Framework:
Why do we not get it? Why is there such a dissonance between what we read about Jesus in Scripture and what we see in ourselves? As a start, how do our experiences stack up with Colossians 1:15-20?

Story:
Luke 24:13-35: Jesus appears to Cleopas and his 'friend' on the road to Emmaus. They cannot recognize Jesus because their dominating story of a liberating messiah ended at the crucifixion. The possibility of resurrection had never occurred to them. They had a crisis of imagination - they couldn't conceive of what God was doing because they were so focused on what they 'knew' God was doing and what the messiah should be. "We had hoped..." are the three words that, for Bp. Zac, reveal this tragic posture. They could not see the real messiah because of their story.

But Jesus says, "How foolish you are..." Jesus then reads them the Scriptures they already know but illuminates them by giving them a different framing story so they can see what the actual messiah had accomplished. Jesus re-frames the narrative.

Reflection:
"It is time to engage with our foolishness. Is it possible that when we are sitting in church, we are worshiping a Jesus of our own making?"

Bp. Zac has a friend who calls our love of religion "Christianism."

So what are some of the foolishness-es of this culture?

1. Christianity as a religion - All western missions has been built on the idea of 'exporting' the 'goods' of religion. In Africa, it used to be the three "C's" of missions: Christianity, Commerce, & Civilization.

2. Compartmentalization - Christianity being placed alongside other disciplines as if it were a separate subject. Part of this is Dualism: sacred/secular, minister/layperson, sacred/secular space. This is all 'religiousness'. We have convinced ourselves that Jesus must be a Christian. We claim him as ours - but this is a mistake.

3. The 'ME' narrative - We make ourselves the most important concern. We ask "What is God's will for me?" and think that is a very spiritual thing to ask. But we should ask, "What is God's will? (period)" We say, "Prayer changes things." But who is praying? We are! So we are still putting ourselves at the center.

4. Consumerism - God is not for us. We (and everything else) are for God. (Col. 1).

Some additional thoughts:
"God is doing amazing things! We don't see them because He is not doing them in church!"

"Seek discomfort. Idols only work in familiar space because they are created by you to work in that space. When you leave familiarity, you notice God."

"Evangelism is not doing God a favor. We can't know God unless we do evangelism. Jesus said, 'I have many sheep who are not of this flock.' Evangelism, then, is about finding our brethren."

Título: El Peligro de la Incredulidad

Texto: 2ª de Reyes 6:32-33; 7:1-2:
«32 Mientras Eliseo se encontraba en su casa, sentado con los ancianos, el rey le envió un mensajero. Antes de que éste llegara, Eliseo les dijo a los ancianos: —Ahora van a ver cómo ese asesino envía a alguien a cortarme la cabeza. Pues bien, cuando llegue el mensajero, atranquen la puerta para que no entre. ¡Ya oigo detrás de él los pasos de su señor! 33 No había terminado de hablar cuando el mensajero llegó y dijo: —Esta desgracia viene del Señor; ¿qué más se puede esperar de él?1 Eliseo contestó: —Oigan la palabra del Señor, que dice así: "Mañana a estas horas, a la entrada de Samaria, podrá comprarse una medida de flor de harina con una sola moneda de plata, y hasta una doble medida de cebada por el mismo precio." 2 El ayudante personal del rey replicó: —¡No me digas! Aun si el Señor abriera las ventanas del cielo, ¡no podría suceder tal cosa! —Pues lo verás con tus propios ojos —le advirtió Eliseo—, pero no llegarás a comerlo.»*

Introducción:
En el Antiguo Testamento encontramos muchas historias de grandes hombres de Dios que nos sirven como ejemplo para nuestras vidas. El tema de esta noche trata sobre el “Peligro de la incredulidad”. Según el Diccionario de la lengua Española, Incredulidad quiere decir: “Rechazo u oposición de una persona a creer algo.” En este país de avances tecnológicos y de mucha abundancia, es fácil para una persona poner su confianza en sí mismo, o en lo que posee.

Trataremos los siguientes Puntos:
(1) La condición
(2) La Palabra dada por Dios
(3) ¿Puede hacerlo Dios?
(4) La Bendición de Creerle a Dios
(5) Resumen.

Lección:
1. La Condición. — El reino del norte de Israel se había descarriado de Dios. El rey Joram, el que estamos tratando en el relato, era hijo de Acab, el que había sido esposo de Jezabel, y en realidad había sido un asesino. Israel había optado por servir a "JEHOVÁ" a medias, y a servir a los dioses paganos de sus vecinos. Querían a JEHOVÁ, pero querían a los otros dioses también. Los Sirios habían venido a pelear contra Israel, y habían sitiado a Samaria, la capital del reino del norte. El cerco había durado largo tiempo y el hambre era tan grande que simplemente no había nada que comer. Leemos de como aun el estiércol de una paloma valía muy caro. Leemos también del caso de canibalismo, donde dos mujeres deciden comerse a sus hijos, y cuando una de ellas se echa para atrás después de haberse comido parte del niño de la otra, la que se siente defraudada acude al rey, la máxima ley para que le hiciera justicia.

a. Es en estas condiciones donde vemos la respuesta de Dios a través del Hombre de Dios Eliseo, en el siguiente punto.

2. La Palabra dada por Dios. — Debemos notar algo muy importante en el relato.

a. Eliseo, el hombre de Dios, estaba sentado con los ancianos de la ciudad con mucha calma y paz. En medio del hambre y del peligro, el Hombre de Dios tenía paz.

b. Dios dice a través de Eliseo que en un espacio de 24 horas, iba a haber abundancia de comida. Decimos que Dios lo dice a través de Eliseo, porque un hombre común no puede predecir lo que va a ocurrir en 24 horas, sobre abundancia de comida, en donde no hay absolutamente nada, y con un ejército cercando la ciudad, donde no entraba ni salía nada. Solamente Dios puede haber predicho tal cosa. El caso se ve perdido, hasta imposible. No pueden ser las palabras de un simple hombre. Veamos lo que dice el siguiente punto.

3. ¿Puede hacerlo Dios? — "Mañana a estas horas, a la entrada de Samaria, podrá comprarse una medida de flor de harina con una sola moneda de plata, y hasta una doble medida de cebada por el mismo precio." (7:1). Uno de los oficiales de Israel que estaba presente, declaró que no creía en tal predicción. El oficial parece haber sido la mano derecha del Rey.

a. Este oficial del Rey no era ignorante en cuanto a las maravillas que Dios había hecho en Israel a través de los Profetas Elías y Eliseo. Su decisión de no CONFIAR, y aun no CREER a lo dicho por Dios revela su INCREDULIDAD sobre el Poder de Dios. Es como pensar que Dios puede hacer esto, pero no puede hacer aquello.

b. Hay una diferencia en CREER en DIOS, y CONFIAR en DIOS. Creer en Dios es asentar que uno está consciente que Dios existe. CONFIAR en Dios es una entrega, es una confianza, es un sometimiento al poder de Dios. Los que confían en Dios tienen paz. Isaías 26:3 dice: “Al de carácter firme lo guardarás en perfecta paz, porque en ti confía.”

c. Cuantos no son como el oficial del Rey, que prefieren confiar en sí mismo, y en lo que tienen, en vez de confiar en Dios. Veamos ahora el último punto.

4. La Bendición de Creerle a Dios — Cuatro leprosos que estaban afuera de la ciudad, vinieron a traer noticias que el ejército invasor de los Sirios, se había ido, y había abandonado todo. 2ª Reyes 7:6 y 7 dice: “Y era que el Señor había confundido a los sirios haciéndoles oír el ruido de carros de combate y de caballería, como si fuera un gran ejército. Entonces se dijeron unos a otros: «¡Seguro que el rey de Israel ha contratado a los reyes hititas y egipcios para atacarnos!»7 Por lo tanto, emprendieron la fuga al anochecer abandonando tiendas de campaña, caballos y asnos. Dejaron el campamento tal como estaba, para escapar y salvarse.”

a. Este relato nos muestra que en 24 horas, las cosas habían cambiado del todo. Los versos 16 al 18 dicen: “y el pueblo salió a saquear el campamento sirio. Y tal como la palabra del Señor lo había dado a conocer, se pudo comprar una medida de flor de harina con una sola moneda de plata, y hasta una doble medida de cebada por el mismo precio. 17 El rey le había ordenado a su ayudante personal que vigilara la entrada de la ciudad, pero el pueblo lo atropelló ahí mismo, y así se cumplió lo que había dicho el hombre de Dios cuando el rey fue a verlo. 18 De hecho, cuando el hombre de Dios le dijo al rey: «Mañana a estas horas, a la entrada de Samaria, podrá comprarse una doble medida de cebada con una sola moneda de plata, y una medida de flor de harina por el mismo precio»”.

b. El incrédulo lo vio, pero no lo disfrutó. El relato nos debe recordar, que la incredulidad es muy común, y es muy dañina. ¿Puede Dios cambiar la vida de alguien llena de vicios? ¿Puede salvar un matrimonio listo para el divorcio? ¿Puede ayudarme a resolver mis problemas financieros? La lista es bien grande, y según hemos estudiado, Dios puede hacer todo lo que ÉL quiera. Dios es el Todo Poderoso. Pero Dios hace las cosas a Su tiempo, no al nuestro. Pero para uno poder recibir de Dios, hay que CONFIAR en ÉL. Y eso quiere decir que uno tiene que entregarse a ÉL. La entrega a Dios envuelve lo que conocemos como la Conversión, o la Salvación del alma.

5. Resumen.

a. La condición de Israel no era nada buena.

b. La Palabra dada por Dios traía alivio, pero había que confiar en ÉL.

c. ¿Puede hacerlo Dios? El incrédulo se pregunta.

d. La Bendición de Creerle a Dios trae paz y seguridad eterna.

