It’s always a good thing to awaken before your alarm and feel rested (thank you Lord). This Wednesday, the second day of the Banner Conference was a full day. After a brisk walk to breakfast (eaten with the infamous Kyle Sims of SC), Andrew and I attended the morning prayer time in the chapel.

THE PERFECT SACRIFICE
The 9 AM session today was by Richard Phillips from Hebrews 7:26-28, on the supremacy of Christ Jesus as our Sacrifice and our High Priest. His direct, almost business-like style of address meant that we got directly into the text, and got a lot out of it! He laid out four general questions to be considered when one speaks of a sacrifice: (1) what is offered? (2) to whom? (3) by whom? (4) for whom? With clear and compelling words, Rick opened the OT and the NT to answer these questions, and to show forth the person and work of Christ. I particularly profited from the material presented from Genesis (originally drawn from JM Boice) on “Where is the lamb” The answer is Christ. He is fit to be our saving sacrifice, our High Priest — and the object of our worship through to eternity! Amen.

During the morning coffee break, we talked with an old friend from New England days (John VanMeerbeke) who now pastors in Gettysburg, PA. I’m so glad Andrew could get to know him a bit.

THE MINISTER’S CALLING
At the 10:45 AM session, Scotsman Ian Hamilton spoke on the minister’s calling from the famous doxology at the end of Romans 11 [see below]. Ian preaches with a clear sense of the gravity of his task. He pointed us to three notes about our preaching sounded by Paul in this passage: (1) it must pulse with the note of breathless wonder, (2) it must be impregnated with grace constrained humility, and, (3) it must include adoring exaltation. Each of these points rang in my soul, as I sat under the word being preached. One of his concluding applications was (paraphrasing) “do not strive to be a certain kind of preacher, but be a certain kind of man.”

Both morning sessions are well worth listening to again. After lunch, Andrew and I spent a little time helping a brother get his Mac laptop up and running, but it did not revive.

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.