Sermon Quotes: "Appreciation and Affection"
“I never saw the least symptoms of displeasure in his countenance the whole week, but he appeared like a man of God, whose happiness was out of the reach of his enemies, and whose treasure was not only a future but a present good, overbalancing all the imaginable ills of life, even to the astonishment of many, who could not be at rest without his dismissal.” George M. Marsden, Jonathan Edwards: A Life
“No congregation was ever spoken to more tenderly than the people of Northampton on July 1, 1750. He does not hide from his people that he had been plunged ‘into an abyss of trouble and sorrow’, yet his words are singularly free of blame or accusation.” Iain Murray
“And I hope that as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.” 2 Corinthians 1:14
“All I have known among you for 23 years we must one day rehearse in a different place. For ministers and people under their care must meet one another again before the tribunal of Christ at the day of judgment, there to give an account before the great judge the Lord, the Head of the church, of their behavior one to another in the relation they have known to each other in this world.”
And he concluded the sermon with these words:
“And let us all remember, and never, and never forget our future solemn meeting on that great day of the Lord; the day of infallible decision, and of everlasting and unalterable sentence. Amen.” Jonathan Edwards
“The familial language and metaphors found throughout 1 Thessalonians is part of Paul’s strategy to create community cohesion among the converts in Thessalonica, whose former relationships with family and friends would have been significantly impacted when they ‘turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God’ (1:10). The close bonds they share with their new spiritual ‘brothers and sisters’ would be needed as they together faced opposition and hostility from their ‘fellow citizens’ (2:14).” Jeffrey Weima
“True pastoral work is hard work. The verb Paul uses here (kopiao) normally refers to manual occupations. It means to toil, strive, struggle and to grow weary in doing so. It conjures up pictures of rippling muscles and pouring sweat.” John Stott
“It is not an easy job; in fact, it is arduous. Its duties cannot be limited to the boundaries of an ordinary eight-hour day or 40 hour week. Its activities vary to the extreme from hour to hour and day to day. Fulfilling its obligations tests men intellectually, emotionally, physically and spiritually…So if you are looking for an easy job and regular hours, don’t apply here. If you want a profession that will give you hours of uninterrupted study away from people, this isn’t it. If you are seeking an occupation that you can leave at the office, this won’t do. If you are looking for a vocation that will allow you to escape the taxation of mental, emotional, and spiritual pressures, look somewhere else. Several of my close friends and ruling elders who serve with me love to say, ‘John, you have the easiest job in the world. You work only one day a week and you have only one book to study!’ I am thankful that they are being facetious with me. These men understand the vocation of being a minister, and they are faithful to encourage me in every way. However, I have known some folks who have been in the church for years and still have no idea of or appreciation for the complex and exhausting nature of the ministry.” John Sartelle
“The elder has authority; he is called to exercise a shepherd’s oversight. Christ the Chief Shepherd has called him to exercise a shepherd’s care. But the undershepherd is not a stand-in for the Lord. He presents the word of the Lord, not his own decree, he enforces the will of the Lord, not his own wishes.” Ed Clowney
“It is a matter of fact to this day we are often slow to realize that effective leadership in the church of Christ demands effective following. If we are continually critical of those who are set over us in the Lord, small wonder that they are unable to perform the miracles that we demand of them.” Leon Morris
“Ministers and the people under their care must meet one another again before the tribunal of Christ at the day of judgment, there to give an account of their behavior one to another in the relation they have known to each other in this world.” Jonathan Edwards
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