Conclusión:
NOTA: Esta parte no es para leerla. Es para el "Predicador(a)" de este bosquejo en un grupo de hogar, quien debe saber bien las personas que tiene delante, y como debe concluir este mensaje. Sea con llamamiento, y si es así, cual.

*Toda referencia Bíblica es tomada de la Biblia Nueva Versión Internacional.

**Este Sermón fue predicado en Mayo de 2007.

Chafer defined metanoia (Greek word for repentence) as "a change of mind," noting that "reading into this word the thought of heart-anguish is responsible for much confusion in the area of soteriology."^[1]  Ryrie, also understands metanoia to refer to a change of mind apart from sorrow over sin.  According to Ryrie, "the only kind of repentance that saves is a change of mind about Jesus Christ."^[2] 

Hodges even claims that "the standard Greek-English dictionary does not list any New Testament passage where the meaning ‘to change one's mind' actually occurs."^[3]  He is content to allow metanoia to be interpreted as a turning from sin, only repentance has no bearing on salvation, rather only on "fellowship with [God]."^[4]  He makes the important point that repentance must be determined contextually, however, he seems to consistently misinterpret its context. 

Lordship advocates work to gather all the biblical data on repentance and define it as "a turning to God from sin that involves a change of heart and purpose inevitably resulting in a change of behavior."^[5]  MacArthur agrees that repentance is not "merely shame or sorrow for sin, although genuine repentance always involves an element of remorse" (Rom. 2:3-4).^[6]  This sorrowful repentance is not merely a human work, "it is, like every element of redemption, a sovereignly bestowed gift of God."^[7]  This clearly reflects the force of Acts 11:18, "then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance unto life."  This statement follows the conversion of Cornelius and its "context clearly indicates that the Jews rejoiced that the Gentiles were forgiven and justified (10:43)" such that "repentance unto life" appears "to be used as a virtual synonym for 'believed in the Lord Jesus Christ' in verse 17."^[8] 

In addition, 2 Timothy 2:25-26 speaks of God granting "repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth" to Timothy's "opponents" with the result that those repenting "may escape the snare of the devil, being captured by him to do his will."  These "opponents" must be unbelievers and this text simply gives no indication that repentance has fellowship with God in view. 

Thus, it has been established that God is the one who grants repentance and repentance is clearly tied to conversion.  MacArthur says the call to repent is "a command to recognize one's lawlessness and hate it, to turn one's back on it and flee to Christ, embracing him with wholehearted devotion."^[9]  As a result, biblical repentance contains three essential elements: intellectual (Matt. 12:41; Luke 11:32; 15:7, 10), emotional (Matt. 21:29-32), and volitional (Matt. 13:15; Luke 17:4; 22:32).^[10] 

Intellectually, repentance begins with recognition of sin, not simply recognition of who Jesus is (Luke 18:13), often the verb metanaeo (Luke 15:7) is used to denote intellectual repentance.  Although remorse may not reflect true repentance, emotionally genuine repentance involves "a sense of anguish at having sinned against God" (2 Cor. 7:10).^[11]  This fits with the repentance portrayed in the Old Testament, "with sackcloth and ashes, the symbols of mourning (cf. Job 42:6; Jonah 3:5-6)."^[12] 

Volitionally, true repentance is marked "by a change of the will . . . that will inevitably result in change of behavior."^[13]  In the New Testament "epistrepho" is used to denote volitional repentance.^[14] This change of behavior is not what saves, but should be understood as the fruit of true repentance. Therefore, it can be seen that repentance in the New Testament certainly denotes more than sorrow for sin but certainly not less. Furthermore repentance takes on a fuller meaning than non-lordship proponents give it and as such it is intricately tied to faith and ultimately salvation. 

^[2]Ryrie, So Great Salvation, 92, 94.  Such a narrow definition does not necessarily fit the broader lexical range of "metanoia." Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament defines "meta,noia" as "the change of mind of those who have begun to abhor their errors and misdeeds, and have determined to enter upon a better course of life, so that it embraces both a recognition of sin and sorrow for it and hearty amendment."  Joseph Henry Thayer, trans., Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1962) 406.  Ryrie's definition of repentance essentially makes repentance and faith the same thing, repentance clearly has a broader meaning.

^[3]Hodges, Absolutely Free!, 146.

^[4]Ibid.  

^[5]Gleason, "The Lordship Salvation Debate," 61.

^[6]MacArthur, The Gospel According to Jesus, 179.

^[7]Ibid.

^[8]Thomas J. Nettles, "Review of Absolutely Free: A Biblical Reply to Lordship Salvation," Trinity Journal   

^[9]Ibid. 179.

^[10]Ibid. 180.

^[11]Ibid. 

^[12]Ibid. Unfortunately, for the sake of space this analysis has limited itself to assessing repentance in the New Testament.  The repentance demanded by God of his people in the Old Testament clearly demands both a change of  behavior and a turning of the heart toward God (cf. 1 Kings 8:47-48; 2 Chron 6:37-38; Deut 30:1-3).  In addition, the command to repent in the Old Testament is often accompanied by warnings of eschatological judgment (cf. Isa 1:27-28; Ezek 18:30-32).  In order to rightly understand repentance in the New Testament, the commands to repent in the Old Testament should be addressed-it is worth noting that non-lordship proponents see much more discontinuity between the Testaments in the area of repentance (c.f. Chafer, Systematic Theology, 377-378). 

^[13]Ibid.  

^[14]Thayer, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 201.  Here the verb epistrepho means to "turn back morally, to reform."

The Gospel is preached to every man successfully (Col 1:6, 23). Insomuch as God conveys it, such preaching is not at all in futility (Isa 55:11). A hallmark of the Gospel’s success is a dual effect: On one hand, the effect is the sentence of the wicked to Hell. And on the other hand, it is men's diversion unto Heaven. But before this dual effect is consummated, it arises that Christ is the Savior of all men (1 Tim 4:10). This means not that he has saved all men from being conceived with original sin or from all of the earthly consequences of sin (Pro 11:31), but from suffering Hell immediately upon breaking God's law (Rev 2:21, Rom 9:22, see also 2Pet 3:9). This is all the work of God. This gives allotment or place to the reality, as established by God, that no sinner has to go to Hell. The preaching of the Gospel bespeaks this reality. Otherwise, why preach? Why would God himself say to his people, "...preach to the Gospel to every creature" (Mar 15:16) and why would he command "all men everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30) if every individual who goes to Hell absolutely has to go to Hell and that there is no way at all to be saved? Indeed, it must be the opposite. It must be that the very preaching of the Gospel states that every individual doesn’t have to go to Hell. So as all men are, of themselves, disposed only to sling themselves straightway into Hell (Isa 58:3), the preaching of the Gospel stands in their way. Not necessarily to prevent all who encounter it from going to Hell, but so that they will have been at least presented with a bona fide means to be turned or diverted to Heaven (Psa 81:8-11).

As we all have Christ as our Savior, the preaching of the Gospel takes place by men (Acts 14:15) and principally, it takes place by God (1 Pet 3:19 & 20, Eph 2:14-17, 1 Pet 1:11) through his Spirit, calling men to believe so that they might be saved. So in as much as God preaches the Gospel and as he is without fail, it is the responsibility of the man who is preached it to acknowledge him as such before too late, so that he might have a salvation that is greater than that universal salvation which is also only temporal.

Now, I'd like to expound on that dual effect of the Gospel as made by the Spirit of God. On one hand, the effect is as follows: The Gospel is not some device that is dependent upon man that it remains without fulfillment if a man doesn't believe it. Shall a man's unbelief make the faith of God without effect (Rom 3:3)? This man or some other might at least naturally and initially shirk to believe the Gospel and resist the Sprit who presents it, but as the Gospel procures salvation for men it is certain that men will be saved. And God, in granting eternal life, is not as a fisherman, having a net, who throws eternal life upon this world and fortuitously makes his apprehension of souls, having yet to discover what he has apprehended. God knows whom he shall apprehend with eternal life and he saves according to his design and choosing. On the other hand, the effect is as follows: If man will not believe, then he is judged by or according to that Gospel (John 12:48, 2 Cor. 2:15 & 16, John 3:17-20 see also John 5:27-29, Acts 17:31). And the Gospel, being pure and reaching its destination, even the very destination of man’s conscience (2 Cor 4:2), cries to a sinner, "Christ died so that you might have life". And it says also, "Behold, others who are originally ridden with iniquity like yourself have come to know salvation". And the sinner retorts nonetheless, "I will not! I refuse to believe! So he that fashioned the Gospel says in response, "Cursed Ye” and your "damnation is just". For if the sinner couldn't keep the law and by the law he is, yet, condemned, how great shall condemnation be against the sinner who doesn’t give due regard to the Gospel which could have relieved him from his burden of iniquity (Heb 2:2 & 3, 10:29)?

It is true that man is, in his own natural state, incapable of doing or effecting any spiritual good (Rom 3), but, nonetheless, through being exposed to the Gospel, in recognition of its veracity, he is capable of taking heed to the Gospel not by himself, not so as to merit salvation, and not to oblige God to be merciful to him, but because the Gospel with its veracity is preached. Seeing as the Gospel is preached to the natural man, it is established that the glory should not be rendered to man who recognized its veracity, but God that preached it as he truly is desirous that none would perish, but that all would come to repentance. Thus it indiscriminately and universally draws assent. All men, involuntarily as well as through rigorous research, naturally or spiritually, from the parameters of the vast cosmos to the cross of Jesus Christ, will be preached the Gospel.

