If you were called on to deliver a final massage to the people you love, what kind of advice would you leave? A Moody Magazine article tells the account of Thomas Watson. He was the one of early 2,000 Puritan pastors in England who were removed from their pulpits in 1662. They were banished because they wouldn’t agree to sign a parliamentary “Act of Uniformity” that would have compelled them to deny several of their beliefs.
Before his dismissal, Watson spoke this “Last Sermon” to his people - probably one of the shortest, most meaningful ever delivered:
“First of all, keep constant hours of prayers every day with God. Collect good books for your homes. Be careful of the company you keep. Be careful of about what you listen to. Follow after sincerity. Always be at the job of self-examination. Be on guard in your spiritual life. The people of God should often associate together. Let your hearts be lifted up above the world. Comfort yourselves with God’s promises. Be not idle, but work for your living. Put first and second tables of the law[the Ten Commandments] together: piety to God and equity to your neighbor. In your walk before others, put innocence and prudence together. Be more afraid of sin than suffering. Take heed of idolatry.... In the business of the Christian life, serve God with all your might. Do all the good you can do to others as long as you live. Every day think of eternity.”
I’ve had that article for many years. You might wish pass on Thomas Watsons’s last sermon and help it to keep on preaching-as it has now for more than 340 years!Dean Ohlman
Before his dismissal, Watson spoke this “Last Sermon” to his people - probably one of the shortest, most meaningful ever delivered:
“First of all, keep constant hours of prayers every day with God. Collect good books for your homes. Be careful of the company you keep. Be careful of about what you listen to. Follow after sincerity. Always be at the job of self-examination. Be on guard in your spiritual life. The people of God should often associate together. Let your hearts be lifted up above the world. Comfort yourselves with God’s promises. Be not idle, but work for your living. Put first and second tables of the law[the Ten Commandments] together: piety to God and equity to your neighbor. In your walk before others, put innocence and prudence together. Be more afraid of sin than suffering. Take heed of idolatry.... In the business of the Christian life, serve God with all your might. Do all the good you can do to others as long as you live. Every day think of eternity.”
I’ve had that article for many years. You might wish pass on Thomas Watsons’s last sermon and help it to keep on preaching-as it has now for more than 340 years!Dean Ohlman
No comments:
Post a Comment