Ebenezer… and I Don't Mean Scrooge

good morning friends it's an honor to have you on campus today for our first chapel of the fall 2021 semester masks are optional we want everyone to feel safe and comfortable so if you have concerns please speak with an usher today we celebrate the first fall chapel in this new facility we are excited to start another academic year here together and corporately we confess that we trust our great god whatever may come god is good and all the time amen amen our chapel services this fall feature music and messages by faculty members and christian leaders from all around the world prayer campus announcements and items of general interest are also shared during this community time of rest relief and renewal today is certainly a special day of encouragement as our semester begins we have several distinguished groups that are here today that we would like to recognize first if you are a new student would you stand that we might recognize you [Applause] and now if you are a returning student would you please stand this next group before i even introduce them i want to say thank you for your faithful service and that would be our faculty if you are a faculty member would you please stand and then if you are a guest here joining us today for these festivities please stand that we may recognize you well and to all of you thank you for joining us on this very special day in this chapel service we are here to do two things first we are here to worship our great god as we dedicate this building for his glory here at dts second toward the conclusion of this service we will unveil the name of this complex the lord has given us and we will celebrate with and honor those to whom honor is due will you pray with me please heavenly father we bow before you and we begin this special occasion this special celebratory service by thanking you for sending the lord jesus to die on the cross to shed his blood to pay for our sins to come back from the dead and that by simple faith in him we can have a home in heaven may we never get beyond may we never get over the fact that you loved us and now in return we want to express our love to you thank you for this day thank you for your grace we pray these things in the name of the lord jesus and in the power of his spirit amen good morning i will be reading from first chapter from first samuel chapter 7 verses 7 through 13. here we discover the wonderful climax to a much larger narrative now when the philistines heard that the people of israel had gathered at mizpah the lords of the philistines went up against israel when the people of israel heard of it they were afraid of the philistines and the people of israel said to samuel do not cease to cry out to the lord for us that he may save us from the hand of the philistines so samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it up as a whole burnt offering to the lord and samuel cried out to the lord for israel and the lord answered him as samuel was offering up the burnt offering the philistines drew near to attack israel but the lord thundered with a mighty sound that day against the philistines and threw them into confusion and they were defeated before israel and the people of israel went out from mizpah and and and pursued the philistines and struck them as far as below bitcoin hmm then samuel took a stone he set it up between ms bar and shen he called its name ebenezer for he said till now the lord has helped us so the philistines were subdued and did not again enter the territory of israel and the hand of the lord was against the philistines all the days of samuel the word of the lord in december of 1978 several months into my second grade year my elementary teacher introduced our class to charles dickens a christmas carol early into the book we met the crusty bitter chromogen miser by the name of ebenezer scrooge and as we listen to the opening chapters our teacher supplemented the text with graphic pictures which only heightened our fears and anxiety of this nasty man this was someone you did not want to meet or applaud well not knowing the end of that famed novel as we were only a few short chapters in we kids deemed him evil and wicked the enemy of anything good or right especially christmas well the very next sunday i sat in church with my family when something happened that sent chills down my spine in shock horror and disbelief we sang a song about old ebenezer and to make matters worse as i listened to the words of this hymn apparently we wanted to raise him up thank him for his help and arrive safely at his home how dreadful thankfully as the weeks unfolded clarity came through many resolved questions from the assistance of my folks such was my first exposure to the unique name ebenezer well on this morning on this occasion i want to draw our attention to another ebenezer one of great importance for us today the passage of scripture that dr grant read moments ago as he said is part of a much larger story that occurs in first samuel chapters four through seven and that large narrative presents four significant reminders to the reader culminating in the passage that was just read so i'd like to show us the four reminders as we think about our gathering today the larger unit begins in 1st samuel chapter 4 with the storyline that is both simple and sad in that passage israel went into battle to fight against the philistines their ark enemy and they lost the battle they tried to rally even retrieving the ark of the covenant to lead them into war but