Insofar as the Gospel is preached and manifest to the natural man, it is not necessitated that all human beings have an equal measure of liberty to reject it. Observably, there are many who don't not have the liberty to reject it as preached in natural terms simply because their lives are terminated too soon. But I think it is feasible that there are contexts in which one who has not been prevented from the liberty to reject it may and must exercise his liberty, as natural as he is in it, to not only assent to it, but also plead to God upon being preached it for forgiveness and mercy, assuming he has not yet been regenerated. As I said earlier, this is not done of himself, it's not to merit salvation, nor can it oblige God to hear him favorably. For everyone who entreats to God in this context (assuming such a context is feasible), are evil in their entreating. And the fact that they are sincere and truly in need doesn't change or negate that fact. But God is a merciful God, active in conferring mercy to the one who is wayward or hostile. Will he not confer mercy to one who can only cry for salvation?

I said above that among those who find salvation, there are many who have no liberty to reject the Gospel upon being exposed to it in natural terms. To be clear, I mean not that they don't reject the Gospel in any sense. No matter how undeveloped one is in his fallen state, he can do nothing but reject the spirit of Gospel insofar as he is inherently evil and is contrary to sound doctrine. And it cannot be any other way, for the Gospel wasn't made for the sustentation and perpetuity of the sin nature that he inexorably possesses and serves. When I speak of being prevented from the liberty to reject the Gospel, I speak exclusively in respect to his inability to reject the Gospel in terms of its being preached by nature and by temporal mediums. I suppose that there is at least some scant effect that the unborn child, seven months conceived, sustains as a result of the firmness and tone of a preachers voice on a Sunday morning while his mother sits in with attentiveness. But the child, still depending so critically on the nutrients traveling through the umbilical cord, is not thinking about shouting back to the preacher with even the slightest of aversion.

I presuppose that babies as well as those not yet delivered from the womb, upon untimely or premature death, “automatically” go to Heaven (Matt 19:13 &14). I must only infer, in light of God’s kindness, that babies who perish, unborn or otherwise, “automatically” go to Heaven. But even so, lets break this down a bit. Do babies automatically go or is God directly, personally, decisively regenerating them as early as conception? The child is shapen in iniquity (Isa 51:5) even if their physical form has not been fully matured, for each and every child is an offspring of sinners (Rom 5:12). God in spite of that has regenerated the child. We can see from this perhaps with great effortlessness that it is not ultimately a matter of the inherent capacity or advances of man, of woman, or of child, but of God who saves (Rom 9:16).

"As sailors are guided by a star to the port,

so Christians are guided to Heaven by Mary."

~~ St. Thomas Aquinas

I think this is a beautiful image that St. Thomas gives us... and this picture matches it very well!

It reminds me of my first tumultuous days as a Catholic "revert."  A time of darkness and grief and confusion, and I was still trying to get reacquainted with God.  But Mary I could understand very well; she had lived through her share of sorrows, and she was both a comfort and a guiding light to me. 

                             According to Wordnet Dictionary, to paraphrase means to express the same message in other words. It also means to reword for the purpose of clarification: that is, unless one desires to omit or hide something that may offend or embarrass the audience--like the truth about someone or some organization. In that case, one might be tempted to parcel the original message or work and paraphrase for the purpose of obscuration. Such was the case concerning the lay homily offered by Florene Stewart Poyadue during the now infamous Mr. Potato Head Mass delivered up at the Northern California Call To Action Conference held in the Diocese of San Jose three weeks back... Click here to view the "Mr. Potato Head Liturgy"

             For the purpose of reader clarification Call To Action promotes: Democratic election of Priests and Bishops - Ordination of women to the Priesthood - Non-celibate Priesthood - Moral acceptance of (sexually active) homosexual lifestyles - Birth control - Abortion - Freedom of speech for Catholic educators and theologians who contradict the Church's Sacred Teaching Authority - Acceptance of the state of divorced and remarried Catholic's (Adultery). Click here to compare and contrast with Church teaching. (Hat Tip: Catholic Culture)

             Long story short--Call To Action promotes and advocates (worldly) issues within the Catholic Church that contradict sound doctrine in direct disobedience to the Church's sacred teaching authority, which ultimately includes, Jesus Christ. Thus, according to this domestic church (our family), the organization Call To Action is not only a bar to the peaceful and authentic practice of our faith within the universal Church, but a true danger in regard to the salvation and destination of souls as well. This is why I promote and support the dissolution of Call To Action by the Catholic Church. [Click here to write your Bishop].

             Below I offer the full text of the Lay Homily presented to attendees at the Mr. Potato Head Mass. After reviewing this personal testimony encouraging ongoing opposition to the Catholic Church, I discovered that what was most telling about the work was the self-revelation of truth concerning Call To Action found hidden within the poem entitled, ‘Outwitted' by Edwin Markham. A work Florene Stewart Poyadue referenced within her speech, yet, found necessary to edit in part, (er... paraphrase), for the sake of her audience. But, I don't...

Outwitted
He drew a circle that shut me out--Heretic, a rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in!

If I were to paraphrase the following lay homily I would, for the sake of clarification, have entitled it: "The Disease of Change Agents"

Warning: this personal testimony advocates positions contrary to Catholic faith and morals.

Reflections delivered at the Western Regional Call To Action Conference, Wyndham Hotel, San Jose, CA, April 27, 2008 by Homilist Florene Stewart Poyadue

