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(The following is a transcript of a sermon I preached on Sunday, July 3 at West Rome Baptist Church in Manitou Beach, MI.)

Luke 24:36–53

[36] As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” [37] But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. [38] And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? [39] See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” [40] And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. [41] And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” [42] They gave him a piece of broiled fish, [43] and he took it and ate before them.

[44] Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” [45] Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, [46] and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, [47] and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. [48] You are witnesses of these things. [49] And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

[50] And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. [51] While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. [52] And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, [53] and were continually in the temple blessing God. (ESV)

Introduction:

            Our confidence to see a thing accomplished is often directly tied to our trust in the person accomplishing the task. I enjoy cooking, and my wife and I share that task in our home. If it can be grilled or fried, I’m up for the task, confident in my abilities. But if it needs to be baked or boiled, I’m much more confident in her. I can confidently do a few basic car-related tasks. I can change oil and tires, but engines and transmissions are beyond me. Those are entrusted to the professionals.

            What happens when your trust and confidence is proved false in another, or in yourself? Either you despair and are hopeless, or you seek out a greater source of confidence. C. S. Lewis’ character Edmund in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe experienced this as he betrayed his siblings and trusted his own instincts and desires in serving the white witch. He is eventually rescued and reunited with his family, but still the witch accuses him before Aslan, the lion.

            “You have a traitor there, Aslan,” said the Witch. Of course, everyone present knew that she meant Edmund. But Edmund had got past thinking about himself after all he’d been through and after the talk he’d had that morning. He just went on looking at Aslan. It didn’t seem to matter what the Witch said.[1]

            Isn’t that such a rich picture of what it looks like to be confident in the work of another to accomplish for us what we never could for ourselves? Just like we sing in the old hymn:

When Satan tempts me to despair, and tells me of the guilt within,

Upward I look and see him there, Who made an end of all my sin.

Because the sinless Savior died my sinful soul is counted free,

For God the Just is satisfied to look on him and pardon me.[2]

Exposition:

            Today, from Luke 24, we will see five reasons for confidence in the global mission that God is accomplishing. By confidence, I don’t mean arrogance. And I’m not oblivious to the many things that make missions hard. I’m not avoiding those to paint a rosy picture. But the end of Luke’s gospel draws our attention to the certainty of the success of God’s mission in spite of whatever difficult opposition we may face in it.

