Open
-Air Preaching
Anger is sign of conviction (School of Biblical Evangelism p.236). It is better than apathy. Phillip heralded the Gospel in Acts 8:5 and Wisdom cries in the meeting places of the city in Proverb 1.
What Great Preachers of the Past have Said
People should get angry or converted. And if that doesn’t happen, you are probably not called to be a preacher.
-John Wesley
Preach 90% Law and 10% grace.
-John Wesley
With some a spirit of meekness prevails most, but with some a rod. Some must be “pulled out of the fire” (Jude 23) with violence, and they will bless God for us in the day of their visitation. We see that our Savior multiplies woe upon woe when he has to deal with hard-hearted hypocrites (Matthew 23:13), for hypocrites need stronger conviction than gross sinners, because their will is bad, and therefore usually their conversion is violent. A hard knot must have an answerable wedge, else, in a cruel pity, we betray their souls. A sharp reproof is sometimes a precious pearl and a sweet balm. The wounds of secure sinners will not be healed with sweet words.
-(The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes)
If I declare with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of God’s Truth except for that one little bit which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ.
-Martin Luther
LOVE
God’s love in the Bible is always given in direct correlation to the cross. (John 3:16; Rom 5:5,6,8; Gal 2:20; Eph 2:4,5; 5:2,25;
1 John 3:16, 4:10)
Love rejoices not in iniquity but rejoices in the truth (1 Cor 13:6)
Philippians 1:15-18
Let your Speech be seasoned with Grace (Col 4:6)
What does that look like in light of ALL of scripture? How is that fleshed out in the actual preaching of the Prophets, Jesus and the Apostles? God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).
1. JESUS was described as John the Baptist, Jeremiah, and Elijah (Matt 16:14). What did they say in their preaching?
A) John the Baptist: Spoke publicly against King Herod’s adultery and “all the evils which he had done (Luke 3:19).”
B) Jeremiah: Preached publicly against Israel’s idolatry, backslidings, etc (Jeremiah 16:11,12).
C) Elijah: Was not afraid to confront King Ahab in his lawlessness and Baal worship (1 Kings 18:17,18). He also mocked the false prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:27).
Jesus condemned whole cities to hell (Matt 11:20-24). In Matt 23 Jesus calls the proud Pharisees hypocrites (7x), fools, blind guides, serpents, and generation of vipers while he explains their specific sins. Jesus looked around on them with anger in Mark 3:5. In John 8: 44 and 8:55 he calls the proud leaders “children of the devil” and “liars.” In John 2 Jesus made a whip and drove out the people in the Temple and called them thieves. His disciples were not against his righteous indignation but saw that he was fulfilling scripture, “zeal for your house has consumed me.”
Can we really say that Jesus’ speech was not seasoned with grace? Was he going against other scriptures? No. In context of the proud he preached Law, Judgment against specific sins but when his listeners were humble then his speech was seasoned with grace.
2. The Apostles continually called the Jews that delivered Jesus over to death “murderers (Acts 2:23, 3:15, 5:30, 7:52).”
Peter rebukes Simon the Sorcerer saying “your money perish with you,” repent of your wickedness,” “you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity (Acts 8:20-23).”
Paul rebukes Elymas the Sorcerer, for opposing the Gospel, saying “O full of all subtilty and mischief,” “child of the devil,” “enemy of all righteousness.” He then goes on to strike him with blindness!
Scripture is Sufficient
All that the Father gives me shall come to me (John 6:37), God uses the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe (1 Cor 1:21), Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17), God’s word never returns void but always accomplishes and prospers where he sends it (Isaiah 55:10,11.)
God Commands Us To Stand Against Sin
Who will rise up for me against the evildoers and who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity (Psalm 94:16)?
Earnestly contend for the faith (Jude 3).
They that forsake the Law praise the wicked: but such as keep the Law contend with them (Proverbs 28:4).
What is the Biblical Response when the Gospel was Preached?
Acts 13:45: When he preached, the crowd began "contradicting and blaspheming."
Acts 13:50: Paul and Barnabas were thrown out of the city.
Acts 14:5: The crowd began to stone them.
Acts 14:9: Paul was stoned and left for dead.
Acts 16:23: Both Paul and Barnabas were beaten with "many stripes."
Acts 18:6: Paul's hearers "opposed themselves and blasphemed."
Acts 19:26-28: Paul preached against their idolatry (violation of the First and Second of the Ten Commandments) and his hearers were "full of wrath."
Acts 20:23: Paul was told that afflictions awaited him wherever he preached the Gospel.
Acts 22:21-22: The apostle's preaching caused his hearers to call for his death.
Acts 23:1: As soon as he began to speak, he was smacked in the mouth.
Acts 23:10. After he spoke there was "great dissension."
Acts 23:10: The crowds were so angry Paul was nearly "pulled in pieces."
Acts 23:11: A crowd conspired to murder him.
Acts 24:5: He is called a "pestilent fellow," a "mover of sedition," a ringleader" of a "sect."
Jesus said:
Matt 10:22-23: You shall be hated by all for my names sake…when they persecute you in this city, flee into another
Matt 10:34: Think not that I came to bring peace on earth, I came not to send peace, but a sword
Luke 3:19,20: But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison
1 Peter 2:8: Jesus is called a “stone of stumbling” and a “Rock of Offence”
Anger is sign of conviction (School of Biblical Evangelism p.236). It is better than apathy. Phillip heralded the Gospel in Acts 8:5 and Wisdom cries in the meeting places of the city in Proverb 1.
