All posts filed under: Gospel

Reflections on John 4:10

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All of history, prophesy and promise, is completed in Jesus. Your whole life is completed in Jesus. Every part of your life: your work, family, relationships, friends, memories and dreams are completed in Jesus. Nicky & Pippa Gumbel “Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”” John 4:10 ESV If you knew the gift of God, you would throw yourself in the arms of Jesus: That gift is a gift of eternal life That gift is a gift of unconditional love That gift is a gift of forgiveness That gift is a gift of peace with God and peace of God That gift is a gift of freedom If you understood the value and worth of the gift: You would run through fire to obtain it You would scale a wall to get it You would search diligently for it until you found it You would sell …

Bust the bloomin’ drum

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John Stott tells of an English Salvation Army drummer who was beating his drum so hard that the band leader had to tell him to pipe down a bit and not make so much noise. In his cockney accent the drummer replied, “God bless you, sir, since oi’ve been converted, oi’m so ’appy, oi could bust the bloomin’ drum!” If you’ve never known this joy – let today be the day that experience it. Open up your heart to Jesus. By grace and through faith and repentance, your life will never be the same. If you’ve lost that joy, either through sin, suffering or sorrow – let today be the day you find it again – by putting you trust in Him again, and crying out to him, your voice will be heard. If you are still undecided, not very sure about this. I employ you to taste and see that The Lord is good. Take that leap of faith. Source of Information: (Christianity Today [6/12/81], p/ 19.)

Prodigal Comeback

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The statistics are unbelievably staggering: over the last 10 years, 28 million have left the church – making America the third largest mission field in the world. 72 churches in America close each Week and attendance in 66 % of America’s churches has either plateaued or is 2/3 in decline.  I hate to report this one, but truth is – Islam is the fastest growing religion in America. Yet, as Paul would say, “we are hopeful of better things-things that belong to salvation.”  We are hopeful our generation will see another great revival.  We are hopeful that there will come another great awakening.  We are hopeful that the prodigals will return.  The question is: Why are they leaving? There are several reasons people are leaving the church. But allow me to highlight a few here: Apathy and the deceitfulness and hardening of sin Shallow soil, not grounded and without roots Hypocrisy, sin among clergy and offense from others, inner hurts Drifting, one bad choice after another bad choice The seeker experience never turned into a …

I AM: 7 Incredible Claims of Jesus

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When we look at the life of Jesus, it is hard not to notice his claims. The Pharisee mocked him when he called himself  “light of the world.” His followers left him when he called himself “bread of life.” Crowds denounced him when he talked about himself as the “Good Shepherd.” And when he said, “I am the resurrection and the life” – it cost him his life. When Jews heard those two verbs I am – I am (as translated from the Hebrew), they knew exactly what Jesus meant. It was something more than a metaphor – He was claiming deity. We understand from Exodus 3:14 that this is the same title God the father gave himself. These claims are so powerful and bold that they arrest your attention and cause you to think. I am the Bread of Life John 6:35: Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall never hunger, whoever believes in me shall never thirst. Manna, the bread that comes from above – fill with the necessary nutrients to sustain life …

Personal Evangelism: How to share a much clearer message

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I sat down for a cup of coffee at my favorite neighborhood Starbucks a few days ago and just as I did, a couple came in and sat just next to me. I promise, I wasn’t trying to listen to their conversation, but sitting that close to them, I could hear everything. She obviously had a great heart and desire to see her fiancée come to faith in Jesus. But she really didn’t know how to help him get there. I think he left a bit more confused than he came. Most of us have a passion to see our friends and loved ones come to a saving knowledge of Christ, but we often lack the ability and confidence to share our faith because we just don’t know what to say and how to say it. I would like to use Paul’s conversation here with King Agrippa to share three simple steps on what to say in your effort to share the good news with friends. Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the …

What is the gopspel? N. T. Wright explains

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Thirteen Minutes is precious time, but it will be well invested listening to what N. T. Wright has to say about the gospel. I encourage you to take a listen, you will not regret it. Who is N. T. Wright? N. T. Wright is an Anglican bishop and a leading New Testament scholar. Wright was the Bishop of Durham in the Church of England from 2003 until his retirement in 2010. He is currently Research Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at St Mary’s College, University of St Andrews in Scotland. Among modern New Testament scholars, Wright is an important proponent of traditional views on theological matters including Christ’s bodily resurrection and second coming. Further he has expressed strenuous opposition both to the ordination of openly gay Christians and the blessing of same sex partnerships and marriages as occurs in the Episcopal Church (United States). I really like him. Video Via Pangea Blog

How much do your have to hate someone to not proselytize?

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Have you heard about a place called hell? It is a place of intense and ferocious fire that never consumes its victims. It is a bottomless pit – blazing with fire. It is a place where worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. Imagine a lake of fire. In this place, they say, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And it is going to go on and on and on and on and on – forever. Yet, in our anger we tell people to “go to hell.” In our judgment we make them guilty and sentence them to hell. In our preaching and teaching we are more concerned about debating about it than we are weeping and urgently proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ. We do not talk about it anymore because some say it is unnecessary – it only scares people. Some of those in the forefront of church leadership say it is not a place. They say it is happening now all around us – suffering, pain, sickness and death. Still others could care …