"Acts" is a textbook on church growth. The conventional thing is to
say: "We want a church like the early church!" I'm not sure we would
want to face the same ratio of impossibilities.
But one thing is for certain, the growth of the early church was
co-existent with great problems and trouble. There was almost
universal opposition from authority both religious and civil. There
was disagreement and strife and even failure within the ranks of the
believers. And yet our text says that they had great grace and they
had great power! This particular incident came after there was a great
stir that began with the healing of the lame man (Acts 3) and there
are some very significant statements which lead up to our text:
I. (v 12) THE DISCIPLES WERE LOVINGLY INTOLERANT
A. "Intolerance" is not the same as "schism." How can we speak of the
virtues of "intolerance?" Aren't we supposed to see all Christians as
brothers; and aren't we supposed to have a genuinely ecumenical spirit
when we follow Jesus?
Certainly we need more understanding-- more reaching out to all
Christians everywhere. The church of Jesus Christ is bigger than we
may understand or appreciate. We need to get along with other
Christians who may have faults. God knows that we may have a fault or
two, as well!
B. "Intolerance" is aimed only at central issues; and the first issue
of all is: WHO IS JESUS CHRIST? and-- WHO IS JESUS CHRIST TO YOU? We
cannot simply co-exist peacefully with those who deny the deity and
Lordship of Jesus Christ- and expect great grace and power!
C. Jesus will not surrender His authority-- nor will He share the
loyalty of His servants.
[ I watched a feature story on the revival of miracle plays in the
streets of York, England; the man playing Jesus was an Indian
national, and a Buddhist, who affirmed on camera again the theme that
Jesus was good-- he is one way to God among many. But Jesus was NOT
"good, and one way among many to God." Jesus is HOLY, Jesus is God,
and the ONLY way to God, or else Jesus is a liar and fraud. ]
D. We must raise the level of our alertness/awareness to doctrinal
truth. We must be lovingly TOLERANT of disagreement WITHIN the family
of faith. Some may insist on speaking in tongues: we can lovingly
disagree; some may insist "once-in-grace-always-in-grace" and we can
argue within the family; some may even pray to Mary, and we
scripturally disagree. We don't have to agree on all points-- but we
can pray for each other, But there can be NO compromise in the matter
of authority and Lordship: THERE IS NO OTHER NAME! NO OTHER WAY!
II. (v 20) THEY WERE OBEDIENTLY INSISTENT
A. They not only believed (intellectually), but they were determined
to be obedient. Acting on what they believed to be God's truth. The
experience, the reality was there. In "new" churches like our own the
tendency is:
Generation ONE: fervency and reality;
Generation TWO: maintenance and tolerance;
Generation THREE: convenience and simply "fitting Jesus in" wherever
we are not called on to sacrifice.
At whatever cost, we must press into the reality of knowing God in
Christ!
B. What was God's will for these men (Peter and John)?: Long before
they had met Jesus personally. They had heard Him say to them:
1. "Follow ME ... and I will make you ..."
And they had begun to follow; they had found a new way of life: living
by God's LOVE. They had seen Jesus live and die and were convinced
that He had conquered sin and death and hell. They were determined to
FOLLOW JESUS AT ANY COST!
They had also heard Jesus say, before He ascended to heaven:
2. "Tarry ye .. until you are clothed with power ... to witness to
Me"
And they had experienced the birth of the church in it glorious
fellowship and worship.
C. These disciples had been true to their own personal experience.
1. We cannot "share" what we don't have. A faith that doesn't pay its
honest debts ... that doesn't get along with its neighbors ... that
can't keep a civil tongue in its head ... is hardly advertisement for
Jesus and His LIFE.
2. But if Jesus is meeting your needs - and if you are a growing
Christian - then you need to SHARE Him -- and there are people that
NEED what you have found!
III. (v 23) THESE CHRISTIANS KNEW THE VALUE OF SHARING PRAYER REQUESTS
When threatened (they were human! they were frightened! so) they
hurried back to the CHURCH and TOGETHER they prayed through to new
reality, and new infilling and power.
