Your Past, Present, and Future

Many years ago, Harry A. Ironside, the great Bible teacher, was riding on a train in Southern California one Saturday when a gypsy got on and sat beside him. "How do you do, gentleman," she said. "You like to have your fortune told? Cross my palm with a silver quarter, and I will give you your past, present, and future."

"Are you very sure you can do that?" Ironside asked. "You see, I am Scottish, and I wouldn't want to spend a quarter and not get my full value for it."

The gypsy was very earnest. "Yes, gentleman," she said. "I can give you your past, present, and future. I will tell you all."

Ironside then said, "It is not really necessary for me to have my fortune told, because I have had it told already. It is written in a book. I have the book in my pocket."

The gypsy was astonished. "You have it in a book?" she said. “Yes," said Ironside, "And it is absolutely infallible. Let me read it to you." He then reached into his pocket, pulled out his New Testament and began to read from chapter 2 of Ephesians; "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you follow the ways of the world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath." "That's my past," he said.

The woman had been startled when he pulled the New Testament from his pocket and now tried to get away. "That is plenty," she protested. "I do not want to hear more." "But wait," Ironside said. "There is more. Here is my present, too; ‘But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy made us alive in Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus…’"

"No more," the gypsy protested. "But you must hear my future, and you are not going to have to pay me a quarter for it. I'm giving it to you for nothing. It says, ‘In order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.’ By now the gypsy was halfway down the aisle of the train, saying, "I took the wrong man!"

It’s not a bad idea every once in a while, to remember the past you were redeemed from, the present you are redeemed to, and the future you are redeemed for. And then thank the Savior for His grace that makes it all possible.

Speaking of the past, Sunday I will begin a mini-series titled “Pastor's Picks: Some of My Favorites.” I’ve thought about doing this for few years, but the timing could not be more perfect. I just finished our series on Lessons for Life and was about to begin a new series that I have been working on for a while but have decided to move to August, after my return from my July break… I didn’t want to start that series for 4 weeks, take a break and then restart it in August. So, for the next 4 messages, I will rewind to 4 of my favorite sermons over the past 25 years… getting here was not easy as I have preached more than 2,000 sermons during that time, and I won’t say that these are my absolute favorites, just 4 of my favorites. I hope they will bless your heart and encourage your faith… Today is the first of the 4. I first preached it on July 15, 2001… I had only been your Pastor for 5 months at the time. I am looking forward to sharing an updated version. Sometimes a “blast from the past” is an inspiration for the present. And that’s important since God is always trying to take us someplace new. I still love being your Pastor!

For God’s Glory Alone,
Pastor Ray

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