This blog serves as an outreach for Pastor Randy Powell of the First Baptist Church of Franklin, PA. Feel free to ask questions or send me an e-mail at pastorpowell@hotmail.com
When his Covenant people rejected the Messiah, how did God respond? Did he reject them and walk away? No, God continued to be faithful by working with the remnant that did accept Jesus. God did the same thing in Elijah's day, working with a faithful remnant to continue through a period of darkness (i.e. the reign of Ahab).
The same thing holds true in the Church Age. During generations of turmoil or faithlessness, God has held true with his remnant. Whatever comes in the future, God will continue to keep his promises to the Church, continuing to work with those who by grace have been called.
What would be different about our world if we knew that there was no life after death? Considering that most people both now and throughout history have some sort of belief in an afterlife, the changes would not be small. The Apostle Paul outlines three of them, (1) we would lose our connection to our ancestors, (2) any rationale for self-sacrifice {much less worth dying for}, and (3) any hope for final Justice. In the end, without a resurrection the most likely human response is, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." Hedonism and hopelessness are a toxic combination. Thankfully, Paul's thought is only a hypothetical, for the resurrection of the dead IS a reality, there will be a Judgment Day, and we have every reason to Hope beyond this life when we are in Christ. To watch the video, click on the link below:
During the journey to Rome, where he will face a legal trial despite his innocence, the Apostle Paul faces a more immediate threat: a terrific storm. After enduring the storm for nearly two weeks, all those on board lost hope, including Luke, Aristarchus, and Paul. Paul and his companions had not lost their faith, they still remained firmly convinced in the love and power of God, it was simply a question of whether or not God would choose to intervene in their current situation. In other words, they did not despair regarding their souls, but saw no sign that their mortal bodies would survive the storm. To lose hope, in this life, is NOT a failure of faith, for we have not been promised a life free of trial or tribulation, and everyone has a breaking point, nobody is impervious to being worn down by pressure (whether it be physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual). We must, as Christians, be honest with each other regarding the troubles we're experiencing, we must admit when we are battered and worn, and be wiling to receive help, and we must be willing to give that help in turn.
When all hope was lost, an angel spoke to Paul and reassured him that the lives of all those aboard would be spared. At that point, when God had spoken, Paul's outlook changed, hopelessness was replaced with confidence, because Paul knew God already, he had experienced the power of God in his own life, and had seen that the Word of God could be completely trusted. Notice: God did spare all 276 aboard the ship, as he had promised, but the ship was still destroyed, the people aboard still had to swim to shore amidst the crashing waves. That which God has promised, he will do.
The sermon title was obviously inspired by the Lawrence Chewning song, "The Anchor Holds" made famous by Ray Boltz. Credit where credit is due.
