From the Streets - Thursday May 22

I'm beginning to see that my posts, although different in wording, will often times be very similar in content. People's opinion towards our signs and/or message is becoming very similar. Some like it, others hate it, some reject it, others embrace it...but most are pretty indifferent to it. This mindset is actually helping me to rethink what needs to be put on our signs.

I have been doing some extensive reading in the book of Acts. Trying to find the "perfect" sign is driving me crazy. My wife and Josh are finding it pretty comical that I keep finding THE "perfect" sign. Only to have that "perfect" sign, superseded by another sign that is "THE" sign. It's a tough process. The more I study the book of Acts, the more I see the message which they preached was a message "relevant" to the people they were talking to. In short, they were preaching "Jesus as the Son of God" and "Jesus as the Christ" because this was VERY relevant to the Jewish people. If you read through the book of Acts, you will find that when Paul was confronted with people who had no (or very little) knowledge of the scriptures, he did not talk about Jesus as the Christ (see Acts 14:7-17; Acts 17:16-31) or the Jesus as "the Son of God". Why? Because those statements meant NOTHING to those people. They weren't waiting for the Messiah.

So what does that mean for today. A LOT! I am beginning to see that the people today, although they are well aware of the scriptures and the basic teachings of Jesus, they have no clue what it all means. To preach to people the "Jesus died for their sins", seems pretty pointless if they don't think what they are doing is sin. I am beginning to see that we MUST tell people what the bible calls sin. However, just telling people what the bible calls sin has no power to it if their sin has no consequences. Therefore, we must tell people about the consequences of their sin. The consequences of their sin is separation from God. However, telling people their consequence of their sin has no power to it if they don't see why "being separated from God" is important. I am staring to FIRMLY believe that one common theme throughout the bible is the declaration of GOD'S JUDGMENT ON ALL PEOPLE!

From Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21, we several common themes over and over again: There is only one God, God is loving, God is forgiving, God is jealous, God has mercy, God is angry with men and their sin yet He is patient with them however His patience does run out at times, and finally JUDGMENT! I have yet to do this study, but I would guess the idea of "the judgment of God/Day of the Lord" is found in most if not all of the books of the bible.

Just think about God's love toward us through Jesus Christ. This doesn't even make sense to us if we don't see a need for Jesus. The only reason for Jesus, was because their is going to be a judgment. This judgment, the judgment of every man, is THE key to understanding God's love, patience, forgiveness, etc. Without Judgment, Jesus is pointless. Their is no need for a sacrifice if there is not Judgment!

In the book of Acts, you only hear the apostles very few times talk about the judgment that is to come. However, that does not mean we should not be talking about it. Remember, the majority of people who the apostles were talking to (both Jews and Gentiles) had a good bit of scripture knowledge. Therefore, they were well aware of the final Judgment of God and the apostles need not mention it to them.

Same goes with specific sins. They did not need to preach to the people to turn from their "sexual immorality" because the odds were pretty good that the people were trying to obey God and His commandments. We know this because the scriptures say they were zealous to keep the law. The Jewish people "feared God" because they knew their was a judgment. Therefore, to be "saved" they tried to keep the Law. Their mistake was in not realizing the Law was to lead them to Christ (the Savior). However, today people are not trying to live "moral" lives as set forth in the bible. They are trying to live "moral" lives set forth by their own standards. That is why we need to hit our culture hard with what the bible calls sin. Many people we talk to on the streets claim to be christians, however they do not see many of the sins we preach as sin. We need to reason with them from the scriptures (just as Paul reasoned with the Jews using the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ) what God defines as sin.

Finally, one of the common themes I have found throughout the bible to be relevant to our preaching today, is the concept embedded in "Idolatry". Specifically, that throughout the Bible we see God wanting the lone worship of mankind to Himself, yet man is constantly doing things his way. Man thinks he knows what he needs to do to be saved. In short, man thinks he is God. Man thinks he makes the rules. Man thinks he can determine what is sin and what is not. What is sin for one person might not be for another. Most people today have a "tolerance" mindset. The idea of, "you can believe whatever you want, as long as it doesn't 'effect/hurt' other people." Obviously this is not what Jesus, Peter, Paul, etc taught. Jesus said He was THE ONLY WAY! We need to get back to this principal. There are NOT many ways to God. We need to preach to the people today that TOLERANCE IS NOT OK. Tina likes to say, "Tolerance is not Ok, Jesus is the only way." There are faults with that, but it's catchy none-the-less (and true). We need to preach Jesus not so much "as the Christ" but as THE ONLY GOD AND HIS WAY IS THE THE ONLY WAY! We are STEEPED in a society that teaches there are MANY ways to God. Again, it's the idea of tolerance - this America must repent of!

So, as of right now, (it might change as I continue in prayer and study) the three things that we need to be preaching to people are:
1. Judgment
2. What God calls sin
3. Jesus is the ONLY God and the ONLY way

Now obviously you include the message of the cross, forgiveness of sins, etc. We must include the Full Gospel, and a "half" Gospel does not make sense if there is no judgment, consequence of Sin, and the Authority and Deity of Jesus Christ.

John 14:6
Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me."

Doesn't sound like "tolerance" to me!

Oh, by the way, we went out yesterday and had some very good conversations. God is always providing us with oppurtunities to share His truth. Be looking for a future post on my conversation with Mormons.