Pastor's Page

Pastor Kelley Hand
Senior Pastor
Desert Palms Church, PCA
Chandler, Arizona

July 15th, 2010

I listened to this from Tim Keller:

http://download.redeemer.com/sermons/The_Prodigal_Sons.mp3

If you do or don't like Tim Keller's preaching, this sermon should be a challenge.  Every man and every preacher has his faults.  Dr. Keller is like all others in this regard but his gift is in addressing souls with God's word and I think particularly with Jesus' life and words.  This sermon sounds like the Sonship stuff that was so popular a couple of years ago but is much better.  This sermon was challenging to me because it made me ask the question, "Am I the older brother?"  Most people who have been Christians (and I'll say in particular, intentionally Reformed) for a number of years need to review and think through their present motives and actions in their Christian walk.  I see this as a challenge not to cease Christian habits or even to re-examine reformed theology, but much more to follow that call of the reformation to be "The Church Reformed and always reforming."  Certainly this is not a call to become more *liberal, progressive, or even centrist* but is a call to love the Lord our God and live for him with godly motives day by day.

No caveats for this one--it's Rob Rayburn, one of my living heroes.  

http://media.faithtacoma.org/mp3/fpc-2009-08-23-pm-sermon.mp3

http://media.faithtacoma.org/mp3/fpc-2009-08-30-pm-sermon.mp3

http://www.faithtacoma.org/series/practices.aspx

~~~

May 26th, 2010

Well - another month just evaporated!  The time has flown by: Sunday school it out for the summer, men's bible study is on the Summer schedule, we've had a blood drive and a food drive, baptized some babies added some members, moved some people, had some work days at the church, and started a new preaching series about encounters with Jesus in the Gospel's.  Now we're gearing up for VBS, shoebox ministry, and our annual pool party at Hamilton pool on the last Sunday of August.

~~~

March 24th, 2010

I absolutely love this passage.  Someone gave me a book this past week by Iain H. Murray "LLoyd-Jones: Messenger of Grace".  In the preface is written, "The advance of the church is ever preceded by a recovery of preaching, and in that recovery the memory of those who have spoken 'with the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven' (1Peter 1:12) has often played an important part.  Eminent examples give light to later centuries."  LLoyd-Jones was a great preacher devoted to Scripture as the word of God and devoted to inculcating that word in God's people.  He said at the end of his life, "I did not live for preaching." To follow Christ and live for Him was the greatest thing he knew.  Here is that 1 Peter passage in fuller context-

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully,
11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.
12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
(1Pe 1:10-12 ESV)

~~~

March 17th, 2010

Been a couple of really busy weeks at DPC.  We're gearing up for the Os Guinness conference.  Engaging our culture with grace and truth.  I'm excited!  I've also been thinking through what makes DPC distinct, how to explain this and also how to frame it within our broader mandate to lovingly call others to Christ and Christ Worship.  More on that later. 

Only four more sermons on the life of David. I know it sounds funny but I'm going to miss interacting with David so frequently when this series is done. I feel as though God has been growing me personally through His word- I feel a deeper confidence- a knowledge of His adoption and love.  I think along the lines of what the Westminster Confession of Faith mentions in Chapter 18 section 2. 

Been reading a great book by Martyn Lloyd-Jones lately.  I love Lloyd-Jones' writing. very devotional but has depth and meat too.  If you don't have any Lloyd-Jones in your library, get some! You'll be encouraged.

Grace and Peace,
Pastor Kelley

~~~

March 3rd, 2010

I've been reading "The Gravedigger File" by Os Guinness.  It's a fiction work that is a comment on the western church.  It follows in the tradition of C.S. Lewis' "Screwtape Letters."

Here's a quote from the "Gravedigger File" where a senior antagonist briefs a newer agent in the plot against the church:

"The underlying strategy of Operation Gravedigger is as stark in its simplicity as it is devastating in its results.  It may be stated like this: Christianity contributed to the rise of the modern world; the modern world, in turn, has undermined Christianity; Christianity has become its own gravedigger.  The strategy turns on this monumental irony, and the victory we are so close to realizing depends on two elementary insights.  First, that Christianity is now becoming captive to the very "modern world: it helped to create.  Second, that our interests are best served, not by working against the church, but by working with it.  The more the church becomes one with the modern world, the more it becomes compromised, and the deeper the grave it digs for itself." 

~~~ 

Feb 25th, 2010

More from Rosner

“Biblical theology is practiced by Christian communities and is intricately linked to their determination to shape their faith, life, worship and service in accordance with Scripture under the guidance of the Spirit.”

I've really been enjoying reading some articles on biblical theology.  This quote reminds me what the church is supposed to be about:  Following Christ in accordance with the Scripture under the guidance of the Spirit.

