Preach The Word

[0:00] 1 Corinthians 1, verse 21.

[0:15] 1 Corinthians 1, verse 21. 1 Corinthians 1, verse 21.

[0:47] 1 Corinthians 1, verse 21.

[1:17] 1 Corinthians 1, verse 21. 1 Corinthians 1, verse 21.

[1:53] 1 Corinthians 1, verse 21. 1 Corinthians 1, verse 21.

[2:27] 1 Corinthians 1, verse 21.

[2:59] 1 Corinthians 1, verse 21. 1 Corinthians 1, verse 21. 1 Corinthians 1, verse 22. 1 Corinthians 1, verse 22. 1 Corinthians 1, verse 22. 1 Corinthians 1, verse 22.

[3:11] 1 Corinthians 1, verse 22. 1 Corinthians 1, verse 22. 1 Corinthians 1, verse 22. with authority because this book has authority. It has power.

[3:22] This gospel has power, wonderful power. And church is not some club, some social club. It's meant to be a God-honoring, Christ-exalting, word-centered gathering of God's people together, called out, called together.

[3:41] And we're a people with hope, with a Bible filled with power, life-changing power. This is what we have, brothers and sisters. We can be encouraged today because of that message that we have, because of the authoritative biblical preaching that we can come and hear and be part of, and that as God's people would be nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, as Paul exhorted Timothy 1 Timothy 4, 6.

[4:12] And in 2 Timothy 4, you might like to turn there. Paul exhorted young Timothy what he should do. He charged him. It's got a very strong connotation there.

[4:23] It was an order. This was a command. He says in 2 Timothy 4, I charge thee, therefore, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead and his appearing and his kingdom, preach the word.

[4:41] Be instant. In season. Out of season. In other words, whatever season, preach the word. Reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine, for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.

[5:03] But after their own lusts, they shall hint to themselves, teachers having itching ears, and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables.

[5:20] It's a time coming, Paul says. I believe it's now. It's in the very present. I believe it's in the now. This is the time. There is no more evident a time, I think, as now.

[5:36] It's really the dark ages again, isn't it, of the church of God, where people are turning their way, their ears from sound doctrine. They become intolerant of it.

[5:48] Intolerant of sound doctrine. There's a lot of call today in the secular scene for tolerance. It's a virtue that's praised today. The chief virtue, it would seem, of our world today is tolerance.

[6:04] A tolerance for everything but the word of God. A tolerance for everything. In the laws of our land, of the world, as it hence hellward, it's evident there's a tolerance for everything, but Christianity.

[6:23] Bible preaching Christianity. The media plays its mind games. The world's got this mind control, this programming. No wonder they call it TV programs.

[6:34] This programming of mind control, that sapping the strength and spiritual heart and mind of souls, captivating people, controlling people.

[6:44] But as has been said, God is in control. God is in control of history. It's his story. God is in control. He has the final authority.

[6:56] He's the one who sees the ultimate end of victory. But meantime, our sinful planet needs the message. Loud and clear and forthright as never before.

[7:08] Old fashioned, tell it like it is. No nonsense. Bible preaching. This is what we need, brothers and sisters, today. And yet it's not popular. It really never was.

[7:19] It's not fashionable. What we need to hear is not someone's opinion or sharing, but Bible preaching. Bible preaching. The preaching of the gospel.

[7:31] The preaching of the truth. And as a church, that must be our desire. That we as Bible believers would gather together to hear the word of God preached.

[7:41] The whole counsel of God. Sound Bible principles. Sound doctrine. Sound, strong preaching. Psalm 94.16 it says, The psalmist cried, speaking really as God first person, in Psalm 94.16, Who will rise up for me against the evildoers?

[8:06] Or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity? I read a book. It was called, Who Will Rise Up? It's about open air preaching.

[8:18] And this man was preaching in the open air, in the university grounds, and still is, and I'm in contact with him. And who will rise up? That is the question for you and for me, brothers and sisters.

[8:29] Who will rise up? Brothers, sisters, we must rise up against the evildoers. We need preachers who will make a stand, who will cry aloud and spare not, and lift up their voice like a trumpet, and speak out against evil and for the right.

[8:48] It's needful. It's necessary. Brothers and sisters, we need the forthright preaching. It's critical that we preach the word. Preach the word. It's the most helpful and refreshing thing for your soul.

