Thank You Dr. Lockridge
I felt my meeting today with Elder Dave was quite "productive" and valuable. Not to say that any one of my weekly meetings haven't been valuable - much the opposite! Since we've been meeting, the work of God in my life has only increased. And, admittedly, oftentimes because of my sadness and loneliness there are times when I feel about to break. A meeting or something Dave shares with me via email through the week come at perfect times to sustain me. And of course I sense the timely power being dosed out to me as the result of those who are praying for me. I can't express the appropriate measure of gratitude owed to those who fall in that list!
Among other snippets of useful and challenging truth Dave presented me this afternoon, he included a preview of a video he intended to share during the sermon. Being that I'm meeting with the "pastor"*, I often get bits and pieces of his sermons in our meetings. I find this an awesome privilege, for it prepares me to think in advance on what will be said. I feel I appreciate the sermons more this way, for it especially empowers me to apply them to life situations.
Man, I suck at writing! I totally noticed how both of those two paragraphs above start out with a topic sentence, then immediately go off on a tangent without supporting and concluding the primary idea. Oh well. I'm not about to go back and rewrite them!
So... back to the video - Dave shared with me a video called "My King", or "That's My King" by S.M. Lockridge. It is in my estimation one of the best 3 to 6 minute sermons I've heard in my life. It's kinda like The Lord of the Rings movies... even though there are 3 of them, and each one is 3 hours long (4 with extended versions), you still want to watch more. The same goes for this sermon - even though he made his point by going and going and going... I want to hear more and more and more!
It's really awesome and amazing that what God is teaching me about Himself - through my life situation and His response to it, and through my time spent in His Word (can't get enough!) - He is reinforcing through the sermons at Ethnos. Well, Dave, be encouraged. I know God is using your words to bless others. I am 100% confident of this. Nevertheless, even if I was the only one, be sure that I am blessed. Oftentimes it feels as though the timing of your sermons perfectly matches what God is already showing me - or else, it relates fairly directly and challenges me to think it out further.
...and now, more of my disjointed discourse... I encourage everyone to watch this video of Dr. Lockridge's sermon. I am certain it will be a blessing to you. There is a beauty in the man's voice. There is a passion there. You know he is speaking not just truths he studied and listed out, but it's spoken from personal experience. His voice has a certain authority, yet you can tell he is overflowing with God's love as well. In these few words, I hear a testimony of a life lived well. Dr. Lockridge died in the year 2000. Many thousands were blessed by his ministry. Through videos like this, I have the feeling he will speak "from the grave" for many years to come (though certainly that's not where he is).
My King (downloadable video - various formats)
* Our church** is elder led - many of the responsibilities shared, others taken up by laypeople. Dave just happens to be the elder most gifted or chosen to deliver messages on Sunday. So most would refer to him as "the pastor".
** It's a bit wrong to say "our church" because it's God's church... not only that, but we are the church, not some building or meeting place. So when I say "our church", I'm really saying "our local community of believers, part of the larger church, or Body of Christ." ***
*** Why have only two nested footnotes when you could have three!