All posts by Aaron Meservey

About Aaron Meservey

Pastor Aaron was the Associate Pastor of Outreach & Discipleship at EMC. He and his wife Liz have four daughters, Eden, Chara, Aviah, and Ezri.

Book Review: From the Pen of Pastor Paul

from the pen of pastor paulRev. Hyde’s latest book, From the Pen of Pastor Paul, offers readers a collection of 32 sermons going through 1 and 2 Thessalonians. While high points abound, the book had varying degrees of helpfulness and focus. I was hoping for a pastoral commentary that I would use as a sort of base text from which I could teach, though I would probably be more likely to use it to assist other works as a secondary source. I will say, it seemed to get better as I read through it, with some of the weaker sections occurring at the front. Continue reading Book Review: From the Pen of Pastor Paul

The Saints Come Marching In

It was given to [the Bride of Christ] to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. (Rev. 19:8)

Today, the Church celebrates All Saints Day, where we remember those who walked faithfully for Jesus before us, knowing that we will ultimately see them in the future. The book of Revelation labels the saints as victorious (15:2) and “conquerors” (e.g. 2:7). The irony throughout the book is that these “conquering” saints are constantly being persecuted and killed. In what ways are these defeated people conquerors? Because in the end, Jesus is victorious in establishing a new earth. Conquering is not asserting their force, but yielding themselves in obedience amidst persecution. Just as Jesus conquered through death on the cross, the saints likewise conquer. Continue reading The Saints Come Marching In