[9:02] To preach the truth, the soul-searching, soul-saving, old-time soul-winning, gospel, Bible truth. The uplifting truth of God. And brothers and sisters, this is what we must cry out for, and seek out, to hunger and to thirst for it.

[9:18] It saddened me lately. I had a contact from an African man who received a tract. And praise God, it's a blessing.

[9:29] There's actually, I just happened to drive through a different street on the way to a work commitment, and I saw this faithful man. He lives in Enfield, and he's giving out our tracts in Elizabeth South at the moment.

[9:43] He's giving them out in Elizabeth Grove. The word of God, in printed form, in the gospel tracts. This man, praise God, and he was telling me, he's got to be careful.

[9:55] He's got, he's had a couple of prostate operations. He's got to be careful where he walks, because he's got to get, being in location, where there's a toilet. And yet, he's faithfully giving out these tracts.

[10:07] And praise God, we had to contact this African man, and I went and visited this African man. God willing, he'll be here next Sunday. And he was there, and I had a little chat to him, and he had a Bible on his desk.

[10:20] And I had a look at it, Swahili Bible, printed by the watchtower. They beat us to it, brothers and sisters. We need to get out there.

[10:32] Amen. We need to get out there. You need to get out there, because the cults are out there. The cults are out there, doing their dastardly deeds.

[10:43] Reaching people before we do, with the devil's message. Brothers and sisters, we need to be careful. We need to be out there, and outright, and not neglecting.

[10:55] And likewise too, in Solesby lately, I was there, and the cults are there, the revivalists, with their false gospel, that tongue saves people.

[11:06] What a lie from hell. Brothers and sisters, and they're there, giving out their propaganda. Where are the Christians? Where are the Christians? Brothers and sisters, we need to get out there, with the gospel.

[11:19] While there's still time, while there's still opportunity, the cults are active, we need to have, a zeal for the truth. We are the ones, that God has commissioned, and called, and dispatched, into this world.

[11:34] While we still have time, while you still have breath, use it for God. We need strong preaching. We need a strong, preaching of the truth, and all of us, can play a part, in getting the message out there, with fervency, with faith, as we're sensitive, to the spirit of God.

[11:52] Our heart crying, must be for the truth, to be declared, to be broadcast, to be for the truth, truth at all costs. And our message is, hell is hot, and heaven is sweet.

[12:03] There's still an opportunity. Hell is hot still, and it's getting hotter, and heaven is sweet, and it's getting sweeter. But we want to see, as many souls one, as can.

[12:14] And we need, meantime, to bring every thought, into the obedience of Christ. There's an obedience, called for. None of us likes, really, to have to submit, but there's an obedience, to the word of God.

[12:26] There's an obedience, of every thought, into captivity, to Christ. Is it lip service, or do we truly, obey God? Do we obey Him? These are perplexing, perilous days, perilous times.

[12:41] Days when people, will turn away, their ears from the truth. They'll be turned, onto fables. They'll have itching ears. And today, Christians are just, playing church. They're playing church.

[12:51] There's a form, of godliness, but they're lacking, the power thereof. Brothers, sisters, we need to get, re-energized. We need to get, empowered, and revitalized, and stop playing church, and not being, a son that would, look for a church, and all that guides, their thinking, and concepts, of what a church, should be, is a place, where they can, feel good.

[13:14] They're looking, for a church, where they can, feel good. Where they can, be entertained. Where they can, socialize afterwards. Maybe make, make some business, contacts. If it's a big enough, church, you might be able, to sell your product, to some of the people, that are there.

[13:29] And maybe, it's a place, where your children, can play. Where everything's, laid on, for you brothers, sisters, church, it's not about, any of that. It's about, the word of God, preached soundly, and truly, and solidly, and strongly.

[13:46] And, we need to, get back, to the biblical model. Aren't we like, those that, the Lord speaks of, in Matthew 5, he says, the salt, salt, ye are the salt, of the earth, ye, are, the salt, of the earth, but, if the salt, have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted, is thenceforth, good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden, underfoot of man, salt that has lost, its savor, its flavor, its saltiness, it's good, for nothing.

[14:22] Are you a good, for nothing Christian, today? Brother, sister, you're meant to be salt, light. We are meant to be, that, force, on the earth, that has an impact, that makes a difference, not to be, make believe Christians, good for nothing Christians, apathetic Christians, but salty Christians, salty, salty, strong, full of that flavor, that quality, that value.

