Welcome!
Today: Leaving a good legacy behind!
Passage: 2 Tim 4
6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. (2 Tim 4, NIV 84) –emphasis added
Apostle Paul was writing this letter to Timothy, his son in the Lord
At the end of his earthly life, knowing that he was going to die as a Martyr soon, Paul was taking a look back at the race he ran, the fight he fought and the faith he kept from the day he met Christ. His life was no longer the same, after he met Christ. It was turned “upside down” by the one about whom people said, “this is the one who turns the world upside down” (Ref Acts 17:6)
However, it was not only in those days we had such people
There are some in this day of ours who live a life that is worth mentioning-leaving a good legacy behind. Today’s message is devoted for one like that. Please excuse me for doing that
Pastor (Prof) T.C Mathew was called to his eternal rest last Thursday, mar 08, 2012. When I told our younger son about it, he couldn’t accept it. It was just few months back we met Pr. Mathew at my cousin Simu Thomas’s house and had some nice time with him. Pr. Mathew was a man of strong faith, which he practiced in his life. After being diagnosed with a certain illness few years back, he was tarvelling and ministering, also in connection with the Hospital ministries India, of which he was the founding president
Pr. Mathew went into a coma few months back, due to meningitis, as I could understand. My first acquaintance with Pr. Mathew came throgh my uncle (late) N.A. Cherian who was a good friend of Pr. Mathew. I had also been told about his wife (late) Lillykutty by my uncle T.V Abraham, with whom she worked as an Engineer in Kerala Telecommunication. She was one of the first female Engineers in Kerala, and a great support to Pastor Mathew in ministry
Pastor Mathew was a college professor in Govt. colleges in Kerala, India. He had such a passion and zeal about Evangelism that he could be seen preaching in the open air right outside the college, where his own students could be the witnesses. He was active in ministering to the youth and college students in association with PYPA, youth wing of the Indian Pentecostal Church. He was aslo accociated with the ICPF (Inter Collegiate Prayer Fellowship)
Pr. Mathew was a man who had upheld a very good testimony in life. About 25 years back, he came as an immigrant to the US and became the founding Pastor of India Christian Assembly, New Jersey. They have a new full-fledged facility purchased recently. He entered his eternal rest last Thursday. The funeral will be held this morning (Monday, March 12, 2012) and you may be able to watch live broadcast on http://www.icanj.org/
At the end of the day (life), what is important is how our life looks, in the eyes of the very creator, who is also our very savior and Lord
May you have a blessed week ahead. Also pray for Josh Mathew and his sisters and families, and ICA-NJ, grieving because of the demise of their dad
BG
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank you for those who leave a great legacy behind, even in our generation. Thank you for those role-models who give us the confidence that it is possible to live Christ, even in our generation. Amen
“A good start is better than a bad one, but a good end is the best”