Just yesterday we finished our Summer Sermon Series, Church Rummage Sale, at The Blue Point Bible Church. Not yesterday as the conclusion, but the week prior I preached a sermon wherein we reviewed church history, as well as our own lives, over the last 100 years (1925 – 2025) What has led to who were are today? The good, the bad, and the ugly.
While many seem confused regarding what exactly the Gospel is, which should cause plenty of dismay, I did find encouragement in these comments that were made on a social media post;
“In the book of Acts, Jesus sent Paul into the darkness of the Roman Empire to share the gospel of God’s Grace (see, Acts 20:24; 26:15-18). Epaphrus and Philemon likely heard Paul teaching the gospel of grace in the lecture hall of Tyrannus (Acts 19:9).They traveled back to Colossae, and Epaphrus taught the gospel of grace there, resulting in some placing their faith in Jesus and being transferred from the dominion of darkness to the kingdom of light (Colossians 1:3-14). A Colossian church stared in Philemon’s home. What a great opportunity pastors have to educate their church about the gospel of grace and encourage the church to share God’s grace with those in the darkness.”
Some of the points I made in the sermon are as follows;
Perhaps we need a reminder, a self-examination based on the Sermon on the Mount.
Remember when our Lord said, “Blessed are the meek…”. No wonder our faith is weak and we have hardly been seen as those who are inheriting the earth, when many-a-preachers feel comfortable to live with a “Don’t be soft”, “Tell them what they need to hear posture”. (see, Matthew chapter 5).
No doubt about it, the present day church is seriously lacking in not only Biblical literacy (which I have said again and again over the last decade and a half), however with that, and perhaps evenmoreso the lack of “prophetic imagination” is even found among those who do have a decent Biblical literacy. What is “Prophetic imagination”? The phrase was popularized by late theologian Walter Bruggerman in his book by that name. Prophetic Imagination is the work of allowing a text to be properly exegeted and placed in its historical context with the intention of discerning what the text means or might say to us and/or for us today.
Hebrews 6:1 – “let us move on to maturity”
BPBC Church Constition – “produce mature disciples”
- How Spiritually mature would you say our church is?
- Is there anything significant you can contribute to the Spiritual maturity?
- Do the members of your church have a comittment to develop maturity?
We cannot discern where we are going, or need to go, if we don’t know where we have been.
‘Those who don’t know history, are doomed to repeat it’
- Are you paying attention?
(Review of the last 100 years
the last 60-75 years;
the last 45 years;
the last 25 years,
the last 12 years, t
he last 3 years,
the last year,
this sermon series…
(AI Paraphrased)
Church history from 2000-2025 includes the ongoing impact of globalization and secularization, the rise of new religious movements like the emerging church, ongoing challenges related to decline in some areas and growth in others (e.g., Africa, Asia), and significant cultural discussions around LGBTQ+ inclusion, women’s roles, and religious authority. And of course, the significant phenomenon of declining church attendance and church closures in the West.
While we are not crossing the Jordan, I do believe we are at a crossroads, or atleast we can be. Everything can change from here forward.
The Israelites were told to put stones down on the river bank so that there children could ask questions and be reminded of the work of God.
- What stones are you laying down? What questions will they ask in light of the Church’s life in our lifetime, what will they ask about your lifetime?
“..if you dont show concern about suffering children enough to merely advocater for them “in church” , your children, children in general will conclude that you are your gospel are unconcerned about them too”..
Might we examine ourselves & consider;
How does God want you to respond today?
What are some comitments to ‘possess & increase’ that you can make to yourself & God?
Bible verses:
Romans 12:1-2
Joshua 4:21
Matthew 25:40
Matthew 26:52
James 1:27
1 Corinthians 13:13