[14:50] Salt, when it's working, is valuable, as seasoning, as preservative, especially, in the days, before fridges, they needed salt, to preserve, and I'm told, that wars, have been fought, over salt, because it was, considered so valuable, in days gone by, more valuable, than precious metals, because, it was so needful, but salt, that has lost, its saltiness, it's worthless, it's good for nothing, just cast it, on the street, is what, our God says, Christ calls us, to be the salt, of the earth, to resist the decay, to preserve the land, to be people, who love the truth, brother, sister, be encouraged, if you've lost, that saltiness, get it back again, that saltiness again, what I'm meaning, is, that sense of, who God is, that, here's, what saturates, your life, your, endeavors, your, motives, your mindset, is that, one, that you long, to please, to love, to honor, to obey, that you've got a loyalty, to the local church, that the, primacy of the preaching, of the word of God, is important to you, and yet, in days, like these, conviction is replaced, by compromise, principle, has been replaced, by popularity, truth, has been replaced, by entertainment, and repentance, has been replaced, by prosperity, theology, falsehood, lies,

[16:22] I know, I was talking, with a man, lately, he'd been in the, prosperity, gospel teaching, and he was saying, how devastated, he had been by it, this lie, that a Christian, is somehow, going to become, prosperous, because, of certain principles, or, you know, certain practices, it's a lie, from hell, the Bible doesn't say, we're to be prosperous, the prosperity, that we're meant to have, is a prosperity, of the soul, of a heart, saved, by faith, and you might be, as poor, as the poor, but you might be, rich in faith, God has chosen, the poor of this world, rich in faith, it's not the bank account, that matters, that's not your wealth, it's the treasures, in heaven, that's what matters, brothers, sisters, and how can we be, salt, and light, in this dying world, that lacks, a biblical foundation, old fashioned, Bible Christianity, is what we need, not the faulty substitute, not the purpose driven church, not the emerging church, the seeker sensitive church, the user friendly church, but a Bible believing church, a church that's founded, and squarely based, on the word of God, it's an outrage today, what is occurring, in many circles, and it's in, our own circles too, we're not immune, from this slide, this decay, this falling astray, falling away from the truth, and it's been said, that some 80%, 80% of professing Christians today, do not hold, a biblical world view, they've been so corrupted, friends, we're meant to stop the corruption, we're meant to be salt, but yet, they've been so corrupted, that they've lost, the basic essentials, of what Christian living, is all about, and Christian truth, and through church history, men and women of God, were martyred for this truth, they bled and died, burnt at the stake, crucified for the truth, of God, and yet, what do you do for it, what do I do for it, we sometimes pay, scarce attention, carelessness, they cared about, the faithfulness to the truth, in the days of old, they didn't care, what it cost them, they cared for the truth, and many today, no longer one, a preacher that will say it, like it is, they don't want, that which is negative, they want that which is positive, and it's time for that too, of course the word of God, is very positive, it is very encouraging, it is very uplifting, but there's many negatives too, negatives that we need, to take heed to, negatives, that people might say, we want a positive pulpit, well sometimes God says no, sometimes God says, negatively no, positively no, and they say, don't be so judgmental, yet, without sin, and judgment, there can be no grace, and forgiveness, we need to know, we're a sinner, lost, condemned, damned, hell bound, to realise, our great despair, our great dire estate, to realise, our need, to repent, to turn about, there is no grace, and forgiveness, without sin, and judgment, without hell, there is no heaven, no repentance, no faith, no wrath, no mercy, no cross, no crown, no conviction, no Holy Spirit, no serpent, no paradise, no transgression, no gospel, they come hand in hand, the shadow of the cross, and the sunshine of the cross, of the resurrection, they come hand in hand, the Bible is worthy, to be believed, obeyed, and followed, here's some negatives, a preacher pulled out, of the word of God, as he puts it, a number of necessary negatives, for example, be not, be not, 2 Corinthians 6, be ye not, unequally yoked together, with unbelievers,

[20:22] for what fellowship, hath righteousness, with unrighteousness, and what communion, hath light, with darkness, be not, righteousness, righteousness, can have, no fellowship, with unrighteousness, touch not, 2 Corinthians 6, 17, wherefore come out, from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and I will receive you, touch not, the unclean thing, touch not, blessed are the pure, in heart, for they shall see God, Matthew 5, 8, love not, love not, 1 John 2, 15, love not the world, neither the things, that are in the world, if any man love the world, the love of the Father, is not in him, love not, when the world, and the things of the world, occupy our mind, and our energies, and our devotions, our time, that God should have, then you are missing, the love of God, love not, set not, set not, your affection, on things, on the earth, set not your affection, on things, on the earth, set your affection, on things above,

