The following resource is from desiring God.org.

So before we look at the text, a few personal words of thankfulness.

Since 1975, when I was ordained in Pasadena, California, at Lake Avenue Church, that's what 46 years. Only one document has hung on the wall of my study, this one.

I don't have any problem with any of you including my son or Ray who hangs diplomas on your

wall from colleges and high schools and wherever. No problem, that's a

token of gratitude to God for the schools. It's a celebration of love teachers but I just wanted to make a

statement that God's call on my life to the gospel ministry and then the churches gathering around through an ordination

council to confirm that call, which is what ordination is, is the ground and sustaining grace and the goal of all my academic work.

And so this is the one thing that's been on my wall for all those years.

That's one reason I bring it to show it to you.

There's a more important reason, I think.

The first name right there is Raymond C. Orland, senior. Senior.

Now you got to feel the significance of this, the providence of this, the sweetness of this, the sweetness of this, that the man who shepherded me through seminary and toward

ordination had a son and his son was the founding pastor of this church

and became the man who shepherded my son toward ordination.

That's a sweet providence.

And I want to give public thanks to this Ray and Jenny for their significant role in this Providence. What a debt? Two pipers owe two generations of

of Pipers owe to two generations of Ortons.

It is, Ray, really quite, from me to your dad, from barris to you,

incalculable.

And so God is to be praised.

Now I invite you to turn to John 21 if you have a Bible or a device where you would like to follow

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