"The Narrow Road": Blogs By Shane Kastler

The Bizarre & Backwards Faith of Jonah

Keeping faith in God is sometimes hard. By “faith” I don’t mean “saving faith.” If you have “saving faith” then your salvation is eternal and that “faith” will never be lost. I’m talking about a different kind of faith. The day-to-day faith that lets your heart rest easy because of your confidence in God’s ability to handle any situation in your life. THAT faith is sometimes hard to keep.

As Christians, we frequently face situations that test our faith. We face trials and we are tempted to doubt that God really knows what He is doing. I know as a Pastor, I sometimes wonder if God is using my words or not. A preacher can proclaim the gospel truth week after week; and yet watch people go out and seemingly ignore everything that was said in the sermon. It can be a struggle for any preacher, unless they constantly remind themselves that God is in control…and He is more than able to change and convict any heart. This is why the Old Testament prophet Jonah is so perplexing.

By all accounts, Jonah was a very gifted man. He was a prophet, who was inspired by God to proclaim the truth. He obviously had a high degree of spiritual knowledge that enabled him to preach. And he had a specific call from God to go to a specific group of people and proclaim repentance. But perhaps, the most amazing thing about Jonah was his faith. And ironically, he had a faith that was so backwards that it actually spurred him on to avoid God’s calling to preach to the people of Nineveh. Unlike most preachers who struggle with doubts about their effectiveness and God’s ability to save; Jonah was the exact opposite…..He KNEW God would save the Ninevites through his preaching…and he deeply resented it.

Of course, we know how the story goes with Jonah. He runs from God’s calling and ends up getting swallowed by a big fish on the high seas who promptly pukes him up on the shores of Nineveh. Concluding that he really has no choice in the matter, he preaches repentance to the Ninevites and they repent en mass. This would seem like any preacher’s dream. Thousands saved because God chose to use you to proclaim His word. Yet Jonah’s response is downright shocking! He’s angry at God for saving the scoundrels.

“But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry. He prayed to the LORD and said, ‘Please LORD, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity. Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.’ The LORD said, ‘Do you have good reason to be angry?’” (Jonah 4:1-4 NASB)

Fascinating, isn’t it? Jonah, literally, would rather die than see Nineveh saved. So what’s Jonah’s problem? God has blessed him with gifts out the wazoo….yet Jonah is lacking a vital component for the person of God, and the Apostle Paul can show us Jonah’s problem with crystal clarity. Take it away Paul…

“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-2 NASB)

Jonah had it all…except love. Which means Jonah really had nothing. As Paul teaches us, all the gifts in the world are nothing, if the love is not there. We should have a love for God that is Supreme over all things in our life. And that love should spill over into a love for our fellow Christians, and that love should spill over to the lost and perishing. Jonah lacked love.

In fact, God goes on to teach Jonah a very valuable and painful lesson. God causes a tree to grow that will shelter Jonah from the hot sun. Then God takes it away, and points out to Jonah that he’s more concerned over the tree (and his own comfort)than he is the perishing masses of Nineveh. “Then the LORD said, ‘You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight . Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?’” (Jonah 4:10-11 NASB)

All Christians have gifts from God…and all Christians have a calling to share the gospel with the perishing. The question is whether or not you will use those gifts and fulfill that calling as God intends. If you hunker down and force yourself to be a witness you might become a very successful legalist. But if you walk daily with the Lord and cultivate a heart for Him, then your life will not be marked by legalism, it will be marked by love. And as Paul said, without love, “I am nothing.”

So use you God-given gifts to glorify Him, and to be a witness unto the lost. This is God’s will…..and this is love. The same kind of love that God has shown towards us.

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10)

The Best Gospel Sermon I’ve Ever Heard --- Whitefield, Spurgeon, Lloyd-Jones, and Paul Washer

If this is not the best, clearest, most passionate, most convicting gospel sermon I’ve ever heard….it’s close.  It was preached by Paul Washer, who is the head of Heart Cry Missions, in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.  Washer preached this message at the 2002 Alabama Southern Baptist - Youth Evangelism Conference.  You’ll hear him mention Southern Baptists in the sermon, and he doesn’t always speak favorably of their evangelism techniques….and he’s RIGHT ON about what he says.

