Remembering R.C.Sproul

As many of you are aware, beloved theologian, author, and teacher R.C. Sproul has gone on to be home with the Lord yesterday. Dr. Sproul had been battling ongoing healthy issues for sometime, so this was expected, but also hard at the same time. Many of you have been touched by Sproul's ministry over the years whether it was through his books, sermons, radio ministry, or his posts on Ligonier's website.

As I thought about what to write regarding R.C. Sproul and what he meant to me personally, words fail me. I don't think I can put enough words how much I am grateful to God for the ministry of R.C. Sproul. So I going to attempt to write on how much R.C. Sproul meant to me.

First, as I struggled through the doctrine of election, I read Sproul's book, Chosen By God, which helped me realize that this is a Biblical doctrine. He said, as he was listening to someone saying it wasn't Biblical, his thought was to this man, "Did you know you are going against the Word of God?" That statement struck me to the core and as I read the book, I saw the doctrine of election as a Biblical doctrine.

Second, Sproul was one of the men who I read that helped me embrace Reformed Theology. I never understood Reformed Theology from my early days as a Christian to almost 10 years ago when I finished chemotherapy for cancer. I listend to Sproul a lot and read many books from him.

Third, Sproul's teaching always pointed back to Jesus Christ. Did not matter what he was teaching. He could have been teaching on Augustine and still pointed to Jesus. Sproul was a man who wanted Jesus to be known and glorified among the earth.

Fourth, Sproul's teaching on the holiness of God showed me and countless others how holy God is and our response to him.

Finally, in spite of all the health issues he was dealing with during his final years, Sproul continued to preach whether it was at his church or via satellite. I remember a few Q&A videos where Sproul was seated with other men and he had his oxygen tank on him. He communicated very clearly in spite of the inconvenience an oxygen tank can be. The last sermon he preached was on November 26. If you do the math, that was over 3 weeks ago. Stephen Nichols shared the last line from that sermon on Twitter:

I pray with all my heart that God will awaken each one of us today to the sweetness, the loveliness, the glory of the gospel declared by Christ.

As I said, words fail me when it comes to R.C. Sproul. I can only imagine the reception of the saints that greeted him in heaven, but I know the one person he looked forward to the most was Jesus.

R.C. Sproul will be missed by many until the time comes when they are called home to be with Jesus or when Jesus comes again. I thank God for the ministry of R.C. Sproul. Keep his family, his church, and Ligonier in your prayers as they mourn for him while at the same time rejoice that his suffering has ended.