----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, May 15, 2005 8:47
PM
Subject: Re: [Bulk] [TruthTalk]
Street Preaching
Does the Book of Acts have an ending or should that style of
preaching
continue today?
If we are to preach the NT "love gospel" why did paul run into so
much trouble?
Acts 13:45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled
with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul,
contradicting and blaspheming.
13:50 But the Jews stirred up the devout
and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised
persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their
coasts.
(LDS emulate Jews)
14:5 And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and
also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone
them,
14:19 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium,
who persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the
city, supposing he had been dead.
16:23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them
into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely
18:6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed
19:23 And the same time there arose no small stir about that
way.
19;32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the
assembly was confused
20:23 Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that
bonds and afflictions abide me.
22:22-24 And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted
up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it
is not fit that he should live. And as they cried out, and cast off their
clothes, and threw dust into the air The chief captain commanded him to be
brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by
scourging
23:2 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to
smite him on the mouth.
23:10 And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain,
fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the
soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to
bring him into the castle.
23:12 And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and
bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor
drink till they had killed Paul.
24:5-6 For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of
sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the
sect of the Nazarenes: Who also hath gone about to profane the temple:
whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.
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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