IV. (v 32) THEY WERE UNITEDLY UNSELFISH
A. Their exact METHOD is not what we should copy; but we need to
re-discover their SPIRIT.
B. How may we be UNSELFISH in any practical sense?:
1. God does not demand the UNreasonable. But each of us HAS that which
is valuable to contribute; and it is the greatest pleasure to GIVE!
2. HOSPITALITY; KINDNESS TO EACH OTHER is a grace. In the HOME-- (as
we have already said!) -- THE GREATEST GIFT WE CAN GIVE OUR CHILDREN
IS TO LOVE EACH OTHER. We WILL disagree -- but we can be Christians
in working out and talking out our disagreements.
What has this to do with REVIVAL and the CHURCH? It is so obvious-- we
cannot see it: In the CHURCH -- the greatest tool for power and
witness is to love each other!
Our own children are lost to the church at an amazing rate, and one
wonders if it is not because we have aired our criticisms more than
our love! I am not complaining now about personal problems, but there
is a general truth here: people who find fault and criticize wake up
to realize they have cut their children's faith out from under them!
What is GOOD about our fellowship?
This "love-one-another" power carries through in evangelism, too.
People may come to God because they want different things; but they
STAY with the church because they find LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING AND A
PLACE TO BELONG!
If I really believe that our church (with all its faults) is the best
church I know anything about, how do I express that to those I meet?
As I try to bring people to Jesus, do I tell them how I see Jesus in
YOUR faces? Do I tell them how when I have faced difficult times Jesus
has sustained me because of YOUR love? What do you think might happen
if we were able to communicate what we really believe about Jesus
Christ and His church-- and OUR church in particular?
Conclusion:
(In Wollaston)
We don't have the contagious enthusiasm of a risky, brand-new
situation. (And you are like that, too!) There is something exciting
about a storefront. There is a thrill in having just a few and seeing
that few grow.
But we do have the thrilling reality of a middle-sized church that is
pushing forward in several vital areas, and that wants to mind God in
being a force for revival and renewal in this unique place! (You have
what this world desperately needs!) If we will love one another and
mind God, then Jesus will build His church!
#311 I Love Thy CHURCH, O God!
———————————————————————————————————
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Narrative Preaching
Apologies to my grandson Ben for "taking his name in vain" but if you have 20 minutes this is a narrative sermon that is about finding rest in the storm . . . it may be worth wading through, and it is my gift to you.
http://russellmetcalfesermons.nazarene.nl/AudioSermons/I%20Will%20Give%20You%20Rest.mp3
http://russellmetcalfesermons.nazarene.nl/AudioSermons/I%20Will%20Give%20You%20Rest.mp3
Friday, June 11, 2010
One Act Play-Three Scenes: Angels Calling!!
ANGELS COME TO CALL
A One Act Play in Three Scenes
(From Acts 10 )
I. SCENE ONE: OFFICER'S HOME IN CAESAREA
Time: June 21, 36 A.D.
Place: A beautiful spacious cut stone home in the Roman city ofCaesarea, on the eastern most coast of the Mediterranean; Caesarea isthe Roman provincial capital of what is now Lebanon, Israel and partsof Syria and Jordan.
Cornelius, a Roman centurion, commander of a famous Italian Regiment, is praying. It is 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and his workday is behind him. Perhaps he is in the atrium of his spacious house; he is meditating on all the things he has seen and heard.
Cornelius is a good pagan. He is a true seeker after truth,after God. He is not a Christian, but he cannot help but have heard something about this development in the Jewish community. Cornelius has not been a typical occupational military presence. He is a loyal Roman, but he believes that the best thing Rome can do for the empire is foster true understanding and good will. And as Cornelius has become acquainted with the Jewish scriptures, the revelation of Jehovah, he has been impressed.
