True story:
Last General Conference in Salt Lake. One of the SP's was preaching to a crowd of Teens obviously on tour with a few "elders". One of the Elders rebuked the SP for being to loud. SP asks "how do you think Jesus spoke to thousands without raising His voice?"
Elder says to stunned crowd "Ever hear of a microphone?"
Ruben Israel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
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 preaching
continue today? ....Selah....
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"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
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