Preparing For the Age to Come

Jesus spoke of the age to come. Are we preparing for this? Are we preparing for the judgment seat of Christ and living in light of eternity? Are we confessing our sin to Him? Are we living a life of continual and increasing repentance? Are we putting to death the deeds of the flesh, killing sin, taking up our cross and following Him? Are we putting to death SELF? Is our cry, “Not my will O Lord but THY will be done!”? We are exhorted to not sin willfully nor walk after the flesh. Are we devoted to Him, living for Him, suffering for Him? Are we listening to Him? Do we obey Him? Paul talked about pressing on toward the goal for the prize. Are we being sanctified through trials and suffering? Are we reproached at all for obeying and representing the Lord Jesus? Are we being tried and purified by His refining fire- now? Are we abiding in Him and bearing good fruit? Are we obeying His commandments and walking in the Spirit? Are we staying on the narrow road? Are we loving and serving the saints of God? Are we bringing people to Jesus and making disciples? Are we doing whatever He is telling us to do? Are we loving NOT the world? Are we separating ourselves unto Christ? Are we doing the deeds and will of our Father?

When He is done wiping the tears from our eyes, after the fire has burned through to judge the quality of our work, then whatever worthy part that remains, we shall lay that down at His feet. And then.. the age to come.

Audio: Have you heard this yet? The Judgment seat of Christ

Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 2Cor5:9

Church Work or Kingdom Work

Which one are you doing? This is one of my favorite sermons. I found this message several years ago but I did not have the courage to post it. Now, by God’s grace, I’m posting it for you.

Audio: Church work or Kingdom work! Which one are you doing?

The Gospel is Everything- Pt.3

..even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forebearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Rom.3:22-26

That which is most important.

In his final talk on Saturday at Legacy (this 7 part video), Washer reviewed “that which is most important”: the heart of the true Gospel, which is Justification and the Atonement.

He stressed that regeneration is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, and went on to teach why the carnal methods and traditions of Decisionism, Easy-Believism, and manipulation are unbiblical and unnecessary. He deconstructed the modern methods of evangelism, even going through all the common verses (John1:12, Rom.10:9, Rev.3:20) used in tracts to get someone to “repeat this prayer after me”, teaching what the verses really mean.

Washer defined and gave examples of true conversion and exhorted the flock to PREACH like Ezekiel, delivering God’s Word to dead bones; understanding and trusting that only God can make them live. We must understand what conversion actually is.

He also mentioned how we must understand what The CHURCH really is. It is not the institution of “Evangelicalism”. It is not beautiful buildings full of people, many of whom are not converted. The church is the Bride of Christ; the sheep, who love and follow Jesus, and go on in sanctification in Him. He finished by encouraging us to go deep into the Gospel and to cultivate a close love relationship with our Lord and Savior.

The Gospel is Everything- Pt.2

He was crushed for our iniquities.. Is.53:4.. The LORD was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief..Is.53:10 As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; by His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities. Is.53:11

The LORD was pleased to crush Him.

Washer (in this 6 part Friday devotional video) discussed the imputation of our sin by God onto the sinless Christ who was crushed under the wrath of God, achieving our justification; our being declared righteous in Christ.

He spoke of how churches and ministers in the USA do not understand the Gospel; they are Gospel ignorant. He exhorts them to teach the knowledge of God and the Atonement, for “the Gospel is everything”.

Washer expounded on the event of the cross: the Atonement, with emphasis on the Love of God for men. He spoke of how this Atonement results in NO MORE guilt and condemnation for the justified, and that Jesus, in His great love, was willing, able and glad to take it for us.

This talk ended with a reminder of the beautiful meaning of Abraham and Isaac: how YHWH provided God’s only Son, the Lamb of God, as the sacrifice. “God, my God!, I know that You love me; You have not withheld Your Son, Your only Son from me.”

The Gospel is Everything- Pt.1

I’d like to share with you the three devotional teachings on “The Gospel” that we heard from Paul Washer at Legacy. Here are some notes and the first of five videos for the Thursday devotional (follow the videos through part 5). Highly recommended teaching for anyone in any kind of ministry, especially preaching and evangelism.

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Cor.5:21

The Gospel is not Christianity 101: It is Everything.

He began by speaking of how the Gospel has been compromised, changed and has lost it’s power. The real Gospel is power. He “attempted to begin” to expound on this text regarding how Jesus the sinless Holy One received all the curses, condemnation, shame, rejection and wrath that we, the sons of iniquity, may be set free and given all the spiritual blessings.

At the end of this talk he exhorted leaders not to seek “ministry success” or fame but to only press hard after His presence. “Success in ministry” means nothing. Being known and celebrated in “Christianity” (or the world!) is worthless. The only thing you come to desire is His presence.

Risk-Taking Adventure!

Reading God's Word out loud in public in San Francisco amidst listeners and hecklers

(Desiring that )…” your life and ministry would have a radical flavor, a risktaking flavor, a gutsy, countercultural wartime flavor that makes average American people in your church uncomfortable! …A strange mixture of tenderness and toughness that keeps people a little bit off balance… a pervasive summons to something… hazardous, a saltiness, a brightness… like Jesus. Salt and light…a joyful embrace of suffering…”

~John Piper

Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Hence, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. Hebrews 13:12-13.

Audio: How the Supremacy of Christ Creates Radical Christian Sacrifice, from the T4G conference.

