Here ye, here ye!
I have heard this fine sermon twice today and am prepared to listen again.
Join me?
The title of *Senior Pastor* or *Bishop* is nothing compared to the Name of Jesus to which every knee shall bow.
The Westminster Divines relied upon Ezekiel 43 to introduce their Book of Church Order in 1643.
And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, - and all the laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them.
In the same way that Christ died for the invisible church (the repentent, redeemed sinner), God also died the visible church (repentent and redeemed)AND sees her as white as snow: perfect and blameless because of the work and sacrifice of His Son.
This is so comforting.
While it may seem unusual to use Ezekiel 43 as the basis for the sermon, there were a host of additional Scriptural references. But, do take the time to read Exekiel chapters 40 - 48 in order to understand the context in which the prophet was speaking in order to focus and train the eyes of his charges on future glory.
Restoration!
We sang hymns to reinforce these doctrines. From the (blue) Trinity Hymnal:
Behold! The Mountain of the Lord (272) - based on Is 2:2 (Scottish paraphrase)
Zion, Founded on the Mountains (369) - based on Ps 87:1
Approach My Soul (423) - based on Heb $;!4, 16 and written by John Newton (a favorite)
Glorious Things of Thee (269) - again Ps 87 but verse 3, and John Newton
We celebrated communion and submitted our tithes, hoping in the Lord.
Then, never forgetting that a good theology will invariably produce a good meal,
we returned home show enjoy Sunday's menu ~
Beef Stew
French Bread
Merlot
Begian Chocolate Brownies with Walnuts
Black Coffee
Yes, there was broccoli in the brisker ....only to be overlooked.
I'd had enough vegetables for one day. (ref Dan 1)
Grin
Artwork Credit:
Open Door Chapel
Oil on Canvas
16" x 20"
by Margaret Jordan
“The Church’s approach to an intelligent carpenter is usually confined to exhorting him not to be drunk and disorderly in his leisure hours, and to come to church on Sundays. What the Church should be telling him is this: that the very first demand that his religion makes upon him is that he should make good tables.”
ReplyDelete~Dorothy Sayers