            I’ve always wondered what it would have been like to hear George Whitefield, or Charles Spurgeon, or Robert Murray McCheyne preach.  I suspect it would be very close to what this sermon sounds like.  Many today don’t know who Whitefield is, but in Colonial America, he was perhaps the most famous name on the continent.  EVERYONE knew George Whitefield.  He was an English evangelist who preached the gospel with power in America.  Benjamin Franklin adored him…though he never became a Christian.  Franklin was once asked why he loved hearing Whitefield preach since he didn’t believe the message.  Franklin reportedly said, “I may not believe what Whitefield is preaching…but WHITEFIELD believes it…and it’s exciting to hear.”

            When you read some of the accounts of Whitefield’s revivals, it’s fascinating.  Farmers would get word that Whitefield would be preaching in town in 3 hours…and they would leave their plows in the field and RUN to hear him preach.  In the days before media, they would announce the planned sermon by word of mouth, and have THOUSANDS of people show up…..to hear a sermon. 

            Spurgeon took London by storm in the mid 1800’s.  He became Pastor of the New Park Street Church at the age of 19.  And within weeks the church went from 200 to THOUSANDS.  People would line up hours in advance so they could get a seat…to hear a sermon.  By the time he was 21, Spurgeon was the most well known Preacher in the world.  The press hated him and frequently ridiculed him.  But God blessed his preaching and multitudes were saved.

            McCheyne pastored in Scotland in the early 1800’s.  His humility and Christ-likeness, coupled with his zeal for the gospel, literally changed the Nation.  When he preached….people wept. The Holy Spirit was thick.  And lives were changed.  McCheyne died at the age of 29……..and all of Scotland mourned.

            Martyn Lloyd Jones was the same type of Preacher.  He left a successful medical career as a Doctor to become a Pastor, and the Holy Spirit used him mightily.  Theologian J.I. Packer described a time when, as a college student, he heard Lloyd-Jones preach.  He said it was like being zapped into “spiritual shock.”  He had never heard such preaching.  Sadly, most Americans today haven’t either.

            The common thread between all of these men is very interesting.  They all preached about God’s Holiness, God’s Wrath, God’s Grace, and God’s Sovereignty….even over man’s salvation.  Rather than preaching the modern day “gospel” of “repeat this prayer after me…”   They preached the BIBLICAL gospel of Repentance and Faith in Christ.  What we must understand is that it wasn’t the men who were great….it was the GOSPEL they preached, and the Holy Spirit’s work through that preaching.  The problem today is that few….painfully few men are willing to proclaim this message.  Pastors today are taught to tickle ears and be cute.  They’re taught to try zillions of “programs” to attract people.  Sadly, many American Pastors have lost faith in the Gospel and the Holy Spirit’s ability to build a church.

            Paul Washer’s sermon addresses some of these things.  As you listen, you’ll probably see why I liked the message.  He says some of the same things I frequently say in sermons….he just says it much better than I ever could. Now for a little bit about the sermon......

            This message was preached in Montgomery, Alabama to a group of 5,000 teenagers in 2002.  It’s a message that all Americans, both young and old, desperately need to hear.  The sermon is about an hour long, but is very powerful.  About ten minutes into the message, the mood of the room dramatically changes.  The crowd begins to applaud something Washer says…and his response SHOCKS them all.  I won’t tell you what happens, you’ll have to listen.  But from that point on, you could hear the proverbial “pin drop” in the room.  I strongly encourage you to listen to the message.   The link below will take you to a website where you can listen over the computer, download to an ipod, or even watch video over the computer, if your computer is fast enough to swing it.  If you’re too technologically challenged to do any of that, let me know and I’ll burn a CD of it and send it to you.  The world needs to hear more sermons like this one.  Pray for the Lord to raise up more preachers like Paul Washer.

Here's the link:

"Shocking Youth Message Stuns Hearers"   OR... you can click here to go directly to an Audio version on my website, without the other options.

One Bullet Away From Eternity - Are You Ready To Meet Your Maker?

