sermon: Looking Forward
Eyes on the Prize
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Given 18-Jun-11; Sermon #1053; 76 minutes
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Richard Ritenbaugh, citing Mark Twain’s aphorism, “The art of prophecy is difficult, especially with respect to the future,” points out that there are too many variables for any human to predict accurately. We can be thankful that God’s prognostications and prophecies are totally trustworthy, many of which have already come to pass. God is a forecaster extraordinaire. Prophecy is the ability to forecast an event in advance. Many predictions are quite probable with regard to general predictions, but the more qualifiers and variables we add, the less probability the prophecy will work out. Some futurists, like H. G. Wells, have been successful in their prognostications, although many turned out to be duds. We should gaze forward, anticipating what God will reveal to us, becoming “nostalgic about the future,” and not wistfully looking back, lingering or dallying, as did Lot and his family. By looking back, Lot’s wife was boldly repudiating the will of God. Once we have made the commitment to follow God, to recount the cost would be suicidal. God has to come first before anyone else from the time of commitment and beyond. Looking back leads to “plowing a crooked furrow.” Paul assured us that pressing forward to knowing Christ makes every other goal rubbish. In putting all into the goal of following and knowing Christ, we are not alone; we have a big cloud of witnesses who have provided us an example to follow something we cannot immediately see, except through the lens of faith.
Topics: (show)
Angels Brimstone Commitment Cost of discipleship Crete Daily walk with God Damascus Road Don’t look back Einstein Eskimo Euthetus Event in advance Experience Fellowship of suffering Foretelling the future Futurists Future General repetitions Genesis 15:16; 19:12-23 H. G. Wells Hebrews 11 Henry Morton Hesiod Imitating Christ Iniquity of the Amorites Knowing Christ Leaving the realm of our experience Level of our commitment Looking ahead Looking back Lot Lot’s wife Luke 9:61-62; 14:26 John 14 Micah 7: 5-7,14 New Jerusalem Paul Erlich Philippians 3:1-15 Pillar of salt Plowing straight furrows Promise to Abraham Prophecy “The art of prophecy is difficult, especially with respect to the future” Putting the hand to the plow Rebellion Right hand of fellowship II Peter 3:10 Sodom and Gomorrah Stealth technology Time travel Titus 2:1-14 Works and Days Zoar
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