• 1. The Resurrection of Jesus (36-43)
  • Resurrection is central. In Paul’s classic and crucial defense of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15, he states that if Christ is not raised from the dead, then we who believe that he has been raised are of all men most to be pitied. Christians are either the most faithful people in the world or we are the most foolish people in the world, and the determining factor for which side we land on is whether or not Jesus rose from the dead. And because resurrection is central to Christianity, it is essential to Christian missions. If Jesus has not been raised from the dead, don’t be a missionary, and don’t send or support others to go. If Jesus is not risen, there are far better uses for your time and money than spreading word that he is, and few worse uses for them. But if he has been raised, then friends, there are few if any better uses for our lives and resources than spreading this news among the nations.
  • Resurrection requires death. Resurrection only happens when death comes first. Death is an uncomfortable reality, but it is a reality. In that same chapter 15 of 1 Corinthians, Paul writes that death is an enemy. Yet he assures the believers that for them, it is a defeated enemy, one that will soon be put away forever.
    • The irony is that to defeat death Jesus first had to succumb to it. And to die, Jesus first had to become human. Throughout his gospel account Luke is trying to convince us that Jesus really was born and that he really lived and that he really died. The glory of the resurrection was preceded by his humble incarnation and his humiliating suffering (Luke 24:26). The author of Hebrews confirms this in Hebrews 2.
      • Jesus “for a little while was made lower than the angels” and was “crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (v. 9).
      • Jesus partook of flesh and blood “that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death…and deliver all those who…were subject to lifelong slavery” (vv. 14-15).
      • Jesus “had to be made like his brothers in every respect…to make propitiation for the sins of the people” (v. 17).
  • Resurrection is real. Luke explicitly shows Jesus, who had been dead, doing what only living people can do, such as:
    • Standing (36)
    • Speaking, including asking questions and offering comfort (36, 38-39, 41)
    • Inviting touch (39)
    • Showing his hands and feet (40)
    • Being hungry, taking food, and eating it (41-43)
  • The reality of the resurrection stirs up certain emotions for those who believe it. Jesus means for his resurrection to be a source of peace for his followers (36). He intends that his resurrection alleviate their troubles and doubts (38). The resurrection brings joy to those who rightly marvel at it (41).
  • The good news of the resurrection is the main message of missions. If you look through Luke’s sequel to his gospel in the book of Acts, you see over and over again the earliest missionaries evangelizing on the basis of the fact of the resurrection and seeking to establish churches grounded in that reality.
    • A few years ago I was teaching through the book of Acts with our youth ministry, and I was noticing how central the resurrection is to so many of Paul’s arguments, particularly as he’s on trial before Felix and Agrippa in Acts 24-26. I won’t rehearse the whole study for you now, but I thought it might be helpful to make note of some of these comments.
      • The hope in God from the Law and the Prophets is that there will be a resurrection from the dead (24:14-21). Without a resurrection there is no hope. What are your ultimate hopes?
      • The dispute against Paul focused on whether or not Jesus had been raised from the dead (25:19). Do people dispute you because you are foolish or faithful?
      • The promise made by God to his people depends on the resurrection, therefore it should be unusual to not believe in it (26:6-8). If no resurrection, God is a liar.
      • The message from the prophets and Moses is that the Christ would suffer and then rise from the dead (26:22-23). If no resurrection, the Scriptures are false.
      • The confidence of belief in the resurrection is based in its truthfulness and reasoning (26:25-26). For a Jew (and a Christian) it is unreasonable to not believe in the resurrection. Do you need proof? There’s no proof, but there is reasoning.
    • There are many good things that can be done in the name of missions. But first and foremost must be the proclamation of the gospel and the resurrection of Christ at its core.
  • Resurrection is the future for every believer. Again, Paul’s 15^th chapter to the Corinthians is so helpful. He asserts, “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (20-22). I don’t know if you think of your future in heaven like this, but I hope you do. Our eternity will be bodily. We won’t remain spirits forever. The resurrection of Jesus means that one day the grave will have no more success holding your body than it did holding his.
• 2. The Fulfillment of Scripture (44-48)
  • The whole Bible is about Jesus (44-45).
    • Earlier in Luke 24, as Jesus walked with two disciples on the Emmaus road, Luke records how “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he [Jesus] interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (v. 27). Jesus even went so far as to say that these men were “foolish…and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken” (v. 25). In other words, they hadn’t correctly read and interpreted the Old Testament. If they had, they would have seen how the people and patterns and practices and events and institutions and types in the OT were pointing forward to what Jesus fulfilled not only in his words and actions while he was alive, but also in his death and resurrection.
    • So both to those men and to the larger group of disciples here in verses 44-45, Jesus teaches them how to correctly read and interpret those OT scriptures. He says that it all was “written about me.” They are Christ-centered in whole and in each part, whether the writings of Moses or of the prophets or of the psalmists. When you read the OT, seek to pick up on what expectations the writers are building. Ask yourself how those passages anticipate their ultimate fulfillment in Christ.
    • By way of example consider these prominent themes.
      • The writings of Moses preview the seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent, the offspring of Abraham through whom every nation on the earth would be blessed, the sacrificial lamb offered in place of the people for the forgiveness of their sins, the lion from the tribe of Judah, the scepter that rises out of Israel to crush the forehead of the enemy, and the prophet like Moses who would speak the words of God, to whom the people should listen.
      • The Prophets depict a Son of Man seated at the right hand of God to whom was given everlasting dominion and authority, a child who would be born the increase of whose government will never cease, a fountain of living water, the righteous branch of David who will reign as king, deal wisely, and execute justice and righteousness in the land.