Treasuring Christ Above All Things

In this sermon jam video someone is throwing “things of this life” into the trash can. I just wanted to add, “health” to that list! How about “reputation”, and “personal dreams, hopes and aspirations”? How many other things can we also count as loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord, for whom we have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that we may gain Christ? How do we come to treasure Christ above all things, even life itself? He brings us with Him into the journey of our gradual sanctification. Often He does this through taking things away, or through suffering, or both. Finally, through His working in our life for our good (Rom.8:28), we come to treasure Christ above all, and all other things are as loss to us. What is left is Christ and joy in knowing Him.

Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy! Ps.43:4

For Thou dost make him most blessed forever; Thou dost make him joyful with gladness in Thy presence. Ps.21:6

Here is a related sermon/article: Called to suffer and rejoice; that we may gain Christ, by John Piper.

Yes, the Lord will help us endure, but it is not about our loss, our pain, our suffering, it is about HIM! It is about treasuring Jesus Christ above everything!

Worship song: shai linne (with John Piper) MY PORTION listen now and be encouraged in having Him and KNOWING HIM.

Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And besides Thee, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever! Ps.73:25-26

Repent and Witness!

Here is the report from Change Collegian Network‘s Repent and Witness Evangelism camp in New York City. About 30 people from around the country gathered to represent the King and preach Christ and Him crucified to the multitudes on the street. It looks like they had a fabulous time of fellowship, street preaching, subway preaching, stop light preaching, testimony telling, literature distribution and one to one witnessing. Check out the pics, videos and report here at the CCN blog. You must watch the slide show, with audio of a pastor inspiring, challenging and teaching the team before they go out. Listen to what he is saying.

Blog: Repent and Witness Evangelism camp 2008 in New York City.

Communicating the Gospel

I think this is my current favorite Paul Washer message about the Gospel. Right on and to the point regarding communicating the gospel. Really good stuff. Here’s a few quotes.

“There’s no such thing as a motivational speaker in Jesus name. Either be a preacher or be nothing.”

“Men are changed through the communication of truth- not methodologies.”

Audio: The Gospel of our Salvation, Page 3 from Journey into the Gospel.

Outreach in The City

We had a great week up in The City. Started the week in worship with Park Presidio Bible church on 10th Ave. in the morning, and Casa de Refugio Iglesia on Market St. in the afternoon. It was a joy to sing in Spanish, and a young woman even came and translated the whole sermon. The neat thing was that the message from both churches was about being a bold witness of the gospel, from different passages in the book of Acts. Both churches also preached against false teaching, and also declared the lateness of the hour, prophetically speaking. Very different churches, same biblical messages!

Monday, we spent the day on Fisherman’s Wharf. Tuesday, we were on Telegraph and Haste in Berkeley and later we hung out on 16th and Mission. Wednesday we were at Haight & Ashbury/Masonic and our dear brothers Paul Kaiser and the young man he is discipling, Ryan, came down to join us. That night we went down to Haight & Stanyan. Thursday we went to Fisherman’s Wharf again and Friday we were at Berkeley again, but up on the campus at Sproul plaza. Saturday we spent all day at UN Plaza, then we went out to Chinese for dinner before heading home on BART.

Everybody ministered the gospel in slightly different styles, of course. Some gave out printed or audio gospel material, some played music and sang, some preached open air, some read passages of scripture from the Bible, but mostly, we engaged people in dozens of one on one conversations where the law and the gospel were boldly, respectfully and joyfully shared.

Of course I have some conversations I’d love to tell you about, and photos to upload, but first I think I’ll get some sleep. Until then, here’s some video from our day working with Paul on Haight & Ashbury. (Warning: videos are rated R for language.)

In this video, Jessi is videotaping while Ryan talks to Nick Pt.1. A few feet away in the background, I’m talking to Nick’s friend Greg.

In this video, Paul is doing some old fashioned street preaching & apologetics; engaging hecklers, mockers and those with genuine questions in conversation as the opportunity arises.

In this video, here is more of Paul engaging a man with the truth of God’s Word.

In this video, Ryan is preaching his heart out while I videotape. The enemy sure did not like his preaching. There was a bit of spiritual reaction to the Truth. His message turned out to be 90% law and 10% grace due to the pride and hard hearts of the hearers. Regardless of the response of people, seeds are sown, and God is always glorified in the proclamation of the gospel and the exalting of Christ.

Don’t be discouraged by these videos! The wind of God’s Spirit blows where it wills, and nothing is too hard for the Lord. Here is a timely and encouraging reminder of this great truth.

Audio: Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord? by John Piper

What is going on in the minds of the people in these videos as well as those we witness to at work, on the street or at the family reunion picnic? This message teaches us the theological truth from Romans 1 about how people already know God exists, that God’s standards exist and that their sinful acts deserve death. Listen to find out the encouraging way this truth helps us in our witnessing to them, so we can have courage and bold confidence in our gospel sharing.

Audio: Doing and Endorsing Evil, by John Piper

Here is Ryan and Nick, Pt.2

Ryan talks with Nick, with Paul and Jessi also contributing. Here is the summary from Paul Kaiser:

“Bro. Ryan continues to reason with Nick and we begin to clearly see what it is that Nick holds so dear. He loves his sin and is blinded by his own pride. Please pray that God will be merciful and grant Nick repentance.”

Here is Paul Kaiser’s report on The Reformed Evangelist: The Haight-Ashbury Experience.