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.
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)
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