      • The Psalmists sing of a blessed man whose delight is in the law of the LORD, a Son begotten of God who has the nations as his heritage and the ends of the earth his possession to rule them with a rod of iron, in whose presence there is fullness of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures forevermore, the one forsaken by God and betrayed by his friends, the king and high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
    • These are but a few of the ways that we are helped to center the OT narratives and poems and discourses on the person of Jesus.
  • Christ fulfilled the biblical pattern of suffering then glory (45-46). Because the Bible is a Christ-centered text, it’s not surprising that the pattern of Jesus’ life reflects many who came before him. We could ask, “In what sense can Luke record and Jesus say that ‘it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead’?” After all, there’s not a direct statement like that in the OT. And I think the answer is that even though there’s not a matching scriptural statement there are several matching scriptural patterns.
    • Joseph was rejected by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and wrongfully imprisoned before being exalted to the right hand of the throne in Egypt.
    • “Moses was rejected by his Hebrew kinsman (Exod 2:11-14; Acts 7:23-29), and Pharaoh sought to kill him (2:15).”[3] The nation of Israel “grumbled against him…and even sought to put him to death.”[4] His own brother and sister even opposed him before he eventually led the nation to the brink of the land God had promised, identifying Moses as a prophet like unto whom none had arisen after.
    • Other examples could be given, but even with these two we can see that this pattern of “rejection then exaltation” or “suffering then glory” is prominent among God’s people in the OT. It should not surprised us then, that such was the case for Jesus as well. He was “at least initially, rejected by his brothers.”[5] He was betrayed, falsely accused, and put to death before being lifted from the pit and raised to sit at the right hand of the throne of God. It is in these ways that such things were written.
    • And according to statements made by both Paul and Peter, it should not surprise us when our lives follow the same pattern. Do not be surprised when fiery trials come upon you, because through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
  • The scriptures testify to the knowledge of God spreading around the world (47-48). Not only is it “written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead” (v. 45), but according to Luke’s record of Jesus’ next statement, it is also written “that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations” (47). The book of Acts, also written by Luke, is often described as a missionary book. Because of the missions emphasis of Paul’s letters and John’s visions of the nations in Revelation, some even go so far as to identify the whole NT as a missions text. But verse 47 makes the case, and I think it’s a convincing one, that even the OT is a missions document. And if that’s the case, then we can rightly conclude that indeed the whole Bible has missions as a prominent theme.
    • From the very beginning God intends for his name and image and glory to spread throughout the whole earth, as seen in his command to Adam in Genesis 1 that he “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over” what walks and crawls and swims on the earth (Gen 1:28).
    • God promised Abraham that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through him (Gen 12:3).
    • In Psalm 22:27-28, David taught Israel to sing, “All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. For kingship belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.”
    • And in Psalm 46:10, the Lord instructs them, “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
    • Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord promises Israel, “I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (49:6).
    • And Malachi records the Lord’s statement, “From the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts” (1:11), and “I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations” (1:14).
    • When Jesus tells his followers in v. 48, “You are witnesses of these things,” he seems to mean that they have seen salvation accomplished and forgiveness of sins secured through what he had done and now they are to proclaim such to the nations in fulfillment of what the Scriptures testified.
    • Just as everything concerning Christ in the Scripture was fulfilled, so we can be confident that everything concerning the glory of God among all the nations will be fulfilled.
• 3. The Power of the Holy Spirit (49)
  • The command for the apostles to be Christ’s witnesses to the ends of the earth in Acts 1:8 is strengthened by the promise that the power of the Holy Spirit would come upon them.
  • Jesus doesn’t leave us alone to just do the best we can in the great commission. He sends his Spirit, so that we have the presence of God with us and in us as we make disciples of all nations.
• 4. The Expectation of Christ’s Return (50-51)
  • Again, the statements here at the end of Luke dovetail with the beginning of the book of Acts.
  • Angels came to the place from which Jesus ascended and asked the crowd there, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).
  • Jesus himself assured his followers in Matthew 24:14 that “this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
  • Why might it seem to us that Christ is delayed in his coming? Because the task of missions is not yet done. Christ is patient and longsuffering, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. Which is why we proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins. And as we do, we can be confident that God is drawing his people to himself, and that the day of Christ’s return is drawing near.
• 5. The Activity of the Church (52-53)
  • The joyful worship of the believers at the temple in Jerusalem once again previews how the church is portrayed in the early chapters of Acts.
    • It was at the temple that the first converts within the congregation at Jerusalem “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of break and the prayers” (Acts 2:42). They daily interacted at the temple for worship and prayer and fellowship and meals and hospitality as “the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” (2:47).
    • “And every day in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.” (Acts 5:42).
  • Matthew’s record of Jesus’ commission records how they were to baptize “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt 28:19-20). In other words, do for others what I have done for you. Where is it that Jesus’ followers are baptized, and that people are taught to obey Jesus’ commands? Most commonly these things happen in local churches. Every time you gather as the people of God on the Lord’s Day you are, even in what may seem like a small way, fulfilling the great commission. Every gathering of the church is a step toward and a preview of that day when every tribe, tongue, people, and nation will be gathered around the throne of God. So let us confidently assemble and worship and pray and go and send so that more churches can be planted around the world for the glory of God.

