Last Sunday I preached on Ephesians 3:1-13 in my discussion on how Christ was the turning point in history quoted the late British pastor and theologian John R.W. Stott from his commentary, The Message of Ephesians. He wrote:
Secular history concentrates its attention on kings, queens, and presidents, on politicians and generals, in fact on ‘VIPs.’ The Bible concentrates rather on a group it calls ‘the saints,’ often little people, insignificant people, unimportant people, who are however at the same time God’s people – and for that reason are both “unknown (to the world) and yet well-known to God.”
Secular history concentrates on wars, battles, and peace-treaties, followed by yet more wars, battles and peace-treaties. The Bible concentrates rather on the war between good and evil, on the decisive victory won by Jesus Christ over the powers of darkness, on the peace-treaty ratified by His blood, and on the sovereign proclamation of an amnesty for all rebels who will repent and believe.
Again, secular history concentrates on the changing map of the world, as one nation defeats another and annexes its territory, and on the rise and fall of empires. The Bible concentrates rather on a multi-national community called “the church,” which has no territorial frontiers, which claims nothing less than the whole world for Christ, and whose empire will never come to an end, (pg. 127-128).
Amen!
Shane Vander Hart
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