they experienced even more defeat and at the end of the day two priests were killed in the ark of the covenant god's symbol among his people was captured this news was so shocking that when eli a key priest in israel heard the news he fell backwards out of his chair broke his neck and died the tragic thing about this episode is that israel in that context at that time under the law could not understand that their spiritual decline forfeited their protection from god what god longed for from israel was a broken and a contrite heart what he longed for was a heart that trusted him not things that pointed to him israel was trusting a symbol the ark of the covenant a gold box that represented god's presence among his people reminder number one trust in god not things that represent god so now the philistines had the ark of the covenant and it was a curse for them because of that curse the philistines in first samuel chapter 6 eventually returned the ark of the covenant to israel so the ark was returned to one particular city in israel and the people there the jews disrespected the ark of the covenant by looking inside and 70 of them were struck down by the lord it was a tragedy for the community think of what happened at first they trusted in something too much and now they have no respect for it at all they disregarded something that was to be a symbol for god and they treated it as an ordinary object reminder number two honor god including things that he provides that point to him well that specific community failed to honor god by disregarding what god had given them to remind them of him so because of that great calamity they sent the ark to another community and it remained there in obscurity for almost 20 years and that is where the context of our passage really begins in first samuel chapter 7 samuel the last of the judges and the first of the prophets is seeking to lead the people to correct their failures what failures their failure to trust in god and their failure to honor the things of god so samuel called the people together and said give your hearts fully to the lord remove anything that stands in the place of the lord and stand ready to serve him always and so they met together and they had a revival of sorts and they came to the lord in brokenness and they recommitted themselves to him reminder number three god approves of humility and he affirms those that acknowledge complete dependence on him now as paul harvey used to say here is the rest of the story this is the climax of this unit the portion of scripture that dr grant read moments ago at that moment of revival as the people returned to a strong covenant relationship with god the enemy attacked the philistines hearing of their gathering secretly prepared to attack israel and when israel learned of the coming siege they through samuel finally cried out to god and on that day the day that was marked with trust in god reverence for what god had provided and when they came in a heart of humility on that day god fought for his people and as the texts said the lord thundered against the philistines the enemy went into disarray israel left the city of mizpah where the revival had occurred and they pursued the philistines eradicating both their threat and their presence and then after the victory first samuel chapter 7 verse 12 says this then samuel took a stone and he set it up between mizpah and shen and called its name ebenezer for he said till now the lord has helped us notice what samuel does to begin he sets a stone up between mizpah and shin it's obvious what samuel is doing he built something equivalent to an altar a monument or a marker in order to identify what had happened there it's not a war memorial remembering the dead but a memorial remembering the powerful act of a god who is alive and the stone was placed between mizpah and shen this is fascinating mizpah was the place where israel recommitted herself to yahweh a spiritual battle took place there in shen by all accounts was the place where the physical battle occurred and the philistines were completely routed the ebenezer stone was erected right in the middle as a reminder that behind every physical battle is a spiritual one so then samuel pronounced or called the monument ebenezer which literally means the stone of the help or the stone of the helper that stone of remembrance was given a title to assist the people in recalling god's faithfulness to them the word ebeneezer triggered thoughts of god's moment of rescue the implication is that that specific stone served as a specific reminder of a specific help in a specific battle by a very specific god finally after placing the stone and naming it ebenezer the prophet said till now the lord has helped us or as one translation phrases it up to here the lord has helped us it can possibly imply a geographic marker god helped us right here or it can also mean until now meaning the lord has helped us this far on our journey and as hebrew writers in the old testament love to do it likely means both in other words he helped us right here and he helped us get here as joyce baldwin says that's because the reminder of prayer answered in the past would encourage faith of god in the future or as joseph hart the hymn writer said in 1762 we'll praise him for all that is past and trust him for all that is to come and that brings us friends to reminder number four commemorate his faithful acts today and trust him for provision tomorrow friends we gather here today on august the 24th 2021 to dedicate this