Hope

Cowper on Paul on Preaching (13)

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5.1, 2

He ’stablishes the strong, restores the weak,
Reclaims the wanderer, binds the broken heart,
And arm’d himself in panoply complete
Of heavenly temper, furnishes with arms
Bright as his own, and trains, by every rule
Of holy discipline, to glorious war
The sacramental host of God’s elect:
Are all such teachers?—would to Heaven all were!

William Cowper, The Task (1785)

One of the ways Paul in his ministry sought to establish the strong and restore the weak was through preaching the Word of hope.

While Paul does not much elaborate on the Christian’s final estate, it is clear he has it continuously in mind. Believers are already seated with Christ in glory, he explained (Eph. 2.6); thus, we should set our minds on this high and heavenly calling, so that we are focused on our ultimate destination in all we do here and now (Col. 3.1-3). A day of glorious triumph is coming, when Jesus will have put all His enemies under His feet, will fill all things in all things, and will present His Kingdom to His eternal Father, and us with it (1 Cor. 15.24-28; Eph. 1.22, 23). Then we will be purged of all lingering uncleanness and made fit for our eternal dwelling with the Lord in glory (1 Cor. 3.12-15). Crowns of righteousness will be distributed to all who have fought the good fight of faith (2 Tim. 4.6-8), and we will live together forever with Him in His glorious spiritual home, with new bodies, as new creations, in a new and eternal Kingdom (1 Thess. 4.17; 1 Cor. 15.42-57). 

Thus, we must earnestly look forward to the day of eternal glory, ushered in by the coming of the Lord of glory Himself (Phil. 4.8; 1 Cor. 16.22). For such a promise and focus can fill us with hope. And it is the task of preaching to delight and assure us with this blessed vision and hope.

Such themes should regularly appear in our own preaching, drawing from the many more sublime but elaborate passages from both Testaments which describe or intimate the conditions of our eternal and blessed estate. They who believe in Jesus hope for the eternal glory they will enjoy in the new heavens and new earth, and it is the duty of the preacher to whet their appetites and affections for this blessed hope.

Resources for being and making disciples
Pastor to Pastor Podcast: Continuing our conversation with Pastor Jesse Slusher, we talk about the role of hope in the work of a pastor. Click the link at the top of this issue to listen in.

Other columns of interest: This week: In our ReVision column we consider ways to improve our use of reason so that we may know more of the mind of Christ. Our Read Moore podcast pursues readings from the book, The Joy and Rejoicing of My Heart. Our Crosfigell teaching letter is studying the spiritual poetry of the Celtic Revival. And in our daily Scriptorium column we are working through Matthew 22. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.

The Ailbe Bookstore: The Christian’s hope rests in the Kingship of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our book, The Kingship of Jesus, explains how His rule and Kingdom provides us with hope and power to serve Him. Order your copy of The Kingship of Jesus by clicking here. If you would like to read more of William Cowper on Paul and his pastoral ministry, order a copy of our book, An Essay on Preaching, by clicking here.

Resources for Shepherds: Have you ever considered how much the work of writing could add to your ministry? Writing can help you reach further and deeper into the lives of those you are called to serve. Our course, The Writing Pastor, can help you get started using writing more consistently. It will be my pleasure to proctor you through this course. To learn more, watch this brief video.

From the Celtic Revival
Spiritual Poetry of the Celtic Revival
Countless the changes through which all the seasons of temporal life roll on:
On and on everything passes, as months in their turn revolve into years,
Leaving each moment to glide in its time to the years of senility.
Under their passing may you learn to comprehend life everlasting, and
May you thus spurn the alluring deceits of this temporal and passing life.
By smoothest luxury all decent virtue is gradually overturned.
Avarice, coupled with burning greed burns in the human breast, uncontrolled.
No mind devoted to vanity knows how to keep moderation. So
Understand: Silver is cheaper than gold, and gold than the virtues is
So much less valuable. Seek but for what you need, and you will have highest peace.

  – Columbanus, “Verses to Hunaldo” (ca. 700 AD)
The theme of time seems to have been of special interest to Columbanus, as we have already seen in his “Poem on the World’s Impermanence.”

Columbanus wrote poems to three of his monks, Hunaldus, Sethus, and Fidolius. A recurrent theme in each of these is that of how to make the best use of the time we have in this life. While he undoubtedly meant these poems for the individuals to whom they were addressed, he also intended that they should be shared with their colleagues in the monasteries. We’ll look in detail at the “Verses to Hunaldus”, before picking through the two longer poems to discover Columbanus’ teaching on the time of our lives.

You can read the whole article by clicking here.

Subscribe to Crosfigell and join us for this entire series on spiritual poetry of the Celtic Revival. Scroll to the bottom of the home page, www.ailbe.org. 

Resources from the Celtic Revival: Columbanus
Want to learn more about Columbanus? Download the free 30-day devotional featuring his writings and those of his biographer by clicking here.

T. M. Moore

If you have found this issue of Pastor to Pastor helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).

Support for Pastor to Pastor comes from our faithful and generous God, who moves our readers to share financially in our work. If this article was helpful, please give Him thanks and praise.

And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.