Conclusion:

            Why are we especially confident in these things? Because these are things only achievable by God. By placing our confidence in these things, we affirm our trust in God, not ourselves. God does not guarantee the success of your specific local church, but he does of his global church. He does not guarantee the well-being of my missions team, but he does guarantee that his mission will succeed. So our trust and confidence are in him. To him alone be the glory forevermore.

---

[1]C. S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (New York, NY: Harper Collins, 1950), 141.

[2]Charitie Lees Bancroft, “Before the Throne of God Above,” 1860.

[3]James M. Hamilton Jr., Typology—Understanding the Bible’s Promise-Shaped Patterns: How Old Testament Expectations are Fulfilled in Christ (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2022), 178.

[4]Ibid.

[5]Ibid., 179.

If you asked a Christian leader in a war-torn, economically-impoverished country what the churches in his homeland need most, you might be surprised at his answer.

A teammate of mine was able to ask exactly this question recently. Listen to the (unscripted) response she received.

His answer highlights the priority of the work God has given me to do: Training pastors, missionaries, teachers, and leaders around the world for the health of the global church. If you’d like to learn more about this work, why it matters, and how to join in it, please write to me at david.prairie@liveglobal.org.

Watch this 5-minute video from my friend, Rick, to see how you can help provide so that believers in a largely-unreached country can have a place to meet together. If you are interested in learning how you can give to this need, please reach out to me: david.prairie@liveglobal.org

Our family is now fully-immersed in our summer routine. As hot as it’s been here in Chattanooga lately, we’ve been spending as much time in the water as we can. Here’s what else we’ve been up to the past month or so.

Our sons (Judah, 14 and Asher, 12) participated in spring football practice for Grace Academy in mid-May.

I was invited to attend the International Theological Education Summit in Harrisburg, PA hosted by ABWE on May 17-18. I gave a breakout session talk entitled “A Pastoral Approach to Global Theological Training.” For those interested, I can send along the transcript.

My home church allowed me to preach and give an update on our ministry on May 22. I was able to share stories from my travels to Europe earlier this year. The sermon was from Genesis 14, and you can watch it here (it begins at about the 26:00 mark).

In addition, I have been teaching a weekly elective class for fellow church members on the topic of biblical theology. We started on April 24 and will conclude with one final discussion this week (June 26).

All four of our children finished out the school year the week of May 23-27.

We took a family vacation to the Gulf Shores, AL area from May 29 – June 3.

Judah has been participating in basketball camps for the past couple of weeks. One of the ways the Lord has seen fit to help offset some of our support shortage is to provide opportunities for teaching and coaching at GBA, so I expect to be doing more of that this coming school year.

Our girls (Eva, 8 and Tori, 5) are participating in Camp Grace this summer, and are enjoying daily field trips and other activities with fellow campers and counselors.

I have continued regular meetings and calls with teammates and partners from around the world, as well as interviews and conversations with potential future teammates.

In early July (2nd through 11th), I will travel to Michigan where the Lord has graciously provided meetings with THREE churches and their leaders. Please pray for these opportunities. I will preach and present our ministry at one church on July 3, then I will meet with another pastor on July 7, and finally I will present at another service on July 10. We are hopeful that the Lord will use these conversations to provide some of the financial support that we still lack, and to connect us with other like-minded brothers and sisters who can join with us as we attempt to connect North American churches and believers with what God is doing around the world.

If you would like to give toward the expenses of this trip (I’ll be doing a lot of driving), please contact me at david.prairie@liveglobal.org or visit our page to donate online. Many of you have been so kind as to generously give one-time gifts in the past, and this is another case where those would be greatly appreciated. Maybe you’re ready to become a monthly partner with us, in which case we want to hear from you as well.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and ongoing encouragement. Thank you for obeying the great commission with us.

I am grateful to ABWE for giving me the chance to talk about my role with Live Global on the Missions Podcast while at the Together for the Gospel conference in Louisville, KY in April 2022. Take 11 minutes to watch or listen.

https://missionspodcast.com/podcast/t4g22-why-national-partnerships-david-prairie-on-live-global/

Hamilton Jr., James M. Typology–Understanding the Bible’s Promise-Shaped Patterns: How Old Testament Expectations are Fulfilled in Christ. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2022.

By David Prairie

I was about four years into my tenure as a youth pastor when I told a pastor whom I greatly respected that I was teaching through the book of Leviticus with my students. He responded, “I just don’t know how you preach through Leviticus without doing a whole bunch of typology.” His tone made it clear that this was not exactly a glowing endorsement of such methods.