~~~ 

Feb 24th, 2010

Biblical theology if very important for our understanding God's plan for His people and for our understanding our purpose in serving Him.

Biblical theology is principally concerned with the overall theological message of the whole Bible. It seeks to understand the parts in relation to the whole and, to achieve this, it must work with the mutual interaction of the literary, historical, and theological dimensions of the various corpora, and with the inter-relationships of these within the whole canon of Scripture Biblical theology may be defined as theological interpretation of Scripture in and for the church. It proceeds with historical and literary sensitivity and seeks to analyse and synthesize the Bible's teaching about God and his relations to the world on its own terms, maintaining sight of the Bible's overarching narrative and Christocentric focus.     B. S. Rosner, New Dictionary of Biblical Theology, (IVP, 2000)

~~~ 

Feb 23rd, 2010

A friend sent these quotes to me...
How two different men dealt with cancer:   

Tony Snow, who was the White House Press Secretary in 2006/2007, and was a Christian, died of cancer in July 2008. He wrote an essay entitled, “Cancer’s Unexpected Blessings.” Consider, in contrast, how a God-centered person dealt with his own impending death:

“… we shouldn’t spend too much time trying to answer the ‘why’ questions: Why me? Why must people suffer? Why can’t someone else get sick? We can’t answer such things, and the questions themselves often are designed more to express our anguish than to solicit an answer. The natural reaction is to turn to God and ask him to serve as a cosmic Santa. ‘Dear God, make it all go away. Make everything simpler.’ But another voice whispers: ‘You have been called.’ Your quandary has drawn you closer to God, closer to those you love, closer to the issues that matter, —and has dragged into insignificance the banal concerns that occupy our ‘normal time’. There’s another kind of response, although usually short-lived an inexplicable shudder of excitement, as if a clarifying moment of calamity has swept away everything trivial and tiny, and placed before us the challenge of important questions … even though God doesn’t promise us tomorrow, he does promise us eternity … This is love of a very special order. But so is the ability to sit back and appreciate the wonder of every created thing. The mere thought of death somehow makes every blessing vivid, every happiness more luminous and intense. We may not know how our contest with sickness will end, but we have felt the ineluctable touch of God.”

In contrast, consider the words of atheist William Provine, professor of the history of science at Cornell University:

 “Let me summarize my views on what modern evolutionary biology tells us, loud and clear, and I must say that these are basically Darwin’s views: there are no gods, no purposive forces of any kind, no life after death (when I die I am absolutely certain that I’m gonna be completely dead, that’s just all, that’s gonna be the end of me), there is no ultimate foundation for ethics, no ultimate meaning in life, and no free will for humans either … The question is, ‘Can atheistic humanism offer us very much?’ Well sure, it can give you intellectual satisfaction, and I’m a heck of a lot more intellectually satisfied now that I don’t have to cling to the fairytales that I believed when I was a kid. So life may have no ultimate meaning but I sure think it can have lots of proximate meaning.”

~~~

Feb 22nd, 2010

Found this very interesting:

Background for 2 Samuel 11 - From An Introduction to the Old Testament Historical Books - David M. Howard Jr.

Pg 163
The Effects of Sin
The theme of sin’s effects can be seen in almost every biblical book, but it is especially striking in the books of Samuel.  All of 1 and 2 Samuel can be seen to be built upon different characters’ declines juxtaposed against others’ rises.  Each character’s decline is due in some way to his sin. 

Pg 164
Samuel however was not immune to the effects of sin either. Later, the wickedness of his sons (along with his improper appointment of them as judges) was the immediate catalyst for the request of kingship (I Sam. 8:1-5)

Early in his kingship, Saul appears as a very commendable character (9-11). Soon after he becomes king, however, Saul disqualifies himself from the office by his sins (13:13-14; 15:22-29). After David is anointed king (chpater16), the rest of the book of I Samuel is devoted to the interplay of the rising fortunes of David and the declining fortunes of Saul.  In almost every encounter between the two of them, David emerges with his reputation enhanced, while Saul’s has suffered further.