This is not a blog, it's a sermon. The Events at Virginia Tech last Monday should cause all people to stop and consider Eternal, Spiritual matters. With that in mind, I preached last Sunday's message from James 4:13-17 as a reminder that we are all destined to leave this world, and spend Eternity somewhere else. My prayer is that God would use the tragedy at Virginia Tech to spark a revival on College campuses that would extend beyond the campus and sweep our troubled and confused Nation. I pray that multitudes would turn to Jesus Christ as Lord, and God would be glorified...even in the midst of this overwhelming catastrophe. The message is entitled, “One Bullet Away From Eternity: Are You Ready To Meet Your Maker?” To hear the audio, click here. The entire manuscript is printed below. I normally don't type out sermons...but I felt this situation demanded it. To God be the Glory.

“One Bullet Away From Eternity: Are You Ready To Meet Your Maker?”

By Shane Kastler, The First Christian Church of Pleasanton, KS (4/22/07)

"Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’  Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.’  But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” James 4:13-17 (NASB)

Introduction – The Beating Heart

Everyone reading this has a beating heart. Within your chest at this very moment the heart beats pumping blood throughout your body…and every heart beat brings you one step closer to imminent death. None of us shall live forever on this earth. And while all people are responsible for their sinful actions, we know that God is still Sovereign over all things, including death. God has set a fixed number of heart beats for each and every person. The Psalmist wrote:

“In Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.” --Psalms 139:16 (NASB)

Your heart beats on….today. Tomorrow, it might stop and you’ll find yourself inescapably and forever set in an Eternal Life of Joy, or Eternal Torment of Pain which shall have no end.

Facing eternity is a reality that we must be prepared for every day of our lives because none of us know when that day will come. Young people ignore the issue and embrace life, naively thinking, “it will never happen to me.” And yet constantly we are reminded that the cold hand of death is no respecter of persons. Death shall claim the young and the old. The sick and the healthy. The weak and the strong. The prepared and the unprepared. The Christian and the Non-Christian.

Monday, April 16 started out as a “normal morning” for 32 people in Blacksburg, Virginia. College girls woke up, put make up on, fixed their hair, gathered their books and went to class. College boys went to the cafeteria and scarfed down breakfast before rushing off to class…not knowing that they had just partaken of their last meal.

We all know what happened. Shortly after 7:00 am, a deranged student named Seung-Hui Cho entered a dormitory and shot a young female student, as well as a popular male student who worked in the dorm. A couple of hours later, Cho strolls into a classroom building, chains the doors and begins to methodically shoot student and teacher alike, before finally turning the gun on himself. 33 people dead. 33 people pass from the temporal college world of grades, term papers, and tests. Friends and fun. Sororities and fraternities…..and into an Eternal Spiritual world of judgment and reward. Right and Wrong. Condemnation and Glorification. Heaven and Hell.

Some were READY to go. They didn’t necessarily want to go on that particular day. But they were ready. They were prepared to meet their Maker…..and some sadly, tragically….were not. One who was ready was Lauren McCain, a 20 year-old sophomore from Shawnee, Oklahoma. On her MySpace web page, she described herself like this: “The purpose and love of my life is Jesus Christ. I don't have to argue religion, philosophy, or historical evidence because I KNOW Him. He is just as real, if not more so, as my 'earthly' father.” This week, I went on her MySpace page and read some of the messages written to her on Monday and Tuesday. Friends and family kept sending her messages to call them. They were monitoring news reports about the shootings and longed to know of her safety. Thousands of college students on that day called and e-mailed their family to let them know they were safe. McCain’s family never received such a call. The messages on her MySpace page got more and more frantic. A friend named Whitney writes: “Oh Lauren please call someone. We are so worried about you. We miss you so much.” The call never came. Because Lauren was dead. Her MySpace messages ran the whole gamut of emotion from Monday morning to Tuesday evening. The concerned, became frantic, the frantic became saddened, the saddened became resigned. One of the last messages said this: “You inspired so many because you lived like a real Christian. Your impact on so many lives, including my own, is astounding. You really loved God and now you can finally dance before Him. I love you, Lauren.”