This is "a" good religion! He has sponsored the building of synagogues; he has fostered tolerance and kindness to the Jewish people.
This day is much like many other days-- the administrativeduties have been cared for; the new men have been assigned, the men to be retired or sent on leave have been reviewed; letters have been received and sent, and now a little quiet time seeking to communicate with the Great Unknown. Cornelius has had this growing hunger in his heart for God and has not known quite how to express it. And then-- ithappened!
It happened in the inner court of Cornelius' lovely home in Caesarea-- and angel of God suddenly stood before him! The angel spoke his name! "Cornelius!" Cornelius was startled, to say the least. His reaction was the same as yours or mine would be: he was terrified!
But Cornelius was a military man, and his fear did not control hisactions. Cornelius looked the angel right in the eye! And he said tothe angel, "What is on your mind?"
The angel did NOT tell Cornelius about Jesus. He did NOT makeknown the Roman Road or the Four Spiritual Laws. He DID give Cornelius encouragement, and told him the next step to take. The encouragement was the assurance that God in heaven knows what Cornelius is doing on earth.
The next step was a specific assignment to a specific place tosee a specific individual who was staying with a specific person. Hegave enough directions so that Cornelius could send for the help heneeded. Within the hour Cornelius had sent three men on the day-and-a-half journey down the coast to Joppa to find this man calledPeter. And this is how the first scene ends.
II. SCENE TWO: THE HOME OF SIMON, THE TANNER BY THE SEA
Time: The next day, just about high noon. Peter is waiting fordinner to be announced. Place: Simon the tanner's house. It is by the sea. It isn'ttoo hard to find, for the tanning business involves soaking raw animal skins in vats; fermenting ---the fermentable, potent smells-
I know it is silly because churches had not yet been developed,and the Nazarene nap syndrome was still millennia away; but somehow I picture a Sunday afternoon just after church in the house where I live; I've finished preaching and I am temporarily exhausted; the kids are doing their thing- Helen is in the kitchen-- for we always used to have the biggest meal of the week-- and I usually lay down on the couch until it was time to slice the meat or whatever-- and it wasn't too hard to drop off into a quick nap.
Actually in the hot mid-eastern climate a leisurely noonmealtime is pretty much world-wide.
However it happened, the Bible says that while Peter was hungryand waiting for dinner to be served he fell asleep and fell into atrance that was somewhere between dreaming and a visitation from God,or so it seemed.
[ THE 'VISION' - A "sheet" let down from heaven with pork chopsand lobsters and apple pie with ice cream . . . all non-kosherfoods-- ] Then the Spirit spoke clearly to Peter: Men are just about toring the doorbell! Don't be afraid. I'm in this. Peter went down thestairs and met the men at the gate-- and invited them into the house.
What kosher rules were broken I do not know-- I doubt any at this time. A Jew can have non-Jews in his home-- the contamination begins when the Jew goes into the heathen's house and/or eats off defiledvessels.
The men stay overnight with Peter in Simon the tanner's house.
III. SCENE THREE: OFFICER'S HOME IN CAESAREA
Time: June 24 or 25, same year
Scene set same as Scene One, except now there are a score or moreguests eagerly waiting the return of the men Cornelius has sent away.
When Peter came in he first talked briefly about himself, who he was, and how he was (usually) limited! "I have never mixed with Gentiles! But God has been speaking to me! Here I am!"
Then Peter got down to business! He began to tell Cornelius and his household and guests about the Christ who fills all of revelation,and who had transformed his own sinful heart!
As Peter spoke about Jesus things began to click into place. "I had heard about this Man," Cornelius may have said. "But I hadn't known quite how to fit Him in to what the Jewish scriptures say. Now this makes sense!"
The Holy Spirit was illuminating Peter'spreaching.
When Peter, helped along by the Spirit, said, "If you believe in this powerful Name that is above every Name, you will receive forgiveness of sins," Cornelius's heart leapt for joy! In his heart hesaid, "I do believe!"