building to god this building is an incredible testimony to the faithfulness of god it is a demonstration of his power here's the story through the graciousness of friends of dts being prompted by the lord funds were provided that allowed the design process to commence moving us from dream to reality over a three-year window plans were drawn builders secured and permits requested but little did we know that we would have a nine-month delay in securing city authorization due to the tremendous growth in the dfw metroplex and as we waited covid hit and on march 15th the world stopped spinning personally i was quarantined in israel prior to that moment dr mark bailey and i with the assistance of the board had developed a very smooth transition plan working hand in glove we planned to hand the baton in seamless manner and then covid brought untold challenges on all of us and dr bailey and i both remarked that neither of us in our formal studies had ever taken a class entitled seminary leadership transitions in a global pandemic not knowing the fiscal implications of the pandemic we had very tough meetings we had the unpleasant task of designing listen close a potential 10 20 and 30 percent budget cut for an institution that we love if we had to go that direction it would be painful laying off over a hundred faithful employees and wouldn't you know it four weeks into the pandemic with the world on pause and by the way do you remember being glued to your television watching every press conference with the world on pause during that moment wouldn't you know it that's when we received official permission to commence construction on a 14 million dollar building project all the time thinking we may have to make the largest budget cut in dts history the question was what to do the board knew the severity of the moment dr bailey knew the severity of the moment i knew the severity of the moment how could we move forward with the potential layoff coming what to do the battle in front of us was great it was almost insurmountable in a scheduled zoom call meeting with the board god literally drove us to our knees i will never forget that picture and i will never forget that moment in that specifically called meeting we prayed and committed to pray more for wisdom and direction after a week of fasting and prayer we met again and the lord had confirmed in each one of us the desire to move forward the lord confirmed to each woman and man that the mission had not changed that now more than ever before we are called to equip godly servant leaders for the proclamation of his word and the building up of the body christ worldwide and on that day the board the administration submitted in one mind and heart and with great confidence to god we committed to trust him all over again and to give this project to him and we confess that without him it would not happen and we moved forward in faith friends we gather here on august the 24th 2021 to dedicate this building to god but we would do well to recall the reminders from god's word today we trust in god not in a building we honor him but treat with reverence that which he has provided we acknowledge our complete dependence on god and confess that without him we can do nothing and we remember his faithful acts today and confidently trust him with our tomorrows we are here acknowledging god's miraculous provisions and direction not only did we not have to lay anyone off over a year ago but the lord provided strong funding this last year the lord provided record enrollment this last year and again as we roll into it this one in this building it was ahead of time and under budget and by the way had we waited to build it would have cost 42 percent more you see friends had the lord not led we would not be having this service today this structure that we are in reminds us that god is still active in this present world and in our present circumstances it stands as a marker in dallas texas daily passed by thousands of city patrons as a testimony to the faithfulness of god his inerrant word in the good news of a savior that paid the price for our sins conquered death gives life anew and grants life eternal this building is a monument to god it stands as a physical reminder of a battle where god fought for us so i know this room of faith and all those watching online can profess with me lord you brought us this far and as somebody once said he didn't bring us this far to leave us he didn't teach us to swim to let us drown he didn't build the home in us to move away he didn't lift us up to let us down you see friends this building is an ebenezer and i don't mean scrooge [Applause] god's faithfulness is so amazing isn't it as uh the vice chairman of the board of and corporate members it's my privilege to be able to stand here today and celebrate with you the opening of this wonderful facility as a board we are entrusted with envisioning the future and this wonderful facility is a great step in that future even challenging days uh maybe especially in challenging days our mission has not changed dr yarborough said it but our mission is to equip godly servant leaders for the proclamation of his word and the building up of the body worldwide and that's what we're still about this new chapel and student center part of that mission is a great addition to the dts campus and in fact to the whole area of dallas it changed the entire landscape of the campus here i don't know if you thought about it but thousands of people drive down live oak going towards downtown every