Link to Ted Edwards Home Page
Have you ever watched an old rerun of "The Andy Griffith Show" and then
wondered, "Whatever happened to those good ol' days?" You remember the
show, don't you? Barney Fife would find himself in the middle of a different
dilemma everyday and regardless of the problem, Sheriff Andy Taylor would
have it solved within the ½ hour show. And without fail, as Opie (at the
ripe old age of 5) would innocently get into mischief
Aunt Bea was always
there to help him out and make it better. And once again
after 30 minutes
they all lived happily ever after (until the next day with a new plot).
Ron Howard (who played the part of Opie) is now 45 and lives in
Connecticut with his wife and four children. Recently I read where he talked
about the fact that a lot has changed since he was a boy.
"There was a time when all a father had to do was offer decent shelter,
put food on the table, and be able to pay your bills," Howard said.
He continued, "As long as you weren't cruel and brutal, you were a fine
fellow, and great dad. That doesn't cut it today."
So Church, I was just wondering, what does it take to be a good parent
in today's world? How can we be successful in raising children as we race
toward a new millennium? Even more importantly, how can I be faithful to God
in a fast-paced world that is continually changing?
The answer to these and other pertinent questions can be found in
Scripture because God's Word is our anchor in a world spinning out of
control. God does not change (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 1:12), Jesus is the same
yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8), and The Faith has been delivered
once for all time (Jude 3).
While all of this is true, let's never forget that we serve a God of
Newness. God's people in the Old Testament were promised a new name (Isaiah
62:1), a new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31), a new spirit (Ezekiel 11:19), and a new
heart (Ezekiel 36:26). Jesus came into this world to turn all of these
promises into realties.
No, we can't turn back the hands of time and go back to the good ol'
days of familiarity and comfort
but then
"Why would we want to?" We
serve the living God of newness who acts and works among and through His
people, Amen? Amen!
Hope to see you in Bible Class this week!
Link to Ted Edwards Home Page