5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.
Pastor Sander’s retirement service.
I cannot think of a better farewell advice than this: Remain strong in your faith. Your faith alone is more previous than all earthly gifts. Earthly gifts secured the past, they can secure the present. Your faith alone secures your future in Heaven. Hold on to your faith.
To be part of God’s family, one has to be invited by the Holy Spirit. Christians, endowed by the Holy Spirit, look at being part of the family of God as a precious privilege.
Paul was made a minister of the Gospel. As such he passes it along, that is, he administrates, he gives it away. We are all ministers of God’s grace. We all proclaim God’s love when we live according to His will.
In reading the first chapter of Ephesians one gets a clear picture: God relates to us through His Son. Paul uses a lot of Greek word endings relating to Christ. These are all prepositions to us!