And the same thing was happening in the others gathered there. God descended in a wonderful way. Peter's sermon was interrupted, but his message came through loud and clear! They had a testimony meeting-- and then they had a baptismal service-- and then they started the First Church of the Nazarene in Caesarea with about 20 charter members!
I know it doesn't have that all down in the King James version.But as Dr. Knight said at Assembly, that is what we preachers are for!(To explain what isn't written down!)
Conclusion/Application
This chapter says two things to me, loud and clear:
Hebrews 11:6 is true: God will meet with those who seek after Him diligently; and YET-- God uses obedient PEOPLE, not angels to tell the Story...
... 1. When our focus is on Cornelius it makes us aware that
(1) "in all nations there are people seeking after God." and
(2) it encourages us that God answers those who seek him.
[Illus: At the last General Assembly one evening the emphasiswas world mission, and there were several people in our owngeneration-- current-- who were raised pagan, but to whom God hasmanifested himself. One of them will speak with us here next Sunday!Janine Van Beek. Another was a man who lived in the rain forests ofSouth America-- to whom God gave the name of a man to seek after in amission situation.]
2. When our focus comes to Peter there are several things this passage teaches me:
(1) I never know my own prejudices; I must be open to the Lord. Then I can also be myself.
(2) When God wants a job done He sends for a man or a woman. Imperfect, faulted, weak, prejudiced-- still God does not give the Gospel message by angels-- at least not usually! God uses redeemed people!
(3) The POWER is in the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus-- in His life within! When Peter said Jesus is alive, and if you believe in His name you will receive forgiveness of sins-- as he spoke the hearers believed and received!
(Curtain Down---Play is Over)
———————————————————————————————————
A One Act Play in Three Scenes
(From Acts 10 )
I. SCENE ONE: OFFICER'S HOME IN CAESAREA
Time: June 21, 36 A.D.
Place: A beautiful spacious cut stone home in the Roman city ofCaesarea, on the eastern most coast of the Mediterranean; Caesarea isthe Roman provincial capital of what is now Lebanon, Israel and partsof Syria and Jordan.
Cornelius, a Roman centurion, commander of a famous Italian Regiment, is praying. It is 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and his workday is behind him. Perhaps he is in the atrium of his spacious house; he is meditating on all the things he has seen and heard.
Cornelius is a good pagan. He is a true seeker after truth,after God. He is not a Christian, but he cannot help but have heard something about this development in the Jewish community. Cornelius has not been a typical occupational military presence. He is a loyal Roman, but he believes that the best thing Rome can do for the empire is foster true understanding and good will. And as Cornelius has become acquainted with the Jewish scriptures, the revelation of Jehovah, he has been impressed.
This is "a" good religion! He has sponsored the building of synagogues; he has fostered tolerance and kindness to the Jewish people.
This day is much like many other days-- the administrativeduties have been cared for; the new men have been assigned, the men to be retired or sent on leave have been reviewed; letters have been received and sent, and now a little quiet time seeking to communicate with the Great Unknown. Cornelius has had this growing hunger in his heart for God and has not known quite how to express it. And then-- ithappened!
It happened in the inner court of Cornelius' lovely home in Caesarea-- and angel of God suddenly stood before him! The angel spoke his name! "Cornelius!" Cornelius was startled, to say the least. His reaction was the same as yours or mine would be: he was terrified!
But Cornelius was a military man, and his fear did not control hisactions. Cornelius looked the angel right in the eye! And he said tothe angel, "What is on your mind?"
The angel did NOT tell Cornelius about Jesus. He did NOT makeknown the Roman Road or the Four Spiritual Laws. He DID give Cornelius encouragement, and told him the next step to take. The encouragement was the assurance that God in heaven knows what Cornelius is doing on earth.
The next step was a specific assignment to a specific place tosee a specific individual who was staying with a specific person. Hegave enough directions so that Cornelius could send for the help heneeded. Within the hour Cornelius had sent three men on the day-and-a-half journey down the coast to Joppa to find this man calledPeter. And this is how the first scene ends.
