December a year ago, my family and I went to Disney World in Orlando, Florida. There we saw many characters portrayed as cute animals, monstrous creatures, and fictitious personalities. All of these by design to help someone revisit some childhood memory, help escape the present reality of life, or just bring amusement and wonderment.
But the highlight of our trip, for me, was to visit Saint Andrews Chapel, where R.C. Sproul was a co-pastor. It was providential, I believe, that he was the preacher for the service we had decided to attend. The sanctuary was full. The worship part of the service was phenomenal enough. From the prayers to the singing; it was so reverential and respectful to the glory of God. But then came the preaching by Reverend Sproul.
I can’t even find words to describe it. Even though, then, Reverend Sproul was in poor health and needed assistance to get to the pulpit, his pulpit demeanor and command of the Scriptures were unmatched. Simplistic, yet exigent, his message on Paul’s defense "that the Gospel was not of himself but of Christ" was powerful and challenging. There was nothing cute or amusing, nothing monstrous or foreboding, no fantasy about escaping life … but absolutely about escaping sin and hell and finding life in Christ, and wonderful and marvelous. We heard the Gospel.
I left thinking the best thing in life, our salvation, is free to us because Jesus paid for it with His life. I left wanting to be a better preacher and expositor of God’s Word.
My only regret is that I did not seek out Reverend Sproul and thank him for yielding his life to the call of God to be a preacher. Today we are sad and envious at the same time for his victorious transformation from this life to the next to be forever with Christ.
But the highlight of our trip, for me, was to visit Saint Andrews Chapel, where R.C. Sproul was a co-pastor. It was providential, I believe, that he was the preacher for the service we had decided to attend. The sanctuary was full. The worship part of the service was phenomenal enough. From the prayers to the singing; it was so reverential and respectful to the glory of God. But then came the preaching by Reverend Sproul.
I can’t even find words to describe it. Even though, then, Reverend Sproul was in poor health and needed assistance to get to the pulpit, his pulpit demeanor and command of the Scriptures were unmatched. Simplistic, yet exigent, his message on Paul’s defense "that the Gospel was not of himself but of Christ" was powerful and challenging. There was nothing cute or amusing, nothing monstrous or foreboding, no fantasy about escaping life … but absolutely about escaping sin and hell and finding life in Christ, and wonderful and marvelous. We heard the Gospel.
I left thinking the best thing in life, our salvation, is free to us because Jesus paid for it with His life. I left wanting to be a better preacher and expositor of God’s Word.
My only regret is that I did not seek out Reverend Sproul and thank him for yielding his life to the call of God to be a preacher. Today we are sad and envious at the same time for his victorious transformation from this life to the next to be forever with Christ.
Chaplain (COL) Jerry L. Jones, U.S. Army, Retired
Director/Endorser Chaplains Ministries
The International Pentecostal Holiness Church
Director/Endorser Chaplains Ministries
The International Pentecostal Holiness Church