What Great Preachers of the Past have Said
People should get angry or converted. And if that doesn’t happen, you are probably not called to be a preacher.
-John Wesley
Preach 90% Law and 10% grace.
-John Wesley
With some a spirit of meekness prevails most, but with some a rod. Some must be “pulled out of the fire” (Jude 23) with violence, and they will bless God for us in the day of their visitation. We see that our Savior multiplies woe upon woe when he has to deal with hard-hearted hypocrites (Matthew 23:13), for hypocrites need stronger conviction than gross sinners, because their will is bad, and therefore usually their conversion is violent. A hard knot must have an answerable wedge, else, in a cruel pity, we betray their souls. A sharp reproof is sometimes a precious pearl and a sweet balm. The wounds of secure sinners will not be healed with sweet words.
-(The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes)
If I declare with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of God’s Truth except for that one little bit which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ.
-Martin Luther
LOVE
God’s love in the Bible is always given in direct correlation to the cross. (John 3:16; Rom 5:5,6,8; Gal 2:20; Eph 2:4,5; 5:2,25;
1 John 3:16, 4:10)
Love rejoices not in iniquity but rejoices in the truth (1 Cor 13:6)
Philippians 1:15-18
Let your Speech be seasoned with Grace (Col 4:6)
What does that look like in light of ALL of scripture? How is that fleshed out in the actual preaching of the Prophets, Jesus and the Apostles? God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).
1. JESUS was described as John the Baptist, Jeremiah, and Elijah (Matt 16:14). What did they say in their preaching?
A) John the Baptist: Spoke publicly against King Herod’s adultery and “all the evils which he had done (Luke 3:19).”
B) Jeremiah: Preached publicly against Israel’s idolatry, backslidings, etc (Jeremiah 16:11,12).
C) Elijah: Was not afraid to confront King Ahab in his lawlessness and Baal worship (1 Kings 18:17,18). He also mocked the false prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:27).
Jesus condemned whole cities to hell (Matt 11:20-24). In Matt 23 Jesus calls the proud Pharisees hypocrites (7x), fools, blind guides, serpents, and generation of vipers while he explains their specific sins. Jesus looked around on them with anger in Mark 3:5. In John 8: 44 and 8:55 he calls the proud leaders “children of the devil” and “liars.” In John 2 Jesus made a whip and drove out the people in the Temple and called them thieves. His disciples were not against his righteous indignation but saw that he was fulfilling scripture, “zeal for your house has consumed me.”
Can we really say that Jesus’ speech was not seasoned with grace? Was he going against other scriptures? No. In context of the proud he preached Law, Judgment against specific sins but when his listeners were humble then his speech was seasoned with grace.
2. The Apostles continually called the Jews that delivered Jesus over to death “murderers (Acts 2:23, 3:15, 5:30, 7:52).”
Peter rebukes Simon the Sorcerer saying “your money perish with you,” repent of your wickedness,” “you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity (Acts 8:20-23).”
Paul rebukes Elymas the Sorcerer, for opposing the Gospel, saying “O full of all subtilty and mischief,” “child of the devil,” “enemy of all righteousness.” He then goes on to strike him with blindness!
Scripture is Sufficient
All that the Father gives me shall come to me (John 6:37), God uses the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe (1 Cor 1:21), Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17), God’s word never returns void but always accomplishes and prospers where he sends it (Isaiah 55:10,11.)
God Commands Us To Stand Against Sin
Who will rise up for me against the evildoers and who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity (Psalm 94:16)?
Earnestly contend for the faith (Jude 3).
They that forsake the Law praise the wicked: but such as keep the Law contend with them (Proverbs 28:4).
What is the Biblical Response when the Gospel was Preached?
Acts 13:45: When he preached, the crowd began "contradicting and blaspheming."
Acts 13:50: Paul and Barnabas were thrown out of the city.
Acts 14:5: The crowd began to stone them.
Acts 14:9: Paul was stoned and left for dead.
Acts 16:23: Both Paul and Barnabas were beaten with "many stripes."
Acts 18:6: Paul's hearers "opposed themselves and blasphemed."
Acts 19:26-28: Paul preached against their idolatry (violation of the First and Second of the Ten Commandments) and his hearers were "full of wrath."
Acts 20:23: Paul was told that afflictions awaited him wherever he preached the Gospel.
Acts 22:21-22: The apostle's preaching caused his hearers to call for his death.
Acts 23:1: As soon as he began to speak, he was smacked in the mouth.
Acts 23:10. After he spoke there was "great dissension."
Acts 23:10: The crowds were so angry Paul was nearly "pulled in pieces."
Acts 23:11: A crowd conspired to murder him.
Acts 24:5: He is called a "pestilent fellow," a "mover of sedition," a ringleader" of a "sect."
Jesus said:
Matt 10:22-23: You shall be hated by all for my names sake…when they persecute you in this city, flee into another
Matt 10:34: Think not that I came to bring peace on earth, I came not to send peace, but a sword
Luke 3:19,20: But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison
1 Peter 2:8: Jesus is called a “stone of stumbling” and a “Rock of Offence”
