The Leftover Church

Perspective is a dangerous aspect of life, and yet at times harmless. It can simply change an idea or a mind, or it can alter a Biblical truth and thus causeproblems. Well these last few weeks have been filled with perspectives on the end times. Not because of circomstances around us, but mostly because it justseemed to have come up in church many times. It started with the Pastor's coming on the 20th of December. He came to visit as usual, but this timethere was another special reason, baptism. As a student missionary I am just a link in the chain, as I was told in training, at some projects, student missionariesmay never get to see any baptims or even any converts, but the bigger picture is what's important. Thus it was a special privilege to part of a baptism here,that of Marc and Patient. Marc is the young man I told you about before who has a rough situation at home, his dad being a feticheur, and his siblingsall going to the Catholic Church. His father also has a few wives, so it makes for a complex household situation. But he took the plunge, the former evangelistfrom this area, Boni, went and talked with Marc's father, and he approved praise God! Both of them are in pathfinders, and I am glad to have the privilegeto help them continue to grow the rest of the time I am here, by God's grace. The sermon the Pastor shared was on the remnant church and how the Adventist churchcan be compared to a remnant of the remnant. His starting illustration was that of a meal, a very satisfieing one, that when completed, there was still somefood left over. He said that this remnant or rest of the meal is always very precious and is carefully stored to eat later. From my North American perspective,it is a misplaced illustration, leftovers to me, are something you try to get rid of (unless of course it's grandma's cooking), or at least, when you goto someone's house to eat, the phrase, hey don't leave me with leftovers. To me it almost sounded like God was saying, oh man I've got leftovers for a church,who will finish it for me? But here, left overs are kept, for next time if possible, or shared with neighbors. So culturally his illustration worked. But inthe end I still think it wasn't the best placed illustration. It's not like anyone here in Africa, really wants left overs either, how do they store it withouta fridge? But at least the illustration won't mess up anybodies Bible knowledge! The next Sabbath was the start of week of prayer, who's topic is Signs of Hope, talking about signs of the end. I signed up to do the children'sprogram every morning for an hour. We have been having a wonderful time sharing and singing and learning. Uli preached on the first Sabbath and it was verymoving, telling how God has always wanted to be close to man, but there is this sin barrier. She went from the creation to the children of Israel's sanctuaryto Jesus birth to the second coming and the new earth, and if she wanted to she may have clear through to the maps (borrowed from Mark Lowry). The lineageis wonderful, this story of God's relentless passion to be near to man, in a temple, in a pillar of cloud and fire, through prophets, through Judges,through Jesus Himself, through disciples, through revelation, and finally the ultimate of Heaven! Revelation 21:3 really spoke to me, all reunited with God, the tabernaclewith men. Uli shared again, Monday night an article from Jon Paulien a professor at Loma Linda. He talked about when the signs grow old, like the starsfalling and the great Lisbon quake. He told of the difference between signs of the age and signs of the end of times. Those signs of nature pointed our earlyadventist brothers and sisters to search the scriptures and show the time they were in. Just like the signs Jesus gave his disciples to know whenJerusalem would be destroyed. It's hard to explain without reading what he said (you should find it in the Adventist Review, prayer week edition for 2008). But his conclusion was important, we need not be distracted by signs, instead they should drive to know God better, for that's eternal life (John 17:3). The longerwe wait for His coming the more desparately we want to see Him, and the more wonderful He becomes in our eyes!