The Beast's Lair Added To Blogroll

I first became aware of Philip Meade's blog The Beast's Lair with this post over at Burr in the Burgh. Pastor Scott Stiegemeyer introduced the Beast this way " A Baptist youth minister with a penchant for gruesome horror movies." How cool is that? Very! This guy is right up my alley.

Then a few days later the Beast wrote a post on the importance of including both Law and Gospel in a sermon. The Beast writes " what most people are getting these days is one half of the Gospel message. They receive the meek, gentle, welcoming, healing, providing, sustaining Jesus who is ready to serve their needs whenever the time is right for the believer. What they aren't receiving is the other half of the Gospel, that needs to come before what I have just mentioned. The problem causing, sin convicting, revolutionary Jesus who is willing to forgive your sin, but not willing to let you get a free pass from recognizing your sin. Matthew 10:34 has Jesus speaking and telling those listening that "I did not come to bring peace, but I have brought a sword."

WOW! This guy gets it! There can be no Gospel without Law because without the law to condemn us we have no need for a savior. How many people leave the pews on Sunday and think that their purpose in life is to do good works for God based on what they've heard in the sermon. It's not all about us, it's all about Christ. The Beast rightfully states "Jesus repeatedly asks people to do things He knows perfectly well they can't do, and he does this to point out their sin to them. In John 4, Jesus asks the Samaritan woman to go get her husband, knowing full well that she did not have one. It kind of destroys the evangelical cliche that "Christ will never ask you to do anything you can't do." His honest confrontation forced her to admit her condition, and then Jesus takes over for her. "

A Baptist youth minister with a penchant for gruesome horror movies understands and articulates better than most Lutherans about what they should expect every time they hear a sermon. That is too cool! And the best part, he's teaching youth. While the Beast and I are going to differ on a couple of theological issues that I think are importain and should not be glossed over, his confession of the Gospel is clear. Did I mention he likes horror movies? Go visit the The Beast's Lair and show your support for a Baptist "Law and Gospel" brother in the holy catholic faith.