Even David, however – who was God’s chosen king, whose rise in fortunes occupies all of I Samuel 16-31 and II Samuel 1-5, and whose reign is marked by great successes early on (II Samuel 6-8)—suffered a decline and much trouble with his sons (chapter 12-24), after his great sins against Bathsheba and Uriah (Chapter 11).  His first son by Bathseba died (Chapter 12); another son, Amnon, raped David’s daughter Tamar (chpt13); yet another son, Absalom, killed Amnon (chpt13); Absalom rebelled against his father  (15-18); and another son, Adonijah, seized the kingship from his brother Solomon (IKIngs1).  David seems to have lost most of his moral authority and much of his stature by that point in his life.  For example, in I Kings 1:6, he is judged for never having disciplined his son Adonijah, and in II Samuel 13:21 the Old Greek and Qumron versions add the statement, [David] would not punish his son Amnon, because he loved him, for he was his firstborn]

Reminds me of the danger and warning that sin is.  God does not excuse sin he punishes sin.  Shows the need for Jesus so clearly.  Explains much of the pain in the world around us.  Points to the glory and grace and need of Jesus.

~~~

February 1st, 2010

The Son of Man has authority to forgive sins.
I've been reading "The Hard Sayings of Jesus" by F.F. Bruce.  In one of the chapters he discusses and explains Jesus having the authority as a man to forgive sins.

Mark 2:10-12 
10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins --he said to the paralytic--
 11 "I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home."
 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"
 (Mar 2:10-12 ESV) 

Two things:  First, F.F. Bruce points out that its difficult to see weather anyone's sins are forgiven.  It's a pretty easy things to say, "Your sins are forgiven."  But to tell if that has been accomplished- well that's a different matter.  Given Jesus' audience and the place this proclamation held in His teaching, it was important for the people to see.  That's why Jesus told him to take his mat and go home.  None of this had anything to do with action and ownership on the part of the paralyzed man. In this instance we aren't told that his faith had made him well.  His strong faith didn't make him get up and walk.  I guess that's another discussion.  The point of narrative is that Jesus has this authority and so that people could see it He told the man to get up and walk.  This reminds me that forgiveness of sins is more important than walking.

 Second, F.F.Bruce comments that the authority that Jesus exercises here to forgive sins is exercised as the representative of man. I almost always jump to the fact that Jesus is God when I think of miracles- and the forgiveness and the walking are both miracles in this story. I guess this just simplifies things for me.  But the scripture records Jesus' words as, " that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins."  This gives me pause and makes me think again about who Jesus is. He is God but He is also clearly human. Jesus is saying that it is in his capacity as a man, and specifically under the title of Son of Man, that He is forgiving these sins.  Matthew seems to lean further towards this for he ends this story with ,"When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men." (Mat 9:8 ESV) 

This goes to show just how amazing Jesus is as our perfect representative. He is human, people could touch Him- but He could also forgive sin.  Jesus is our representative and God has bestowed on him this amazing authority and power. 

~~~ 

January 27th, 2010
 
I've been reading a bit about Greek history.  Mainly about Sparta and the Peloponnesian war. In a piece of historical fiction I found this quote that did a pretty good job of describing the Spartan world view.  "Mankind as it is constituted is a boil and a canker.  Observe the specimens in any nation other than Lakedaemon (where Sparta is located).  Man is weak, greedy, craven, lustful, prey to every species of vice and depravity.  He will lie, steal, cheat murder, melt down the very statues of the gods and coin their gold as money for [further vice].  This is man. This is his nature, as all the poets attest."  Sounds like apart from polytheism he has some common grace insight into humanity's predicament.  But what is the answer?  He continues, "Fortunately God in his mercy has provided a counterpoise to our species' innate depravity."  Sounds good to me.  He continues, "That gift, my young friend, is war."   What?!  "War not peace, produces virtue.  War, not peace, purges vice.  War, and preparation for war, calls forth all that is noble and honorable in a man."  The speaker goes on to give an eloquent speech about the virtues of war.  It makes sense that this is coming from a Spartan.  Their ideas of virtue were centered around war and honor and glory obtained in war and in games of war.  

The initial assessment is right.  Man is prey to every species of vice and depravity.  Depravity is the right word to use here.  But the answer has got to be something beyond man.  War cannot be the answer to depravity because war is waged by depraved men (and that is not even touching on just or unjust war) The answer to depravity is to seek honor and glory but not in the way that this Spartan would have us seek it.  We need glory that is beyond us, beyond our depravity.  In fact we need God's glory and God's honor.  War is not the answer to this problem- at least not that kind of war.

