(Jesus said) "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6)
Since 1998 black billboards with white letters have appeared on roadways all across America. These billboards have captured the attention of millions of people. Hundreds of news articles and broadcasts have been devoted to spreading the word about the billboards. Much of the intrigue was because the person behind the billboards wanted to remain anonymous. This person did not want the attention to be focused on him. He or she wanted the attention to be on someone much higher and more important: God. The billboards purport to display a message from God. I am sure most of you have seen one or more of these billboards so allow me to remind you of several of the messages. One reads, "Let's meet at My house Sunday before the game." Another issues an invitation to, "C'mon over and bring the kids." One that always makes me chuckle asks, "What part of 'Thou shalt not…' didn't you understand?" And my all-time favorite: "Keep using My name in vain and I'll make rush hour longer."
These billboards are fiction. They are not really messages from God, but they sure make you think about God even if it is just for a moment as you sit in traffic. Did you know that God has erected a far more powerful billboard than these? The billboard I am speaking of was erected for the entire world to see over 2000 years ago outside the city walls of Jerusalem on a windswept hill called Golgotha. The message was a man, the Son of God, Christ Jesus. The cross where Jesus died is a message from God's heart to us. God does not remain anonymous. God is speaking to you today through what He did on the cross of Jesus Christ. God wants to speak to you the message of the cross. I have been reading a book by John R. W. Stott entitled, "The Cross of Christ." In it Stott writes, "Just as human beings disclose their character in their actions, so God has showed himself to us in the death of his son" (p. 204).
The Cross Displays The Love of God
Once when I was young I watched my sister pluck a yellow flower from our flower bed. She held the flower in one hand and began plucking the petals one by one with the other. I will never forget what she said as she plucked each petal. "He loves me; he loves me not." Evidently she was trying to divine the intents and interests of a boy in her class. She wanted to know if he loved her like she loved him. Somehow she always seemed to pluck the last petal as it ended on the phrase, "He loves me." If I did not know better I would say she rigged the results! Well, I have good news for you if you have ever wondered if God loves you. You don't have to rig it! He loves you and He has demonstrated His love on the cross. The Apostle Paul wrote, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8, [NKJV]). John Stott wrote, "Because we were sinners, we deserved to die under the righteous anger of God. But God sent his only Son, and in sending him came himself, to die that death and bear that wrath instead of us. It was an act of sheer, pure, unmerited love" (p. 213). Jesus Himself declared:
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16-18 [NKJV]).
God does not merely declare His love. He demonstrates it on the cross. His love is not a sappy, sentimental love. It is a love borne out of His holiness that willingly sacrifices for the good of another. If you die and go to Hell it will not be because God hates you. It will be in spite of his great love for you because you rejected His Son.
The word “evangelism” does not occur in the Bible. Yet, it is a word often used in the modern church. Many Christians call themselves Evangelicals. By this they mean that they believe in and support evangelism. What then, is evangelism? Is evangelism a Biblical mandate? If so, upon whom is it binding?
While the English word “evangelism” does not occur in the Bible, its meaning does. The word is derived from the Greek word euaggelion, which means “gospel” or “good news.” The verbal forms of this word occur over fifty times in the New Testament and essentially mean “to bring” or to “announce good news.” In his book, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, J. I. Packer writes, “According to the New Testament, evangelism is just preaching the gospel, the evangel. It is a work of communication in which Christians make themselves mouthpieces for God’s message of mercy to sinners.”1
Continue reading "The Inescapable Obligation of Evangelism" »
I've been studying this parable and thought I would share some of my thoughts with you. I hope you will be blessed in your own study.
9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14) ESV
Continue reading "The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14) " »
Every Christian knows that Jesus Christ has commissioned us to share the Gospel with others (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8). We have the wonderful privilege of telling people that God loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die for our sins. Jesus rose from the dead on the third day and saves from eternal punishment all who place their faith in Him (John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Romans 10:9-11).
Every Christian also knows that one of the most difficult things to do may be to witness to your own family members who are spiritually lost. Someone recently asked me how he could witness to a lost brother. He was having difficulty getting his brother to listen to him because his brother could not forget how he (the new Christian) used to live. His brother also felt like he was being judged by his saved sibling by telling him he needed to place his faith in Jesus Christ. Here are a few suggestions I offered this man. Perhaps they will be helpful to you as you witness to your family members. I would love to hear your ideas as well.
1. Remember that salvation is a work of God. [Jesus said] “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.”John 6:44 (NIV)
2. Make sure your life matches your lips! Follow Jesus as the Lord of your life and actions. Be respectful to those who do not believe. Demonstrate hope and faith in God even during the difficulties of life. “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”1 Peter 3:15-16 (NIV)
3. Deal with any unconfessed sin in your life. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”1 John 1:9 (NIV)
4. Invite them to church worship services or activities (baptisms, Baby Dedication, Life Group parties, etc.). They will get to know other believers and they will hear the Gospel at church. You know I do not let a service go by without sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ! “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where [Jesus] was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).John 1:39-42 (NIV)
5. Pray for them regularly. “Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.”Romans 10:1 (NIV)
6. Share the Gospel verbally as God gives you the opportunity. "I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." Romans 1:16 (NIV)
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