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Encouragement Letters
Often God calls His followers to "REMEMBER." To remember what? I will look at two occasions in the Scriptures.
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In the Old Testament, there are multiple times when one event is recalled over and over. I am thinking of the huge miracle when God led the Israelites out of their Egyptian bondage, under the capable leadership of Moses. This historical event is thoroughly described in Exodus. Let's not forget that the very name of the book, Exodus, highlights the Exodus of the Israelites. This event is frequently told and re-told elsewhere in the Bible: In the Pentateuch, in the book of Psalms, and in the major and minor prophets. The repetition might make us readers weary of the constant repetition. But the repetition is a reminder. The major miracle of the exodus includes many lesser miracles that were part of this magnificent event. Knowing their tendency of forgetting, God often repeated it. They, like us, can be greatly energized as they remembered what God had done for them in the past. If they remembered the past, it ought to encourage them to NOT forget Him . . . and to NOT forget what He had done for them . . . and to NOT relegate His benefits only to the past, but to realize that He is still at work in them. As glorious as His past blessings were, He had more blessings ready to be poured out on them at every part of their lives and journeys.
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In the New Testament, the death and resurrection of Jesus is stated in the four gospels. It is mentioned several times in the book of Acts. The epistles also mention it as the heart of the gospel. In I Corinthians 11, Paul restates the words of Jesus, spoken in the upper room where Jesus said two times . . . this do in remembrance of me. The Lord's Supper points us to the cross. It happened once historically but it needs to, symbolically, be done again and again. Every time we celebrate communion we remember what Jesus did on the cross.
This past weekend, Evie and I went to Trinity University in Deerfield, Illinois. It was the Commencement of this year's graduating class of 2013. It was also the fiftieth anniversary of the class of 1963, the year of my graduation from TEDS. Annually Trinity honors not only the current graduating class, but it also honors the class that graduated fifty years ago, I was asked to give a brief charge//challenge to the new class of graduating students. It was my privelege to do so. Our class of 1963 stood and faced this year's class of 2013 as I spoke to them. Here's a part of what I shared with them.
I spoke of the spiritual environment of Trinity when I attended there. It was a warm and dynamic place for us to grow . . . academically, spiritually, and socially. Here's what I meant. I saluted Trinity for its total commitment to the Bible as the very Word of God. Then, and now, many Christian institutions waver about this . . . but, thank God, not Trinity. I also mentioned the certainty and centrality that Jesus is everything the Bible says He is . . . the one and only way to the Father. I also shared the impact that many of my classmates had on me then . . . and still do today.
I told the students that I received an MA and later a D.Min from Teds. I served as the President of the Trinity Alumni Association. I served on the Trinity Board of Education. Indeed Trinity was and remainsclose to me.
I challenged the graduates to cling to the school's priorities. Fifty years hadn't changed these distinctives. I closed my message like this . . . I thank God for Trinity and its impact on me then and now. The past fifty years have been a wonderful journey for my wife, Evie, and me. Much of it was powerfully planted in my life while I was a student here. The seeds were planted. Growth has taken place in me and through me. During these next fifty years, I pray that your journey will be even better than mine.
Trinity . . . you have done a good job. Keep it up. You are needed now even more than in the past.
Founder, Senior Associate
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