Calvin’s Sermons on 1 Timothy, New Edition

Posted by Ray on 29 February 2016, 2:00 am

I have finally published the new edition of Calvin’s sermons on 1 Timothy which Brian Denker and I worked on for so long. Due to its size (330,000+ words) the digital format seemed a good way to go, so it is published through Amazon for Kindle. The cost is only $2.99 for all 54 sermons.

These sermons reveal Calvin’s pastoral heart, his evangelistic fervor, and his devotion to the word of God. I have posted my introduction and a sample sermon for free so you can get a feel for the book.

I have pasted in below the commendations for the book which I have received. Howard Marshall had enthusiastically responded to my email saying he wanted to write a commendation, but sadly he passed away before being able to write it. Howard commented on how Andrew Walls read from these sermons (directly from the French original) at one of the early InterVarsity meetings he attended as a student.

I hope these sermons can encourage, challenge, and bless others as they have me.

“In this new edition of Calvin’s sermons on the Pastoral Epistles we meet the Reformer at his liveliest and most compelling. The subject matter lends itself to practical application, and here we see Calvin at the height of his pastoral powers. This new edition brings the original to life for our generation and we must hope that it will be widely read and used by preachers everywhere.”

–          Gerald Bray, Research Professor of Divinity, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University

“So many think of John Calvin as a theologian, as one who lived separate from the people writing theological books in splendid isolation. But Calvin was a pastor who was involved in the rough and tumble of everyday life. Above all else, he was a preacher, one who proclaimed the word of God to the people of God. We see in these sermons the heart of a preacher as he exhorts and instructs his congregation. Calvin’s theology was not abstract to him; it was meant to be believed and lived out in the home and in the market place. In these sermons on 1 Timothy we see Calvin the pastor at work as he proclaims God’s word for the church of Jesus Christ. Read and be instructed, challenged, encouraged, convicted, and changed.”

–          Tom Schreiner, James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation and Professor of Biblical Theology, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

“Ray Van Neste has done English readers a great service by making John Calvin’s sermons on 1 Timothy readily accessible. The 1579 English translation is simply too intimidating for many modern readers to tackle leaving the theological and pastoral wisdom of the reformer in these sermons virtually locked away. This edition is completely retyped using modern words and phrases to maintain the original English meaning. Where serious questions remained these then were checked against the original French in which the sermons first appeared. A helpful introduction which includes a suggested approach to reading the sermons makes this work all the more valuable. Those who know Calvin only as a theologian will discover in these sermons that he was a first and foremost a tender, compassionate and evangelist pastor. I hope this book gains a wide reading.”

–          Tom Ascol, Pastor, Grace Baptist Church, Cape Coral, FL

“Today’s preachers have much to gain by reading and studying sermons from past masters of the pulpit. Unfortunately, some great preachers of the past are relatively inaccessible because of differences of language. Thus, Ray Van Neste and Brian Denker have done us a great service by editing and updating the 1579 English edition of Calvin’s Sermons on 1 Timothy, making them accessible to 21^st century readers. In these 54 sermons, Calvin is revealed not to be the austere theologian of modern caricatures, but a loving, caring pastor who wanted his people to understand the truth of God’s Word. This significant collection will be of interest not only to students of Calvin but to any reader interested in better understanding Paul’s inspired first letter to his protégé Timothy.”

–          Michael Duduit, Executive Editor, Preaching magazine, and Dean of the College of Christian Studies & Clamp Divinity School, Anderson University, Anderson, SC

Fun, Fascinating Read from Hal Poe

Posted by Ray on 26 February 2016, 2:06 pm

This past weekend I finished reading the latest book from my friend & colleague, Hal Poe. Total Commitment: A Memoir of God and Politics When South Carolina Elected a Republican Governor is a fascinating read on so many levels. If you know Hal, then hearing that he has published his memoirs from his days in politics is you need to know!

In case you don’t know him, the story of the 1974 governor’s race in South Carolina bears striking similarities to the presidential race this year. Additionally, Hal tells of his call to ministry in the midst of what was going around him. Then, the book is filled with wonderful stories from a masterful story-teller relishing friendship, fellowship, and the beauties of the South Carolina countryside.

Here is the review I posted on Amazon:

This was a delightful read! Other reviewers have rightly pointed out the book’s value in regard to politics and faith. I affirm those points, but what I enjoyed most was the sheer delight of reading. Hal is a consummate story teller and he relishes the telling of these tales. Brimming with delight in nature, the South, friendship, food and travel, this book is just so much fun!

