The short message was recorded with my new GoPro Hero3 camera!
The Stain That Wouldn’t Come Out
Posted: July 23, 2015 in belief, Biblical, death, Evangelical, Evangelism, Faith, Father, glory, God, Holy Spirit, Holy Trinity, homily, Hope, Jesus, kerygma, Kingdom of God, life, Love, message, Messiah, Ministry, orthodoxy, Pentecostal, power, preach, Preaching, redemption, repent, Repentance, Scriptural, sermon, Son, story, storytelling, Teaching, Word
This short message was recorded with an Apple IPhone 6!
Knowing God, Loving God, and the Truth
Posted: July 20, 2015 in Ancient Faith, ascension, belief, Biblical, Body of Christ, Calling, catholic, Charismatic, Christian, Church, Cross, death, Evangelism, Faith, Father, God, Holy Spirit, Holy Trinity, Hope, Jesus, life, Love, message, Messiah, orthodoxy, redemption, reign, repent, Repentance, resurrection, Sacramental, sanctification, Scriptural, Son, Teaching, WordTags: body, commandment, engage, Father, God, Holy Spirit, love, mind, Son, soul, strength, Truth
You cannot love God without first obeying the Truth and knowing Him.
“In Him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in Him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14 (NRSV)
“He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40 (NRSV)
“When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own, but will speak whatever He hears, and He will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because He will take what is mine and declare it to you.” John 16:13-14 (NRSV)
It is absurd to say you love God without loving the Truth. If you are not engaging your mind in your pursuit of knowing God you are not really loving God. You are not really obeying the greatest commandment.
He Will Cause You Rest
Posted: July 16, 2015 in belief, Biblical, Charismatic, Christian, Counsel, Cross, Faith, God, Jesus, life, Love, Messiah, Pastoral Care, power, redemption, resurrection, Scriptural, story, Teaching, WordTags: Jesus, recess, recreate, recreation, renew, renewal, rest, Son of God
There is a question in my mind about “rest.” We’ve all had something to say about “rest.” Slowing down, taking it easier, and spending more time with God. All the books about Emotionally Healthy Spirituality (EHS) say the same thing. We have to slow down, we have to set a Sabbath rest for ourselves.
However, do we realize what Jesus said about “rest?” In Matthew 11:28 Jesus says literally, “Come to Me, all ones tiring, and being loaded down, and I will cause you rest.” Jesus said He would CAUSE us rest. That is really different from GIVE us rest isn’t it? The Greek word ἀναπαύω anapauō in this verse means, “to cause or permit one to cease from any movement or labour in order to recover and collect his strength.” Jesus says you don’t need to keep striving. Jesus says I permit you not to strive any longer. Jesus says come to me and I will cause you to cease from any movement or labor in order that you can recover and collect your strength. Have you ever had anyone tell you to stop what you were doing? I hear Jesus saying, stop what you’re doing! This labor you are undertaking is not what you were made for. You were created to rely upon Me, depend upon Me, and obtain your strength from me, for He says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:29-30 (NRSV)
I visualize Jesus yoke as Jeremy Taylor has said, ““Christ’s yoke is like feathers to a bird; not loads, but helps to motion.” Jesus yoke isn’t easy as we know easy to mean, but it means good, virtuous, and wholesome – it is not contrived or demanding. Oh, what grace! Oh, to lean on the everlasting arms that hold us up when we are under stress and pressure. As the song says, “safe and secure from all alarms.”
Shouldn’t we all lean upon His everlasting arms and rest, recess, and renew?
Social Media – A Tool for Ministry
Posted: May 12, 2015 in belief, catholic, Christian, Church, Church History, Evangelical, Evangelism, Faith, God, Holy Spirit, Holy Trinity, Hope, Jesus, kerygma, Kingdom of God, letter, life, Love, message, Ministry, poetry, power, preach, Preaching, redemption, repent, Repentance, Sacramental, Scriptural, sermon, sign, story, storytelling, Teaching, Testimony, The Story, universalTags: Body of Christ, Church, death, deliverance, faith, Father, God, Gospel, Holy Spirit, hope, Jesus, love, media, Messiah, ministry, sickness, sin, social, Son, tools, web
Social Media – A Tool for Ministry
For atleast the past 10 years, I have discovered and now believe that Social Media is a powerful tool for ministry. Posting on social media sites has allowed me to be salt and light to a lost and dying world by reaching those people who may never visit a community of faith.
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” ~ Matthew 5:13-16 (ESV)
Through the use of social media many people can be touched with the Gospel. Social media is an influential tool.
Let’s take for example how I use my Twitter account. I post short Gospel messages each day with a link to The Story.
The Story is an online booklet containing content and design that was created for the believer and unbeliever, to clearly present the Gospel of Jesus. ViewTheStory.com, the online version, was setup for churches, ministires, and individuals to embed on their website. Spread The Truth ministries created the online version specifically for churches, but anyone can use it as a tool to share the Good News.
