The day began at 9:30 when much of the church gathered for a Q&A to discuss elder qualifications. We are in the process of nominating men to serve us as elders. The congregation has an important role to play, recommending men and, ultimately, electing them.
I then preached the second to the last sermon in 1 Thessalonians from 4:13-5:11. The title was "Be Ready" and I asked three questions related to our anticipation of the Second Coming of Christ. First, why should I be ready? Because the end is coming and on that day God's justice and mercy will be finally and forever established. Moreover, on that day, Christians will be with the Lord forever. Second, what if I'm not ready? Paul is clear, those who are not ready will not escape the judgement and wrath of God. Third, how can I be ready? We can be prepared by grasping that Jesus will return any time. But, most importantly, we can be ready by looking at the cross. 5:10, "He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him."
It is the return of Christ that gives us a real sense of urgency. He is going to come and judge the living and the dead. Our lives are to be devoted to preparing ourselves and others for that great day.
At the end of the service, I got to baptize a man who has been professing faith for many years but was only recently converted. This is a reminder that it is not enough to say that Jesus is Lord--we are called to live under his authority. Praise God that the Gospel broke in to our new brother's life.
In the evening we held our annual, "Christmas at Mt. Vernon." This concert is always spectacular. It more sweet and sad with the reminder that our choir director, Dr. Kristine Harris, is moving on to teach and study in New Orleans at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. The spoken storyline of the Bible was woven into an evening of music and song--a beautiful thing.
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