I personally have reason to respect Ruben Israel. My comments are not personal. But --- "different strokes for different folks" is my response to Ruben's defense. What is in evidence, I suppose, is that preaching (including "street preaching") is an acceptable vehicle for spreading the message of hope. Except for the Noah example, what we have is a series of examples of how the message was presented to the children of God ----------- the Jews. We are repeatedly reminded that among these people of God, few would respond. Perhaps Heb 6:4-6 explains why. No doubt, preaching the message of God's love apart from His disappointment (His wrath) gives one something less than the full picture. I incorporate the message of love in my ministry becau
se of the information I find in the letters of the apostles and prophets. The commands that bear repeating in I John are "love God" and "love the brethren." We are reminded that " no one has seen God at any time -- but if we love one another, God abides in us" I J 4:12. In fact, "if God loved us, we should love others" ( I J 4:11). I include the radical notion of love in my ministry because I see it in the words of Paul -- "I become all things to all men so that by all means I might save some." The fulfillment of the Law gave us liberty -- but Paul reminds us that we are constrained by -------------------------- aaaaaahhhhh love !! " The gospel of John presents the very reason for the Incarnation -- "Because God loved the world ...." The Fatherhood of God is an exclusive New Testament
consideration. At the centre of Fatherhood is this thing we seek to exclude --------- love. We dare not forget the very essence of God -- expressed in the statement "God is love." The letters of the apostles are full of considerate dialogue and loving guidance. Paul reminds us that knowledge has its limitations, but if we love, we are known by God. Where harsh straight talk may be the way to the Jewish heart, it certainly was not the norm in other venues. I include love in my ministry because people need to know about it. Salute.
JD
-----Original Message-----
From: Ruben Israel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Sun, 15 May 2005 14:46:34 -0700
Subject: Re: [Bulk] [TruthTalk] Street Preaching
To those that wish to comment on "street preaching," take note:
Noah was called a "preacher of righteousness" during his time slot he preached righteousness to a perverted people and did anyone get saved? Would it have been more prudent for him to use his three sons and maybe start a band, singing to sinners in that wicked generation and using this friendship evangelism rather than preaching?
Isaiah was told to "Lift aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins" (Is.58:1). Do we find Isaiah preaching a message of God wants you just the way you are? Find out how many messages he preached using the word "Woe" vs. "God loves you".
Jeremiah was told to go and cry out against cities, people, individuals and a temple, his message was about as in your face as one can get. Should he have possibly just tried to get to know everyone, maybe coffee and pie, perhaps this result would have been fruitful and the message would have been accepted? In retrospect was it all Jeremiah's fault?
Ezekiel, now here is someone I enjoy reading, this man uses more visual aids with his preaching (see Ezekiel for details) and again where do we find this message of God loves you even once in forty eight chapters? He was the watchman warning sinners of their sin. Ringing the bell, sounding the alarm, echoing caution, pointing out the sin trying to get into the camp (Ezk. 3 & 33).
These are just a few men that preached in public a message in an ear that no one wanted to hear and that is why these men were persecuted, jailed and killed for it. When God sent someone like these individuals out of the bull pen you best take heed and understand that this is your wake up call. Is that only Old Testament?
Well let's see, enter John the Baptist and his message was not "I love you and so does God." He name called, preached a hard message to the religious, warned about God's wrath with fire, and demanded fruit meet for repentance (Mt.3:5-12). And must I note that he was a voice "crying in the wilderness" which is not weeping or lamenting but crying out loud. Understand that one must do it the way God wants it done. Noah did not just build a boat, nor were four walls lifted and called a temple. But these were done the way God specifically wanted it done, we have consistency in both Old and New Testaments.
Did Jesus ever preach God loves you just the way you are to anyone? That is common today, was it with Jesus? His message was repent (Mt.417) and our Lord did raise His voice (see John 7:28, 37) also read feeding the thousands and teaching them. Without raising the voice? Jesus preached more on hell fire than the love of God , and talk about name calling read Matthew 23, or he condemned whole generations for being faithless and adulterous. He "Woe'ed" three cities that now no longer exist, He upbraided those cities that did not repent (that is the strongest form of rebuke) and if His whole life was preaching love and forgiveness why would they kill Him? Did he not tell the disciples "The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil." This is the reason they hated and killed our Lord. He testified that the world was evil which our job is as public preachers, not to gain favor with people. We expose sin in the public place where it parades and offer the remedy to the problem. Who cares if I offend the whole world, my hope is not to offend God.
