The Friday Five

1. TV: American Odyssey. In the last week I started this new show on Netflix. I'm only a few episodes into it, but so far it has been really good. If you haven't seen it, here's a quick setup: an American strike force takes out a terrorist leader, but they stumble onto some evidence they shouldn't have found. They are then taken out, presumably by American forces in an attempt to cover up that evidence. However, there's one problem: our main character, Odelle Ballard, survives & has a copy of the evidence. If you like government drama/mystery. This one seems to be a good pick. Like I said, I'm only a few episodes in. It could go bad quick, but so far, I've really enjoyed American Odyssey.
2. Music: Live At Fillmore East by The Allman Bros. Band. Today I'm highlighting a classic, & I have to restrain myself because I love this album so much. Yes, it's a double album with only 7 songs, but that just means you get to hear the improvisational genius of Duane Allman & Dickey Betts. This is the best live album ever recorded. There will be people who disagree with that statement, but they're wrong. You ease into it with a couple of short tracks, & by short  I mean 4.5 to 5 minute songs, but by the end you get to hear the brothers in all their glory on Whipping Post which comes in at just over 23 minutes, but every second is perfection. If you're serious about good music, especially great guitar playing, & haven't purchased your copy of this one, you need to stop what you're doing right now & either purchase a hard copy or download it.
3. Quote. "Three categories: 1. Disobedience. 2. Angry obedience. 3. Loving obedience. The great divide is not between 1 and 2 but between 2 and 3." Ray Ortlund
4. Social Media: Joe Bonamossa on Instagram. Joe is one of the best guitar players around these days, & he's also a rabid guitar collector. His Instagram account is not only a treasure trove of cool guitars, but Joe regularly posts videos of his playing. Guitar nerds & blues lovers should give Joe a follow on Instagram.
5. Book: Designed To Lead. Eric Geiger & Kevin Peck have a new book coming out next week that focuses on developing leadership in a gospel context. The church has the potential to be the greatest leadership development organization on earth, but too often we squander our opportunities. I'm looking forward to this book big time. I've been fortunate enough to be a part of the publisher's book launch team which means I've gotten some early access to some stuff, & I'm excited about the copies I've got coming my way. Check out the Designed To Lead website for more info & some downloadable resources.

The Friday Five

1. TV: Stranger Things on Netflix. One of the best shows I've seen in a long time. Perfectly designed for Netflix binge watching. Excellent acting, incredible writing, & a heavy dose of 80s nostalgia make this a show you can't miss. I describe it as a show that feels like "if Stephen King wrote E.T." The thing that struck me was that the show didn't just take place in 1983; it actually felt like it was made in 1983. Yes, it's got some low-budget special effects you would expect from a TV show, but the story & acting are so good, you don't really think about it.
2. Music: Venus (Acoustic) by Joy Williams. I'm a huge Joy Williams fan, but I wasn't crazy about her 1st solo album post-The Civil Wars. The acoustic version, however, is another story. I don't know what it is, but her voice seems to be tailor made for sparse, acoustic accompaniment. If you enjoyed her work with The Civil Wars, check this one out. It has a similar feel.
3. Quote. "We cannot organize a revival, but we can agonize for one in prayer." Greg Laurie
4. Social Media: OurJacksonHome on Instagram. This is a great little account that helps me keep up with my hometown in west Tennessee. It's cool to see some of the things going on in this growing town between Memphis & Nashville.
5. Bible Study Resource: Exalting Jesus in 1st & 2nd Kings. I did a full review of this earlier in the week, so I won't rehash it here. Needless to say, it's worth looking into. If you want to read the review, click HERE.

Book Review: Exalting Jesus in 1st & 2nd Kings

As a pastor one of the things that I find most disturbing is how many people are so unfamiliar with their Bible. There are a lot of reasons for it, but one is that guys like me (pastors) haven't done a great job of teaching people how to read it. We fail to help people see how everything from Genesis to Revelation has one thing in common: Jesus. It's Jesus & His Gospel that's the lens through which we should read Scripture. Yes, a passage is to be interpreted in its immediate context, but we also have to keep in mind the broader purpose of Scripture: the revelation of God the Father, the Son, & the Holy Spirit. That means we need to keep the Gospel in mind even when we're not reading Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.

B&H Publishing is currently producing The Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary Series. In this post I'll focus on Exalting Jesus in 1st & 2nd Kings. These aren't exactly the books we readily identify with Jesus. However, if nothing else the record of the kings of Israel & Judah show us the imperfection that will be replaced with perfection & the divided kingdom that will be replaced with the eternal kingdom when the prophet, priest, & king named Jesus of Nazareth shows up a few centuries later.

In this volume Tony Merida walks us through these two Old Testament books, helping the reader see how the Gospel is woven throughout Scripture & foreshadowed time & time again through the history of Israel. One of the strengths of this series of commentaries is that they don't really read like commentaries. In other words, they're not dry, boring, or academic. This book is the best kind of commentary: approachable & applicable. I would encourage anyone interested in serious Bible study to look into Exalting Jesus in 1st & 2nd Kings or any of the other available titles in this series.

Disclaimer: I received a promotional copy of this book from B&H Publishing for this review.