At such a great price, you can’t go wrong. You’ll love reading this, unless, of course, you despise beauty, friendship and stories. In that case, don’t buy it.

Scalia and the Legacy of Teachers

Posted by Ray on 20 February 2016, 12:09 pm

As a teacher- and that seems to be a key way in which Justice Scalia saw himself- I found this picture to be deeply moving. In case you haven’t already seen it, these are former clerks of Justice Scalia’s (accounts varied on the number, as many as 180) lined up ready to receive his body.

In an age which has largely forgotten honor, this is a beautiful portrait of it. This is also a portrait of why we teach. Of course there are lectures to prepare, papers to grade, and so forth, but those are the details not the goal. We teach to shape lives, to form thinking that will inform living that will transform the individual and society. Our success is bound up in our students, in what they do with what we give them. Thus we must invest in them well. And when I see men drop what they’re doing, come, line up and wait like this to receive the body of their mentor, I think, “Here is a man who made an impact on the lives of those he mentored.”

Lord, grant me such success.

Jesus! What a Friend for sinners!

Posted by Ray on 15 February 2016, 7:34 pm

We sang this wonderful hymn at church yesterday, and I knew I wanted it to be my poem of the week. It beautifully makes the point that the all holy Jesus graciously decided to be a friend for sinners, to love us and redeem us. Then it points out in helpful particularity various ways in which he is our refuge and hope.

It was good for my soul to sing this once more, and I hope it is helpful to you.

Jesus! what a Friend for sinners!
Jesus! Lover of my soul;
Friends may fail me, foes assail me,
He, my Savior, makes me whole.

Refrain

Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Hallelujah! what a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.

Jesus! what a Strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in Him.
Tempted, tried, and sometimes failing,
He, my Strength, my victory wins.

Jesus! what a Help in sorrow!
While the billows over me roll,
Even when my heart is breaking,
He, my Comfort, helps my soul.

Jesus! what a Guide and Keeper!
While the tempest still is high,
Storms about me, night overtakes me,
He, my Pilot, hears my cry.

Jesus! I do now receive Him,
More than all in Him I find.
He hath granted me forgiveness,
I am His, and He is mine.

– J. Wilbur Chapman, 1910.

Teaching Through Titus

Posted by Ray on 9 February 2016, 9:23 am

I recently taught a 3 part series through the letter to Titus at FBC Jackson, TN, and the audio of each session is available here.

Value of Greek in Preaching, Pastor Nathan Joyce

Posted by Ray on 1 February 2016, 7:36 am

Nathan Joyce, Union alum and pastor of Heartland Worship Center in Paducah, Kentucky, recently recorded this brief video on the value of Greek for preaching and pastoral ministry for my first year Greek class. In just about 90 seconds he makes the point so well, so I wanted to share it here as well.

He makes the important point that knowing Greek isn’t simply about examining specific words but getting deeper into the flow of the text. I also appreciate the pastoral heart evident in his comments. Greek isn’t about impressing or building the pastor up. It is all about being able to communicate more faithfully to the people you have been called to shepherd, as Nathan puts it, “the people I love so dearly.” If Greek is just another academic tool, it won’t mean a whole lot. But, as a useful tool in the hand of a faithful shepherd, enabling to more faithfully and carefully tend, feed, care for and defend his flock- in that case this is a powerful thing indeed.

Thank you, Nathan, for your example.

Prayer of Thanks for the Life of Howard Marshall

Posted by Ray on 23 January 2016, 3:42 pm

I was richly blessed attending the service of thanksgiving for the life of Howard Marshall last weekend in Aberdeen. The service was rich, profound and moving. I may write more about it in days to come, but here I want to share a portion of the prayer given by Professor Andrew Walls. Walls has for some time been a member of Crown Terrace Methodist in Aberdeen, where the service was held and where Howard had been a member for over 60 years (CT once referred to Walls as “the most important person you don’t know”). Prof. Walls thanked God for the gospel, the church, teachers and preachers given to the church, and then specifically, as one of those teachers, Howard Marshall. I include here his words which followed. His description of Howard is fitting and provides an example to emulate.

“a scholar who diligently sought heavenly wisdom and the truth as it is in Jesus

a teacher who cared deeply for those he taught and was ever at their service

a writer whose work has illuminated scripture for many all over the world

a preacher who called us to righteousness and always pointed to Christ as the Way, the Truth, and the Life

a Christian leader who was content to be the servant of Christ’s people

a dear friend whose warmth and care brought cheer and encouragement and succor time and time again.

As we gratefully remember his life, his work, his example, we thank you that you gave him to us. …

We humbly ask for the continuance of his work and his witness through his writings, through those of us who learned from him and through all of us who were touched by his life and his words and his example.”