             As we come together this particular week-end to continue a quest for always rebuilding the church, we have come together at such an appropriate time in the church's own calendar year. It is said in our first reading today: "The crowds listened eagerly to Philip." Why was Philip in Samaria, and why were Peter and John right away sent there? Because-- they were building Jesus' church. They were re-building what was the religious structure before Jesus-the savior, the redeemer, the peacemaker came to extend God's umbrella of love and acceptance to all, not just the chosen few.
             Yes, there was religious structure in place before Jesus. There was the temple, there were the laws, and there was certainly all the rules and regulations. Those in power who had formed those rules and regulations did not want some new idea seeping in from Jesus or anyone else.
             As we know well from our own modern history, those who are in power, resists new ideas, and almost never give up power willingly. They resist the hope within others for renewal, hope for rebuilding broader, more inclusive and just systems that can serve and meet the needs of all of the people more equitably.
             This rebuilding process reminds me of San Jose's poet laureate Edwin Markham who said, (and I paraphrase) "He drew a circle that shut me out. But love and I had the wit to win. We drew a circle that took him in." Jesus, Philip, Peter and John all seemed to be about creating those ever wider more inclusive circles, just like many of you here today.
             I encourage you to keep in mind, and follow these poignant words that you have just heard in our readings today. Listen again, if you will, to those words. It says: "Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence." Those are caring and fairness words; and those are beautiful action words.
Listen-- it says: "Yet do it with gentleness and reverence." In our language: non- violence. That gentleness and reverence can become the harder part of the rebuilding process. But, be not mislead by the word gentleness. This is the gentleness of a Joan Chittister who says that "Gentleness is not about forbearance. Gentleness is about the ability to bring truth without, at the same time, bringing destruction. This time it is for us, like Mary Magdalene, to say our truth to power, to heal those crippled by the system, to cure the lepers of their social diseases, and to raise women from the deadening effects of sexism. To be gentle is to unmask the inequities around us without destroying those who prefer to maintain the masks."
             We should all thank Joan for those very clarifying words on gentleness. Let's give her a (one, all together) clap of thanks. (All make one unified clap!) Thanks Joan.
As you, as we all go about the work of rebuilding this wonderful, wonderful church, never let go of the fact that you have the example of the greatest change agent and re-builder as your model, as your guide, and as your mentor. You have Jesus, the greatest change agent ever, the greatest re-builder.
Jesus respected, but was not timid with the leaders of his time. As you will recall, he was anxious to be about his business and to get on with the work of his father.
             We talk a lot about rebuilding, or making change. How does change usually happen? I'm glad that 'you' asked that question. Rebuilding or change usually happens by evolution or by revolution. The former, evolution occurs much too slowly for institutional systems change. It does work wonderfully for nature. The latter change approach, revolt or revolution, is explosive and definitely happens fast enough, but, most often, is much too violent. It is definitely too violent for those who seek to rebuild a cherished institution that continues to hold much significance for them; one that is still the corner stone of their way of being in the world.
             Therefore, today I offer you a third possibility; a way to rebuild or cause change through a process that I call: "The Dis-ease of Change." Excuse me -- There is a lady in the front row asking, "Did she just say "disease?" And, of course the answer is, "No." I did not say disease; I said ‘the dis-ease of change'... dis-ease meaning discomfort or pain.
             When one approaches the opposition on a rebuilding or change project, by embracing the dis-ease of change process, the first thing you realize is that 'those with whom you are engaged, the ones you are trying to convince to do something differently, those opposing the change will enter the "loss/grief process." What you are suggesting to them sounds bizarre, crazy and/or unthinkable. A total paradigm shift is needed.
             The fact that your suggestions have thrown them into the five stages of the loss/grief process is very good for you to know. Because now, you can shepherd them gently through these five stages of loss/grief, and help yourself and your cause at the same time. Actually, there are six stages. Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross defined the first five stages, and I, discovered and defined number six.
Not only will you be able to help them through the stages; more importantly, you will not be discouraged by their denial and resistance, as you now realize that it is necessary for their growth toward acceptance, and finally, even appreciation for your new idea.
             Oops! That lady in the front row just asked another question. She wants to know "What are those six stages of loss/grief?" If she doesn't mind, I will answer that in a minute, but quickly, if I may, the first question might be: "Why are they going into the grief process?" You merely want to make a change; no one has died, and yet they go into grief. They are grieving because they are mourning the loss of the familiar -- that familiar majority power, the loss of that familiar comfortable control. They have always done it "this way." They know this route very well. It is their 'comfort zone.' And you, you wish to take them out of their comfort zone and into unfamiliar territory. It is a shock to their system, and they begin the stages of grief. Now, back to answering that lady in the front row who wants to know the six stages.
             Stage 1 is called Denial. They deny that change is really needed or necessary. They deny any negative effects of 'their familiar'; and, deny the harmful effects upon those crying out for something different. As the old slave masters said, "Surely it is better for slaves not to know how to read. Let us make it the law." Better for whom??? And, it was said, "Surely Black people prefer to sit in the back of the bus with their own kind."
             The opposition will make a mighty noise. Don't you be confused. Sometimes, we confuse the magnitude of the size of the opposition noise of these mourners with the actual size of the change itself. For example: Rosa Parks was simply tired and needed to sit down. There is no big deal about bending one's knees to sit in a seat (unless your arthritis is acting up). Taking a seat is a small simple change -- opposition noise was huge, heard around America and the world. Rosa, like my friend the late Jim McEntee, knew that even a turtle knows that it has to stick its neck out to make progress. But remember, that turtle also knows to move deliberately, slowly, gently, and most important persistently.
             During this dis-ease process, you will need to be a good listener. You will need to be a great interviewer, because you will want to learn from them (the opposition): all that they think and believe; the facts as they see it; and, the feelings they have about those facts and beliefs. Ask many questions, and listen well as you navigate them through denial. You need to understand their side of the argument as well as you know your own.
             As denial begins to subside, they will enter stage 2 - Anger. "Good!" you will say to yourself. "They and we are making progress. So, let the anger begin!" Have you ever noticed how voices tend to raise, get louder, when it looks as if you have made a good point for your side of an argument. You will argue and negotiate your way through stage 2 - making progress much faster than evolution, and much less destructive than revolution.
They are about to enter stage 3 - Bargaining. Their bargaining will sound something like this: "If you insist on this kind of change, start over there first." Or, "This may be needed, but we should not rush into anything..." When you have let them exhaust all of their bargaining chips; and perhaps you have even utilized some of them, they will enter stage 4 - Depression. They are depressed -- You be happy, because they are making progress. Like all of the stages of loss/grief, depression too offers the griever a benefit. It allows them time to go inward and analyze things from a deeper/broader perspective. Until, finally they are ready to dip their toe into the cauldron of acceptance, which is the 5th stage.
             Please note, the mourners are accepting the fact that change is inevitable, that it is coming. But, they are not necessarily accepting your idea as a good, valid, or correct one. That will come later as they enter stage 6 - Appreciation. But, be not disappointed; going through this process, even for loss of just "the familiar" still equals "growth through grief."
             I personally know this process well from both sides of the coin. The first side for me was when my son was born with Down Syndrome. I grieved the loss of the anticipated normal baby; denied the diagnosis, became angry that this would have a negative impact on my other 3 genius kids. I bargained with God to make it right; but to no avail. He or She just would not listen, so depression set in, and acceptance followed.
             Acceptance meant taking a responsibility for my son, and moving onward with my life, and creating the best life for my family. Of course I ended up helping thousands of families across the state, the country and the world after I discover the 6th stage of grief -- appreciation of this crazy change in my life. It took me three years to get from writing the first line of this poem, called Fleeting Moment, to the last line: "Sometimes when I just glimpse my son I see, the little ole boy that was to be - damn chromosome." "Three years have flown for you and me, and now with wiser eyes I see; you are the boy that was to be - welcome home!"
             The other side of the dis-ease of change made itself clear to me as I set about to make the world a better place for children with special needs and their families. I needed to change, doctors, nurses, social workers, schools, hospitals, legal, and political institutions. All of those people (the opposition) denied that these children and their families needed anything different; they became very angry that I, a mere parent, had the audacity to invade their professional domains; and they bargained like Hades to get me to 'start somewhere else'. In the end, they too reached that all important 6th stage that I called appreciation.
             When one grows beyond acceptance, the opposition starts to say things like "Now I don't know how we ever did without this." And, parents of special kids begin to marvel at their kids uniqueness, and they speak of all that they have learned from their kids. They talk about what individuals with disabilities bring to the table of humanity -- including unconditional love.
             You know well the church for which you long. I encourage you to use the Dis- Ease of Change to guide others gently through the loss of their familiar and on to greater heights for all. I implore you to continuously, like the gentle drip of water that makes its mark on a stone -- show the others: the oneness of humanity, the strength of inclusiveness expressed through the beauty of diversity. Share and show the strength of the spirit and harmony of a church alive and continually striving to reach its full potential.
             And, of course all of this will be accomplished through actions in community; as you pray for strength; trust in God to be on the side of truth and justice. Persist like the nagging widow in the bible; who finally wore down the judge to get the justice she so rightly deserved.
             Speaking of nagging, another little old Black lady wisely encouraged us during the bygone days of the civil rights movement. She said, "A flea is but a tiny speck, but attached to a Great Dane, can keep that big dog moving." Stay engaged.
             My final challenge to you as you go about gently, consistently molding and rebuilding the church into an ever-growing dynamic force, as you shepherd your resisting partners through the dis-ease of change. I ask you to be clear about your mission and vision. I strongly encourage you to work with your friends via, what I call mathematical collaboration: come together to add to each other's expertise; subtract your differences; divide the work; and therefore multiply your successful accomplishments.
             It may sound simple, but I beg you not to confuse goals and objectives. Goals are "to have" statements. Objectives are things "to do" to reach those goals. For example, your goals may be "to have freedom, justice, equality for all, male, female, able, and disabled, etc." Your objectives will be things you do to attain that goal. When you make your goals 'to do' statements, they may never be fully accomplished, because your goal becomes the doing. I hate to hear, for example, some organization say that their goal is "to seek a cure for cancer." Unknowingly, "seeking" is their goal. Their goal is 'to have a cure.'
             So, I further charge you to create the right language for forward movement. For example - I think we need to find a word to replace the word "racist." Few if any consider themselves racists. And yet, they may be saying or doing things that cause racial harm, and/or disharmony. I believe that many of them are not racists. They may have ingrained biases and perhaps even subliminal stereotypes interfering with their way of being and acting. Once the word 'racist' is uttered, the conversation toward progress is derailed.
             Speaking of words, let us not confuse the usage of a couple of three-letter words (not four letter words), the words "can" and "may." Most inequities in the world have little to do with the word "can." For example, if I should say - "Can I be a priest?" The answer would be, "Yes, of course I can." Meaning I can - I have the ability to do it. But "May I be a priest?" No, I may not; because I do not have permission. Let us be sure we do not confuse ability to do with permission to do. Those in power often withhold permission with statements that indicate or insinuate a lack of ability. Be careful and watch those words.
While you are choosing the right words, be sure that you put things in writing. "So let it be written, so let it be done." Not everything written gets done; but, almost nothing gets done that isn't written.
In the often-quoted words of George Bernard Shaw (by Robert Kennedy): "Some people see things as they are and ask, why? I see things that have never been, and ask, "Why not?" Go ahead. Ask "Why Not!"
             Finally, know by the words of today's gospel that "you are not alone" -- Jesus says: "I will ask the father, and he will give you another advocate to be with you always, the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him. But, you know him, because he remains with you and will be in you."
             Go forth, "Be the change you wish to see in the world" (thanks Gandhi); then follow and give all praise to Lord Jesus Christ, the master architect of change. Amen.

The gospel is not about any merit I have on my own, but is based upon Jesus' merit alone. It is not what we have done for Jesus, but what Jesus has done for us (Rom 5:19, 2 Cor 5:21, Phil 2:8). In the covenant rainbow sign with Noah, God says He "remembers" never to flood the world this way again, so likewise in the covenant in Christ's blood, God "remembers" not to treat us as we justly deserve for our sins. The mystery of God has been made manifest in the Person and work of the Son, who frees the prisoners, gives sight to the blind, breaks loose the chains and changes hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. We were taken captive to do Satan's will and could not escape until Christ set us free. In other words, Christ, in His cross work, does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. He lived the perfect life that we should have lived and died the death we should have died, in order to free us so that we might then proclaim His excellencies, make known his gospel and spread justice and mercy to the poor.

But this is not what many of the the most notable characters in the Emerging church (e.g. McClaren, McManus, Bell) mean when they use the term “gospel”; for Christ, in their view, did not come so much as a Savior, who delivers us from His just wrath, but rather, came to make us "Christ followers". Jesus came as a moral example of how we might live, treat one another, and form communities. But as has been repeatedly shown throughout the testaments, this is a recipe for failure. In Romans 3:20 the Apostle teaches that the purpose of the law was not so much to show us how to live (although it was that too), but more to reveal our moral inability and hopeless bondage to sin apart from the Person and work of Jesus Christ. Some major voices in the emergent church are saying they want a relationship with Jesus and not doctrines, but we must ask which Jesus do they want to have a relationship with? If words mean anything it appears they want a relationship with a moralistic Jesus of their own imagination. They want to believe that God is pleased with us because of what we do ... that He is pleased with us if we join HIm in being active in crusades against social ills such as corporate greed, global warming, racism and poverty. That doing this is what the Gospel is all about. But as good as some of these things might be, God is not pleased with them if they do not come from faith in Jesus Christ as a Savior first, not as a mere example for us to follow. For instance, Jesus revealed His sinlessness and our moral impotence in the face of it. and thus our need for His mercy. But McLaren and many of the other emergent church leaders trumpet their belief that the gospel is more about ethics than the work of Christ on our behalf. They appeal to bettering the world around us as a task that is opposed to and more pressing than seeing our own rebellion and poverty, which prove our need for reconciliation to God through the life, death and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. This unbiblical bifurcation of orthopraxy and orthodoxy, and foundational preference for the former, is just plain contrary to the Christian gospel.

