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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