Go Set a Watchman

Posted by Ray on 4 January 2016, 6:07 am

My first completed book of the year is Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman. Despite all the criticism of the book, I thought it was superb. They say it was a draft. May I be so blessed as to write such drafts! If Lee announced she had a forthcoming volume of scrap stories about Jean Louise’s childhood, I would pre-order it today (or at least I’d start looking for a sale!). I love the way she writes, and the childhood stories are a favorite part of her books for me. So, even if such a collection had no great moral tale, I’d enjoy reading it.

I haven’t closely followed all the discussion about Go Set a Watchman, but from the general talk, I had heard two main complaints: 1) as a draft it needed further editing and 2) disappointment with Atticus who now appears as a racist. I found neither criticism compelling.

On the editing, just about any work could be further edited. Fine. But this is a compelling story as it stands. To Kill a Mockingbird was masterpiece and the foreshadowing and parallelism was brilliant. I did not see the same in this book, but that is no real criticism. There are some dangling story lines that I’d like to see completed (What will she do with Hank? Personally, I like him!), but that is not uncommon in novels. The main point of the story is resolved, and that is what is required (more on that below).

Then, it seems the main complaint is that our hero Atticus is tarnished. This response is understandable at one level, because it is a testimony to the power of the previous book. It seems most readers had a similar experience to me in being completely taken with Atticus. He is the exemplary father, the strong, quiet, faithful man. So, any disappointment with such a hero is bound to go hard. But, that is the point of Go Set a Watchman. I wonder if those who complain about the book caught its point. This book, unlike its predecessor, is not a morality tale on race. It is primarily a coming of age tale. The racial tension in Maycomb is not central. Instead the central point is the need for Jean Louise to become her own person- still respecting and loving her father, to see he is only a man and to stand on her own two feet. This is an important point in life. Mockingbird stoked my desires to be a good father. Watchman reminded me to give my children, particularly my sons who are beginning to set out on their own, the opportunity to move out from under my shadow. I long to be a faithful, strong example for them, but not for them to be lost in my shadow, thoughtlessly imitating me. I want them to own their faith and stand on their own two feet. That is what Watchman is about.

So, if you object to Atticus’s handling of the racial tensions in Maycomb, so be it. Make a good argument and stay by it as he encouraged his daughter to do. This reminds us as well how complicated such issues are at the time they arise. Living well through them is much different from assessing them from the cool, convenient distance of history. Good men wrestled with the issues of their day and none handled them perfectly. Let us wrestle carefully then today.

And, good fathers teach, train and provide examples. Then, they prod their children out of their nest to try their own wings. Such prodding can be painful, but good parents will embrace the difficulty for the joy set before them.

Remembering Those Who Taught Me

Posted by Ray on 3 January 2016, 6:04 pm

2015 was marked by the death of three teachers who have had significant impact on my life. First, on June 10, Dr. Louise Bentley died. Dr. Bentley taught me Arts in Western Civilization and has ever since been a model to me for what a teacher ought to be- love of the subject matter, love of students, high standards, and love of the Lord. She regularly said, “I never gave a grade in my life. Every grade in my class was earned.” My tribute to her was posted earlier.

Then on June 15^th Elisabeth Elliot died. I never met her, though my wife did. Nonetheless, through her books she had a particular shaping influence on me. Her books Shadow of the Almighty and Passion and Purity were among the most significant shaping influences on my life in my college days. Discussion of her writings was central in my early discussions with the beautiful young woman who would become my wife. We continued to get every Elisabeth Elliot book we could find and to read them. Tammie (who would later become my wife) gave me Jim Elliot’s journals as a gift. Mark of a Man and Let Me Be a Woman were important books for Tammie and me.

Lastly, in December, Howard Marshall, my doctoral supervisor, passed away. I have commented on this earlier here and posted a tribute here. Howard was a wonderful example of scholarship and faith, excellence and humility, academics and church life. The number of PhD students he supervised as well as the number of books and articles he wrote are astounding.

The passing of these three key teachers of mine- two whom I knew personally and one from afar- has caused me to reflect on many things. One, I have been richly blessed to have had so many wonderful teachers (even beyond these three). What a gift. Second, reflecting on their lives and their impact causes me to reflect on my life, and how I should apply what I have appreciated in them. As they taught me, challenged me, helped me and provided an example for me, may I do similarly for those coming behind me. Let me be diligent, never satisfied with mediocrity in myself or others, humble, helpful, gracious, God-glorifying, church-rooted like them. In God’s plan truth in general and THE Truth, in particular, are handed down from one generation to the next. Third, life is shorter than we ever really think. Let me number my days that I might receive a heart of wisdom.

