----- 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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