Cedarville Magazine Summer 2017

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CHAPEL NOTES
In Matthew 7:21, Jesus
says, “Not everyone who
says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the kingdom
of heaven, but he who
does the will of my
father who is in heaven
will enter. Many will
say to me on that
day, ‘Lord, Lord, did
we not prophesy in Your
name? And in Your name cast out demons? And in
Your name perform many miracles?’” Then Jesus said, “I will
declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you who
practice lawlessness.’”
How can a person know all these facts, even do things for
a person, but not be in a relationship with them?
In college, I was on the honor guard for the governor of
Texas. And after one event, they tell us, “Go to the buffet line
before you go back to Texas A&M.” I’m reaching for a piece
of cauliflower, and this huge hand comes in. I look up and it’s
Nolan Ryan. I said, “You’re Nolan Ryan.” He looked at me and
said, “Yes, I am.”
There’s something I realized in that moment. I’d studied
him as a baseball fan my whole life, but I did not know him.
And he didn’t know me. If Jesus Christ walked into this room,
would you know Him, and would He know you?
You enter into a relationship with Him through faith.
“Lord, I am trusting in You as my Lord and Savior; I’m offering
everything to You.” Then, it’s an every-single-day, deepening
relationship with Him. When Matthew 7 comes, and you’re
standing face-to-face with Him, it won’t be an introduction.
It’ll be a reunion with your best friend and the love of your
life.
Matt Carter is Pastor of Preaching and Vision at The Austin
Stone Community Church in Austin, Texas.
In Genesis 22, God
says to Abraham, “Take
your son, whom you
love more than life
itself, and sacrifice
him to me.” “Hold
on, Lord. You said
through this child
my offspring would
be as the sand of
the sea. How’s that
going to be?”
The next day, with Isaac and two men with him, he
began the journey to Mount Moriah. Taking the wood from
the donkey’s back, he placed it on Isaac’s back, and the two of
them journey to the top of the mountain.
Isaac says, “Dad, didn’t you forget something? I don’t see
a lamb for the offering.” “My son, God will provide a lamb.”
Isaac stood there as Abraham bound him. With trembling
hand, that old man is ready to do what he didn’t think he
could do. There is a voice. “Don’t hurt that boy. You think you
love him Abraham? You cannot appreciate the love I have for
that boy.”
There is a sound behind him. The ram is caught in the
brambles. God has provided a lamb.
Go with me to the bottom of the hill. Walk a little ahead
of Abraham and Isaac. Who do you see? That’s your heavenly
Father. And look at Isaac; you know that man. That boy. That
only begotten Son of God, the Lord Jesus.
And the wood is the cross of Christ. We see the Son placed
there. This time, the ram and the boy are one.
What is the cost of your whole life? More than you could
ever pay. All to Him you owe. Please never stop being grateful
to God the Father for His fabulous love.
Paige Patterson is President of Southwestern BaptistTheological
Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and a Cedarville University
Trustee.
Do You Know Him? The Real Cost
The following is an excerpt from a January 17, 2017, chapel presentation
by Matt Carter. Listen to his full remarks at .
The following is an excerpt from a March 21, 2017, chapel presentation
by Paige Patterson. Listen to his full remarks at
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