day and they see that brick monument that's out there with the name of dallas theological seminary on it and it is an introduction to them of who we are the cross that sits on the cupola above us it's a sign that we are about things that are eternal you know i've walked around this building i'm reminded that it is a product of many years of planning and construction there's a plaque that's outside the the doors here and it has the name of donors on that those of you who have given sacrificially we're grateful for each and every name on that plaque many of you are here today and we could not have done it without you so to you we say thank you as we gather today on this first week of the fall 2021 semester we're thankful for those who have shared our vision but even more we want to give glory to god for his direction and his provisions as dr yarborough said this is an ebenezer it commemorates god's faithfulness so as we dedicate this building may we always remember the purpose of training men and women to proclaim the good news of jesus christ to the world as jesus said in matthew 5 14-16 you are the light of the world a city on a hill cannot be hidden neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl instead they put it on a stand and it gives light to everyone in the house in the same way let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and praise your father in heaven now as we commence with the ceremonial ribbon cutting i'd like to ask the following people to come up on stage and participate so i'm going to read the names off as i'm reading the names off if they would just come and and stand here that would be great dr mark bailey chancellor of dts dr herman baxter dts dean of students mr mike uh mr mike gakey executive director and if you saw the way it spelled you'd understand why i stumbled on that by the way executive director of maybe foundation dr reg grant chair and senior professor of media arts and worship mr jalen lee dts student council president mr glenn monroe executive director of facilities and event services mr robert murkisson the chair of the dts board of and corporate members mrs trina murray from 5m foundation mr robert riggs dts vice president for operations and dr mark yarborough president of dts so these these individuals here represent different parts of our constituencies uh they represent you and all of those of you who are viewing online at this great moment once the ribbon has been cut our chancellor emeritus dr chuck swandahl will lead us in a dedicatory prayer so without delay let's get this ribbon cut upon the official opening let's give great applause to the lord and then let's pray please remain standing for the prayer of dedication my words specify the chapel especially but it would also include of course the student center as well bow with me please as we go before the lord oh lord our god we stand before you on this day and we acknowledge that you and you alone are the object of our worship we declare that you and you alone are the center of our praise we thank you that you and you alone are the giver of every good and perfect gift that comes from you the father of heaven one of the most recent of these gifts is this chapel in which we stand in the student center adjacent to it how grateful we are for the building that you have provided for the essential role it fills in the lives of those on this campus who are in training for a lifetime of ministry in this very room we will often gather to quiet our hearts to confess our sins to renew our minds to sing our praises to release our anxieties to seek and find comfort in our trials and grief to enlarge and deepen our friendships with one another and especially to hear the truths of your word as they are faithfully proclaimed in this very room o god we will meet with you for this reason this chapel can become the single most significant place on the campus therefore on this day we dedicate it to you as well as the student center where students will often meet may these places become a place where students find refuge and renewal just as bethel became that for abraham may these rooms and spaces become the place where students gather for prayer and waiting on you as david waited patiently on the lord and you turn to him and heard his cry may this building become a place where students find release relief and reassurance in the midst of being tested enduring pressure as daniel endured when he bowed down before you three times a day with his windows open toward jerusalem may this room become a place of solitude and strength as paul found when he went away into arabia where you met with him alone to reveal your will we dedicate this chapel and the student center to you today we also ask that you will bless especially and use our chaplain joe allen may he shepherd the flock the students of dallas seminary from one year to the next may he bring encouragement and comfort to those in need of his counsel and seasoned wisdom keep chaplain allen strong give him mercy and patience and understanding how grateful we are for his presence among us may his walk with you be a reminder of what it means to minister to others in grace and therefore our father it is in the name of the lord jesus christ we dedicate this chapel and this student center to you and we make these requests before you on this very day through christ we pray and all god's people said amen again all god's people said amen amen you may be seated uh i'm going to go off script here for a minute because i want to welco i