What really struck me from the last few days of the ministry training course last week was the emphasis that came out on the future, eternity, our great Hope.
I’d never noticed what Fidel brought home so powerfully from 2 Tim. 4:1-2 that the number one reason to preach the word is the return of Christ. We are preaching in the last days a gospel of eternal life in view of the coming Day (cf. 2 Tim. 1:1, 10, 18; 2:10; 3:1; 4:8).
We found that the reason to put to death our ungodly desires (Col. 3:5) is because Christ, who is our life, is about to appear and we will be glorified with him (Col. 3:4).
Sammy reminded us from Job that the end comes at the end, and in the same session one of the apprentices very movingly shared how she had been through times when she desired to depart and be with Christ more than cling to this life. This in turn resonated very strongly with the account we read from John Paton’s autobiography:
At last the child literally longed to be away, not for rest, or freedom from pain — for of that he had very little — but, as he himself always put it, “to see Jesus.”
How badly do we need this powerful injection of eternity into our Christian lives and churches?
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Notes and resources:
Intro to Expository Preaching – Context
Preaching Christ from the Gospels (esp Matt)
How to manage email with filters and folders
2nd year programme:
Lessons from the life of John Paton
Doctrine of Salvation (2) – Predestination, Justification and the glory of God
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Reblogged this on Firebrand Notes and commented:
This is such a refreshing emphasis that I had to reblog. Let all that we do to serve Jesus be rooted in the knowledge that he is coming again and that He is indeed en route as we pray now. Let the Spirit and the bride say ‘come, Lord Jesus’ – Amen
Sometimes refocusing on the eternal future we have with Christ helps put today into perspective. It can inspire us and give us hope. Be blessed and bless someone else today!