II. SCENE TWO: THE HOME OF SIMON, THE TANNER BY THE SEA
Time: The next day, just about high noon. Peter is waiting fordinner to be announced. Place: Simon the tanner's house. It is by the sea. It isn'ttoo hard to find, for the tanning business involves soaking raw animal skins in vats; fermenting ---the fermentable, potent smells-
I know it is silly because churches had not yet been developed,and the Nazarene nap syndrome was still millennia away; but somehow I picture a Sunday afternoon just after church in the house where I live; I've finished preaching and I am temporarily exhausted; the kids are doing their thing- Helen is in the kitchen-- for we always used to have the biggest meal of the week-- and I usually lay down on the couch until it was time to slice the meat or whatever-- and it wasn't too hard to drop off into a quick nap.
Actually in the hot mid-eastern climate a leisurely noonmealtime is pretty much world-wide.
However it happened, the Bible says that while Peter was hungryand waiting for dinner to be served he fell asleep and fell into atrance that was somewhere between dreaming and a visitation from God,or so it seemed.
[ THE 'VISION' - A "sheet" let down from heaven with pork chopsand lobsters and apple pie with ice cream . . . all non-kosherfoods-- ] Then the Spirit spoke clearly to Peter: Men are just about toring the doorbell! Don't be afraid. I'm in this. Peter went down thestairs and met the men at the gate-- and invited them into the house.
What kosher rules were broken I do not know-- I doubt any at this time. A Jew can have non-Jews in his home-- the contamination begins when the Jew goes into the heathen's house and/or eats off defiledvessels.
The men stay overnight with Peter in Simon the tanner's house.
III. SCENE THREE: OFFICER'S HOME IN CAESAREA
Time: June 24 or 25, same year
Scene set same as Scene One, except now there are a score or moreguests eagerly waiting the return of the men Cornelius has sent away.
When Peter came in he first talked briefly about himself, who he was, and how he was (usually) limited! "I have never mixed with Gentiles! But God has been speaking to me! Here I am!"
Then Peter got down to business! He began to tell Cornelius and his household and guests about the Christ who fills all of revelation,and who had transformed his own sinful heart!
As Peter spoke about Jesus things began to click into place. "I had heard about this Man," Cornelius may have said. "But I hadn't known quite how to fit Him in to what the Jewish scriptures say. Now this makes sense!"
The Holy Spirit was illuminating Peter'spreaching.
When Peter, helped along by the Spirit, said, "If you believe in this powerful Name that is above every Name, you will receive forgiveness of sins," Cornelius's heart leapt for joy! In his heart hesaid, "I do believe!"
And the same thing was happening in the others gathered there. God descended in a wonderful way. Peter's sermon was interrupted, but his message came through loud and clear! They had a testimony meeting-- and then they had a baptismal service-- and then they started the First Church of the Nazarene in Caesarea with about 20 charter members!
I know it doesn't have that all down in the King James version.But as Dr. Knight said at Assembly, that is what we preachers are for!(To explain what isn't written down!)
Conclusion/Application
This chapter says two things to me, loud and clear:
Hebrews 11:6 is true: God will meet with those who seek after Him diligently; and YET-- God uses obedient PEOPLE, not angels to tell the Story...
... 1. When our focus is on Cornelius it makes us aware that
(1) "in all nations there are people seeking after God." and
(2) it encourages us that God answers those who seek him.
[Illus: At the last General Assembly one evening the emphasiswas world mission, and there were several people in our owngeneration-- current-- who were raised pagan, but to whom God hasmanifested himself. One of them will speak with us here next Sunday!Janine Van Beek. Another was a man who lived in the rain forests ofSouth America-- to whom God gave the name of a man to seek after in amission situation.]
2. When our focus comes to Peter there are several things this passage teaches me:
(1) I never know my own prejudices; I must be open to the Lord. Then I can also be myself.