Ultimately, the emergent "gospel" is not about the grace of Jesus Christ who delivers people from the wrath of God and puts them into the kingdom of light, but rather about becoming a Jesus follower, about walking as Jesus walked and trying to live the life he exemplified. Apart from the fact that, according to Scripture, this is a naturally impossible goal, it misses the whole point for which Jesus came. The gospels showed Jesus setting his face like flint toward Jerusalem for a reason. He did not come primarily to be a moral example for us, but to become a Savior who does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. The emergent ideology, in other words, is appealing to the fallen will without the merciful act that God has done for us in Jesus. Since we woefully fall short of God's call to us to live this way, it offers no hope

In his new book, Why We're Not Emergent, Kevin DeYoung says, "I am convinced that a major problem with the emerging church is that they refuse to have their cake and eat it too. The whole movement seems to be built on reductionistic, even modernistic, either-or categories. They pit information versus transformation, believing versus belonging, and propositions about Christ versus the person of Christ. The emerging church will be a helpful corrective against real, and sometimes perceived, abuses in evangelicalism when they discover the genius of the "and," and stop forcing us to accept half-truths."

My fear, and I believe it is well founded, is that Emergent is just a newly cast form of the old Pelagian heresy – behavior modification, or to put it bluntly, moralism. The most tragic "either-or" category they have set up for themselves is this: faith in Christ as a Savior versus following Christ as an example. Many of its leading proponents assert that right living leads to right doctrine, thus reversing the Biblical priority of grace. But ethics are not what make Christianity to differ from other world religions. All world religions offer ethical programs that are remarkably similar to ours. But ethics/morals don't bring us into relationship with God unless you can perfectly keep them. Then, of course, you don't need a Savior. What makes Christianity to differ is that it is the only way which acknowledges that its own adherents are rebels and without hope in themselves, that is, apart from the sovereign mercy of their Head, who procured salvation for them. All other religions rely on moral improvement and good works, but Christ has shown us that "there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins." (Ecc 7:20) Trusting in Jesus as a moral example alone, trusting in our good works and the social justice we do, simply makes Jesus' Person and work of no effect, for we are ascribing the power to do those things to ourselves apart from His redeeming us. Thus it would appear that both the emergent and seeker sensitive churches are cut from the same moralistic cloth. If you are a young person considering either of these, remember that seeing Christ as merely an example and seeing church as a place to hear stories about how we are to live, apart from the new birth, is a man-centered and not a Christ-centered message and should be steered clear of as you would a poisonous viper.

I was absolutely thrilled to read Sam Shaw's update on little Eloise. She is well. She is laughing. Her doctors cannot explain the change that took place which enabled her to forgo the scheduled surgical procedure. Eloise becomes another living witness that miracles do happen. I rejoice with Sam and his family. My soul is full of gladness!

One definition of a miracle has been stated thus:

“A beneficial event brought about through divine power that mortals do not understand and of themselves cannot duplicate.”

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave a beautiful sermon on Miracles in 2001. He stated:

