ROOTED - Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Genesis 6:4
 4 In those days there were giants in the land…

Reflection: John MacArthur
Written By: Pastor Jesse Caro
When I was on the mission trip Kelly alerted me to the fact that Pastor John MacArthur was in hospice. You may not have heard of him. He was a pastor that was in my orbit in the churches I attended for most of my life. He was the founder of Grace to You radio ministry, pastor of Grace Community Church in CA, and president of Master’s Seminary in Los Angeles (I nearly attended the Master’s Seminary many years ago). Famously, John MacArthur would often do interviews on television, often on CNN’s Larry King Live. Recently he did an interview with Ben Shapiro (look it up on YouTube) in which he shared beautifully our Christian faith with Ben (who is a devout Jew). He always defended his faith wonderfully. He did so not harshly, but honestly… lovingly sharing the truth of the Gospel of Jesus. John MacArthur passed to be in God’s presence on July 14th. 
In Seminary I read his book on preaching… simply titled Expository Preaching. Indeed, John MacArthur was, above all else in my mind, dedicated to this idea: The dedicated study of the Word of God is essential to the Christian life. He was passionate about preaching. Good preaching. Preaching that is passionate and clear about what God says and how we should obey. I tell you, there are not words that can describe the number of ways that John MacArthur has shaped my own ministry. It is profound. I am passionate about preaching and the Word in ways that are owing to John MacArthur. So biblically knowledgeable was John that he wrote a huge multi-volume commentary series on the New Testament. I have always wanted it but it is quite pricey at about $600 for the set. However, when Micah went into ministry as a youth pastor last year, Kelly and I wanted to get him something as a gift. We purchased that series for him, knowing it would guide his preaching, illuminate the Word of God for him, and give him a very trustworthy resource for the years to come in ministry. John MacArthur was a spiritual giant we Christians (even if you had never heard of him) have lost. If I can have a hundredth of the influence and knowledge he had, I will have done well in my life. Indeed, in those days there were giants in the land!

Prayer
Lord, may we be students of the Word and influence people as did your servant John MacArthur. May we use our lives for you, as he did, until our dying days!