I've also been reading the book of John and John writes of glory, the kind of glory we need.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (Joh 1:14 ESV)
16 And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. (Joh 1:16 ESV)

The kind of war we engage in has more to do with God becoming flesh and dwelling among us.  Jesus waged war against sin and depravity.  In Him, this is the answer to our depravity and the glory we need- glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

~~~

January 26th, 2010

We've been going through the life of David on Sunday mornings and there is always more stuff to look at than we can get to.  More connection and more rabbit trails.  So, from time to time I'll mention some of those things here.  One of the possibilities for this section dealing with Nabal and Abigail in I Sam 25 is that Nabal is a type of Saul.  He represents many of Saul's actions.  He's rich, he is increasingly harsh and he is badly behaved- all things attributed to Nabal but also descriptive of Saul.  Some commentators try to push the similarity a bit to far, saying that Nabal's death foretells the kind of death Saul would have.  It came on him unawares.  But, if nothing else David is being reminded and further taught how to deal with Saul and men like him in the encounter with Nabal.
 
We learn about David too.  He is not above succumbing to his passions.   His supposed righteous indignation is overtaken by his desire for his own understanding of justice. David wants vengeance. In I Sam. 24 he has just lived out his belief that vengeance belongs to God.  But here he is going to take Nabal and punish him.  Surely Nabal was wrong in the way he dealt with David's men and with David's name and reputation.  David's decision to go and kill every man associated Nabal was not righteous.  The whole point of the story is that God saves David from his passionate stupidity by Abagail's actions.
  
We can learn from David in this.  Even if we may read our circumstances right that doesn't justify all our actions.  Being right in your assessment doesn't condone a harsh heart and bad behavior.  Nabal's name means fool and David's response to Nabal's foolish insult exceeded even Nabal's foolishness. What's worse is that it seems that David had time think it through- he had to travel to Nabal.  This would have given him time to cool off- but he maintains his murderous intent. Our response to perceived injustice should be passionate but measured.  over-reaction can be as bad as the initial bad action.  And that's supposing you've read your situation in a clear-headed way.

I think that this episode shows up in David's life later when Nathan confronts David over his sin with Bathsheba.  The man that Nathan describes (which is in fact David) sounds a lot like Nabal- rich, lots of sheep, greedy and even with a feast.  David is outraged at Nathans words, maybe because he's come up against a man like this before. 
    
Ultimately in that passage we learn about God's grace.  His purposes in redemptive history will be accomplished.  David's interpretation of Abagail's action is that God is the one who has sent her to prevent him from bloodguilt.  How gracious!  I'm reminded of the psalm that cries out to God- "Keep me from wanton sin".  It is significant that God used another human agent to stay David's hand.  Abigail is an awesome woman used by God to protect David and his calling.  David is reminded (taught) by this woman that vengeance belongs to the Lord. I'm persuaded that David let's Saul go again in the next chapter of Samuel because of this reminder. 

~~~

December 14, 2009

A while ago I was asked to exhort and pray for the Chandler city council.  Here's what I said:

1 Timothy 2:1-6  First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,  ² for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.  ³This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,  ⁴ who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  ⁵ For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,  ⁶ who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

Paul is writing to Timothy here and he writes to encourage Timothy in how to be a good pastor- how to love people for Christ.  And part of that training is for Timothy and the church in Ephesus where Timothy ministers to pray for those in authority over them. 

Paul writes- for kings and all who are in high positions-  you may not be kings- but in Chandler,you are those who are in high positions. So we pray for you- that God would show you grace and mercy, a sense for justice and wisdom- wisdom beyond your collective years.  When you are in leadership somebody is always going to be upset with you- so you need wisdom- wisdom to do what is right and true.

Paul writes in Romans 13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

Basically, those in authority will have to answer to God for their decisions and policies- God put you in a place of authority that you might shape this place, cause it to flourish- that the people who live here might lead a peaceful and quiet life,godly and dignified in every way.

Chandler is a great place to live I love it here, my family loves it here.  A lot of that has to do with city leadership- and you may face difficult times in months or years to come – I want you to know that you have a lot of people praying for you and that we are more than simply your constituents- but are advocates for you before God who is the one who gives authority.