This was a common sentiment in my circles, and not just about Leviticus. Many teachers and mentors were afraid of calling something a type that the Bible did not explicitly call a type (such as in Rom 5:14). They seemed to loosely associate typology with allegory and feared missing the grammatical-historical meaning of texts. I knew there was continuity between the Old and New Testaments, but I was also hesitant because I did not want to read into a text something that wasn’t there. This hesitancy was relieved when I enrolled at Southern Seminary to study biblical theology under Jim Hamilton.

Dr. Hamilton’s approach to reading the Bible intertextually affirmed some suspicions I already had about the way the whole Bible fits together, but he also opened my thinking to connections that I had not seen before. His ability to recognize patterns intended by the biblical authors is on display in his new book Typology. The book serves as an extension of his teaching and preaching ministry and builds on some of the themes from his previous books, especially God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment and What is Biblical Theology?

Typology is a book that needed to be written because of the cloud of mysteries that seem to surround the subject. And Dr. Hamilton is the author who needed to write this book because of his knack for clarifying muddled theological discussions. There are a few things that Hamilton does especially well in this book.

First, he carefully, thoroughly, and straightforwardly defines typology, leaving no doubt in the readers mind what he is (and is not) doing as he reads the Bible. In doing so, he helpfully distinguishes between typology and allegory, and attempts to show that the types he recognizes are intended by the Bible’s human authors and its divine author (17-28).

Second, he gives “indicators for determining authorial intent” (taken from the titles of the first and last chapters) both on the “micro-level” (chapter 1) and on the “macro-level” (chapter 11). The “micro-level indicators” require the reader to recognize what Hamilton calls the “two essential features of typology:” historical correspondence and escalation in significance (19). These features become especially evident as words and phrases are repeated by authors to establish connections between narratives or the poetic/prophetic commentary on them. As the connections build, they are picked up by New Testament authors who show the anti-types to which the types point.

The “macro-level indicators” show up when the reader “zooms out” from the words and phrases to see what patterns emerge from the key grammatical features. In other words, to what is the repetition of significant terms and phrases pointing? What themes and literary structures do the authors employ to draw attention to the promises that are being made in the text? Hamilton’s answers to questions like these illustrate the description of typology given in the book’s subtitle: “promise-shaped patterns.”

Third, Dr. Hamilton creatively arranges the content of the book as an example of the teaching method that he argues many biblical authors regularly employ. The themes covered early in the book (examining typological persons) correspond to related themes found later in the book (examining typological events and institutions). At its center, the book highlights the “Righteous Sufferer” who, like the types before him, encounters “rejection then exaltation” (174-176).

The fourth helpful aspect of this book is arguably the most important. Hamilton shows readers how to read the Bible. Once the reader is taught to identify intertextual connections, he is unleashed to observe and celebrate how the biblical authors quote and allude to one another throughout Scripture.

Typology urges and enables careful and meditative readings of the Bible. In that sense, it is both rigorously theological and refreshingly devotional. It marries typology firmly to grammatical-historical hermeneutics. I would especially urge those who teach and preach the Bible are skeptical of typology to read this book and see if that skepticism is put to rest. This book is a rich resource for studying the Bible, and I’m grateful for it.

Order the book from the publisher by visiting https://zondervanacademic.com/products/typology-understanding-the-bibles-promise-shaped-patterns.

Upcoming events:

April 6: Speaking at Grace Baptist Academy chapel (“Why do the nations rage?” from Psalm 2)

April 14: Speaking at Grace Baptist Academy’s Easter Assembly (“Foolish or Faithful? It depends on if Jesus rose from the dead” from 1 Corinthians 15:12-23)

April 19-21: Representing Live Global and ABWE at the Together for the Gospel conference in Louisville, KY

May 17-18: Leading a breakout session entitled “A Pastoral Approach to Global Theological Training” and participating in a related panel discussion at the International Theological Education summit hosted by ABWE in Harrisburg, PA

May 22: Preaching at Grace Baptist Church in Chattanooga, TN

July 3: Speaking at West Rome Baptist Church in Manitou Beach, MI

July 10: Speaking at Cornerstone Community Church in Brooklyn, MI

Ongoing or upcoming classes:

January – May: “Biblical Worldview” at Grace Baptist Academy

March 20 – May 7: “Ecclesiology and Church Administration” (over zoom) for B. A. and M. Div. students in south Asia

Beginning April 24: “Biblical Theology” discipleship elective at Grace Baptist Church

We are always looking for ways to share with others about our efforts to make God known among the nations. If you are interested in hosting us for any meetings, please email david.prairie@liveglobal.org.

