The centenary of the birth of John R. W. Stott is being commemorated by Christians all over the world. Chris Wright offers a short video and an article in the Spectator, John Stott: The Centenary of a True Radical, which will introduce you to Stott’s remarkable influence.
The church of which John Stott belonged for his entire ministry, All Souls Lanham Place, is honoring this event with a series of sermons called, The John Stott Centenary (also here).
David Turner preached the first sermon of the series. His sermon is from 2 Timothy 3.14-4.5, called, Exalting the Word of God through Preaching. With complete sincerity, this is one of the best sermons I have heard in well more than a year. As a special treat, you can find the sermon via the links above or jump directly to the video here or here, where you can also watch the online-version of an All Souls worship service. (And also see a very clever way of involving Little Theologians as a part of the corporate service. Simply beautiful!)
The works of John Stott have influenced me significantly and I continue to turn to him. It is hard to believe he has been with Jesus in the heavenly places for nearly ten years now. Here is David Turner’s text from 2 Timothy 3.14-4.5:
“I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:
He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory.
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.”
