Well, today was a bit of relief. We had a guest at our church today from our conference (Baptist General Conference). It was announced that he would preach today.
That usually bothers me, because our conference is being invaded by emergent "christianity" via New Ager Erwin McManus through Bethel Seminary. And of course, if our conference had a problem with it, he wouldn't be there. Enough said. No surprise, the Southern Baptist Conference is buying into this garbage, and they have (historically) been more conservative than the BGC.
Then of course is the influence of Rick Warren on our conference. Seems like there is no escaping the error of warrenism.
At our church lately one would be able to easily hear the influences of Rick Warren's marketing techniques. Hearing about how we need to "bring them in and wow them" and such. No, that isn't what Sunday morning is about. On another Sunday morning, we heard about how, when a visitor pulls into our parking lot, we have ten minutes to convince them to come back. Give me a break!
Then this morning, I heard a testimony from two people who went to Africa to spend time with a missionary there from our conference. What did I hear about? The spread of the Gospel? The proclaimation of God's saving message? No. What did hear the most? HIV, AIDS, getting test kits from the U.N. and how polygamy is common there but "we weren't there to make them Americans" or something like that. silliness. I heard alot about helping people with AIDS, (and I'm for that) but little or nothing about the saving message of repentance and faith being given to these people. Just alot of talk about doing alot so maybe one day they can hear the gospel.
I hope they live long enough to hear it. And who are we to assume that any given person will be here tomorrow to hear a gospel that we wont give them today?
So when I heard them say this guy from our conference was preaching today, I was tempted to think "here we go again". Well, I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised, and a bit comforted in my recent struggles.
I'm not saying it was exegetically perfect or that I agreed with it. One text was Ephesians 6:17 and 18. When he explained "the sword of the spirit" he said it means the Bible...and of course, he had everyone hold up their "sword". No, the word there means a specific verse which is appropriate for a given situation, not the Bible in entirity. The "word" which Paul speaks about there is the specific utterance for close combat in spiritual warfare. We don't chase the Devil with a bible. We give specific utterances such as Jesus did during his trial in the wilderness.
But I was thankful for the rest of his message. He took his other text from Acts 1, where the disciples and others, including women, were in prayer. This was the "between time" between the ascention and Pentecost, the birth of the Church.
And in this in between time during the Church age, we need to pray in the same way. As Paul said, in the Spirit.
The point of the sermon was "Pray the scriptures". Simple message. But he was dead on. And in a day where we hear so much garbage about "seekers" and "felt needs" we hear so little about the need for corporate prayer. His challenge to us, and mine to you, is to begin praying the scriptures. Maybe the Psalms. There are lots of great prayers in the works of Paul. Let us use them, for ourselves, each other and those outside Christ.
So I give thanks to the Lord for the encouragement I received this morning. No, I didn't agree with everything he said. But the message was timely. For me and so many of us.
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2 comments:
First off Jesus met people's physical needs first. Jesus recognized that people would not respond to His message until their pysical needs are met. Why do you not think Jesus said to feed the poor, visit those in prison, clother the naked?
Why?
Because that is the Gospel as well. That God cares for you wholly. God wants to meet your physical needs as well as your spiritual.
When American Christians realize that we will be a lot better off.
Well, first of all, I'd agree with you...to a point. Certainly, I agree that we are to help people that are in need. James addressed this.
But I think when we put too much emphasis on "meeting felt needs" and not dealing with the person's real need we are not loving them as Jesus did.
For example. Great stress is placed by many on how Jesus fed the 5000. But you hear nothing from those same people about how Jesus later rebuked many of them for continuing to come to him for physical bread. Jesus did what He did to show that He was Who He said He was. Yet many of them simply wanted their "felt needs" met.
And often, I hear it said that we need to "build a relationship over time" with someone (anyone?) before we can share the Gospel. Did Jesus do that? No. Read John 4. How long did it take the Lord to interact with the woman at the well before He confronted her with her real need?
No, I have no problem with reaching out to those who need help. But so often we never get around to giving them what they really need; the message of repentance and faith.
If we keep them from getting AIDS or help them with the disease, what good have we really done if we haven't met their real (unsually unfelt) need of repentance and faith?
As someone else has said, if we help them physically but don't tell them what they need to be saved, what good is that? Without Christ, they still die in their sin.
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