone is worthy? (Mk 1:7, Rev 4:11, 5:9). The worth of Jesus (axis) speaks of His tipping the balance, of His supreme weight of person and character. Through repentance and faith His worth may be imputed to us (credited righteousness) and His worth imparted to us through His Spirit and by His Word. Like David who gathered worthless men around him, we should seek to do the same in discipleship remembering those men eventually became leaders in his kingdom. As we are men of worth through Christ, like David, our worth becomes central to our witness in a world of worthless men. 

May the Lord save and transform many worthless men for His glory.

Reminiscent of George Orwell's 1984 there is some cause to question at least some of this advertisement. This is because a key tenant of the social-marxist ideology (woke) that drives the present government is bent on a disinformation campaign of its own. There is a perceptible campaign to condition people to its agenda and question other narratives (i.e. gender). The problem is that a key component of the campaign are emotional triggers (how convenient). However, there are lots of things that can trigger, be controversial, extraordinary or seem to good to be true.

Consider the Gospel; it is offensive (1 Cor 1:23; 2 Cor 2:16). Christ's death (and a host of other Biblical teachings, will be found to be offensive to our culture. It isn't because the Gospel is false that it is found to be an offense but because human hearts are proud and resistant to the truth.

Might the Gospel become 'disinformation?' It is some places and has been in the past.

Recently in our study on Acts we’ve considered the subject of persecution by the world. The world desires to conform us to their image and gets upset when we won’t. In a recent sermon I pondered whether persecution might be looming upon Christians in the West in a more concerted way. Beyond recent Covid arrests consider some visible Christians who have been persecuted in the last couple of weeks:

• The Methodist theologian, Dr. Aaron Edwards, in the UK who lost his job and was evicted by the seminary for holding to the biblical definition of marriage. Here.
• A Catholic priest was recently arrested in England for praying near an abortion clinic. Here.  
• The NHL player, James Reimer, who cited his religious belief in the Bible, took flak for not wearing pre-game LGBT jerseys.  Here. Another NHL player of Orthodox background had a similar story.
• A Renfrew, ON, student at a Catholic School (of all places) was recently expelled and then arrested for trying to return to class after he shared his view on gender in a classroom debate on the subject (again, of all places!). Here.
• A Calgary pastor was arrested for praying near a Drag event. Here.

I don’t know the context and spirit in which every one of these stories transpired but the common bond is a hostility to freedom of speech, conscience and religion, or opposition to Jesus Christ.
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May we pray for these individuals and others like them who find themselves beset by the law that should protect them, the salvation of our culture and that we might be bold if faced with the world’s tactics of conformity.

As March dawns I admit that I am itching to get back out into the garden. Flowers are such a delightful pleasure of God’s creation, a true gift of colour and joy. During the winter we can enjoy cut flowers, however, their beauty is temporary and fleeting. They only last so long. By contrast real flowers continue long in bloom and perennials return every year afresh to bless us once more.
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There are many in our contemporary Canadian culture (itself being refashioned as we speak) who believe that our Christian past is a total blight and embarrassment to our national identity. It is a something to be reinvented and forgot rather than cherished and preserved. Recent studies show an increasing majority of Canadians see religion as a negative force, with only some 34% seeing Christianity as a positive element of society. There are some who even champion the idea that we must finally cut ourselves off from our Christian past to secure the bright dawn of a progressive future.

C.S. Lewis suggested that when one had gone down the wrong path the most progressive thing to do was to reverse and then progress down the true path (c.f. Jer 6:16–17). As Canada has become, and continues to become, more post-Christian, some non-Christian leaders have urged restraint in jettisoning our heritage because they recognize the immense value it has and that our country couldn’t existentially be what it is without it.

This is wise wisdom because Christianity gave us the very essence of what has made Canada such a glorious land. As we’ve slipped and then rushed away from this heritage we risk, well, everything. We are, you might say, living on borrowed time. To put it another way, the present generation is very much living off the merits of past generations. We still have some semblance of life but we are losing our bloom as we die a slow death. We are a cut flower society. We are cut off from the very roots that gave us life.

Consider what Christianity gave us and what it might look like without these values:

• An Other focus- Focus on God and others vs. self
• Truth and Science- Belief in an objective truth that has meaning
• Freedom- basic rights come from God (not self) and were often developed by Christians in the face of persecution.
• Law and Order- Because there is truth there is also right and wrong, and hence harm and good in society, reward and punishment.
• Productivity & Prosperity- The Christian work ethic, that we are responsible beings who ought to work for the glory of God and the good of others.
• Compassion- That the genuinely weak should be protected.
• Weekends- That we need to rest one day in 7, centring on the Lord’s Day.

Oh how true the Proverb that, “righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Prov 14:34)

May society repent and see the worth of Christian values and the Lord who stands behind them ready to forgive and renew (Acts 3:19).

May the faithful remnant of Canadian Christians have a preserving and savoury effect as the salt of this land (Mt 5:13).

