An educational resource that LMPC offers for small group and individual study is entitled, “Further Up, Further In: Resources for Continued Study.” (You can find this resource from our inaugural week here.) Many will undoubtedly recognize the inspiration behind the title. Taken from C. S. Lewis’ final chronicle of Narnia, The Last Battle, they are the words uttered by Jewel the Unicorn when he realizes he and his friends have arrived in their real country, their true home. In that country—as we will find when we finally dwell in the new heavens and the new earth—one need never sigh that “this is as good as it’s going to get.” There’s no reaching the highest height of any joy—there is always a higher level still. Thus the urging to go further up and further in.
We get more than a taste of that endless joy and delight when we study God’s Word, when we worship, and when we pray. We learn more about our Savior and more about his work in this world, and we anticipate the sweetness of perfect fellowship with him and with all the saints that will one day be ours.
There is so much to mourn in our world right now—so much division and so much hurt. So much uncertainty about the future. It is easy to feel discouraged. Yet we yearn for comfort and for strength.
As Christians, we know where to turn. We know, as it says in the beloved African-American spiritual, that “there is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole.” Our Savior is not only our Redeemer, Shepherd, and King. He is also the Great Physician and the Prince of Peace. In our struggles, let us not turn away from Jesus, as some of his followers did after listening to his “harder” sayings. Let’s be like Peter, who said, “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68)
The sermons offered each week at LMPC give all of us the opportunity to draw closer to the only One who can give true peace. As any of the pastors will tell you, however, there is invariably so much more they would like to point to in their sermons but have to leave out. The Word of God contains such an abundance of riches that 20 to 25 minutes is never enough time to explore the passage in all its depths. “Further Up, Further In” will enable us to spend more time studying a passage that we’ve already been introduced to and instructed in on Sunday.
The questions in “Further Up, Further In” are designed not only for use by small groups but also for use by individuals or couples who want to dig deeper into the passage. There will also be a special “Family Dinner Table” section, with a topic or questions designed to help families with children think about what they have heard or read in the passage being considered.
“Further Up, Further In” will be posted on the sermon resource page every Friday afternoon, with questions and ideas for further study of the upcoming Sunday’s sermon passage. You’ll be able to print them out or just read them on your computer or mobile device. Our hope is that the year of the pandemic will also be the year when we discover anew the wonders and joys contained in God’s Word.
“‘Further up and further in!’ roared the Unicorn, and no one held back. They charged straight at the foot of the hill and then found themselves running up it almost as water from a broken wave runs up a rock out at the point of some bay.”
Here’s to running to Jesus and not holding back when studying his Word. Further up! Further in!