I wonder…what would have been said about you, if it was your life taken on that day? Perhaps people will praise your kindness, your intelligence, your personality, or other aspects of your life. While that may be commendable….it’s not good enough to get you to Heaven. When people see our lives, they had better be constantly mentioning the name, “Jesus Christ.” This should mark us. This should define who we are. When people think of us……it should make them think of Jesus. This was obviously the case with Lauren McCain. And now, I’d like to take a glimpse into that world in which Lauren entered on April 16.

The Glories of Heaven

As sad and tragic as this story is…..Lauren’s story is not as sad as many others. Jesus Christ was not simply a name from History to her. He was the Lord of her life. And rest assured, those who follow Christ in this life enter in to an Eternity that is utterly unspeakable in its Glory and Grandeur. The Apostle John records this vision of Heaven:

“Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.  And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.  Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.

Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder.  And the four living creatures, day and night they do not cease to say, "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME.”  And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever,  the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed , and were created.” Revelation 4:2-11 (NASB)

Again, we’re told:

“When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.’  Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.’  And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, ‘To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.’  And the four living creatures kept saying, ‘Amen.’ And the elders fell down and worshiped.” Revelation 5:8-14 (NASB)

This is a worship service, par excellence. Our worship doesn’t reach this level on Earth, because there are so many barriers in the way. But in Heaven, those barriers will be forever removed. No sin to hinder. No weariness to extinguish. No pain to distract. No clock to watch. Just infinitely joyous and eternally comforted creatures….worshipping their Creator, Savior, and Lord.

If you die in Christ…you will experience this. If you die apart from Christ, you won’t. Are you ready to meet your Maker?

The Miseries of Hell

As glorious and comforting as the picture of Heaven is….the pictures Jesus gives of Hell are equally sad, disturbing, and miserable. In fact they’re so miserable that modern man likes to dismiss them as legends, fairly tales, and superstition. We might like to do that. Maybe we could….if they weren’t so REAL. If you’re sitting on the railroad tracks with a train barreling towards you….simply closing your eyes WILL NOT make the train disappear. You can tell yourself again and again: “There is no train. There is no train.” Yet inevitably, the train will all too painfully make its presence known to you. And so it is with Hell. Jesus spoke of it more than anyone, and what He said wasn’t pretty. He described it as a place of “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt.8:12), “eternal destruction” (Matt. 7:13), “eternal darkness” (Matt. 8:12), “eternal flames” (Matt. 25:41), and pain, agony, and torment. (Luke 16:23) Jesus said:

“If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell , into the unquenchable fire, where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED. If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell , where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED. If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell , where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.  For everyone will be salted with fire.” --Mark 9:43-49 (NASB)

You might be tempted to dismiss Jesus’ statement as hyperbole. You might say He’s using figurative language. Perhaps He is…….but make no mistake, He’s describing a place so horrible that we should consider losing a limb as a far happier event that to go there. But don’t miss Jesus’ point. It’s not your hand or foot He wants. It’s your heart and your life. He offers salvation to all who will come to Him in repentance and faith. He offers forgiveness and a brand new life, plus eternity in Heaven with Him when you die. The other option is horrendous. What makes Hell, “Hell” is that it NEVER GOES AWAY. There is no Rest In Peace, because there is no escape. No death to end it. No drug to ease it. No way to escape it once you’re there. You must escape it TODAY.

The Vaporous Life

What if I had special knowledge from God, concerning your death? Hypothetically, what if I KNEW when you were going to die, and I revealed to you that it would happen, next week. Wednesday at 2:54 p.m., you’re going to die. Would you live the next 3 days differently? Of course you would. You would know the clock is ticking and you would make the most of your time. You would prepare yourself to leave. Now, let’s remove the hypothetical portion of the equation. I don’t know the day, time, or circumstances….but I do know the reality…..YOU ARE GOING TO DIE! You will not spend the next 500 years in your hometown. Every heart beat draws you closer to the grave. Every second draws you closer to Eternity. Are you ready to meet your Maker?

How are we to live as Christians in a society like ours? A society in which, on any given day, some crazed lunatic might blow you away. A world in which, at any given moment, a plane might fly into a building you’re sitting in. A nation in which, at any time, a bomb could take your life. Shall we live in paranoid fear? NO….far from it! The Bible exhorts us to fear NONE, but God.

“Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10:28-33 (NASB)

FEAR GOD! TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST!.....and let the world do what it will do. If you die, die rejoicing in a Savior who has removed the sting of death by His victory over it on the cross. (1 Corinthians 15:58) Die fearlessly looking to the reward, rather than clinging to the passing pleasures of a sin cursed world.

JAMES’ LESSON

“ Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit’  Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.” James 4:13

James makes it so clear in James 4:13-15. Live your life. Make plans. Make money. Take care of your family…..but in doing all of that….recognize God’s Sovereign Authority over every minute detail of your life. And bow to Him, relinquishing any “right” you think you might have to dictate the parameters of your life to Him. Oh, how we need to realize God’s Sovereignty over our lives! How much frustration would we avoid? How much pain would be eliminated? How much comfort would come…..if ONLY, we bowed the knee….and lived our lives, content in His Perfect Control.

The reality of the matter is: WE DON’T KNOW WHAT TOMORROW WILL BRING. You might live to be 100. Or you might die tomorrow. Either way, the Christian is signed, sealed, and ready to be delivered. The one who has turned from sin in repentance and placed their faith in Christ as LORD of their life, is ready to go. Your death isn’t important. Your LIFE is. Are you following Jesus? Do you really love Jesus? Is He the Lord of your LIFE, everyday (not just Sunday)? Are you ready to meet your Maker?

“You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” James 4:13

Do you want to see an example of what your life is? Light a candle, then blow it out and watch the smoke. At first there’s a lot of smoke. Then it begins to drift and float away. Eventually, after a few minutes……it’s gone. And so it is with you and me. Today, you’re here. Tomorrow you’re gone. Your physical life will end…..but your soul will spend Eternity somewhere. Follow Jesus Christ to Heaven. Or reject Jesus Christ and continue on to Hell. But make no mistake, once this life ends…you’re forever SOMEWHERE.

“Instead , you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.’” James 4:15

God is in control. He is the King and Ruler of this Universe. That’s a fact. Some accept and embrace it. Some ignore and reject it. Yet, it’s still a fact. You and I are sinners. Our nature is such that we will choose sin over God every time. As a perfectly Holy and Righteous Creator, God would be well within His rights to cast all of us into the Eternal flames of Hell. But, He is Loving, Gracious, and Kind. You are alive today because of the Grace of God. By His Grace, we come to realize our sinfulness before Him. By His Grace, we feel the conviction of having sinned against His perfect standard. By His Grace, we hit the floor, in broken repentance over our sin. By His Grace, we say, “YES!” and embrace Jesus Christ as the One and Only, Supreme Lord of our lives. By His Grace, the punishment for our sins was poured out upon Jesus Christ on the cross. If you’re saved….it’s because of His Grace. If you’re lost, it’s because of your sinful rebellion against Him. By His Grace, you’ve heard this message today. Will you follow Christ and be saved? Will you reject Christ and be damned? Today you can turn to Him. Tomorrow, as we painfully learned again this week, may be too late. Your life is a vapor, that’s here for a while, and then it’s gone. Are you ready, TODAY……… to meet your Maker?

Revival -- What Only God Can Do

As we look forward to our Revival next week, I can’t help but think about what “Revival” really is. In fact I’m devoting the next two Sunday morning sermons to the topic of “Biblical Revival.” And it may seem strange to say, but Revival is something only God can do.

Throughout the course of Church History there have been several “Revivals” so to speak. The early 1900’s saw a period of “Revival” in Wales, in which many were saved and many more who were already saved were drawn into a deeper relationship with God. Colonial America experienced the “Great Awakening” and then the “2^nd Great Awakening” both times of widespread “Revival” again resulting in changed lives. We might even look at Pentecost (Acts 2) as a time of “Revival” as the promised Holy Spirit was poured out upon the early Church. But in every one of these instances, as well as every case of true, Biblical, Revival--one thing is always the same. God decides whether to “pour it out” or not.

With that said, the question can be asked: If Revival is completely God’s work, then what should WE, as Christians do? I think there are several things we can do to put ourselves in a position to have a special season with God, and I’ll talk more about them on Sunday morning. But here is a “sneak preview” from James 4:7-10.….

