As a lot of the people who read this blog know I had a pretty big event happen last week. Thursday around 1:07pm is when this event happened. I got to shake the hand of one of my favorite pastors. Matt Chandler. This was a pretty dang big deal for me. I mean Matt Chandler shook my hand and I was pretty amazed to see him face to face. It was also weird to hear his voice in person and not over audio or video. But anyway, back to my point. I got to shake his hand.
Now I should probably say this before I go on. Matt Chandler has had a big impact on my life through his sermons and his continual serving by letting God use him in amazing ways. Matt is also head of Acts 29 so that's sorta a big deal. Basically what I am getting at is that he is a really cool guy who has contributed to my life in big ways through the example of his own life. Now when I saw Matt on campus in the dinning hall talking to some students Tuesday morning I got pretty dang excited. But also really bummed because I knew I wouldn't get to hear him teach since he was only teaching the Kanakuk Institue (Kanakuk's post college program). After this I began to think about some things. Like how I sometimes fall into the trap and sin of idolizing these types of people. Not just Matt Chandler, but any person who I look up to (Mark Driscoll, John Piper, Sam Storms...there are more.) I forget these people are humans and the only reason they are where they are is because God for some reason chose to use them. It wasn't because they are so great and amazing, but because God decided, in his eternal wisdom, to use them in His plan. The Holy Spirit working through them. When I see what they are doing through God's grace I shouldn't look at them and praise them but go back to the God who created and gifted them, praise that God. The God who gifts everyone in different ways. Not all were created and gifted for preaching and teaching in such a way that they are doing. That doesn't mean they are any lesser though.
But anyway...I should get back to my main purpose of writing this thingy up.
As I thought more about Matt Chandler being on campus and how much I enjoyed his sermons I thought about Acts 1:1-3 (Well I thought about what it said, I couldn't remember where it was in the NT till I looked it up). It says, "In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God."
Now this is pretty cool to me. Here are two things that stick out to me.
1) I thought it was great how "through the Holy Spirit" He gave commands to His apostles that he had chosen. Throughout all of Christ's ministry on earth he was empowered by the Holy Spirit (example of this is when he was tested in the desert by Satan.) It goes to show you we need to Holy Spirit greatly. For many things; to lean and trust on through struggles, for conviction and repentance, to understand the scriptures...etc. So that was cool to see.
2) In verse 3 it talks about how he was, "speaking about the kingdom of God." which is something I would love to hear. I feel like this whole verse 3 would be a great sermon to see and hear. To see His many proofs throughout these 40 days and hearing Him speak about the kingdom of God. Once I die and go to Heaven I really hope you can look and see past events because I'd want to see this event along with others (like creation, the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah...etc). But is anyone else with me on this? Being able to hear this would be amazing.
But yes that is it for now. Just some thoughts that were running around my head. Sorta just splashed them on this post so I hope it wasn't too hard to follow. More thoughts like this probably in the future. For now though, goodbye.
No comments:
Post a Comment