Deuteronomy 4:29 - John Calvin's Offering To The Lord

Deuteronomy 4:29 - But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for him with all your heart and all your soul. 

Message: John Calvin's Offering to the Lord

Time: Moses wrote the Book of Deuteronomy. It is a collection of sermons given during the 40-day period prior to Israel’s entering the Promised Land. He restates the Law to a new generation and provides a discourse on how to live a blessed life in the Promised Land. The year was 1406 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying: 

John Calvin (1509-1564) is one of the more controversial figures of Christian History. He is revered and despised at the same time based upon people's view of theology. Let's face it -- this 500th year celebration of the Protestant Reformation also is a period of history in which there was a separation of religious thought, many moving away from Catholicism which became more established it appears in the 3rd century. Calvin was born in Noyon, France to a father that worked for the cathedral church and therefore, it seems the 4 sons of the 5 children to his mother were expected to enroll in the priesthood. While John started out in this direction, he changed his course of study to law. Then later, sometime around the years 1528-1532 Calvin converted to Christ. He seems to have alternated between universities of Paris and Orleans and his hometown and then later Switzerland to study Hebrew and the works of Augustine. He was thrown out of the Universities in France due to his writings on Protestantism since the leading thought was the Roman Catholic way. After encouragement to stay in Geneva, this is where he remained for the rest of his life. 

He seems to be more of a scholar than administrator. From him we have commentaries on almost the entire and probably the best writing on systematic theology in Institutes of the Christian Religion. 

Calvin's motto -- I offer my heart to thee, O Lord, promptly and sincerely. 

Summary: Today, we benefit from John Calvin's commentaries on nearly the entire Bible and his writings. 

Promise: God is choosing men and women who search after Him with their whole heart. 

Prayer: O God, you are good and gracious. Thank you for John Calvin and his life and his heart for you. Thank you for giving him the wisdom you did regarding scripture and his impact on people still today.