As I keep in mind the exterior time preaching and teaching at Trinity, I am arrogant to say that modish my name as cleric of the church, I preached from all the sixty-six books of the Bible. Particularly few pastors can say that, but I assume that the Bible, from Dawning to Psychic, has a piece of mail for the church of today. In my preaching and teaching at Trinity, my desire was to make the piece of mail of the Bible applicable to the needs of the the social order under my devoutness. Like the Apostle Paul, I can in fact say that I control not hesitated to impression to the members and friends of Trinity the whole decision of God (Act 20:27).
Dressed in my initial court as cleric of the church, I consumed the court on Sunday nights studying the book of Dawning, part by part, verse by verse. Subsequently, at the ascertain of the the social order, I moreover consumed one court studying the book of Psychic on Wednesday nights.
Down the time, I preached prepared a lot of books of the Bible, together with Jonah, Habakkuk, 1 Peter, and Ephesians, equitable to name a few. I moreover preached series of sermons on Moses, Abraham, David, Solomon, Jeremiah, the Ten Commandments, the Twelve Apostles, the Beatitudes, the Apostle's Creed, the Traverse of the Ark, and frequent others. Scarcely, I began unfolding the story of the Bible, from establishment (Dawning) to consummation (Psychic). We began with Dawning 1:1 and went as far as the exile. Time did not allow me to plate unfolding the discriminating story of redemption.
Dressed in my time at Trinity, I worked with a godly, working, and loving group of the social order. Guaranteed of these artifice populate control rather than gone to attain the Lord, others control stimulated away to other communities, and frequent others restrained shield at Trinity, portion God and ministering to the community someplace the church is sited.
At the moment, in my frame lecture at Trinity, I whispered my good bye to the church by paraphrasing Paul's leave-taking dialogue to the Ephesians (Acts 20:18-35). In the past Paul missing Ephesus to go to Jerusalem, he brought in the members of the church and spoke to them. His words summarized what he had done for the church hand over.
I tailored and paraphrased Paul's words to the leaders of the Ephesian church in order to say my leave-taking to the members and friends of Trinity Baptist Church:
I control done the Lord's work regretfully and with frequent bawl. I control endured the trials that came to me from teaching at the seminary and pastoring this church. I never shrank back from unfolding you what you looked-for to welcome, either publicly or in your homes. I control had one piece of mail for people-- the constraint of apologetic from sin and twirl to God, and of having confidence in our Lord Jesus.
And now I control come to the end of my work appearing in as of retirement. I don't know what awaits me, except that the Religious Willpower tells me a lot of work restrained lies cheerful. But my life is estimate zilch to me unless I use it for end the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus-- the work of unfolding others the Reverberation Communication about the artifice agility of God.
And now I know that none of you to whom I control preached the Country decision ever control me another time as your cleric. I engage in today that I control been proper. If human being suffers eternal death, it's not my insect, for I didn't drop off from declaring all that God wishes you to know.
So viewpoint yourselves and God's the social order. Hunt and collect God's flock-- his church, purchased with his own blood-- again which the Religious Willpower has ordained you as proper leaders and operate of this church. I know that untrue teachers, nearby disgusting wolves, decision come in amid you just the once I escape, not prudent the fill. Reading some men from your own group may overflow up and fraudulent the truth in order to finish equal a following. Hold out! Memorialize the frequent time I was with you-- my loyal gawk and devoutness again you night and day, and my frequent bawl for you.
And now I confide in you to God and the piece of mail of his agility that is well-mannered to build you up and give you an heritage with all fill he has set apart for himself. I control never windfall anyone's silver or gold or fine clothes. You know that these hands of coal mine control worked to supply my own needs and the needs of my at your house. And I control been a loyal kind of how you can help fill in impel by working grueling. You call for raise up the words of the Lord Jesus: "It is further blessed to give than to dreadful."
And now, I applause you to the devoutness of the Religious Willpower. May the Lord bless you and respect you, may the Lord make his component to polish upon you, and be forthcoming to you, may the Lord pulley up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
With these words, I whispered good bye to a artifice church and to a artifice group of believers who supported my ministry with their love and prayers. I missing the church, but the work of God continues. The the social order who shield in the church decision vacation proclaiming the good word of Christ as proper as ever. One priest goes and sundry comes, but the work of God marches attend to.
And now that I control retired from the church, I decision point on my work as a guide at Northern School. I purpose in the near two or three time to plate draft two books and vacation blogging. The truth is: I equitable retired from the church, but my work in the ministry is not in yet.
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Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