I recently had the opportunity to travel to eastern Europe with some Live Global teammates. It was a little bit of a whirlwind trip, and I won’t attempt to give a day-by-day account here. (If you are interested in that approach, you may view my Facebook profile where I provided updates in real time.) Instead, I will only give an overview of the trip so that you can grasp what we did, why we did it, and what it means for the future.

Before getting into those details, I wish to first thank all of you who prayed for me while I travelled and for my family who stayed behind. The Lord was good and kind to provide all that was needed for us. Speaking of provisions, thank you especially to those who generously supported this trip with financial gifts, and to those who continue to provide support for my work on a monthly basis. If the amount given as one-time gifts for my trip was added to our current monthly support, it would increase our support by 20% (from 60% where we stand now to 80%). Would you pray about becoming a monthly supporter so that we can have even more opportunities to assist our brothers and sisters around the world as they make Christ known among the nations? Contact me at david.prairie@liveglobal.org or visit https://www.abwe.org/work/missionaries/david-and-brandi-prairie.

My goal going into this trip was simply to learn as much as I could about the work God is already doing among some of our national partners so that I can wisely proceed in assisting them in their work. I asked a lot of questions and did a lot of listening. Thankfully, I was able to travel with and visit with other veteran missionaries along the way, who also helped educate me as needed. Here’s what I learned and observed:

In Hungary, a young couple is preparing for full-time local church ministry. He is preparing for pastoral work and she for a counseling ministry. Both have a Bible college education, and they have a two-year-old son. They are faithful members in a local church where they participate in teaching and discipleship. Pray for God to provide further theological training for him, and wisdom and clarity in counseling for her. Both are remarkably gifted and intelligent, and we want to serve them well as they proceed in these works.

In Bosnia, a veteran pastor leads a church of 45 members in the only Muslim-majority country in Europe. Like-minded churches are scarce in his country. Yet he and his team provide theological lectures, school outreaches, youth and children’s ministries, housing for migrants from central Asia, and mid-week Bible studies in addition to Sunday services. There are plans in place for a new church building (they currently rent a workable but not ideal space). Pastor Z also hopes to establish a theological school that would enable him and others to train men for gospel ministry in a country where it is desperately needed. Pray for the growth of this church and for the Lord’s help as we partner with them for these future projects.

In Serbia, a couple evangelizes in their city by giving away Bibles and other Christian literature as a way to begin conversations with people about the gospel. They also have a radio and podcast ministry in which they broadcast Bible studies, sermons, and readings from Scripture and Christian books for a wide listening audience. Additionally, the brother assists in preaching for at least three churches in his region. Finally, they have connections to a school which offers degrees in Biblical and Theological studies and specializes in training pastors and missionaries. Pray for their ongoing outreaches, and for wisdom as I explore the possibility of assisting with future teaching opportunities.

In Romania, a pastor of a small church in a poor village feeds his people spiritually through preaching and discipleship and he feeds them physically by providing groceries for those who have little or no income. His church was planted by another congregation formerly led by his older brother. Together, these men strategize about how to reach their country through church planting, which requires training men who will lead these congregations. Pray that we can learn from them and also guide them well through these processes.

As you can see, God is already at work in these places. We are simply attempting to stand in the gap for these brothers and sisters so that they can have all of the resources necessary to continue in fruitfulness and faithfulness. Your prayers and financial support enable us to do this well. Please continue to hold us up in this way.

By David Prairie

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Author’s Note: This article is the result of a Bible study I taught to college students at Grace Baptist Church in Chattanooga, TN on Sunday, December 5, 2021 as part of their study of the Psalms. Much of my understanding of the nature of the Psalms is informed by Dr. Jim Hamilton, under whom I studied at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and from whose teaching I continue to benefit greatly. Rather than cite every instance where I have been shaped by his influence, I will simply point readers to James M. Hamilton, Jr., God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010), 275-83, where they can see his comments on the role the Psalms play in the overall storyline of Scripture. He also has a new commentary on the Psalms published by Lexham Press that I have not yet accessed.

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            My sons and I occasionally play a game where the Lord of the Rings soundtrack is playing in the car, and each of us tries to be the first one to name the scene associated with the music. We’ve seen the movies enough times to recognize certain elements in the music and those sounds conjure up what happens on the screen when those notes are struck. Some tunes elicit joy or exultation, others fear or even sadness.

            The Psalms of the Bible function like a musical soundtrack to a movie. They aren’t included primarily to carry the story forward, but rather to help us know how to feel about what is happening. They are the poetic commentary on the narrative sections of Scripture.