[21:35] Colossians 3, 2, we are so in love, with the things, of this earth, we can get so, preoccupied, and distracted, where is your affection, set your affection, on things above, not, on things on the earth, what preoccupies us, is it the secular, or the sacred, what drives us, our motives, our mindset, is it the things above, one day, we'll be there forever, for eternity, shouldn't we be preoccupied, with it now, preoccupied, with our Saviour, who bled, and died, and gave his all, shouldn't it, pay, shouldn't we pay, some attention to that, we must, walk not, walk not, blessed is the man, that walketh not, in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth, in the way of sinners, nor sitteth, in the seat, of the scornful, but his delight, is in the word, brothers and sisters, walk not, it's who we walk with, it's who you mess with, it's who you spend, your time with, is it the counsel, of ungodly music, is it the counsel, of ungodly, soap operas, that you tune into, is it the counsel, of ungodly friends, of the godless, will you run, with the sinners, and sit, with the scornful, or will you, listen, to God, walk not, give not, give not, that which is holy, unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls, before swine, lest they trample them, under their feet, and turn again, and rend you,

[23:14] Matthew 7, 6, there's a sense, of the holy, the holy, that should make us tremble, that should make us reverent, let us, long suspend, that fellowship, time, with our brothers, our sisters, our fellow believers, who likewise, honour the truth, who love it, who hunger for it, who know the bible, and live it, give not, enter not, enter not, Matthew 26, 41, watch and pray, that ye enter not, into temptation, the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh, is weak, let me just recap those, because it's interesting, isn't it, be not, unequally yoked, touch not, the unclean thing, love not, the world, set not, your affection on things, on the earth, walk not, the counsel of the ungodly, give not, that which is holy to the dogs, enter not, into temptation, brothers and sisters, watch and pray, these are negative things, this is negative stuff, yet we know, if we abide by it,

[24:23] God's truth, it makes a, positive difference, doesn't it, isn't it a positive thing, to be saved, to know that you're saved, in the now, forever, he saved you, he's rescued you, brothers and sisters, that's a challenge, that's a blessing, and we can be encouraged, by the negative things, it's like has been said, of a highway, around a mountainside, where there's that safety rail, God says, thou shalt not, sometimes, because you don't want, to get hurt, brother, sister, there's a thou shalt not, put ye on, the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not, make not, provision for the flesh, to fulfill, the lust thereof, Romans 13, 14, so when you're faced, with a tempting situation, withdraw from that, make not provision, for the flesh, brothers and sisters, our nation, our land, our world, is hell bound, it's as far away, from God, it seems, as it can be, the way things are going, but yet, we know, it's going to get, worse, when the, antichrist, is center stage, he'll, make it even, more so,

[25:33] I'm sure, but God has given us, the command meantime, and that's for all of us, to heed the truth, to preach the truth, no matter what man thinks, but what God says, Jeremiah 1, it says, the prophet was told, be not afraid, of their faces, for I am with thee, to deliver thee, saith the Lord, you know, sometimes, you're a bit scary, you know, but I need, I mustn't be afraid, of your faces, alright, you know, you might, you might scowl at me, sometimes, what I'm saying, but brothers and sisters, we need the truth, we need the truth, and it hurts sometimes, sometimes you go, oh, ouch, the preacher, jabbed me there, where it hurt, but I'm not meaning, to pick on you personally, but where the word of God, declares something, it must be preached, it must be declared, it must be, spoken truly, and faithfully, and in this world we live, we know, open air preachers, are mocked, and scorned, I think we need more of that, brothers and sisters, we need more open air preaching, and I'd like to see, us, do more of that, do more of that,

