It’s a nice warm day in the Downriver by Sunday morning the lilacs will have burst into bloom here at the church. While spring is bursting into life around us it seems that we have been visited with dying of late. On the way home from the church to Granville Cottage there is a cemetery. There are at least a half dozen fresh mounds there. It’s good to be alive, but it is better to know that in Christ we will never, never die.
Dan Cummings is a pastor friend who I admire in so many ways. He is one of the finest preachers in the state. He is a marathoner. He is a good dad and a fine husband. He is a leader of men. I admire him more than I can say and often listen to his preaching on my iPod.
A few weeks ago it was announced that he has inoperable cancer. If God does not choose to intervene in a miracle, he will not live. He is trying to write and preach to the glory of God while he is dying. He is writing and preaching through his affliction. This is his blog. There are links to his preaching, too.
We often quote Richard Baxter who said; I preach as a dying man to dying men. We all preach as dying men to dying men. In light of Dan’s condition the reality of that is very sharp now. May God give Dan grace to die if that is what He has chosen for him. May he give each of us grace to live and die.
May each of us seize every moment of life we are given for the Glory of God and for things eternal that will never pass away. It’s good to be alive but it is much better to know that in Chrsit we will never, never die.
Pastor Ken Pierpont
The Study
Evangel Baptist Church
May 2, 2008
An archive of Dan’s sermons can be found here.
Amen Ken. Yes, life is a vapor, and we never know when the roll will be called up yonder. A saint at our church who volunteered for just about everything, went out witnessing on Monday nights, taught Sunday School, on fire for the Lord, suddenly died of a massage heart attach at a Church men’s retreat a couple weeks ago. A total shock to all (he was in his mid 50’s). Why? God is God; I cannot question Him. Reminds me of the saying: “only one life twill soon by past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.” So we press on for Christ, and let Him decide “when”.
Yes, but don’t forget that we deserve worse than death. We don’t deserve to live. It is because of God’s grace and infinite love that he holds us all together.
It is because of SIN, that death entered the world. It is why everything you see either rusts, dies, changes, and gets worse. Because of our disobedience that fateful day in the garden, we ruined God’s perfect plan.
Sigh….Ken, I need to go to the Northwoods with our group again for another retreat… 🙂
Hello Ken,
This is Ada, David’s mom, Urbinati, remember from Journey to the Heart ? well, we just found out that you are not there anymore and would like you to call us if you can. We need to talk to you. It is really dissapointing that you are not there because David was able to grow so much under your leadership.
Our phone number is 561) 352-5463. Are you going to the Nashville ATI Convention this year?
In Christ,
David and Ada Urbinati
Thanks for your words & your heart, Ken.