"The idea that events are brought about through divine power is rejected by most irreligious people and even by some who are religious. Some people reject the possibility of miracles because they have not experienced them or cannot understand them. And yet, “To deny the reality of miracles on the ground that the results and manifestations must be fictitious simply because we cannot comprehend the means by which they have happened is arrogant...”

~~~~

I believe in miracles! Over the next 3 months I will personally be repeating the mantra "One Year Ago Today...". This week I attended my daughters dance concert. I watched her perform a beautiful tango, executing difficult moves with unparalleled enthusiasm and skill. The dance was exciting and the audience showered their appreciation...however, to our family, we knew we were witnessing nothing short of a miracle.

It was one year ago that this same daughter was lying in a hospital bed hundreds of miles from home fighting for her life, crippled by a rare nerve disorder. I vividly recall putting on my "brave face" for Mother's Day. I was in an unknown city, lonely and uncertain of the future, sitting in a dreary hospital room and feeling helpless. A phone call from my dear husband expressing his love was bitter-sweet. Then, a little smile crossed my daughter's face as she whispered that she had a surprise for me. She revealed a small package wrapped in tissue paper and tied with a ribbon. Inside I found a beautiful necklace of sparkling glass beads. I knew that she must have spent hours carefully stringing each one by hand with the assistance of her Art Therapist. It was a tender moment. It carried a powerful message from my Heavenly Father that He had not forgotten either of His daughters that day. I will always treasure this gift not only for it's outward lovliness but especially for its inner beauty. The necklace stands as a physical symbol of things that cannot be expressed in words. It reflects the love and miracles I have witnessed. When I touch these beads today, my mind recalls the hours, days and weeks of pain & fear which were continually washed away with small daily blessings. They often came so quietly and simply it was easy to overlook a tender mercy from the Lord. However, I made a habit of writing them down in my journal each time I recognized one. They number in the hundreds. Elder Oaks coined them "Micro-miracles". Indeed, the Lord certainly indulges us by 'micro-managing' our lives from time to time! Especially during the hardest experiences.

For nine long weeks I poured my heart out in continual prayer, along with hundreds of loved ones, friends, church members and complete strangers. Those prayers were an outward exercise of our combined Faith. And when faith is channeled, miracles always happen. God cannot restrain Himself from throwing wide the "windows of heaven".

Despite the outward signs or magnificent displays, there is a more quiet miracle we must seek:

"The greatest miracle is not in such things as restoring sight to the blind, healing an illness, or even raising the dead, since all of these restorations will happen, in any event, in the Resurrection....A change of heart, including new attitudes, priorities, and desires, is greater and more important than any miracle involving the body...this change opens the door to the process of repentance that cleanses us to dwell in the presence of God...lead[ing] us to make the choices that qualify us for eternal life, “the greatest of all the gifts of God”. - Dallin H. Oaks   Read Entire Article Here

Jesus Christ is our divine Creator. He is our loving Savior, our promised Resurrection, and our willing Redeemer. All creation testifies of Him. We must only look around us to see that each and every day is a vibrant miracle!

It is clear that Christ's message was one of repentance and his disciples were faithful to retain Jesus' pattern of preaching as their teaching prominently features repentance as well. For example, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7:10, "Godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death." Thus, Paul clearly believed that repentance is intricately tied to salvation.^[1]

Peter's second epistle also clearly ties repentance to the fulfillment of God's promises in salvation: "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should reach repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). It is extremely difficult to make sense of these passages if repentance is understood to be something that takes place after conversion. Faith and repentance, if rightly understood, should be placed together as the biblically commanded human response to the gospel call. Repentance is a work of God and man--sinners must repent to receive salvation, yet God enables them to do so (Acts 11:18; 2 Tim. 2:25). The Gospels, Acts, and the New Testament epistles clearly tie repentance to conversion--a great deal must be read into these texts in order to see repentance as applying only to sanctification.

In my next post, I will discuss the Greek words used for repentance and how both lordship and non-lordship proppnents understand them. I will argue that non-lordship teaching incorrectly defines "repentance" to the detriment of the church.

^[1]Other key Pauline texts on repentance include 2 Timothy 2:24-26 and Romans 2:3-4.

Peace,

Aaron

Probably the best reason to put forth the effort (or the money) to create personas is to reduce market complexity. It’s hard to wrap your head around a million different customers. Heck, it’s hard to wrap your head around 100 different people when it comes to marketing to them…let alone designing a website or email campaign. Personas allow you to look at the important attributes your customers have in common while setting aside the ones that have little impact on your marketing and design decisions.

Personas work best when it's clear who your customer is.

While segments have their own value and are important in understanding the various business factors that define your customers, personas allow you to understand the behaviors, motivations and attitudes behind those factors. This can mean more useful design, revised concepts about your customers and even shifts in marketing strategy.

Smart, right? But what does “smart” mean for the bottom line? Changes based on personas can result in more click-throughs, higher conversion rates and more sales per visit. In short, basing your decisions on personas can result in direct, measurable improvements in your online efforts.

The word "cult" has come to mean different things to different people. Today it seems to be used mostly as an insult in reference to various religious organizations that are small, different, or generally despised by larger, more "mainstream" groups.

What the World Offers

But what of the mainstream religions; the bigger and more accepted bodies of beliefs? You can scrutinously investigate all of the myriad denominations, synods, sects, orders and offshoots that this world has to offer -- and never find even a remote allusion to commonality of doctrine.

Now there is certainly no dearth of IDEAS floating around. Any way you want it, you can find it -- some religion is sure to feature it. This world's religious system offers EVERY conceivable possibility for man's ultimate destiny: everything from angelic beings to eternally physical beings, everything from dis-embodied souls to transmigrated bodies -- EVERYTHING BUT THE TRUTH.

Looking for a purpose in life? Check your newspapers, magazines, yellow pages, grocery store bulletin boards, college campuses. Find yourself a religion that suits you. You've got thousands to choose from. Surely at least ONE church or organization has been specifically tailored to your tastes. Get yourself an austere one -- or one with all the weird variations, special nuances and distinctive frills that the human mind can concoct thrown in as part of the "package deal." Better yet, make up your own "package deal" -- invent your own religion.

You can believe anything you want. ANYTHING BUT THE TRUTH. Anything but the incredibly awesome fact that every human being was designed to join the God Family. I repeat: No religion of this world even comes close to hinting that man's purpose in life is to be born AS A SON into the Family of Almighty God, even though this is what Christ actually taught; what the gospel is all about -- the Kingdom of God.

Now that all by itself should seem rather odd. In all the wide spectrum of religious beliefs it would seem that at least ONE would have stumbled upon the obvious, literal word-by-word meaning of the Bible.

Infinite intelligence and universal love

Now, it is true that a few religious fringers might possibly agree that "man is to become God." BUT THEIR "GOD" IS NOT GOD. They just use this respectable three-letter term as a convenient label to attach to some nebulous, self-satisfying platitude like "Cosmic Consciousness" or to some amorphous, self-glorifying
quality like "Infinite Intelligence." And the goal of human life, these self-assured mystics maintain, is to become "At One with the Cosmic Consciousness" and to be "merged into the Infinite Intelligence."

This watered-down excuse for a purpose in life is the "calling-card-come-on" of many "mental science" religions -- and also figures prominently in some non-Western religions. All of these philosophies have one point in common: They preach the utter dissolution of the individual human personality. You are to be diffused into the "Cosmic Consciousness," absorbed by the "Infinite Intelligence" and swallowed up by "Universal Love" -- much like a drop of yellow paint which becomes completely diffused after being dropped into the ocean, or like a decaying human body which becomes totally absorbed into the surrounding soil after many years in its grave, or perhaps like those hapless human minds which were swallowed up by the invading monster brains which terrified us in the science-fiction movies of the
1950's.

The Bible absolutely repudiates all such attempts to destroy the dignity and the majesty of each distinctive human mind. Human beings will always retain their individuality -- WE WILL BECOME INDIVIDUAL PERSONALITIES IN THE FATHER'S GOD FAMILY.

You probably never heard that before, because it was never taught to you. however, those who teach do not teach according to their instruction book - the Bible. So something like what is being discussed here probably sounds cult like; even sacrilegious - does it not? Yet do you know that this is exactly what the gospel of Christ was all about? He brought a message about the coming Kingdom of God; he did not focus on Himself, the messenger. Yet this is exactly what most worldly religions focus on - Jesus Christ Himself

So what happened to God's true Church?

In early church history, the apostles came in contact with Simon Magus, a self-proclaimed leader (the first papa) in a cult that was deeply rooted in the mystery religion of ancient Babylon. Simon Magus' plot to buy himself a position of influence in the early Church was foiled by Peter (Acts 8). But other false
teachers soon followed.

In his early epistles, Paul warned the fledgling churches of Greece and Galatia that they were in danger of turning aside after another gospel -- a false concept of Christ and his message. The gospel of Christ was being diluted as false ministers with their teaching, heavily influenced by the beliefs of Babylon and
Persia, steadily infiltrated the congregations.

The history of the Church would fall into seven distinct eras and some time during the early decades of the second century, the baton was passed from the Ephesian era to the people that God had called to the Smyrna era of his Church.

Powerless, often persecuted, and rejected as heretics, the world lost sight of them. Instead, there emerged from the lost century a church that was steadily growing in popularity but growing further away from the gospel that Jesus taught.

Persecution continued at various times under the Romans until the fourth century, when Constantine recognized the degenerate Church of that period as an official religion of the empire. But the church that he recognized was by now very different from the Church that Jesus founded. The doctrines and teachings
that he had taught his apostles were now buried amid the trappings, ceremonies, mysteries and rituals of a church that called itself by the name of Christ. It was essentially the Babylonian Mystery religion, now being called Christian, accepting the doctrine of grace but turning it into license. In other words, it was the old pagan Babylonian Mystery religion wearing a new cloak: "Christianity."

Once Constantine recognized them, this Church threw renewed energy into taking its message to the world; often in the bloodiest ways imaginable. Thousands -- maybe millions -- heard this gospel and believed it, or were forced to convert by threat of torture or death. But it was not the gospel Christ preached -- his prophetic message of the coming kingdom of God.

The small remnant of Christians from God's true Church fled to seek the religious freedom they needed to practice their beliefs. These had been called to carry the truth through one of history's most difficult periods -- the Dark Ages. The power and influence of the great universal church spread far and wide, driving those who clung to the truth of God ever further into the wilderness -- never far from threat of persecution and martyrdom. It has survived into today, but is still considered inconsequential on the world scene.

