The Five 7/22/23
Five of Mike’s favorite or most interesting things on the Internet this week
Here is this week’s FIVE.
1. ESSAY (45-60 min)
Introductory Essay to John Owen’s Death of Death in the Death of Christ
By: J.I. Packer
More often than not, if I am looking for things to watch, listen to, or read, then I am on the search for new experiences. Normally, I’m not really the one to want to relive the same things over and over again. However, as I get older, there are a handful of movies, books, poems, essays, sermons, and especially songs that I do find myself drawn back to regularly. For me, this means that these particular things have to hit some high mark in terms of content and quality. They become standards in some sense in which to judge the new things that come my way, and I find myself being drawn back to reexamine the standard.
This essay is one of those things. I first read this essay about 12 years ago when reading John Owen’s work, “The Death of Death in the Death of Christ.” It was just one of so many different things that God used, and which came together, to influence my own personal reformation in my theology. Since then I have read it again at least 4 times. I came across it again this week, and after skimming through, plan to read it again in its entirety very soon.
You can also download a .MOBI, EPUB, .PDF, PRINTABLE BOOKLET, WEBPAGE version here
2. EXCERPT (3 min) and Downloadable eBook
The Duties of Parents
By: J.C. Ryle
As a father of five children all under the age of twelve, the following words of wisdom from J.C. Ryle on training a child in the knowledge of the Bible was very challenging and encouraging for me this week.
**Don’t mistake Ryle’s comment on catechisms as a detraction from the usefulness of them, but rather understand his plea for a course correction. A reminder that scripture is to hold a position of preeminence in the hearts of the believer. Placed over, and not beneath, creeds, confessions, and catechisms. As good and as wonderful as they are, they still do not carry the same authority and therefore the dearness of the scriptures.**
“You cannot make your children love the Bible, I allow. None but the Holy Ghost can give us a heart to delight in the Word. But you can make your children acquainted with the Bible; and be sure they cannot be acquainted with that blessed book too soon, or too well.
A thorough knowledge of the Bible is the foundation of all clear views of religion. He that is well-grounded in it will not generally be found a waverer, and carried about by every wind of new doctrine. Any system of training which does not make a knowledge of Scripture the first thing is unsafe and unsound.
You have need to be careful on this point just now, for the devil is abroad, and error abounds. Some are to be found amongst us who give the Church the honour due to Jesus Christ. Some are to be found who make the sacraments saviours and passports to eternal life. And some are to be found in like manner who honour a catechism more than the Bible, or fill the minds of their children with miserable little story-books, instead of the Scripture of truth. But if you love your children, let the simple Bible be everything in the training of their souls; and let all other books go down and take the second place.
Care not so much for their being mighty in the catechism, as for their being mighty in the Scriptures. This is the training, believe me, that God will honour. The Psalmist says of Him, “Thou hast magnified Thy Word above all Thy name” (Ps. 138:2); and I think that He gives an especial blessing to all who try to magnify it among men.
See that your children read the Bible reverently. Train them to look on it, not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, written by the Holy Ghost Himself, — all true, all profitable, and able to make us wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
See that they read it regularly. Train them to regard it as their soul’s daily food, — as a thing essential to their soul’s daily health. I know well you can not make this anything more than a form; but there is no telling the amount of sin which a mere form may indirectly restrain.
See that they read it all. You need not shrink from bringing any doctrine before them. You need not fancy that the leading doctrines of Christianity are things which children cannot understand. Children understand far more of the Bible than we are apt to suppose.
Tell them of sin, its guilt, its consequences, its power, its vileness: you will find they can comprehend something of this.
Tell them of the Lord Jesus Christ, and His work for our salvation, — the atonement, the cross, the blood, the sacrifice, the intercession: you will discover there is something not beyond them in all this.
Tell them of the work of the Holy Spirit in man’s heart, how He changes, and renews, and sanctifies, and purifies: you will soon see they can go along with you in some measure in this. In short, I suspect we have no idea how much a little child can take in of the length and breadth of the glorious gospel. They see far more of these things than we suppose. [Note: As to the age when the religious instruction of a child should begin, no general rule can be laid down. The mind seems to open in some children much more quickly than in others. We seldom begin too early. There are wonderful examples on record of what a child can attain to, even at three years old.]
Fill their minds with Scripture. Let the Word dwell in them richly. Give them the Bible, the whole Bible, even while they are young.”
J.C. Ryle, The Duties of Parents:
You can read J.C. Ryle’s whole book on parenting for FREE at the link above.
3. ARTICLE (3 min)
Twenty Benefits From The Lord’s Supper
By: Joel Beeke
(click image above for link)
The Reverend, Dr. Joel Beeke, has been a pastor for more than 45 years, he is president and professor of systematic theology and homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary (since 1994), a pastor of the Heritage Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan (since 1986), editor of Puritan Reformed Journal and Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, Board Chairman of Reformation Heritage Books, president of Inheritance Publishers, and vice-president of the Dutch Reformed Translation Society.
Here he gives 20 (bullet point) benefits from the Lord’s Supper.
I can see where contemplating and meditating on a couple of these each Lord’s Day when it is time to come to the Eucharist could be very rewarding.
4.FB Post (3 min)
You Will Be Eaten by Cannibals
“You will be eaten by cannibals,” was the warning an elderly church leader gave Scottish missionary John G. Paton before he and his wife Mary left for the mission field.
To which Paton responded, “Mr. Dickson, you are advanced in years now, and your own prospect is soon to be laid in the grave, there to be eaten by worms; I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving and honoring the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by Cannibals or by worms; and in the Great Day my Resurrection body will rise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer.”
John G. Paton
5. VIDEO (30 sec)
Every Worship Team Needs a Praise Skater (NOT!)
From YouTube SHORTS
Most of my five this week were pretty heavy or serious subjects… had to throw in something worth laughing about… enjoy the praise skater!
For the record we are NOT currently accepting applications for praise skaters on the worship team… LOL!
That’s my five! 🤚🏼
Are you enjoying, “The Five?” If so, please forward this to a friend and invite them to follow along at www.redemption-hill.com.
Did you see something inspiring, challenging, convicting, or just plain funny on the internet this week? Let me know your requests and suggestions on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook and just maybe they will make, “The Five,” next week. Which of the Five was your favorite this week? Let me know! Just comment on FB or send a tweet or instagram msg to @mikehooperjr be sure to tag #TheFive
Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful weekend, and I’ll see you in church on the Lord’s Day!
~ Pastor Mike Hooper
