(Preached in Kilskeery FPC, Lord's Day evening, April 17th, 1988.)

Another piece in the ecumenical jig-saw puzzle in place.

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy," 2 Timothy 3:1-2 

In the construction of a great building there are many tradesmen involved. Oftentimes they are total strangers whose individual contributions may be very small and whose actual task conveys very little indication of the final appearance of the edifice. Likewise, in the great scheme of rebellion of which Paul describes in the passage before us, very many involved know little of the structure to which they have contributed and even less of the part they have played. Only those who have access to the plans can understand and picture the final outcome of man's evil or tell at what stage it has presently progressed. The Bible contains a copy of the the great plan of rebellion. Through it we can trace the foundations and the superstructure and the stage of its development that it has reached. The final manifestation of the rebellion is marked by a number of wickednesses. Among them is "For men shall be . . . . . disobedient to parents," 2 Timothy 3:2. That element of the Ecumenical Jigsaw is slotting into place today.

This sermon is about developments in the European Common Market, the ecumenical movement in 1988 and their bearing upon the people of God, especially the offspring of Christians. It contains a plea for the scriptural discipline of children and for Christian education.