(2) When God wants a job done He sends for a man or a woman. Imperfect, faulted, weak, prejudiced-- still God does not give the Gospel message by angels-- at least not usually! God uses redeemed people!
(3) The POWER is in the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus-- in His life within! When Peter said Jesus is alive, and if you believe in His name you will receive forgiveness of sins-- as he spoke the hearers believed and received!
(Curtain Down---Play is Over)
———————————————————————————————————
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Proclamation AND Preaching
I love to preach. There are a few choice words that I live by in preaching. I would share with you wordsthat I live by, that to me are part of my sacred assignment as apreacher. But, not too surprising, I have come to the conclusion that these words are not justfor ordained people. Together we all are the church apostolic, calledto know Jesus and to witness to the world of what we know.
HERE ARETHE PRECIOUS WORDS
I. I AM AN AMBASSADOR, NOT A PEDDLER "We do not peddle the word of God for profit" A. Peddlers are honorable, but they (1) are in their work to makea living; and (2) they usually sell gadgets. B. We are ambassadors. We earn our livings in order to support ourtrue work. What we handle is a matter of life and death. We are peoplewho are sent. C. As ambassadors we are honor bound to learn our craft; to knowour calling well; to become experts in the matter of scripturaltruth. We must know the message in order not to garble it.
II. I AM CALLED TO BE REAL, NOT A PLAY-ACTOR "We do not cover our face, as Moses, to hide the fading glory" A. The incident cited: Moses had a crisis time of glory when hisface shone. He was frightening to the people then, but it was anhonorable sort of excitement. After all, he had been with God. When the glory faded, Moses kept the veil on so the peoplewouldn't see his apparent weakness or mere humanity. B. Religious hokus-pocus is a temptation. People think more highlyor less highly of us than we deserve. But we must strive to be honestbefore God! [Not just "be ourselves!" But be ourselves as God is working with us!] It is vital that we share our high moments as well as bevulnerable in our low times. I am not suggesting that people want tohear the details of your hospital experiences; but I am saying that weneed to share the fact that God meets with human beings where theylive.
III. I MUST SPEAK THE TRUTH, NOT PROPAGANDIZE "We do not distort the Word of God" A. Let the Word itself speak. All too often when we apply the wordto a situation we know where we want to end up before we evenstart. We are sure how we want to see the result turn out. That isall very well, so long as we are totally under the authority of theliving Word. B. The Word will speak! The Word of God reflects the Living Word,the Son of God. It has a mind, a life, a will all its own thatsupersedes our limited perspective. But that is the rub; the word will not be used! It must beobeyed! C. The critical factor: AM I LIVING BY THE WORD?
IV. I MUST BE CHRIST-CENTERED, NOT SELF-PROMOTING "We do not preach ourselves, but Christ"
A. This is not to say that God cannot and will not use"characters." Thank God, He loves you the way you are-- and He wantsyou to be yourself! Your sanctified self, that is!
B. It comes down to a matter of LOVE: we seek the glory of Godahead of our own!
Conclusion I have a dream of seeing our church become very effective inreaching people who do not know Jesus as Savior. I believe that wecan have a great new break-through in proclamation. Such a dream would usually be immediately followed up bychallenge to learning and doing. And I believe there is a place forall that.
There are two things that if they happen the dream will come:
1. We must really want to proclaim; must see proclamation as thetotal task of the total church, and as the one single thing that willbring us the most joy. WE MUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THE CHRIST WE LOVE.
2. We must believe in each other as we catch the vision: loveand encourage and boost one another in every thing that we do. WE MUSTHAVE A BAPTISM OF TRUST AND LOVE AND COMMUNITY. And, so, we do not lose heart.
