“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. In the future there is laid up 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 loved His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:1–8, LSB)
It’s hard for me to express how I am feeling tonight with the news of Dr. John MacArthur’s passing. For the first time in my life I have wept over the death of someone who I never at least shook hands with. But Pastor MacArthur influenced my ministry and life in a great way. Truly we lost a giant today…a modern-day Spurgeon perhaps.
He impacted my life and ministry, even when I was too proud to admit it. There was a time when I felt that anyone who pastored a large congregation had to be compromising somewhere so I looked upon him with great suspicion. In those days I thought that if a church did not have the right name over the door and KJV on their Bible, they must be apostate.
I’m ashamed to say it, but there was a time I actually believed myself to be better than John MacArthur.
But then I actually listened to his preaching and began reading his books. I realized right away that if he had lived 300 years ago, he would have been on every page of the Baptist history books I so cherished. I’m glad he lived in our times because I’m certain he would not have lasted 86 years 300 years ago… he would have been counted among the martyrs in those days.
I’ll never forget the joy I had as I heard him faithfully expound the Scriptures and I noticed the saints of Grace Community Church were not pulled in through any gimmicks. It was one man and his Bible and the church loved it. In fact, I heard him tell the story one time that he never had a plan to grow the church – he just preached the text from week to week and he outlived his critics. I wish I could find that clip again. I’m trying to do that myself.
I’ve read many of his books over the last 10 years or so. A dear preacher friend of mine gave me my first set of his commentary….they were in paperback, and there were many books. A first edition, I suppose? I have since given those away and now I use Logos Bible Software to access his commentary set. For over many years now, I don’t think I’ve preached a message without at least looking to see what MacArthur wrote about the text.
The John MacArthur Pastors Library set probably influenced me and my approach to ministry more than any other set of books written by anyone, past or present. It was 2017 when I got the first volume and I quickly bought the complete set. I have read these volumes multiple times since and sometimes use them for reference.
For a long time, the MacArthur Study Bible has been my favorite Study Bible. I appreciate the fact that MacArthur has a literal hermeneutic in his approach to the Scriptures and was never influenced by the liberals of the day.
A biography was written about him in 2011. But I guess an update will need to be written, with at least two additional chapters.
In 2020, During the COVID plandemic, many pastors I knew shut down public worship services at their churches, simply because it was suggested by their local health department. But I rejoiced when I heard of the brave stand John MacArthur was taking in California, where the governor had actually set forth restrictions with severe penalties to go with it. This stand that John MacArthur took could have cost him millions of dollars in fines, and he could have gone to jail but he stood strong and the church opened. He won in the court systems a case that will be used as a precedent in future legal battles dealing with government overreach in church matters. A documentary was done under his leadership called “The Essential Church.” If you have not seen it, you need to. It’s available on DVD and on some streaming platforms like Answers.tv. I just checked and it is $1.99 on Apple TV. Get it and watch it…watch it with your family and show it to your church.
Under his leadership and direction, a team of translators came together to produce the Legacy Standard Bible. The first edition was released in 2021. This was arguably the most orthodox group of translators ever assembled and the translation they produced is the best available in English, hands down. I read it, study it, and preach from it. I have recommended it to friends and family, both near and far.
John MacArthur has written many books and booklets through the years. Somewhere along the line I got on the Grace To You mailing list, and I have a lot of material in my personal library that they sent me for free. In fact, I just got one today called “Walk Worthy.” Ephesians 4:1-6 is the text for this book:
“Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:1–6, LSB)
Truly, John MacArthur did walk worthy. He ran the race and finished well. Through the years, he was consistent. He was a bold preacher of the gospel and unflinching defender of the authority of Scripture. Sure, other faithful men have died that the world did not know but we did know John MacArthur and the world is better for it. We were able to follow the ministry of a man who stood for decades in the same church and on the Word of God. He and I never met here, but one day I will see him in Glory and I’ll gladly tell him what an impact he had on my life. I’m sure I’ll find him near the throne where together we will worship our Lord. I’m also certain that he has heard the words, “Well done, good and faithful slave.”
As we reflect on the life of John MacArthur, may God help us all to have such a Christ centered ministry that we may run the race faithfully until it’s our turn to go home to be with the Lord. And may Yahweh God get the glory in the life and death of our brother in Christ, who is gone but not forgotten!