Each day I post on my Twitter feed anywhere from 8-10 little messages with links to The Story. Each day I check my dashboard at ViewTheStory.com to see how many visits and views were made to the online booklet. So far since September of 2012, there have been 3,247 all time views, and 2,988 all time unique visitors to the link sponsored by Symphony Ministries. Last month a total of 731 people visited and viewed The Story, the Good News of Jesus Christ. I am amazed at the response, and have prayed that of the three thousand people who visited The Story that many of them received salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
There are other social media or media outlets that I use to spread the Gospel message. I have learned many things in this Communication in Ministry course related to communicating the Gospel. The main thing I have learned is that when we give a clear, concise, honest, presentation of the Gospel message, it will help the listener or viewer to respond to God’s call to salvation. For that, I am very thankful.
Kerygma, Part Two…
Posted: May 12, 2015 in Ancient Faith, Biblical, Books, catholic, Christian, Church, Church History, Covenant theology, Evangelism, Faith, Hope, kerygma, life, Liturgical, Love, Ministry, Orthodox, orthodoxy, Preaching, Repentance, sanctification, Scriptural, Teaching, Testimony, The Story, universalTags: birth, Body of Christ, celebration, Christ, Church, covenant of grace, covenant of redemption, death, faith hope, Father, forgiveness, God, Holy Spirit, Holy Trinity, homily, Jesus, joy, kergyma, life, love, Messiah, ministry, peace, preach, Preaching, Proclamation, prophet, prophetic, redemption, repent, Savior, sermon, sickness, sin, Son, story, Word
The Kerygma – Part Two
The Kerygma
To review, kerygma is the Greek word κήρυγμα kérugma, translated proclamation or preaching. The Kergyma is proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ in spoken words, or even proclaimed in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. It is the proclamation of Jesus redemptive work. It is the proclamation God’s story of the history of redemption from the beginning of creation. Proclamation was usually followed by teaching and instruction in the elements of the faith, or the reading of a Creed. What Jesus did and taught in His ministry was included within the basic proclamation.
Here is a summary of the ancient kerygma:
- The Age of Fulfillment has dawned, the “latter days” foretold by the prophets.
- This has taken place through the birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah.
- By virtue of the resurrection, and His ascension into heaven, Jesus has been exalted at the right hand of God as King of Kings – the Messianic head of the new Israel.
- The Holy Spirit in the Church is the sign of Jesus’ present power and glory.
- The Messianic Age will reach its consummation in the return of Jesus.
- An appeal is made for repentance for the forgiveness of sins, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and salvation.
Jesus the Messiah, of course, was the center of this ancient kerygma. The cross, the resurrection, and His ascension to the right hand of Majesty are crucial to the kerygmatic preaching of Messiah Jesus.
Kerygmatic preaching is not a technique that can simply be learned by articulate spokespersons, it is a relationship that must be received, experienced, and thereby announced.
There are eight kerygmatic sermons given by the Apostles in Luke’s letter to Theophilus, the Acts of the Apostles. They are found in the following passages:
1) Acts 2:14-36
2) Acts 3:12-26
3) Acts 4:8-12
4) Acts 5:29-32
5) Acts 10: 34-43
6) Acts 13:16-41
7) Acts 14:15-17
8) Acts 17: 22-31
I’m Very Fond of You, Jesus…
Posted: May 9, 2015 in Ancient Faith, Biblical, Calling, Christian, Church History, Counsel, Faith, Hope, life, Love, Ministry, orthodoxy, Pastoral Care, sanctification, Scriptural, Teaching, TestimonyTags: brother, disciple, Father, flock, follow, follower, fondness, friend, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, like, love, Messiah, nurish, sheep, Son of God, tend
“I’m very fond of You, Jesus…”
“When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” ~ John 21:15-19 (ESV)
Jesus uses the word ἀγαπάω agapaō translated “love” which means “to love dearly” in verses 15 & 16. Jesus challenges Peter’s answers. Now, in verse 17 Jesus uses a different word. Knowing Peter would grieve and be offended at the being asked a third time, He says, “Simon, son of Jonas, are you fond of me?” φιλέω phileō, which means “to love affectionately as a friend.”
Noting this, observe what word Peter uses in response to Jesus. In verse 15 Peter says literally, “you know that I am fond of you.” Φιλέω phileō. Again in verse 16, Peter says the same thing, “O Lord, you know that I am fond of you.” Φιλέω phileō. The third time Jesus asks Peter, he responds, “O Lord, you know all things, you know that I am fond of you!” Φιλέω phileō.
The reason Jesus asks Peter three times is to determine if he really loved Jesus above all else. Jesus asked Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Jesus wanted Peter to understand the difference in what He expected from him, and where Peter was in his heart.
Being a disciple is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and your neighbor as yourself – and also to love God above even your neighbor to the point where you would give your life for His sake (vs. 18-19).
In The Hands of the Refiner 