In contrast, the universal pagan church morphed into a giant religious/political body beset with pagan statues and beliefs, altered commandments, the wrong day of worship and so on. It also spawned hundreds; if not thousands of bickering offshoots, who though differing in many beliefs, still hang on to much of what was taught in the universal mother church.

You can pretty well guess the name of this largest organized religious "cult" on earth today. It has waged the bloodiest battles ever in the name of God and conversion -- and killed millions of innocent victims. It's leader has even recently renounced its shameful and barbaric past. And why not? It's recorded in history for all who are willing to examine the evidence.

What God Offers

Jesus said, "I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18). He did not say denominations, sects, cults, branches or a church divided against itself. Rather He said "a house divided against itself cannot stand." There is one true Church and one only.

This world's religions are not comprised of the true body of Christ, but rather are dissenting, bickering and arguementative imposters with every type of weird doctrine and belief that can be imagined.

Paul said, "But now are they many members, yet but one body" (I Corinthians 12:20). How was that one body organized? Did it have one government?

"And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues" (verse 28).

Verse 25 shows there should be no divisions in the body -- no branches or branch organizations. The Church is "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; in:

"Whom all the building fitly framed together growth unto an holy Temple in the Lord" (Ephesians 2:20-21).

Note, the Church is organized and fitly framed together, not organized with competing and differing branches. Notice also in Ephesians 4, there is only one organized church "fitly joined together and compacted" (verse 16) -- compacted as if welded together into one well organized body. And how did Christ organize this body? Again, how exactly was it governed?

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith ... (Ephesians 4:11-13).

None of this shows DISunity or some other type of organization and government. Paul also said "that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (I Corinthians 1:10).

Is this happening in a world dominated with so many different beliefs? Absolutely not! The world of religion today is politicized and divided; confused in beliefs and fragmented in doctrines; and scattered among denominations, sects, orders and believers. Even within fractions of religions, there is rampant disobedience among lay people who please personal lives; counter to what is taught. This is confusion, and God is not the author of confusion (I Cor. 14:33).

Yes, they'll tell you that the true Church of God, with doctrines like the Sabbath, Holy Days, tithing and belief of a literal Kingdom of God is a cult. It's not surprising, since this was done with even the greatest educator of all -- Jesus Christ. But once you know which Church is indeed the one God raised up, then there is no danger of being lured into the various man-made religions of this world - the real cults.

Spurgeon: Advertencia a Quienes Rechazan el Evangelio

Posted: 11 May 2008 03:00 AM CDT

Sermón predicado el domingo 17 de Abril de 1881

“a los cuales él dijo: Este es el reposo; dad reposo al cansado; y este es el refrigerio; mas no quisieron oír.”

Isaías fue sin duda uno de los predicadores más elocuentes, y sin embargo no se pudo ganar ni los oídos ni los corazones de quienes le escuchaban, pues está escrito: “ellos no quisieron escuchar.” Más allá de toda duda Isaías era plenamente evangélico; pues como el Dr. Watts afirma con toda verdad, él habló más de Jesucristo que todos los demás profetas, y sin embargo su mensaje de amor era tratado como si fuese un cuento inútil. Su doctrina era tan clara como la luz del día, y sin embargo los hombres no la entendían. Por eso Isaías preguntaba con gran tristeza: “¿Quién ha creído nuestro anuncio? ¿Sobre quién se ha manifestado el brazo de Jehovah?” No era culpa del predicador que Israel rechazara sus advertencias: toda la culpa se acumulaba del lado de esa nación desobediente y rebelde.

El pueblo al que Isaías predicó con denuedo era un pueblo de borrachos en un doble sentido. Se encontraban sometidos al vino, y este vicio se encontraba tan generalizado que Isaías dice: “Pero también éstos han errado a causa del vino, y han divagado a causa del licor. El sacerdote y el profeta han errado a causa del licor; han sido confundidos a causa del vino. Han divagado a causa del licor; han errado en su visión y han titubeado en sus decisiones. Todas las mesas están llenas de vómito repugnante, hasta no quedar lugar limpio.”

¿Qué cosa puede hacer más áspera la punta de la espada del Evangelio que la intoxicación o el exceso? Cuando un hombre es dado al vino ¿cómo puede morar en él el Espíritu de Dios? ¿Cómo puede ser posible que la verdad penetre en un oído que se ha vuelto sordo a causa del vicio degradante? ¿Cómo puede ser posible que la palabra de Dios obre en una conciencia que ha sido remojada y ahogada en el aguardiente? Una exhortación: si algunos de ustedes son dados a la borrachera, aléjense de este destructor antes que sus ataduras se vuelvan fuertes y el vicio los encadene sin esperanza. No debe sorprendernos que el predicador sea derrotado si su ardiente celo tiene que competir con las bebidas alcohólicas. Cuando Baco hace rodar el barril de vino y lo pone contra la puerta es muy difícil que podamos entrar, aunque lo pidamos en el nombre del Rey Jesús. Los hombres no están en condiciones de oír cuando el barril y las botellas son sus ídolos. No es del todo sorprendente que el Evangelio sea despreciado por quienes han permitido que el enemigo entre por sus bocas para robarles el cerebro.

El pueblo al que habló Isaías también estaba borracho en otro sentido, es decir, intoxicado por el orgullo. Su país era fructífero, y su ciudad principal, Samaria, estaba ubicada en la cima de una colina, como una bella diadema que coronaba la tierra, y ellos se gozaban en la gloriosa belleza que remataba al fértil valle. Ellos mismos eran valientes, y en medio de ellos habían muchos hombres destacados cuya fortaleza hacía batir en retirada al enemigo. Por esta razón ellos confiaban en repeler a cualquier invasor, y así sus corazones estaban muy tranquilos. Además, ellos decían: ” Somos un pueblo inteligente; no necesitamos ninguna enseñanza, o si no podemos evitar que nos den clases, estas deben ser de alta calidad. Somos personas con un intelecto cultivado, escribas instruidos y no necesitamos y que profetas como Isaías vengan a aburrirnos con el sonido de sus campanitas, repitiendo: “mandato tras mandato, mandato tras mandato; línea tras línea,” como si fuéramos niños en la escuela.

Además, nosotros somos bastante buenos. ¿Acaso no adoramos a nuestro Dios bajo la forma de becerros de oro de Belial? ¿Acaso no respetamos los sacrificios y los días de fiesta? Así hablaban quienes eran los más religiosos del pueblo, mientras que todos los demás se gloriaban en su vergüenza. Como estaban intoxicados por el orgullo no era probable que quisieran oír el mensaje del profeta, que les pedía que se volvieran de sus malos caminos. Aun así, el que se considera justo según su propia estima es muy difícil que alguna vez acepte la justicia de Cristo. El que se jacta de que puede ver nunca pedirá que sus ojos sean abiertos. El que afirma que nació libre, y que nunca fue esclavo de nadie, es muy difícil que acepte la libertad de Cristo. El orgullo es la red con la que mejor pesca el diablo, agarrando muchos más peces que por cualquier otro medio, con la excepción de dejar las cosas para después. La destrucción de quienes son orgullosos es un hecho; pues ¿quién puede ayudar al hombre que rechaza cualquier ayuda, y cuál es la probabilidad que haya arrepentimiento de su pecado o fe en Cristo en el hombre que no sabe que ha pecado, o que cree que si ha pecado puede fácilmente limpiar la mancha?

Las dos formas de emborracharse son igualmente destructivas, y les ruego que presten atención a este hecho. Ya sea que la intoxicación sea del cuerpo o del alma, ambas tienen consecuencias muy perjudiciales. Muchos se sienten satisfechos si hablo contra la borrachera del cuerpo, y yo me siento obligado a hacerlo con mi mayor convicción, pues es un mal monstruoso. Pero les suplico a ustedes que viven en sobriedad y que tal vez se abstienen del alcohol de manera total, que teman a la otra intoxicación. Pues si cualquiera de nosotros se intoxicara de orgullo a causa de su propia sobriedad, sería trágico para nuestras almas. Aunque seamos abstemios y nos neguemos a nosotros mismos, no tenemos por qué gloriarnos por ello. Deberíamos avergonzarnos en gran manera de nosotros mismos si no lo fuéramos. No nos emborrachemos de orgullo puesto que no somos borrachos. Pues si somos tan vanos y necios, tan cierto es que moriremos a causa del orgullo como habríamos muerto a causa del alcohol.

En verdad me da mucho gusto cuando un hombre deja de tomar; pero soy mucho más feliz cuando al mismo tiempo renuncia a la confianza en sí mismo; pues, si no, puede aún permanecer tan obsesionado como para rehusar el Evangelio y perecer a causa de su propio rechazo voluntario de la misericordia. Que el Espíritu Santo nos libre a todos de esa triste condición. Confieso que la falta de éxito de Isaías me está motivando esta mañana. Cuando él dice: “Pero ellos no quisieron escuchar,” siento mucho consuelo en relación a quienes no prestan ninguna atención a mis exhortaciones. Tal vez no tengo más culpa que la que tenía Isaías.

De cualquier forma, si Isaías continuó exhortando, aun cuando exclamó: “¿Quién ha creído nuestro anuncio?” con mucha más razón yo, que soy muy inferior a Isaías, debo continuar y perseverar en la predicación del mensaje de mi Señor mientras mi lengua se mueva. Tal vez Dios les dé el arrepentimiento a los obstinados, y los oídos puedan ser abiertos y los corazones puedan ser ablandados. Por tanto, intentémoslo de nuevo, y publiquemos otra vez las buenas nuevas de paz. Si el Espíritu bendito está con nosotros no llevaremos el llamado del Evangelio en vano, sino que los hombres volarán a Cristo como palomas a sus ventanas.

Primero, deseo hablar esta mañana sobre la excelencia del Evangelio; en segundo lugar, sobre las objeciones que se le presentan; y en tercer lugar, la respuesta de Dios a esas objeciones.

I. Consideremos LA EXCELENCIA DEL EVANGELIO tal como es presentada en el pasaje que estamos considerando. Esta Escritura no alude de manera fundamental al Evangelio, sino al mensaje que Isaías tenía que presentar, que era por una parte el mandamiento de la ley y por la otra la promesa de gracia: pero la misma regla es válida para todas las palabras del Señor; y ciertamente cualquier excelencia que se encuentra en el mensaje del profeta se encuentra de manera más abundante en el testimonio más completo del Evangelio en Cristo Jesús.

Cuando queremos aplicar ese pasaje a nosotros, y al referirlo al ministerio del Evangelio en nuestros días, la excelencia del Evangelio está, primero, en su objeto; es excelente en su propósito, pues es una revelación del descanso. Nosotros, como embajadores de Cristo, somos enviados a proclamarles a ustedes aquello que les dará alivio, paz, quietud, reposo. Es cierto que debemos comenzar con ciertas verdades que causan turbación y pena; pero nuestro objetivo es cavar los cimientos en los que se pueden poner luego las piedras del descanso. El mensaje del Evangelio que surgió de la boca de su propio autor es este: “Venid a mí, todos los que estáis fatigados y cargados, y yo os haré descansar.” En Belén los ángeles cantaban: “¡y en la tierra paz entre los hombres de buena voluntad!”

El propósito del Evangelio no es poner ansiosos a los hombres, sino más bien calmar sus ansiedades; no es llenarlos con una controversia sin fin, sino llevarlos a toda la verdad. El Evangelio da descanso a la conciencia por el completo perdón del pecado por medio de la sangre expiatoria de Cristo. Descanso al corazón, al proporcionar un objeto para los afectos digno de su amor. Y descanso al intelecto al enseñarle certezas que pueden ser aceptadas sin ningún cuestionamiento.

Nuestro mensaje no consiste en cosas adivinadas por nuestros sentidos, ni producidas por la conciencia del hombre interior a través del estudio, ni desarrolladas por medio de la argumentación por medio de la razón humana. Nuestro mensaje trata con certezas reveladas, que son verdaderas de manera absoluta e infalible, y sobre esas certezas nuestro entendimiento puede descansar tan plenamente como un edificio descansa sobre unos cimientos de roca.