            Some Psalms give us textual clues to show us which narratives are being sung about. For example, Psalm 18 (written by David) matches 2 Samuel 22, showing that the Psalm is meant to help us think about that point in David’s life.

            In Psalm 18, David frequently identifies God as his “rock” (vv. 2, 31, 46) who delivers and rescues him (vv. 2-3, 16-19, 43, 46-48, 50). In Psalm 19, David says that Yahweh is “my rock and my redeemer” (v. 14). These two Psalms are bracketed with that description of God as a rock. Psalm 18 shows that God is the rock who rescues. Psalm 19 shows that God is the rock who reveals himself through the world (vv. 1-6) and through his Word (vv. 7-12).

            Psalms 20-21 also comprise a unit because they are battle songs. Psalm 20 would be sung by the armies of Israel as they marched toward battle with their enemies, and Psalm 21 would be sung as a victory song after defeating their enemies in battle. Notice how Psalm 21 celebrates the answers to the requests made in Psalm 20.

“May he grant you your heart’s desire” (20:4).	“You have given him his heart’s desire” (21:2).
“Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he will answer from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand” (20:6).	“Your hand will find out all your enemies; your right hand will find out those who hate you” (21:8).
“We trust in the name of the LORD our God” (20:7).	“The king trusts in the LORD” (21:7).
“O LORD, save the king!” (20:9).	“O LORD, in your strength the king rejoices, and in your salvation how greatly he exults!” (21:1)

            The order of these Psalms (18-21) seems to follow the order of the events in David’s life as described in 2 Samuel. After David’s song in 2 Samuel 22, his “last words” are recorded in which David is presented as both an anointed and exalted king and as a psalmist (23:1). God is shown to be the “Rock of Israel” who reveals himself through words given by his Spirit (23:2-3). Chapter 23 concludes with accounts of battles won by David and his “mighty men” as the Lord worked to bring about great victories for them (23:8-39).

            When viewed together, we can see how the poetry of Psalms 18-21 corresponds to the prose of 2 Samuel 22-23.

2 Sam 22 – God, the Rock, delivers David	Psalm 18 – God, the Rock, delivers David
2 Sam 23:1-7 – God, the Rock, reveals himself through his Word	Psalm 19 – God, the Rock, reveals himself through his Word.
2 Sam 23:8-39 – Stories from battle	Psalms 20-21 – Songs from battle

It’s possible that the parallels expand beyond these sections. For example, 2 Samuel 24 records David’s sin against the Lord in taking an unauthorized census and the ensuing judgment and death that resulted in Israel. David intervenes for the people by purchasing offerings to the Lord so that the people are spared from God’s wrath (24:18-25). This event may correspond to Psalm 22, where David speaks as one who has been forsaken to death (22:1, 15), and to Psalm 23 where David describes how the Lord shepherds him “through the valley of the shadow of death” (23:4). While 2 Samuel ends with chapter 24, those who continue to read encounter David’s final instructions and his own physical death in 1 Kings 1-2, thus continuing the theme in the larger narrative.

This small sample shows the intentionality with which the individual Psalms were structured and arranged into the Psalter as a whole. There may even be a discernable flow throughout the entire Psalter. At the very least, there seem to be self-contained sections that make up a unit, similar to the way that many modern hymnals are arranged categorically. It could be that Psalms 18-21 fit into such a unit comprised of Psalms 15-24. This unit begins and concludes with Psalms that ask questions about those who can stand on the hill of the Lord, where he dwells. The material contained within the unit also aligns with other themes in a chiastic formula. If this structure is present, it intentionally places God’s self-revelation at the center.

Who shall dwell on the Lord’s holy hill? (Psalm 15)

            The Lord does not abandon to Sheol, but makes known the path of life (Psalm 16)

                        Soul delivered from the wicked by the Lord’s sword (Psalm 17)

                                    God delivers David from Saul and other enemies (Psalm 18)

                                                God reveals himself through the world and his Word (Psalm 19)

                                    God delivers Israel from battle with their enemies (Psalm 20-21)

                        Soul delivered from the sword of the wicked (Psalm 22)

            The Lord shepherds in paths of righteousness through the shadow of death (Psalm 23)

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? (Psalm 24)

            There is much more that could be said about the content of these Psalms, particularly the way they point forward to Christ and are fulfilled in him. For now, let the combined sounds of the Psalms and the images from Samuel (and others) enhance the beauty of the poetry and the One of whom they ultimately speak.

By David Prairie

Introduction: Two Strategies for Missions

All Christians and churches care about obeying Jesus’ great commission to make disciples of all nations. But there is more than one way to engage in cross-cultural ministry.

