Thank God—Sunday is almost here again. In order to help us get ready for Sabbath worship, here are some good words from John Owen. This comes from his, “Ministerial Gifts: The Work of The Spirit” sermon. . . .
“Let us consider the reason why the Spirit was promised in this way to the church. God has promised to Jesus Christ that He will have a kingdom and a church in this world while the sun and the moon endure. ‘May His name en-dure forever, His fame continue as long as the sun!’ (Ps. 72:17), that is, to the end of the world. It is said, ‘Of the increase of His government,’ that is, the church, ‘there will be no end’ (Isa. 9:7); He will order it forever. . . . Christ re-quires that we should exercise faith in this promise, which we cannot do un-less there is some basis for its infallible fulfillment. . . . The fulfillment of this promise . . . must depend on the work of God. If you ask, ‘What is the work of God upon which the certainty of this promise depends?’ I answer, It is, alone, the work of sending the Holy Spirit.” [italics Owen’s]
