The Ad that is Too Controversial for the Super Bowl

Perhaps a commercial featuring a talking baby who spits up on himself? Perhaps a commercial promoting drunken behavior? Perhaps a commercial featuring a female race-car driver's suggestive antics?

No, no, and no.

How about a commercial that is positive, pro-life, (arguably) pro-Obama? Now, that's too strong for television, especially in at a time when the economic downturn has left Super Bowl ad slots empty until the day before the game.



Read more here.

Piper on Obama on Abortion

Here's a clip from a recent Piper sermon.



HT: DG.

On Grace

Matthew Henry:

Grace teaches us, in the midst of life's greatest comforts, to be willing to die, and, in the midst of its greatest crosses, to be willing to live.

Joel Belz Coming to Greenville

Joel Belz, founder and editor of World Magazine, is coming to Greenville. He will be the commencement speaker for the first graduating class of Greenville Classical Academy. Graduation will be Thursday, June 4 at 7pm at Woodruff Road Presbyterian Church.

Pat Forde on Tim Tebow

Here's a great article on Tim Tebow, the Florida Gators quarterback who won the BCS National Championship last week. It documents his efforts to get the gospel out as much as possible, whether on a missions trip to the Philippines or at a local prison.

HT: Challies.

Related: Randy Alcorn writes about the faith of Tebow, Detroit Lions kicker Jason Hanson, and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner.

Reflections on Death

Danny asked me to preach Sunday, December 28, as part of the evening worship service. I took as my text Genesis 5, but traveled back to Genesis 2-3 before ending in Romans 5. The title of my message is "Reflections on Death," and is available here.

Side note: A friend sent me a copy of D. A. Carson's How Long, O Lord? early in my cancer treatment. I read it over the course of my chemotherapy with great benefit. If you can do only one or the other, I'd recommend you forgo my sermon and read that book. It is the kind of paradigm-shaping work that will ground your faith when suffering strikes close to you.

This American Life: Switched at Birth

Here's an interesting episode of Chicago Public Radio's weekly program, This American Life. It deals with the story of two girls who were switched at birth, but didn't find out until they were in their 40's--even though one of the moms knew all along. The story is intriguing enough as it is, but readers of this blog will find it even more interesting because one of the dads was an evangelical pastor. Particularly thought-provoking is the discussion of God's sovereignty (was this situation God's will or not?) and forgiveness.

HT: Josh Harris.

God's Unwearied Kindness

Calvin:

What great occasion [God] gives us to contemplate his mercy when he often pursues miserable sinners with unwearied kindness, until he shatters their wickedness by imparting benefits and by recalling them with more than fatherly kindness!

Institutes, I.v.7.

How God Receives Glory from Sinful Beings

Calvin:

What is more consonant with faith than to recognize that we are naked of all virtue, in order to be clothed by God? That we are empty of all good, to be filled by him? That we are slaves of sin, to be freed by him? Blind, to be illumined by him? Lame, to be made straight by him? Weak, to be sustained by him? To take away from us all occasion for glorying, that he alone may stand forth gloriously and we glory in him [cf. I Cor. 1:31; II Cor. 10:17]? When we say these and like things our adversaries interrupt and complain that in this way we shall subvert some blind light of nature, imaginary preparations, free will, and works that merit eternal salvation, even with their supererogations. For they cannot bear that the whole praise and glory of all goodness, virtue, righteousness, and wisdom should rest with God. But we do not read of anyone being blamed for drinking too deeply of the fountain of living water [John 4:14].

From Institutes, "Prefatory Address," sec. 2.