• The “Traditional” Model

Many of us think of missions in terms of an individual or family crossing a culture, learning a language, and investing deeply in a place where there are few, if any believers. These missionaries typically seek to begin new ministries by launching churches, schools, hospitals, or other organizations over which they become the leader. Through these avenues, the missionary is often viewed as the “expert” and the ministry rises and falls on him.

There are times where this kind of approach may be necessary, such as if a people group is entirely unreached with the gospel. And there is certainly value when missionaries establish long-term roots in one place and adapt to their host culture. But there is another approach as well.

• The “Partnership” Model

Partnership ministries begin not with a project, but with a relationship. The first step is not, “Let’s set out to establish a ministry center in this region.” Instead, it’s, “Let find out who already lives in the region and is serving the Lord there, and maybe we can come alongside him to assist in what he is already doing.”

What is Partnership?

Partnership is a strategy for missions that prioritizes relationships with in-country national believers who are citizens of the land where the ministry is being done. The goal is not to take over or run the partner’s ministry, but rather to assist the partner in his efforts in whatever ways are best for him.

For example, if the partner is a church planter or pastor, he may need books and resources for preaching and discipleship that he doesn’t have access to in his home country. If he is training others for ministry in a Bible school, he may need fellow workers who can provide theological education. If he is working on behalf of orphans and widows, then he may need help with facilities and staffing. If he is seeking to provide physical needs for his community, then he may need funds for groceries or firewood during the winter months.

The possibilities are nearly endless, and they vary based on location, time of year, and type of primary ministry. This means that there is something for everyone. No matter your skill set or preferred location, there are always opportunities to serve partners around the world.

Some may ask, “What if you don’t see eye-to-eye with the partner?” Certainly, this could happen. But before an official partnership is formed, a relationship of trust is built with the partner to ensure that values and philosophy align. Partners become friends, not just co-laborers.

Why Partnership?

In partnership ministry, the primary connection to the ministry base is native to the land. There is no “learning curve” for the partner. He already knows the language and cultural distinctives of the region because it is home for him.

Reliance on the partner requires humility because it implies that we don’t have all the answers or solutions. It also helps to ensure that the ministry will continue long into the future as investments are made into more national partners. The ministry won’t fade when the missionary retires or dies. It will be carried on with the national partners who are on the ground.

Additionally, partners have access into places where westerners do not. Their citizenship often allows them to move about and work more freely in regions where visitors could not go. In this way, the unreached are often more likely to be reached by partners than by western missionaries.

Partnership in the Bible

Admittedly, there are examples of solo workers called by God to speak as a lone voice for a time. This was the case for certain Old Testament prophets, such as Isaiah in Judah (see Isa 6:8-13) and Daniel in Babylon (see Dan 6). Even in the New Testament, Philip on the road to Gaza (Acts 8:26-40) and John during his exile to Patmos (Rev 1:9-11) were called to proclaim Christ while alone.

But the overwhelmingly predominant pattern throughout Scripture involves relational partnerships both locally and globally for the purpose of making God known. Moses was instructed by his father-in-law to surround himself with a plurality of godly and capable leaders to oversee Israel (Exod 18). David recruited the help of an Egyptian man to overthrow God’s enemies and win back his people from capture (1 Sam 30:11-15). Mordecai allied with the Persian king so that God’s covenant people would be preserved from annihilation (Esther 9). Jesus chose twelve followers (Mark 3:13-19) and invested in them for the work they would continue after he returned to heaven. Peter and John joined together with other disciples for the growth of the multi-ethnic church, including establishing a team of deacons (Acts 6:1-7). Paul modeled best how cross-cultural partnerships work, particularly at Philippi. And the pattern of church leadership promoted by the NT authors involved a plurality of elders (rather than a solo pastor) for each local church as it was planted in new places (see Titus 1:5).

Conclusion: The Goal of Partnership

The end goal of these partnerships is the same as the goal is in more “traditional” models: disciples made among every people group on the planet. The vision of every tribe, language, people, and nation around the throne of God giving glory to the Lamb will become a reality (see Rev 5:9; 7:9). Partnering with other believers toward this end deepens our connections with the global church and broadens our opportunities to obey Christ’s great commission.

Authors Note: This article was written on behalf of the leadership team of Live Global, which exists primarily to connect the North American church with partners around the globe for the purpose of joining them as they reach the nations with the gospel. For more information on how Live Global facilitates the kinds of partnership ministries described here, please visit liveglobal.org.