A great sermon by Mark Driscoll

I want to recommend a sermon by Mark Driscoll...

Really :)

(that last part, for those who don't know is simply because Mark occasionally does or says something that sort of bothers me. At the same time, he continues to be a great teacher from whom I learn. Hmmm. Someone who both teaches and angers me. Sounds like someone I should listen to :) )

Anyway, I've been thinking about (re-thinking really) the Calvinism of my youth... I find that in the same way and for many of the same reasons that I identify no longer with either the Democrat or Republican party, I identify neither with the theological positions of Calvinism or Arminianism.

So, when I downloaded Mark's sermon on Unlimited/Limited Atonement, knowing Mark's commitment to Reformed (with a capital R) theology, I was a bit trepidatious...

But man, this is a good sermon. Yeah, he still leans Calvinist, but does a great job downplaying the importance of the differences, reconciles some of the contradictions, does so with humor and grace...
(he even has a great rationale for why Calvinism is the most compassionate position...
See- right there... I just made Paul T in Canada snort his milk out his nose for the second time in a week!)

I was angered at the sermon previous. Disturbed. But this one, I actually couldn't wait to finish.
Mark is more teacher than preacher, so it's long, detailed (a 15 point sermon, as he says!), but I think worth it.

Check it out and tell me what you think.
Notes here.

Comments

[Steve Carr]

My wife and I listened to that Driscoll sermon this past weekend while traveling. As usually, he did a great job of making an hour seem like minutes. A few questions I had about this message:

1) How prevalent is Calvinism in the Pacific Northwest? In our part of the country, no one is really having the Calvinism/Arminianism discussion anymore. Not sure if that makes us ignorant or progressive. It must be widespread out there if Mark devoted an entire sermon to it.

2) Isn't it a stretch to say that part of the blessing of the cross available for all people to enjoy is those societal blessings [education, property ownership, etc.]? I found that to be a weak argument considering that you can't really prove it from Scripture. Seems like a hollow argument. Just my thoughts.

I really did enjoy the sermon; not sure if I'm buying all that Driscoll's is selling here though.

[bob hyatt]

I don't know how prevalent it is... but I think they have MADE it an issue at Mars Hill... Mark's been (I think) pretty public in his Reformed-ness... His comments in this sermon (re. "Young Calvinists") seem like a bit of reigning that in...

On the second thing, I think Mark is more saying (and I agree) that the world has experienced tangible benefits because of Jesus and His followers, and here are some. I don't know if it's really tied to "the cross" per se...