Bingham encourages ‘love of the brethren’ before Christ’s return

During Southwestern Seminary’s spring convocation service, Jan. 24, Interim President D. Jeffrey Bingham noted that what comes first is not always best. First dates, first sermons, and first helpings at meals are rarely better than what follows, Bingham said. 

Such is a major theme in the book of Hebrews, Bingham explained, with the text noting that the first revelation, the first priesthood, the first covenant, and the first sacrifice were all good in their time, but none were perfect. Each was followed by a second, and in every case, the second thing was the best thing. Specifically, Jesus was the better revelation, the better priest, the harbinger of a better covenant, and the better sacrifice. 

In the same way, Bingham said, “there was a first appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ as the humble servant of Isaiah 53, but there must be and there will be a second appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

“We are a people who live between the two comings,” Bingham explained. “… We have received the blessings of the first coming—from His mercy, we have received the forgiveness of sins, and we have received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. But there are blessings for which we still wait.”

Bingham read from Revelation 21, wherein John writes that there will be a new heaven and a new earth, the dwelling place of God will be with men, there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, and everything will be made new. Believers, he said, await these things. And though such waiting can be agonizing, Bingham said what matters is how they wait. 

The guiding force for this time of waiting is found in Hebrews 13:1, Bingham said—“Let love of the brethren continue.” He encouraged the Southwestern family to wait “as a means of bringing comfort and love, mercy and compassion to someone else who is waiting right along with you.”

“My prayer is that the spring of 2019 will be a spring in which, in a new way, the world that surrounds us here in Fort Worth and the world that surrounds beyond those boundaries will look at the community of the faculty and the staff and the students of Southwestern Seminary, and they will be astounded; and they will say these words: ‘Look at how they love one another.’ 

“All of us are waiting. Draw alongside us and let your love for us continue.”

Prior to Bingham’s sermon, George Klein, interim chief academic officer, welcomed the new bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral students to the seminary family. He read a statement originally delivered by Robert Naylor, president of Southwestern from 1958-1978, during an early address to the student body. He said, “I now pronounce you Southwesterners. It is a worthy and honorable name—not by what you have done, but by a long line that have preceded you. It says something about why you are here: God brought you; anything less is inadequate—you ought not to be here. It says something about what you believe about this book, that it is the Word of God. It says something about how much you care about the lost world. It says something about your total commitment to the will of God. 

“You will not wear a better name in life than ‘Southwesterner.’ You had better be dead than to dishonor it. Don’t stay too long. You see, a world awaits for a message. God bless you.”

Following the service, students were provided a fried chicken lunch outside the Student Center, with a church and job fair following that evening to inform them about ministry opportunities in the area. 

For more information on chapel, including the spring’s chapel schedule and archives of past services, visit swbts.edu/chapel.