Best Reads of 2015

Posted by Ray on 30 December 2015, 11:46 pm

Each year I keep a list of the books I read all the way through, typically with brief notes, as a way of tracking my thoughts and a way to look back on each year and see some of what influenced me. So, in this post I have drawn from that list some of the best books I read this year with slightly edited versions of the notes I jotted down after reading them.

Though it was difficult, I selected a Top 10 from the books I read this year. These 10 aren’t listed in a particular order and they made this list for various reasons ranging from sheer enjoyment to level of impact on me. Following the Top 10 are some more books from my reading this year (in no particular order).

Top 10

A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14^th Century, Barbara Tuchman- Amazing in its scope and breadth as well as verve and nuance. Very helpful for getting a feel of the 14^th century. It is easy to see the roots of the Reformation as well as the French revolution. It is true that “Dark Ages” is an unfair descriptor of the Middle Ages, but this account shows clearly the decay of the church at this time and the need for the Reformation.
No Country for Old Men, Cormac McCarthy- What a powerful story! Begins quickly with adventure and intrigue, and then the profound reflection begins. Deals significantly with the degeneration of our culture asking deep questions about what matters in life, questions about the value of war, importance of manners, how to hold a culture together.I have not seen the movie, but apparently it is significantly different from the book, missing, from what I can tell, the depth of the book. The sheriff can serve as a picture of pastoral ministry as he feels his responsibility to guard and care for his people.
Soaring Higher: Itinerary of a Fifty Year Flight of Faith, Phil Eyster- I have long hoped Phil would write down these stories I have heard him tell for years. These are powerful, humorous, stirring, challenging stories. (See previous post)
That Your Faith May Not Fail: Peter’s Sermon, Selah Helms- This is a powerful account of the labor and faith of a dear family caring for their severely injured son/brother. The Helms are dear friends and reading this account led me to weep and to long for God more. (See my previous post which includes the blurb I wrote for the book).
The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo, Tom Reiss- Fascinating read. The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my favorite novels, but I had never heard this story before this book came out. The account of the French Revolution from this angle alone was interesting. The author is particularly interested in the place of race in the French Revolution, following the biracial father of Alexandre Dumas. I knew nothing of the emancipation program pursued by the revolutionary government and the reversal of these policies by Napoleon.
To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee- So good! I had never read this one before, but did so with my boys for school. It is a powerful story, engaging, wonderfully written. It would have been well worth reading if it only contained the humorous stories of Scout’s childhood in Alabama in 1930’s! Add to that the profound ethical deliberations, the portrait of courage, and the dealing with race relations and this is a truly great novel. It repays much contemplation as the author uses parallelism and foreshadowing in profound ways.I’m currently half way through the sequel, Go Set a Watchman and am loving it as well- despite all the criticism. Lee is a superb writer.
Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, Rosaria Butterfield- Powerful. About so much more than homosexuality. Powerful portrayal of deep repentance. Challenged me to deeper attention to God and willingness to change, respond. Challenged me with the example of the pastor who reached out to her. Challenged me with the portrait of her family now- intentionality, outreach, faith
Odyssey, Homer- I really enjoyed re-reading this with my boys. Many good points on courage, perseverance, faithfulness (though a double standard on this between men and women!). Fun observations on Greek. Striking contrasts with the Bible- esp. concerning the gods. Here you need the gods’ help but you also must beware lest they trick or seduce you. They are capricious. What a reminder of how good it is to know the true God is faithful and just! Penelope is a striking picture of Christ’s bride, the Church, awaiting the return of her Groom who has been gone a long time. She waits faithfully remaining true to him even though there are many suitors seeking to steal her affections (2 Cor 11:1-4). She gets close to giving up hope, yet she remains faithful. There are even statements of faith that the husband will return and judge those who have been wasting his house- “there will be blood.”
The Histories, Herodotus- This work, often considered the first work of proper history is ripe with lessons for today. It has dull parts where lists of basic data are given, but also many amazing stories from man-eating ants, to flying snakes to the war between the Greeks and Persians. I hope to write a full post on observations from this book soon.
Cry, the Beloved Country, Alan Paton- Very good, rich & deep. Set in South Africa, I knew this novel dealt with racism but I was struck by how carefully nuanced and deeply Christian it is. Paton avoided easy answers and opportunities to place sweeping blame on any one group. Good portrait of a pastor as well- struggling faithful man. Honest.

Oversight of Souls

by Ray Van Neste