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The economic sin of heaven tourism, unbiblical Christianese, expository preaching, God's justice in Christ
We are nearing the end of the first full week of school. The kindergarten kids are tiring me out! I have just a few links for you tonight.
In the first one, Dr. Al Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, speaks on why expository preaching is SOOO important.
"The Sheer Weightlessness of so many Sermons: Why Expository Preaching Matters"
"One of the first steps to a recovery of authentic Christian preaching is to define exactly what we mean when we discuss authentic preaching as “exposition.” Many preachers claim to be expositors. But in many cases, this means merely that the preacher has a biblical text in mind, no matter how tenuous its relationship to the sermon."
"Unfortunately, the appetite for serious preaching has virtually disappeared among many Christians who are content to have their fascinations with themselves encouraged from the pulpit."
Read on. Dr Mohler does a great job as usual for making the case.
In this next link, Mike Gendron at Proclaiming the Gospel talks of the wishy-washy Christian-ese vocabulary words that have crept into our language but in fact are merely watering down the faith and making a mush of the crispness of the word.
Unbiblical Words in Today's Christian Vocabulary
"Does it concern you that terms with no biblical foundation have crept into the contemporary Christian vocabulary? Most of the unbiblical terms being used today describe how a person becomes a Christian or how a professing Christians excuses their lifestyle of habitual sin. Some examples of the former include "accepting Jesus" and "inviting Jesus into your heart." Two examples of the latter include "backsliding" and "carnal Christians." These four terms give professing Christians a false sense of security that they are saved when they may never have been converted. We need to take great care that we are part of the solution and not part of the problem."
The latest edition of NoCo90 (No Compromise Radio 90-Second Biblical Truth Clips) is about the Economic Sin of Lazarus.
I'll summarize what Pastor Mike Abendroth of Bethlehem Bible Church in MA said in this very short but powerful video clip. Jesus commanded Lazarus to come out of the grave. His grave cloths were unbound from him, and Lazarus went on to live the rest of his natural life. What was heaven like, Lazarus? We don't know. Lazarus is never recorded in the bible as saying anything about what he did, where he went or what it was like for him during the 4 days he was dead. Yet people today who allegedly die for a minute or an hour, and are brought back to consciousness if not life, are speaking about their experience in packed auditoriums, writing books that sell for big bucks, and making movies to gain economically from their so-called heavenly visit. In listening to Pastor Abendroth explain it in those terms you begin to see how crass the whole heaven tourism industry really is.
Then he said that if you want to read a book about a guy who rose from the dead and was in heaven, then remember that JESUS is that man, and He wrote a book about it, and that book is free.
Pastor Abendroth says it much better than I do, so please do click on the link to go to his Youtube account and listen for 90 seconds.
The Christian Pundit has a terrific essay on God's Justice in Christ. I love to ponder His justice...even more than pondering His love. I hate sin and I can't wait for Jesus to render justice on the world so that when the time comes, all will worship Him in perfection, truth, and sinlessness. I long for that day. Meanwhile, today, here is their essay on justice
God’s Justice in Christ
Painting of the day
Jesus walks on water, Ivan Aivazovsky, 1888
In the first one, Dr. Al Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, speaks on why expository preaching is SOOO important.
"The Sheer Weightlessness of so many Sermons: Why Expository Preaching Matters"
"One of the first steps to a recovery of authentic Christian preaching is to define exactly what we mean when we discuss authentic preaching as “exposition.” Many preachers claim to be expositors. But in many cases, this means merely that the preacher has a biblical text in mind, no matter how tenuous its relationship to the sermon."
"Unfortunately, the appetite for serious preaching has virtually disappeared among many Christians who are content to have their fascinations with themselves encouraged from the pulpit."
Read on. Dr Mohler does a great job as usual for making the case.
In this next link, Mike Gendron at Proclaiming the Gospel talks of the wishy-washy Christian-ese vocabulary words that have crept into our language but in fact are merely watering down the faith and making a mush of the crispness of the word.
Unbiblical Words in Today's Christian Vocabulary
"Does it concern you that terms with no biblical foundation have crept into the contemporary Christian vocabulary? Most of the unbiblical terms being used today describe how a person becomes a Christian or how a professing Christians excuses their lifestyle of habitual sin. Some examples of the former include "accepting Jesus" and "inviting Jesus into your heart." Two examples of the latter include "backsliding" and "carnal Christians." These four terms give professing Christians a false sense of security that they are saved when they may never have been converted. We need to take great care that we are part of the solution and not part of the problem."
The latest edition of NoCo90 (No Compromise Radio 90-Second Biblical Truth Clips) is about the Economic Sin of Lazarus.
I'll summarize what Pastor Mike Abendroth of Bethlehem Bible Church in MA said in this very short but powerful video clip. Jesus commanded Lazarus to come out of the grave. His grave cloths were unbound from him, and Lazarus went on to live the rest of his natural life. What was heaven like, Lazarus? We don't know. Lazarus is never recorded in the bible as saying anything about what he did, where he went or what it was like for him during the 4 days he was dead. Yet people today who allegedly die for a minute or an hour, and are brought back to consciousness if not life, are speaking about their experience in packed auditoriums, writing books that sell for big bucks, and making movies to gain economically from their so-called heavenly visit. In listening to Pastor Abendroth explain it in those terms you begin to see how crass the whole heaven tourism industry really is.
Then he said that if you want to read a book about a guy who rose from the dead and was in heaven, then remember that JESUS is that man, and He wrote a book about it, and that book is free.
Pastor Abendroth says it much better than I do, so please do click on the link to go to his Youtube account and listen for 90 seconds.
The Christian Pundit has a terrific essay on God's Justice in Christ. I love to ponder His justice...even more than pondering His love. I hate sin and I can't wait for Jesus to render justice on the world so that when the time comes, all will worship Him in perfection, truth, and sinlessness. I long for that day. Meanwhile, today, here is their essay on justice
God’s Justice in Christ
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Painting of the day
Jesus walks on water, Ivan Aivazovsky, 1888
Inspiring. I wish I had found this blog a long time ago. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Tara, and welcome. Thanks so much. I write on a variety of topics, including encouragement, discernment, and prophecy, but always striving to keep the focus on our great Savior. :)
DeleteThis is something that has bothered me a long time. Nice to hear that someone else sees the problems with selling these stories.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, I wish there was an easier way to be able to find posts that I commented on earlier. Do you have a search bar and I just don't see it?
Hi Laura,
DeleteI'm happy that Pastor Abendroth addressed it, also. In addition, Pastor Justin Peters, the Discernment preacher, has also commented on heaven tourism, in a series called "Your Best Afterlife Now" which can be viewed here, among other places
http://so4j.com/false-visits-to-heaven-and-hell.php#your_best_afterlife_now_justin_peters
The search bar is toward the top right sidebar, underneath the google plus icon, it says "Search This Blog". Let me know if you're still having trouble.
Further, if you make a comment or reply to a comment, you can track further responses, by looking at the comment box, and under it to the right there is a live link that says "Subscribe by email". You can unsubscribe to that essay's comments at any time later.