Preaching

This year at Salt Company I have enjoyed worshiping toward the back. Every week I sit by Dan and the Funk brothers (that sounds like a band name), and they pray over me before I go up. It's never planned, but it always seems to happen.

Last week as I was walking up to preach on Romans 3:9-31, I said to Dan, "If you don't hear the gospel by the time I'm done preaching- fire me."

Tonight I have Romans 4. The gospel is low hanging fruit in these parts of the Bible.

At the same time, I feel the weight of heaven and hell in the balance.

I think of all those with false assurance. Those that will enter heaven saying, "Lord, Lord, did we not..." and he will say, "Depart from me, I never knew you." (Matt. 7) I think of the others that will boldly reject the good news and spend eternity separated from everything good- the "eternal pleasures" as the Psalmist says (16:11). I feel the burden of those who by faith stand right before God, but can't shake the guilt of past sins.

As one who proclaims the mysteries of God week after week from the Scriptures, I praise God for the Holy Spirit, who not only feels this weight, but bears it for me.