So let’s pray that God give you wisdom and for blessing for this meeting.

 ~~~

November, 2009
Review/ Report of:
Unfashionable
by Tullian Tchividjian
Forward by Timothy Keller

Forward:
“Traditionally, evangelicals’ attitude toward culture has been one of relative indifference.” “It was thought… that this  world is only going to burn up in the end (and) society will be bettered and changed ‘one heart at a time’”    As the distinction between culture and Christianity has sharpened Keller believes three very different approaches have emerged. 

First, some believe the problem to be a lack of moral absolutes.  They want to take culture back through grass-roots efforts and political social activism.  They site the statistics on abortion and divorce and other social ills within the church as proof of moral relativism.  

A second, approach is the idea that the church has become irrelevant. The first group thinks that the church has become to assimilated, the second group thinks not assimilated enough. They site the Christian language barrier and how separated from being understood or understanding culture the church is. They desire to meet felt needs.

A third group, says that the church has fallen into the “Constaninian error” of seeking to reform the world to be like the church. This group believes that “instead, the church has become like the world.”  Christians have become seduced by the world trying to change it. I assume they would sight the many well meaning Christians that have gone to Washington but have ultimately been absorbed by the system.  This critique was striking: “Trying to be relevant and to meet felt needs only turns the church into another consumer mall.”  This third group believes that the answer is to return to Christianity’s counter-culture roots and be the alternative to society.  The church needs to live by mercy and to “live as signs of the future kingdom.

Dr. Keller points out that there are aspects of each of these three perspectives that are right and that in this book Tullian Tchividjian brings out the benefits of each and offers a biblical approach to the issue of the living as Christians today.

~~~

September, 2009
Grace and Joy in Christ 

The thing that defines us as a church at DPC is salvation in Jesus Christ. Within that, we see in Scripture that we are saved by grace (Ephesians Chapter 2).  Hopefully you will not be here long without coming into contact with the concept of grace, and more importantly, the outworking of grace. 

We experience God's grace in our forgiveness and in his continued redeeming work in our lives.  We experience God's grace in the interactions that we have with one another, and as we live for God together. We experience God's grace in the joy of working together (...playground assembly in July anyone?), and in the pleasure of a job well done.

We cannot overestimate the importance of grace in our lives or the extent to which grace is a part of every aspect of our lives.  In every nook and cranny of your life, God's glory is on display in His grace to you.  And God's grace is irresistible, by the way, at least according to those pesky Calvinists. Irresistible in that Deuteronomy 7:6-8 "set his love on you" sort of way.  If you love Jesus it is because God has set his love on you.  That's pure grace.  Theologically, grace means God's unmerited favor.  It is the communication of the blessings of God as opposed to the giving of wages earned.  In the New Testament it signifies the unmerited operation of God in the heart of man by the Holy Spirit.  Ultimately, God makes us alive in Christ who is "full of grace and truth." (John 1:14) This is where the joy comes in.  By grace you have been saved.  By grace you have been made alive - and it's good to be alive!  By grace you are able to live for God.  Because of God's powerful working in your life, "Grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."  There is joy in purposing to live for God in response to what he has graciously done for you.  Your salvation does not hang in the balance of your good deeds.  Good deeds flow from a heart transformed by God's redeeming grace.  The apostles start their letters with "grace and peace to you."  That's a good place to start and also end.  Our days are much more bearable and even enjoyable when we start with grace.  We can reflect at the end of a day on God's grace to us and learn.  A day can be lived with joy, knowing that Jesus has saved you by his death and resurrection and that because of God's grace this has been applied to you.

Meditate on grace with me - look for God's grace and blessing in your life.  May your looking to the Father fill your heart with peace.  May you experience God's grace in a new way and find great joy in living for Jesus.

Pastor Kelley 

“Let me summarize my views on what modern evolutionary biology tells us, loud and clear, and I must say that these are basically Darwin’s views: there are no gods, no purposive forces of any kind, no life after death (when I die I am absolutely certain that I’m gonna be completely dead, that’s just all, that’s gonna be the end of me), there is no ultimate foundation for ethics, no ultimate meaning in life, and no free will for humans either … The question is, ‘Can atheistic humanism offer us very much?’ Well sure, it can give you intellectual satisfaction, and I’m a heck of a lot more intellectually satisfied now that I don’t have to cling to the fairytales that I believed when I was a kid. So life may have no ultimate meaning but I sure think it can have lots of proximate meaning.”