First we must SUBMIT TO GOD. Obviously we do this first at salvation. All MUST BOW THE KNEE to the Lord Jesus Christ, or they’ll perish. But submission is a lifelong process. We must recognize God’s absolute sovereign right over our lives and fall at His feet as a slave. Many are too prideful to do that. Some are too lazy to do that. Others just don’t realize the necessity of doing that. But a lack of submission to God is why some American churches act more like an Elk’s Lodge than a House of God. Christians MUST SUBMIT TO GOD…….or they will NEVER see God bring “Revival.”

Secondly we must RESIST THE DEVIL. Oftentimes the reason we don’t experience a deep walk with God is because we are too entangled in sin. While sin will always be a battle in this fallen world, ask yourself if you’re “fighting the good fight” or simply “giving in” and asking God to forgive after you’ve enjoyed a little “feeding of the fleshly nature.” GOD WON’T BRING REVIVAL TO CHRISTIANS ENJOYING THEIR SIN!

Third, we must draw near to God. This has to do with NOT ONLY submitting to His authority, but daily walking in communion with Him. “Drawing near” is something that takes a little work on our part. “Drawing near” means spending time prayerfully in His Word. “Drawing near” means spending time asking for God’s direction and His Spirit to work more fully in your life. AND GOD WON’T BRING REVIVAL TO CHRISTIANS WHO ARE NOT DRAWING NEAR TO HIM!

Fourth, we must TURN FROM SIN. Not just “resist the devil” but also “put to death the deeds of our sinful flesh” (see blog on Mortifying Sin under recent posts). Purify our hearts and cleanse our hands, by the power of the Holy Spirit (and by the practice of self-discipline--see 1 Tim. 4:7-8).

Fifth and finally, we must be “broken people.” We must mourn over sin in our lives AND SIN IN OTHER’S LIVES. We must weep as we look out upon a world in which our LORD is NOT receiving the GLORY HE DESERVES-----AND we must LONG to see that change. GOD WILL NOT BRING REVIVAL TO CHRISTIANS WHO ARE NOT BROKEN!

Sunday morning (Sept. 3), I’m going to preach about these things. Revival is something only GOD can do. I can’t guarantee it, neither can you, neither can Tim Smith. But I CAN tell you what type of Christian God WON’T bless. If we as individual Christians (and thus as a united Church) will seek to avoid what God says avoid--and do what God says do--then we’ll put ourselves in a position to see Him do mighty things in our life, in our church, in our town, and ultimately in our world. Of course it all begins with YOU. Thank God for the HONOR and PRIVILEDGE of coming to HIS HOUSE on Sunday morning--and come ready to worship, seek His face, and prepare your heart for what He may choose to do for you and through you, and maybe even to you.

Evangelism---Paul’s Way, the Puritan’s Way, & Tim Smith’s Way…

Evangelism ALWAYS involves sharing Biblical facts with lost people. We must tell them about sin, judgment, grace, and forgiveness. We must tell them about Jesus Christ and His perfect life imputed to believers; and His atoning death applied to our account. We must tell them of the necessity of turning from sin in repentance and placing their faith in Christ as LORD of their life. We must tell them about the resurrection, the divinity of Christ, and his promised return. But in sharing the gospel---where do you start?

It depends on where the person is at spiritually… On Wednesday nights we have been studying the life of Paul. Its interesting to note the difference in approaches when he shares the gospel with Jews, versus when he shares with Gentiles (and pagans). When sharing with Jews, he has a starting point. Supposedly, they already believed in the Old Testament. They understood the concept of Yahweh the one true God and they had some idea of the coming Messiah. Paul was able to “reason with them” from their own Scriptures--and argue that Jesus Christ was in fact the long awaited Messiah. Paul could point to fulfilled prophecies and explain that Christ came to pay for sins as a “suffering servant” rather than to punish the Romans as a political king.

But notice what Paul does in Acts 17 when he is in Athens trying to share the gospel to pagans. He has to start WAY further back. In fact he goes all the way back to creation in verse 24, yet by verse 30 he is preaching Christ and the resurrection. And he does it masterfully! Paul’s sermon to the pagans on Mars Hill is one of the greatest sermons ever preached and offers us an example of how to start from square one in sharing the gospel.