want to thank several people who played such an integral role that god used in building this facility and i'd like to ask them to stand up if they're here kim till robert riggs and glenn monroe and anybody that's on their team if they would stand up please uh my name is robert merkerson and i am honored to serve as the chairman of the board of and corporate members of dallas theological seminary and i'm honored to speak this morning on behalf of my brothers and sisters on the board uh both current and former and if you are on the board of in corporate members or previously or now would you please stand up [Applause] uh besides dedicating this building to the lord we're also here to honor some special service servants barbie and mark bailey would you please come up to the podium [Applause] it's been too long but today we're finally honoring the baileys for their 35 years of service to dallas seminary so [Applause] [Applause] uh due to judah covenant restrictions last year june the 30th members of the seminary family were only able to bid them farewell as they walked to their car on a hot summer day uh therefore we have set aside this day to dedicate this facility to the lord and to honor barbie and mark bailey mark you have held many positions on this campus professor vice president of academic affairs academic dean provost and the seminary's fifth president for 19 years and now chancellor you have been a blessing to this institution your gentle kind and humble heart and demeanor and your constant steady servant leadership will leave an indelible mark on dallas theological seminary and by your side through these years your wife barbie has served you and she has served the seminary family barbie you've certainly been an asset to the seminary your commitment in ministry as a couple is an example to everyone in this room mark in your new role as chancellor we look forward to continuing to work with you and to see you influence the lives of many may i draw your attention now to the screens for the official unveiling of the outside of the building so on this day tuesday october 24 2021 on behalf of the boarding corporate members the administration faculty and staff and the entire seminary community i am pleased to announce the name of this new facility it will henceforth be called the bayley student center in chaffer chapel dr bailey would like to say a few words she said to let you know i made her stand up here with me psalm 115 1 is very appropriate for this day not to us o lord not to us but to your name give glory because of your loving kindness because of your truth the dna of dts has always been deeper than any one of its leaders we who have had the privilege to serve the mission of the seminary know full well that ours is a gospel to guard a heritage to appreciate a stewardship to manage a trust to protect a vision to advance in a community to shepherd mark and i did not plan this but two scrolls with chinese characters graced the mantle of hudson taylor in his home in china he was the founder of the china inland mission the calligrapher's playful stroke of bamboo brush dipped into the lamp black ink the lamp black ink and drops of water on who on paper concealed the mastery and artistry behind seemingly two simple words the chinese calligraphy depicted two names that reminded taylor of god's provision ebenezer and jehovah jireh which we now know is better pronounced in hebrew yahweh era these two memorial names come from as you heard this morning first samuel chapter 7 and verse 12 the other from genesis 22 and verse 14. the first i memorized in king james as a boy hitherto hath the lord led or heather to hath the lord helped us more modern translation this far the lord has helped us the second is the lord will provide one look back while the other one looked forward one reminded of god's faithfulness and the other of god's assurance for what he will do through the promise of his son jesus christ jesus reminds us in the parable so too when you have done everything you were commanded to do you're to say something and we together as a couple we say it together we are unworthy servants we've only done what we were supposed to do we ministry leaders paul trip writes are given way too much credit for the results of our ministry and we should all resist it and believe me i tried the board overruled people tend to think that we have more power and wisdom than we actually have he writes ministry success is a testament to who god is and what he's willing to do through us by grace we're tools in the hand of one awesome power glory grace and nothing more the gospel institutions that we have the privilege to build or have been built by his power and grace so they stand as you've heard throughout the morning as a monument to his presence and his glory and not to us romans 11 36 so powerfully says it from him and through him and to him are all things and barbie and i would like to say to him be the glory forever amen thank you all on behalf of dr yarbo the board the chancellors and we the friends faculty students and members of dts we're so honored that you gather with us today and online around the world let us pray father we do give you praise from all nations from all peoples we thank you for your faithfulness your love towards us be glorified this day in jesus name amen

Channel: Dallas Theological Seminary

Views: 2,724

Keywords: Dallas Theological Seminary, DTS, Jesus, Bible, Grace, Community

Id: uTx8mgCeTN4

Length: 46min 28sec (2788 seconds)

Published: Wed Aug 25 2021