I knew my mom had my best interest at heart when I’d be walking out the door to go on a date – but her parting words were so unwelcomed! She’d say to me, “Just remember, Jesus is sitting right there between you and your date.” Do you have any idea how hard it is to try kissing your date while seeing only Jesus staring back at you?
Now theologically, I couldn’t argue with my mom’s counsel. Jesus is Omnipresent; He’s everywhere present all the time. I just wish He would have cut me some slack when I’d be out on a date. I also wish my non-helicopter mom wouldn’t have chosen those specific occasions to send in Heaven’s Commander-in-Chief.
Parting words are often meant to be the most remembered. My mom had spoken many things to me during the course of whatever day I had plans to go out on a date that night. But it was always her parting words that stuck with me in the car, in the park, in the movie theater – everywhere!
So too with the Apostle Paul as he was closing out his Magnum Opus letter to the church in Rome. His parting words were also meant to be remembered, and for the same reason as my mom’s: to safeguard His audience. Please join us this coming Sunday as we hear Paul offer “A Warn to the Wise.”