Preaching and God’s Goodness

I’m alive! And more so, I’ve preached my first genuine sermon that, by God’s grace, went very well. Pastor Banks of First Presbyterian Church of Freedom was very encouraging, exhorting me to press on and continue to grow in ministry. Unfortunately, due to my computer not wanting to cooperate, I was not able to record the sermon, which is a major disappointment to me and, I know, for some others. Though, if you want to hear it that badly, I’m more than happy to preach at you all anytime you like, though I can’t promise it’ll be the same sermon (it sounds different every time I preach it, whether to myself or others).

It struck me, though, as I was preaching, that it felt…like I was where I was intended to be, like home. Not necessarily meaning Freedom Presbyterian, but rather in preaching, I was at home. The gravity of what I was speaking from was certainly there, but equally present was this urgent desire to see this Word lived out by myself and those listening. Sadly, although many in the congregation at that point are fellow Geneva students, it is not something I’ll be able to see live out. I’ll have to trust God for that fruit, and be able to trust in His promises to bring the harvest forward. That shows me, though, that I wouldn’t make much of an itinerant preacher for certain. I want too much to see and aid the preaching to go into the practicing for me to be content with that for long.

So, in conclusion, brothers and sisters, take joy in Christ, put your confidence in His Gospel, rejoice in the fruits of His Gospel, and desire the loss of all things so that His grace may abound more and more in your life. Let’s do it!

S.D.G.