A recent Church of England Synod, UK (the flagship of the worldwide Anglican communion), debated whether to bless same sex unions. Advocates said this was not a change to church doctrine, which upholds marriage as between a man and a woman. Many evangelical/conservative/traditional Anglicans raised an alarm, including a lay leader by the name of Benjamin John (who also works for the UK Christian legal ministry Christian Concern). His short speech is a brilliant example of Peter and John boldness we’ve been reading about in Acts:

Subsequently the Synod tragically, though not astonishingly, voted in favour of blessing same-sex unions. There has been Anglican drift for decades. They have exchanged orthodoxy for cultural compromise. Numerous Anglican bloggers and Youtubers have expressed their grave concern. Many individuals and congregations will leave, some joining groups like the Free Anglican Church (The Anglican Network was similarly formed in Canada out of the Anglican Church in Canada). The worldwide Anglican communion, which has given Christianity so much good, is fracturing along biblical lines. Those who naively and foolishly remain will, almost inevitably, drift toward further compromise. As one Anglican commentator put it, you can’t say you’re a vegan and eat sausages. You cannot say church teaching is that marriage is heterosexual and bless same-sex unions. The Lord is patient with the bride He is sanctifying but when it so openly apostatizes (departs from the faith), well, He denies those who deny Him (2 Ti 2:12b). Church history is full of such examples.

Ichabod- Hebrew for the glory of the Lord has departed (1 Sam 4:22).
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May the faithful take heed and remain true to the Lord in faith and practice.

In recent decades our country has done a 180 in what it values and believes. Usually this has been for ill. When we exchange God for self “everyone does what is right in his own eyes.” (Judges). Truly as a result we now often “call good evil and evil good.” (Isa 5:20).
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If you don’t think we’ve done a 180 consider some of the following changes:

• Not too long ago we sought to discourage smoking tobacco, seeing it as unhealthy for our lungs, etc; today cannabis is legal though it destroys the brains of those who smoke it.
• Sunday was a day of rest and now one more for progress.
• We once exercised capital punishment on the guilty and now readily encourage the death of the innocent (e.g. abortion).
• Our schools used to teach facts and teach our children how to think; today the tell them what to think and priorities ideology over information.
• Hard drugs were once seen as a destructive force in society to be guarded against; today we toy with decriminalizing them.
• Shoplifters were once prosecuted; today they walk out with little recourse available to store owners.
• Men and women used to get married, today they live common law or “marry” the opposite sex.
• We once protected and preserved life (Hippocratic oath); now doctors can kill patients.
• You used to find pots of flowers on people’s porches; now you find pots of pot.
• Training a child up in the way he should go is now seen as oppressive (though behavioural issues abound).
• Courtesy used to rule the day, today government hotlines warn against verbal abuse.
• Men once sacrificially led our communities; today they’d rather let women do the work.
• Families used to spend time together; now they look at their phones together.
• Workers used to search for jobs; now employer can find people who want to work.
• Men and women used to be biological realities; today they are fluid identities.
• People used to sing and whistle; today they are depressed.
• Responsibility; victimhood.
• Hard work; entitlement.
• On and on and on…

Not only are these changes immoral, they’re also illogical; even insane.

To our culture the Lord says, repent and return to me, to know times of refreshing (c.f. Acts 3:19).

To Christians He bids us to stand on His Word and not become “like the nations around us” (c.f. 1 Sam 8:20), all the while loving the lost and hopefully sharing the Gospel. It is the Gospel alone that can reverse our course so we call good ‘good’ and evil ‘evil’ once again.

Over the weekend I was afforded an opportunity to be in a number of different church settings across southern Ontario as I taught and preached. Ranging from Toronto to Windsor, urban and rural, worship and classroom, I was blessed to experience something of what God is doing in Ontario.

Though class sizes at some seminaries remains low because of post-Covid dynamics and demographic trends in education, there are still those who are preparing for ministry via seminary. In Toronto this has a very international feel. One student, from Malaysia, is planning on returning there to minister amongst the predominantly Muslim population. The church is Ontario is connected with the uttermost parts of the earth, both in receiving and sending. God is globalizing His Church.

On the Lord’s Day I was able to preach at a church I had previously pastored in rural Ontario. When I transitioned to a new ministry the church was struggling to deal with carnal individuals who had too long persisted in the congregation (c.f. Eph 4). Since those individuals have ceased to be part of that congregation my friend, who now pastors there, has seen what liberty follows such a happy change. I preached beside the church in a large tent to 200+ people as the church building cannot contain the number of people who have come to Christ (largely from a nominally Christian population group in the community). God is building His Church.

That evening I was speaking at an induction service in Windsor. It was a medium sized urban congregation that, following a wider trend, is moving away from being seeker sensitive and more liberal, to one that is much more robust, healthy and evangelical—this led primarily by the  younger generations. It was a joy to be a part of that by offering a biblically grounded charge to the new pastor, congregation and lost amongst them. God is renewing His Church.

On Monday I was back in Toronto speaking to a group of pastors on the “unknown Baptist minister,” Robert Hall Sr. of Arnsby (1728–1791). There was much in his story that was a challenge and encouragement to the brothers (and sisters) gathered there. One of these was to a missionary couple to Asia from Mexico who were visiting Toronto who will now take the lessons from Hall Sr. back to their villages. In spite of the encouragement from the workers from Mexico, one prayer request from the pastors present, i.e. not something unique to our church, is the need for workers. The harvest is plentiful but the labourers in Ontario are few (c.f. Mt 9:37). Not only do we need more young people prepared for ministry in seminary, etc, there is a direct need in the number of older Gospel workers approaching retirement. This is a real and present need; yet God is preparing His Church.
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There are many things the church faces in Ontario but there are many things that make this an exciting time in which to serve the Lord. Let us go forward into the unknown in a spirit of faith and boldness and Word-centredness as the early Church did (Acts 4:31).