Tuesday, June 17, 2008

The 500-Year Flood and the Kingdom of Christ

Baptist Press interviews Eric Schmuacher, pastor of Northbrook Baptist Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (Eric, whom I've known since college, blogs at An Infant in a Cradle.)

During his sermon last Sunday (manuscript, audio), Eric said to his congregation:
Helplessness is overwhelming. If it is your house or business that the flood waters threatened, you sit and watch and wonder, “What can I do?” If you are fortunate enough to live in a higher and dryer place, you watch and wonder, “What can I do?”

There are a few things that we frequently encourage you, here at Northbrook Baptist, to do. One is to view all of Scripture—and all of life—in relation to Jesus Christ. We teach you that the Bible contains a storyline centered on Jesus Christ. The central theme of the entire Bible, I have said before, is the glory of God in the establishing and redemption of his Kingdom through Jesus Christ. If that is the theme of the Bible, then that is the goal of all history. Therefore, I have encouraged you to live all of life conscious of that truth.

This morning, with historic flooding present in our minds, I want us to ask this question, “Where do 500-year floods fit in the Christ-centered storyline of the Bible? Where do floods come from? How should we respond to them? Where can we find hope?”

To answer those questions is to understand the meaning of this flood.
My heart was deeply encouraged to read his exposition of the biblical storyline, showing how the Bible has the explanation and the answers for real questions and real needs. May this kind of preaching increase.

Pray for Eric and his church that they would remain faithful, that God would meet all of their needs, and that they would be servant-hearted witness.