| Resolved Conference '08
Praise God for (yet) another spectacular Resolved Conference. In similar vein to how Cornerstone consistently drives our hearts and minds towards greater devotion, obedience and love towards and for Christ, I’ve always appreciated over the years (since ‘05) how this conference is used by God to do the same – in a non-church context to be clear – for the ‘next’ generation of disciples of Christ. Mahaney said this back in 2005, and Rick Holland re-emphasized it again on the last night of the conference, which is always truly encouraging: - Conferences are no substitutes for the local church
- Speakers are no substitutes for our faithful pastors & shepherds
- Sessions are no substitutes for our personal devotions with & in Christ
Conference - ’08 Theme: Heaven & Hell
- Location: Palm Springs
- Avg. Temp: 110 degrees
- Speakers: Randy Alcorn, Rick Holland Steve Lawson, John MacArthur, C.J. Mahaney, John Piper
- 2009! Mark your calendars for June 12-14, 2009 again in Palm Springs (Conference theme: Sin)
Some Key Highlights – Randy Alcorn – Revelation 21-22 - Rev 21:1, 21:3 – Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more…And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”
- Takeaways
- Christ will fix this broken world so it will never be broken again
- For believers, the closest thing to hell is this life now. For unbelievers, the closest thing to heaven is this life now.
John MacArthur – Luke 12 & 13 - Luke 12:2-3 – Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.
- Takeaways
- If Christ was invited to the largest church in USA today, what would his sermon subject be? If you had the chance to do the same on one topic, what would your preaching be on? [Christ talked about Hell to the most religious people – Pharisees]
- Minority of people in hell are the Hitlers, Stalins, murderers, grossly immoral people we all can imagine. However, majority of people in hell are the very religious people following a religion that cannot save (false religion & hypocrisy).
- Beware of hypocrisy and false religion, and fear God because God will find you out and send you to hell! [Luke 12:5]
Steve Lawson – Revelation 4 – The Throne in Heaven - Rev 4:5-6 – From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.
- Takeaway à From chapter 4, we are witness to five truths about God:
- The Sovereignty of God – He has scripted the future
- The Splendor of God – v.3 and v.4
- The Severity of God – v.5 shows evidences of divine wrath
- The Sinlessness of God – v.6 and v.7 shows no one can approach the throne without the four creatures’ piercing observation
- The Supremacy of God – v.11 is a triumphal procession to ascribe God His ultimate worthiness
Steve Lawson – Revelation 20:11-15 – The Great White Throne Judgment - Rev 20:11 – Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.
- Jonathan Edwards Resolution 55 – Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to act as I can think I should do, if I had already seen the happiness of heaven, and hell torments.
- Takeaways
- There will only be perfect judgment in this final courtroom scene; the court is defined by absolute holiness and inflexible justice
- On this Day, the Lamb shall become…a Lion!
- Five groups of people will be summoned when books are opened (v.12)
1. The Out & Out Sinner 2. The Self-Righteous 3. The Religious Cult Members 4. The Procrastinator 5. Lost Church Members - Primary image of hell in Scripture is Fire
- Application – What should this require of us?
- Deep Humility – we all deserve to stand at the great white throne judgment
- Passion for Evangelism
- Repentance for Listening Unbelievers
John Piper – The Echo & Insufficiency of Hell - Takeaway
- Five Things to be Believed about Hell
- It’s Eternal (Rev 14:9-11)
- It Involves the Suffering of the People who are there
- Conscious Suffering – will be very aware of it
- God-inflicted Suffering – God (via his wrath) is the one doling out the punishment
- The Suffering is Just, Righteous and Right – God has no constitution or bylaws He needs to obey; He defines everything!
- “Nobody will be in hell who does not deserve to be there.”
- Genuine gospel contrition that is saving is a type of personal brokenness at not having holiness (i.e., to mourn over punishment is no sign of hating wrongdoing; nothing spiritual about tears!)
Rick Holland – 2 Resolutions for a Life that Counts - Philippians 1:21 – For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
- Takeaway
- Resolved…to live life to treasure Christ
- Resolved…to anticipate death
John MacArthur – Luke 16 – The Rich Man and Lazarus - Luke 16:25 – But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.
- Takeaway
- Masterful story that explodes with nuances of insights; a story about contrasts and reversals
- Rich man (main character) gives personal testimony of what it’s like to be in hell
- Hell is not remedial, it does not correct you; it only punishes you (punitive) – v.24 showcases that rich man still deems the beggar Lazarus as his servant
- V.26 – ‘And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ à When you’re in hell, you will never go to heaven. When you’re in heaven, you will never go to hell!
- Scripture is sufficient to lead to salvation (v.29)
C.J. Mahaney – Mark 15 – The Cry from the Cross - Takeaway
- Never be content with your current grasp of the gospel; its depths no man will ever exhaust!
- Martin Luther: “I feel as if…Jesus died only…yesterday…”
- What mockers said in ridicule…in fact…expresses profound truth:
- They mocked Him as King of the Jews [He in fact was King of Kings]
- They mocked Him as the Temple of God [In His own body, He is redefining the temple through His atoning sacrifice]
- They mocked Him as God’s appointed Savior by claiming He couldn’t save Himself [in fact, He proves He is the Savior by staying & hanging there]
- V.34 à RC Sproul: “It is the scream of the damned…for us!”
- Most agonizing protest ever uttered on the planet
- This is the moment that delivers us from hell
John Piper – Romans 8:18-25 - Romans 8:20-21 – For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.”
- Takeaway
- The cross at Calvary was the most horrible and agonizing event ever and will be at the center of heaven forever
- God allows a kaleidoscope of suffering century after century (cancers, floods, car accidents, handicaps) so that the physical and natural earth horrors would become vivid depictions of the horror of moral evil
- How intensely outraged am I over my belittling of God compared to my emotional reactions when a child is physically hurt or I lose my job or a hurricane hits?
- All physical evil in our world has one purpose à sin has that effect morally (moral evil) [Genesis 3]
|