Can you see the similarities between Paul’s day and ours? We know some lost people who have a certain amount of reverence for the church and God’s Word. They may take their hats off when they come in the church building, they may believe the Bible is God’s Word if you asked them. They have nice things to say about Christians---they’re often times very sweet people. But they’re also sinners who need a Savior. With these people we have a starting place---the Bible. If they claim to believe the Bible, then you can approach them by sharing the gospel “based upon what the Bible says.” And they may listen. NOW---try walking up to an atheist and telling them “what the Bible says.” They’re likely to scoff because they could care less about the Bible. They don’t even believe in God. They are more like the pagans in Athens and we may have to go back a little further with them. Read Acts 17:17-34 and notice how Paul tells the pagans about:

God’s Power (He is Lord & Creator. He cannot be contained. He has no needs)

God’s Sovereignty (He decided where and when we would live. We should seek Him, but as sinners--we don’t)

God’s Nearness (Though we seek Him not--He is near to all of us)

God’s Personal Knowledge of us (We are only alive because he allows us to be. Our life ends when He says it does), and finally

God’s Salvation (Repentance and faith in Christ--Judgment is coming!)

In talking to someone about Christ, you may have to elaborate on some of these themes, but notice how Paul starts with a somewhat vague concept of the Creator God and He makes it more and more personal with each step…leading up to his proclamation of salvation in Christ alone. And notice how Paul doesn’t shy away from preaching judgment to sinners. (They’ll never understand the good news, unless they know there’s bad news.)

Paul shared the gospel. He encouraged the lost to turn to Christ. But he left the results up to God. Wednesday night we talked about some of the results of sharing the gospel. For Paul--some ridiculed him (v. 18), some analyzed him (v. 18), some showed interest (v. 19-20), some made fun of him (v. 32), some procrastinated (v. 32), AND SOME WERE SAVED (v. 34). We will see the same results in our evangelism. The secret is to not let the negative reactions deter us. We may get made fun of 10 times, but God may be planning to save the 11th one we witness to. Will you be faithful in the ten rejections for the sake of the one? Aren’t you glad someone was faithful and persevered in your case?

Speaking of Evangelism…I met with Tim Smith this afternoon about our upcoming revival (September 10-13). Tim & I visited and prayed together, asking God to bless this time in our church. Tim wanted to know what I wanted him to preach on--and he told me what he was thinking--Strangely enough it was the exact same thing (Coincidence? Hardly). The first night of the Revival will be “Youth Night.” It’s a Sunday night (which is our regular Youth meeting) and we are hoping the teenagers will pack the place with kids. Mike will lead music. Tim will preach the gospel. God will be glorified. On Monday night Tim will focus on God’s Unreachable Holiness. Tuesday night will be Man’s Absolute Depravity. Now, you should look at the two of those and be very discouraged--if you’re lost. God’s standard is perfection, yet your heart is depraved. How then shall we be saved? Wednesday night, Tim will talk about the Glorious and Total Sufficiency of Jesus Christ to bridge the gap--pay for sin--change the heart--and grant eternal life. All four nights Tim will end by clearly presenting the Biblical gospel of repentance and faith. I ASSURE YOU---YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS THESE MESSAGES! These 3 doctrines were MAJOR themes in the preaching of the Puritans…and God used their preaching to IGNITE a revival in colonial America known as The Great Awakening. The preaching of Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield saw multitudes of conversions. Bars closed down for lack of business. People who NEVER CARED about Christ were suddenly awakened to their lost state and were saved. Complacent Christians were set on fire for Christ. The Lord did a work. Oh, that he would do it again in our day!

Be in prayer for the Revival. I assure you Tim is taking it seriously. He turned down another engagement in December to focus on our meetings. I look forward to what God might do…IF WE ARE PREPARED. Be in prayer for the lost. Be in prayer for yourself. Be in prayer for me, and our church. Be in prayer for Tim. Invite neighbors, relatives, co-workers, and friends. Come every night focused on God. I have no doubt that Tim’s preaching will give you a greater love and reverence for God the Father--it will lift up and magnify Jesus Christ and the Cross -- and it will be done in the power of the Holy Spirit. Be in prayer for lives to be changed. And pray that one of those lives is yours.