The first speaker Mike Bullmore, spoke on Zephaniah, and basically presented the Gospel in all it's richness. First presenting that we were sinners that deserved punishment, then moving onto the grace of God, then finally finishing with the consummation of it all, with God rejoicing over the redeemed people, singing songs over them. The first speaker already, hit my heart, and refreshed my soul in ways only the gospel of Christ could.
The second speaker was Don Carson, or better known as D.A. Carson. Dr. Don Carson, spoke on Psalms and King David writing about Jesus, and how Jesus would be in the order of Melchizedek. Dr. Carson, basically unraveled the whole passage quoting from Genesis all the way into the epistles. He clearly mapped out for us the amazing providence of God in playing out His redemptive plan in history. What was even more astonishing was that he pointed out that this was not from any cleverness of his own, but he just got this straight from the Bible as written out and thought out already in Hebrews. Hearing this message I took away a couple of things. First, I realized that even the Apostles were expository preachers. Second, my amazement in the way that God nuanced and threaded the gospel message in the Old Testament. Third, I was once again hit with the profoundness and depth of the gospel, and how desperately I need it.
After those two speakers, the conference closed with the hymn "Before the Throne of God Above." We stuck around, and had lunch at the conference food court, as we waited for the "post conference" to start. This post conference session was themed "Christ and The City." It's focus was reaching the people in the cities, as the world collectively gets more and more urbanized. Pastor Tim Keller, who specializes in planting churches in the city gave a brief talk in why we need to reach out to the cities, and how. We all attended a workshop that was focused on reaching the city through different means, but left short after because we had a plane to catch.
What an adventure that was! I do not want to divulge all the things that happened, because that would fill the whole blog, so I'll just explain the events of getting back home like this:
There was a muslim taxi driver, a shut down freeway, a train ride to the airport that needed the exact amount of change, two very different lines side to side in the airport security check, a rushed dinner, an accusation of stealing a hot sauce packet, and a crying baby. Confused? Well talk to the people who actually went, and they'll tell you.
After touching down back in LA, the home of fair weather and palm trees, we soon all parted ways, each going to their own respective homes to reflect on the events that happened at Chicago, and to get some well deserved rest. In my time of reflection I realized I came away from the Gospel Coalition National Conference with one thing.
I came away with the renewed appreciation and amazement for the gospel. The gospel which is so key and central to any Christian. The gospel, with which without, we would be lost in despair. The gospel, that is foolishness to the perishing, but the amazing mighty power of God to those who are saved. The gospel, that is so simple that a 5 year old can understand, believe and be saved, yet so profound, so deep, that a lifetime of studying and meditating on it, would not even scratch the surface of it. The gospel, that needs to be cherished, and protected, because any deviation to the gospel is no gospel at all.
Perhaps, it was because the people who went to the conference all understood the richness of the gospel and that it needed to be defended, that they came to the Gospel Coalition. It was great to see all the fellow brothers and sisters from different backgrounds, different walks of life, with different opinions, all stand in solidarity in the celebration and defense of the gospel. The conference all in all satiated my spiritual thirst and hunger in a way that only makes me thirstier and hungrier, to know God and the work that He has done to redeem a wretch like me.
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