[26:40] I was encouraged just lately, when I heard the fact, that they're saying that, Elizabeth train station, is going to be the second, most travelled train station, outside of Adelaide itself, so I know, that some people go preaching in Adelaide, and an Adelaide train station, but think of Elizabeth train station, you know, what the opportunities are, and I know, I was telling this man, that's giving out tranks, and he was a bit challenged, by the idea, but just to stand, giving out tranks, at Elizabeth train station, when the people get off the train, or go to the train, because it's quite a busy centre, it's quite a busy, central point, for the transport system, and there's opportunities there, maybe you might, get some, gusto and guts one day, and get some tranks, and go down there one day, amen, you might get a few, scowls, and scorn, but brother, sister, there's opportunities, all about us, to get the word out there, and we're living in a world, where human life, has lost its value, millions of babies, have been aborted, we need preaching, lives are being destroyed, by alcohol and drugs, we need preaching, our churches, are getting colder, and colder, not today, but our preachers, are getting milder, and softer, we need preaching, hard, strong, steadfast, preaching, and brothers and sisters, younger men, older men, be encouraged, you can take, a role to play,

[28:15] I exhort you, there's opportunities, we have the communion message time, it's an opportunity, to give a word, the bible reading time, I was encouraged this morning, to give the word, take the opportunity, to exhort one another, even in that testimony time, there's an exhorting, there's an encouraging, of one another, we need to take, every opportunity we can, to declare God's truth, we need some old fashioned, men of God, who will declare, the whole counsel of God, like John the Baptist, Jesus, he was not popular, but he had the message, that the world needed, we must get back, to the word of God, hellfire preaching, strong preaching, old fashioned preaching, the foolishness of preaching, we need to save some, to pluck them from the fire, prayer, it's not about, sharing feelings, or, some ear tickling message, that might, give us a, some, little glow, and satisfaction, there's times, when there's, some nots, there's some negatives, that are necessary, some encouragement, some challenge, some conviction, perhaps, there's opportunity, for you, to consider, doing some, open air preaching, you're not going to get, too many pats, on the back for that, there might be, some Christians, who are going to laugh at you, and say, oh that's a bit, strong, can't you, can't you, tune that down a bit, you know, just, just, make that, a little bit more palatable, there's a message, that needs to be declared, there's people, going to hell, shouldn't that, occupy our mind, the thinking, that this is real, this is not, some, make believe, some, fanciful story,

[30:06] God says, there is a hell, and it's burning, and it will burn, forever, and we need to, declare what God says, where we have opportunity, it could be tracked, it could be, through personal testimony, through, your own, contacts, with those about you, be that salt, be that light, wherever you are, shine that light, be tasty, be flavoured, with that divine flavour, that divine savour, of our Saviour, and preach the word, like Enoch did, June 14, talked about, executing judgment, he says, God's coming, with 10,000 of his saints, to execute judgment, Jude 14, to 15, to convince all, that are ungodly, among them, of all their ungodly deeds, that's strong, isn't it, strong preaching, Enoch, Enoch, Jonah, he had a strong message, yet 40 days, and your city, is going to be overthrown, repent, while you can, repent,

[31:15] Jonah, Isaiah, cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice, like a trumpet, show my people, their transgression, and the house of Jacob, their sins, God, God, commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent, it's a Bible message, isn't it, and Amos 5, 10, to close, they hate him, that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him, that speaketh uprightly, I've been down there, when the open air preachers, have been in the city, in Rundle Mall, some of them are a little bit, you know, think they've got a screw loose, or something, but yeah, God uses the foolishness, of preaching, amen, sometimes they look even foolish, to me, but it's the message, brother, it's the message, sister, it's God's truth, that needs to get out there, by any means, he'll use a donkey, if he can, he'll use a donkey, if men won't, he'll let the stones, cry out, if we're silent, brothers and sisters, open your mouth, open your lips, this brother, that I was talking to, he was an encouraging brother, as I say, he was giving out tracts, and when I said to him, maybe he could go down, the train station, and give them out, face to face, he thought, well that's a little bit, that might be a bit, too far for him, but like I was saying, to someone else lately, sometimes God stretches us, he stretches us, when we, sometimes we draw a line, around ourselves, the comfort barrier, don't we, the comfort zone, sometimes God says, step outside the comfort zone, amen, step outside that comfort barrier, that you put around yourself, that which you're, willing to do, and do that which you've not been willing to do before, do that which you've not been willing to do before, be encouraged brother, be encouraged sister, don't hold back, don't hold back, don't draw a line, and say, this far and no further, step over the line, step over the line, we all need to be challenged, we all need to be stretched, we all need to go outside our comfort zone, and unless we do, we'll stay just the same, as we always have been, amen.

[33:23] Let's go inside. Let's go.