The Voice Of One Crying Out In Suburbia

More blogging from the Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology

Excellent talk this morning from Don Carson. He is kind of frenetic, I wanted to hit him with some ritalin at one point, but he of course knows his stuff. Below are my outline notes I typed while he was speaking....

The Revealed Word
D.A. Carson

God is a talking God, a speaking God.
Isa 40:6-8

1. God’s Words are not the locus of God’s revelation
- Great events; exodus, Resurrection, burning bush
2. God’s Words are crucial to every locus of His revelation
- Burning bush interesting, but when God speaks it comes to life.
3. God’s Words are crucial to the revelation of the Word Incarnate
- Apostles were witnesses of the Word.
- In words, in the Old Testament, in these last days in the Incarnation. From words that are written to The Word. The climax of revelation is in the Incarnation.
4. God’s Words are not exclusively linear, propositional, instructional etc.
- Many literary forms in the Word of God.
- God is a colorful God.
5. God’s Words are crucial to the revelatory function of preaching
- Not merely unpacking the Biblical text
- Not just instruction, should be a meeting place with the Living God.
6. God’s Words must be borne along by the Spirit of God to effective
- Not merely absorption.

Man does not live on bread alone.
Deut 17: 18-20

You’re not what you think you are, but what you think, you are.

Matt 11:16-30
· Portrait of a discouraged Baptist
· Portrait of a defended Baptist
· Portrait of an eclipsed Baptist

Matthew 11: 16-19
The dissatisfied: Don’t like John because he is to ascetic. They don’t like Jesus because He isn’t ascetic enough.

Matthew 11: 20-24
The smug.
Underlying theological principles
1. God owes salvation to NO ONE.
a. That is why He was not required to do miracles on Sodom
2. There are degrees of blessing and cursing.
3. God has contingent knowledge
a. What has been, is and will be, but also what would have happened under different circumstance. What did happen and what did not happen.What would have been.

The great heritage of the English speaking world. God holds us responsible for the heritage we have received.

Matthew 11: 25-30

Three steps of understanding revelation
They are taught by God
Taught by the Son, revelatory grace.Those taught alone find rest