{{{SCRIPTURE TEXTS2 Corinthians2:17 FOR WE ARE NOT AS MANY, WHICH CORRUPT THE WORD OF GOD: but as ofsincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.3:13 AND NOT AS MOSES, [WHICH] PUT A VAIL OVER HIS FACE, that thechildren of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that whichis abolished:4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, NOT WALKING INCRAFTINESS, NOR HANDLING THE WORD OF GOD DECEITFULLY; but bymanifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man'sconscience in the sight of God.4:5 FOR WE PREACH NOT OURSELVES, BUT CHRIST JESUS THE LORD; andourselves your servants for Jesus' sake)))
HERE ARETHE PRECIOUS WORDS
I. I AM AN AMBASSADOR, NOT A PEDDLER "We do not peddle the word of God for profit" A. Peddlers are honorable, but they (1) are in their work to makea living; and (2) they usually sell gadgets. B. We are ambassadors. We earn our livings in order to support ourtrue work. What we handle is a matter of life and death. We are peoplewho are sent. C. As ambassadors we are honor bound to learn our craft; to knowour calling well; to become experts in the matter of scripturaltruth. We must know the message in order not to garble it.
II. I AM CALLED TO BE REAL, NOT A PLAY-ACTOR "We do not cover our face, as Moses, to hide the fading glory" A. The incident cited: Moses had a crisis time of glory when hisface shone. He was frightening to the people then, but it was anhonorable sort of excitement. After all, he had been with God. When the glory faded, Moses kept the veil on so the peoplewouldn't see his apparent weakness or mere humanity. B. Religious hokus-pocus is a temptation. People think more highlyor less highly of us than we deserve. But we must strive to be honestbefore God! [Not just "be ourselves!" But be ourselves as God is working with us!] It is vital that we share our high moments as well as bevulnerable in our low times. I am not suggesting that people want tohear the details of your hospital experiences; but I am saying that weneed to share the fact that God meets with human beings where theylive.
III. I MUST SPEAK THE TRUTH, NOT PROPAGANDIZE "We do not distort the Word of God" A. Let the Word itself speak. All too often when we apply the wordto a situation we know where we want to end up before we evenstart. We are sure how we want to see the result turn out. That isall very well, so long as we are totally under the authority of theliving Word. B. The Word will speak! The Word of God reflects the Living Word,the Son of God. It has a mind, a life, a will all its own thatsupersedes our limited perspective. But that is the rub; the word will not be used! It must beobeyed! C. The critical factor: AM I LIVING BY THE WORD?
IV. I MUST BE CHRIST-CENTERED, NOT SELF-PROMOTING "We do not preach ourselves, but Christ"
A. This is not to say that God cannot and will not use"characters." Thank God, He loves you the way you are-- and He wantsyou to be yourself! Your sanctified self, that is!
B. It comes down to a matter of LOVE: we seek the glory of Godahead of our own!
Conclusion I have a dream of seeing our church become very effective inreaching people who do not know Jesus as Savior. I believe that wecan have a great new break-through in proclamation. Such a dream would usually be immediately followed up bychallenge to learning and doing. And I believe there is a place forall that.
There are two things that if they happen the dream will come:
1. We must really want to proclaim; must see proclamation as thetotal task of the total church, and as the one single thing that willbring us the most joy. WE MUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THE CHRIST WE LOVE.
2. We must believe in each other as we catch the vision: loveand encourage and boost one another in every thing that we do. WE MUSTHAVE A BAPTISM OF TRUST AND LOVE AND COMMUNITY. And, so, we do not lose heart.
{{{SCRIPTURE TEXTS2 Corinthians2:17 FOR WE ARE NOT AS MANY, WHICH CORRUPT THE WORD OF GOD: but as ofsincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.3:13 AND NOT AS MOSES, [WHICH] PUT A VAIL OVER HIS FACE, that thechildren of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that whichis abolished:4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, NOT WALKING INCRAFTINESS, NOR HANDLING THE WORD OF GOD DECEITFULLY; but bymanifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man'sconscience in the sight of God.4:5 FOR WE PREACH NOT OURSELVES, BUT CHRIST JESUS THE LORD; andourselves your servants for Jesus' sake)))
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