Acts chapter two we find Peter on the day of Pentecost lifting up his voice as he preached (Acts 2:14) and no where do we God loves you preached once but many verses on judgment. Why is it so common today? What the common message has always been is "Repent" which means a change of mind, heart or lifestyle...so much for God wants you just the way you are. Let us look at Stephen's public sermon to find God and Jesus loves you. Acts chapter seven we read that Stephen gave a history lesion and ended saying "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did, so do ye." Of course they attacked him and killed him. Maybe if Stephen proclaimed more on Gods love he could have ministered longer, maybe all the apostles should have done this so they would not have been persecuted, beaten, jailed and killed for their faith. SIDE BAR: (even the book of Mormon has a picture of a man preaching or yelling to people below shooting arrows at him) SIDE BAR OVER.
Does the Book of Acts have an ending or should that style of preachin g continue today? ....Selah....
----------
"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org
If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
Noah was called a "preacher of righteousness" during his time slot he preached righteousness to a perverted people and did anyone get saved? Would it have been more prudent for him to use his three sons and maybe start a band, singing to sinners in that wicked generation and using this friendship evangelism rather than preaching?
Isaiah was told to "Lift aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins" (Is.58:1). Do we find Isaiah preaching a message of God wants you just the way you are? Find out how many messages he preached using the word "Woe" vs. "God loves you".
Jeremiah was told to go and cry out against cities, people, individuals and a temple, his message was about as in your face as one can get. Should he have possibly just tried to get to know everyone, maybe coffee and pie, perhaps this result would have been fruitful and the message would have been accepted? In retrospect was it all Jeremiah's fault?
Ezekiel, now here is someone I enjoy reading, this man uses more visual aids with his preaching (see Ezekiel for details) and again where do we find this message of God loves you even once in forty eight chapters? He was the watchman warning sinners of their sin. Ringing the bell, sounding the alarm, echoing caution, pointing out the sin trying to get into the camp (Ezk. 3 & 33).
These are just a few men that preached in public a message in an ear that no one wanted to hear and that is why these men were persecuted, jailed and killed for it. When God sent someone like these individuals out of the bull pen you best take heed and understand that this is your wake up call. Is that only Old Testament?
Well let's see, enter John the Baptist and his message was not "I love you and so does God." He name called, preached a hard message to the religious, warned about God's wrath with fire, and demanded fruit meet for repentance (Mt.3:5-12). And must I note that he was a voice "crying in the wilderness" which is not weeping or lamenting but crying out loud. Understand that one must do it the way God wants it done. Noah did not just build a boat, nor were four walls lifted and called a temple. But these were done the way God specifically wanted it done, we have consistency in both Old and New Testaments.
Did Jesus ever preach God loves you just the way you are to anyone? That is common today, was it with Jesus? His message was repent (Mt.417) and our Lord did raise His voice (see John 7:28, 37) also read feeding the thousands and teaching them. Without raising the voice? Jesus preached more on hell fire than the love of God , and talk about name calling read Matthew 23, or he condemned whole generations for being faithless and adulterous. He "Woe'ed" three cities that now no longer exist, He upbraided those cities that did not repent (that is the strongest form of rebuke) and if His whole life was preaching love and forgiveness why would they kill Him? Did he not tell the disciples "The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil." This is the reason they hated and killed our Lord. He testified that the world was evil which our job is as public preachers, not to gain favor with people. We expose sin in the public place where it parades and offer the remedy to the problem. Who cares if I offend the whole world, my hope is not to offend God.
Acts chapter two we find Peter on the day of Pentecost lifting up his voice as he preached (Acts 2:14) and no where do we God loves you preached once but many verses on judgment. Why is it so common today? What the common message has always been is "Repent" which means a change of mind, heart or lifestyle...so much for God wants you just the way you are. Let us look at Stephen's public sermon to find God and Jesus loves you. Acts chapter seven we read that Stephen gave a history lesion and ended saying "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did, so do ye." Of course they attacked him and killed him. Maybe if Stephen proclaimed more on Gods love he could have ministered longer, maybe all the apostles should have done this so they would not have been persecuted, beaten, jailed and killed for their faith. SIDE BAR: (even the book of Mormon has a picture of a man preaching or yelling to people below shooting arrows at him) SIDE BAR OVER.
Does the Book of Acts have an ending or should that style of preachin g continue today? ....Selah....
----------
"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org
If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
