LOOK BACK, LOOK AROUND AND LOOK AHEAD

“Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” (1 Corinthians 10:11 NKJV)

As we prepare to celebrate another birthday of Pole Creek Baptist Church this upcoming Sunday, I had a few thoughts about the purpose of what we call “Homecoming Day.”

Scripture enjoins us to LOOK BACK.  “Now all these things happened to them as examples…”

What Paul writes concerning Israel’s wilderness wanderings is intended to leave us an example—that even in their failures, there is a warning not to repeat the same error.  While we are not to live in the past, we are to learn from the past!  The times have changed since Pole Creek was birthed, but the truth upon which she was founded has not!

It is a mistake for young people and newer members to neglect this element.  We may relegate the past with its testimonies and traditions to the dustbin of time and miss the valuable lessons to learn.  If we do not connect with our roots, we are in danger of becoming spiritual tumbleweeds, blown about by the prevailing winds of the latest fads.

We are exhorted that from this look back to then LOOK AROUND.  “and they were written for our admonition…”  The lessons from yesterday are to make a difference in life today.  Paul was telling the Corinthian Christians that it was imperative to apply the Scripture in their day.  Today is all we have.  Yesterday is past; tomorrow may never come.  Just thinking about the past accomplishes nothing but a dreamy nostalgia.  Others labored at Pole Creek to bring us to the opportunity around us today.  Some snort about the word, “contemporary,” especially when applied to 21^st century music, media and methodology.  But, all we have is the contemporary—our day, and the need to follow the Latin credo, “carpe diem” popularly translated as, “seize the day.”

After a look back and a look around, there follows a LOOK AHEAD.  “upon whom the end of the ages have come.”

The Apostle was telling them that from the Jews came the Messiah, and His arrival brought in the last days which will culminate in the prevailing of the Kingdom of God as Christ holds universal dominion.  What we learn from our past, is to stir us to take action in the present, and that in turn will shape our future.  For the child of God it is a glorious future God plans!

It is vital for those members who have been around awhile to come to grips with the sobering reality that they will not be here forever.  We may be so enamored with stubbornly clinging to personal preferences from decades ago, that we have no energy for opening our arms to embrace the young and accept their gifts and employ them.  Too many churches die prematurely because they begin to converse more on the way it was than to concentrate on the way to move forward.

May God help us this Lord’s Day to commemorate our history, celebrate our opportunity, and consecrate our future hopes and dreams to His glory!