La palabra del Señor viene para dar descanso a los creyentes en relación al presente, diciéndoles que Dios ordena todas las cosas para su bien; y en cuanto al futuro, ilumina todo tiempo venidero y también la eternidad con promesas. Remueve la piedra de la entrada del sepulcro, aniquila la destrucción, y revela resurrección, inmortalidad, y vida eterna por medio de Jesucristo, el Salvador. El hombre que oye el mensaje del Evangelio, y lo recibe en su alma, conocerá la paz de Dios, que sobrepasa todo entendimiento, que guardará su corazón y su mente por Jesucristo. El que cree este Evangelio, no será conmovido por el terror; no será ni avergonzado ni confundido por toda la eternidad. Es cierto que ya siendo un creyente, su mente puede ser turbada a veces; sin embargo, esto no es el resultado del Evangelio, sino de lo que hay todavía dentro de él y que el Evangelio promete eliminar.

Tendrá descanso en Cristo, tendrá “tranquilidad y seguridad para siempre.” Está escrito: “¡Y éste será la paz!” “Justificados, pues, por la fe, tenemos paz para con Dios por medio de nuestro Señor Jesucristo.” Este mensaje, que Isaías tenía que dar, diciendo: “Este es el reposo; dad reposo al cansado. Este es el lugar de descanso,” son la buenas noticias que se nos dice que debemos predicar con palabras más sencillas aún, diciéndoles a ustedes que en Cristo Jesús, el sacrificio de expiación, en el grandioso plan de gracia a través del Mediador, hay descanso para el cansado, dulce descanso para las almas que tienen un peso encima, descanso para ti si vienes y te arrojas a los pies del bendito Salvador. Nuestro mensaje autorizado de parte del Señor Dios es una revelación de descanso. El Señor ha prometido a las mentes obedientes que habitarán en tranquilos lugares de descanso.

Más que eso, es la causa del descanso. “Este es el reposo; dad reposo al cansado.” El Evangelio de nuestra salvación no es solamente un mandamiento a descansar, sino que trae con él, el don del descanso. El Señor dice: “Venid a mí, todos los que estáis fatigados y cargados, y yo os haré descansar. Llevad mi yugo sobre vosotros, y aprended de mí, que soy manso y humilde de corazón; y hallaréis descanso para vuestras almas.” Cuando el Evangelio es admitido en el corazón crea una profunda calma, silenciando todo el tumulto y la lucha de la conciencia, eliminando el temor de la ira divina, aplacando toda rebelión en contra de la voluntad suprema, y trayendo al espíritu una profunda y bendita paz por medio de la energía del Espíritu Santo. Oh, que podamos conocer y poseer esta paz de Dios. El Evangelio, entonces, es un mensaje que habla de paz, y que también establece la paz. El que lo envía es: “el Señor y dador de paz,” y su poder eficaz acompaña al mensaje donde este es predicado con fidelidad y aceptado con honestidad, estableciendo la paz en las secretas cámaras del alma.

Este descanso está especialmente preparado para los cansados. “Este es el reposo; dad reposo al cansado.” Si has tratado durante muchos años de encontrar la paz sin ningún éxito, he aquí la perla de gran precio que has estado buscando; si has estado trabajando duro y esforzándote para guardar la ley pero has fracasado, aquí hay algo más que la justicia que tu conciencia ha estado anhelando. En Jesús crucificado encontrarás todas las cosas, “a quien Dios hizo para nosotros sabiduría, justificación, santificación y redención.”

Oh ustedes, que están cansados con su ronda de placeres mundanos, hartos, con náuseas provocadas por las vanidades y engaños de la mente carnal, vengan aquí y encuentren el verdadero gozo. Oh ustedes que están consumidos por la ambición, hundidos en el desengaño, amargados por la infidelidad de aquellos en quienes confiaron, vengan y confíen en Jesús y estén tranquilos. A todos los cansados, cansados, cansados, aquí hay descanso, aquí está el refrigerio. Jesús lo dice expresamente: “Venid a mí, todos los que estáis fatigados y cargados, y yo os haré descansar.”

Si sus espaldas ya no pueden soportar el peso, si sus corazones están a punto de reventar, si su vista está fallando a causa de un cansado mirar y esperar, vengan al Salvador tal como son, porque Él será el descanso de ustedes. Desalentados y abatidos, condenados, y arrojados a las puertas del infierno por su propia conciencia, sin embargo si miran a Jesús el descanso será de ustedes. No pueden alejarse demasiado del Poderoso Redentor. No pueden estar tan perdidos para que el Salvador no pueda encontrarlos. No pueden estar tan ennegrecidos para que Su sangre no pueda limpiarlos. No pueden estar tan muertos para que el Espíritu no pueda darles la vida. Este es el descanso que Él da a quienes están cansados. Oh, es un bendito, bendito mensaje que Dios ha enviado a los hijos de los hombres. ¿Cómo es posible que ellos lo rechacen?

Además de traernos el descanso, el mensaje de misericordia apunta a un lugar de descanso: “Este es el reposo; dad reposo al cansado. Este es el lugar de descanso.” Si quien está descansado se vuelve a cansar, el Buen Pastor le dará un lugar de descanso. Si se extravía, el Señor lo restaurará. Si se debilita, Él lo revivirá. Sí, Él ha comenzado su obra de gracia que renueva, y la va a continuar renovando el corazón día a día, mezclando la voluntad con Su voluntad, y haciendo que el hombre completo se goce en Él. Sé que aquí hay miembros del pueblo de Dios que están desalentados y sedientos. Ustedes tienen una invitación especial, al igual que aquellos que nunca han venido antes, pues si este es el reposo para los cansados es también el lugar de descanso para los desalentados. Si el pecador puede venir y encontrar paz en Cristo, con mucha más razón puedes tú, que aunque te has alejado de Él como una oveja perdida, no has olvidado Sus mandamientos. Vengan, ustedes que están desalentados, vengan a Jesús otra vez, pues este es el reposo y este es el lugar de descanso.

Ahora observen con un gozo especial que Isaías no vino a este pueblo para hablar de descanso en términos que no eran claros, diciendo: “No existe ninguna duda que hay un reposo que puede ser encontrado en alguna parte en esa bondad de Dios sobre el cual es razonable hacer conjeturas.” No; él pone su dedo exactamente sobre la verdad, y dice: “Este es el reposo, y este es el lugar de descanso.” Nosotros también en este día, cuando venimos a ustedes con un mensaje de parte de Dios, venimos con una enseñanza definida, y poniendo nuestra mano sobre el Cordero de Dios inmolado exclamamos: “Este es el reposo y este es el lugar de descanso.” Hablamos de sustitución, de la muerte de Cristo en lugar del pecador, del sacrificio vicario, de que Cristo fue contado como uno de los transgresores, y de que nuestro pecado fue puesto sobre nuestra Garantía y fue llevado por Él, y Él nos quitó el pecado, de tal manera que nunca será mencionado en contra nuestra, nunca más. Proclamamos en el nombre de Dios que cualquiera que crea en Cristo Jesús tiene vida eterna: este es el reposo, y este es el lugar de descanso.

Se decía de un cierto predicador de la escuela moderna que él enseñaba que nuestro Señor Jesucristo hizo esto o lo otro que de alguna manera u otra estaba conectado con el perdón del pecado: esta es la predicación de un gran número de nuestros teólogos intelectuales. Pero nosotros no conocemos a un Cristo así, ni es esta la doctrina por la cual hemos obtenido el reposo para nuestras almas. Dios ha revelado una verdad fija y positiva, y es nuestro deber declararla de manera clara y sin tener ninguna duda. Nuestra proclamación es: “Fiel es esta palabra y digna de toda aceptación: que Cristo Jesús vino al mundo para salvar a los pecadores”: este es el reposo y este es el lugar de descanso. Isaías tenía que predicar al pueblo algo definitivo, algo positivo y sin embargo ellos no quisieron escuchar. Tal vez si hubiera profetizado conjeturas y sueños lo hubieran escuchado.

Tampoco predicó un reposo de carácter egoísta. Dicen que enseñamos a los hombres a alcanzar paz y reposo para ellos mismos, y que estén de manera confortable sin importarles lo que ocurra a los demás. Sus gargantas arrojan puras mentiras: ellos saben muy bien que no es así y forjan estas falsedades porque su corazón es falso. ¿Acaso no estamos pidiéndoles constantemente a los hombres que alcen su mirada, que dejen de verse a sí mismos y amen a los otros como Cristo los ha amado? Las palabras y los hechos para el bien de otros demuestran que no nos gozamos en el egoísmo. Detestamos la idea que la seguridad personal es la consumación de los deseos de un hombre religioso, pues creemos que la vida de gracia es la muerte del egoísmo.

Esta es una de las glorias del Evangelio, que “Este es el reposo; dad reposo al cansado.” Tan pronto como hayas aprendido el secreto divino se convertirá en tus manos en una gracia bendita con la cual, tú también, te puedes convertir en dador de reposo por la gracia de Dios. Con esta lámpara puedes iluminar a todos los que están en tinieblas conforme Dios te ayude. Ese algo secreto que tu propio corazón posee te permitirá comunicar buen consuelo a muchos corazones cansados, y esperanza a muchas mentes desesperadas. “Este es el reposo; dad reposo al cansado. Este es el lugar de descanso.” Pero esto es cierto únicamente en cuanto al Evangelio, y solamente en relación a él. Si te alejas de Jesucristo, y de su expiación, y del grandioso plan de gracia de Dios, no puedes llevar el reposo a los demás, y además, no hay ningún reposo para ti. Esta es, pues, la excelencia del Evangelio, que propone un bendito reposo para los hombres.

La otra excelencia del Evangelio, acerca de la cual voy a hablar ahora, reside en su manera.

En primer lugar, considero que una gran excelencia del Evangelio es que viene con autoridad. Lean el versículo nueve. Aun los que aman las objeciones reconocieron su autoridad, pues se refirieron al mensaje del profeta como “conocimiento” y “doctrina.” El Evangelio no pretende ser un esquema especulativo o una teoría filosófica que se va a adecuar a nuestro siglo pero que explotará en el siguiente. No; decimos lo que conocemos, no lo que soñamos o imaginamos. Decimos lo que sabemos. Hermanos míos, si el Evangelio de Jesucristo no es un hecho, no me atrevería a pedirles que lo crean, pero si es un hecho, entonces no es mi “opinión,” ni “mi punto de vista” según dicen algunas personas. Es un grandioso hecho del tiempo y de la eternidad que es y debe ser verdadero para siempre.

Cristo fue el sustituto de los hombres, y se ha convertido en la salvación de Dios para los hijos de los hombres; este es el testimonio de Dios. No estamos adivinando, estamos expresando conocimiento. La palabra que en este lugar es traducida como “doctrina” significa, en el hebreo “mensaje” y es la misma palabra usada en el pasaje, “¿Quién ha creído nuestro anuncio?” cuya mejor traducción sería “¿Quién ha creído nuestro mensaje?” El Evangelio viene a los hombres como un mensaje de Dios, y quien lo predica correctamente no lo predica como un pensador que expresa sus propios pensamientos; él expresa lo que ha aprendido, y actúa como la lengua de Dios, repitiendo lo que encuentra en la palabra de Dios por el poder del Espíritu de Dios.

El Evangelio que yo he ideado es tal vez inferior al que has ideado tú, y tu reflexión y la mía, y todo el producto resultante generado y acumulado por los pensadores, sería adecuado solamente para hacer una hoguera en el jardín, juntamente con el resto de la basura. Pero si recibimos y aceptamos un mensaje directo de Dios, entonces esta es su principal excelencia. Yo le pido a Dios que ustedes se deleiten en el Evangelio porque nos viene de Dios, y nos dice una verdad sin mezcla con absoluta certeza. Si creemos en él entonces seremos salvos, y el que no cree en él merece la condenación pronunciada en su contra. No hay ni esperanza ni ayuda en ello; esta es una alternativa inevitable: cree en el Evangelio y vivirás, si lo rechazas serás destruido.

Otra excelencia del Evangelio en cuanto a su manera es que fue entregado con gran sencillez. Isaías lo presentó así: “Mandato tras mandato, línea tras línea; un poquito allí, un poquito allí.” Es gloria del Evangelio que sea tan sencillo. Si fuera tan misterioso que nadie pudiera entenderlo salvo los doctores en teología (no sé cuántos haya aquí presentes hoy, supongo que no más de una docena, más o menos) qué triste caso sería para los que no lo somos. Si fuera tan profundo que debemos obtener un título en la universidad antes de poder entenderlo, cuán miserable evangelio sería ese, como para burlarse del mundo. Pero es divinamente sublime en su sencillez, y por esta razón la gente común lo escucha con alegría. Tal como el versículo parece sugerirlo, el Evangelio es adecuado para quienes han dejado de ser amamantados, y aquellos que son casi bebés pueden beber de esta leche que no es adulterada de la Palabra. Muchos niñitos han entendido lo suficiente la salvación de Jesucristo para gozarse en ella, y hay en el cielo niños de dos o tres años de edad, que antes de entrar allí, dieron buen testimonio de Cristo a sus seres queridos que se maravillaron de sus palabras. De la boca de los pequeños y de los que todavía maman has establecido la fortaleza.

El Cristianismo ha sido llamado la religión de los niños, y su fundador dijo que nadie puede recibirlo excepto como un niño. Bendigo a Dios por un Evangelio sencillo, pues es adecuado para mí, y para otros muchos miles de personas cuyas mentes no pueden presumir ni de grandeza ni de genio. También es adecuado para los hombres de intelecto, y solamente los hipócritas son los que disputan con el Evangelio. El hombre que carece de amplitud de mente o de profundidad de pensamiento, es el hombre que objeta la sabiduría de Dios. Una criatura astuta, apenas un poco superior a un idiota, cepillará su cabello hacia atrás, se pondrá sus lentes, arqueará sus cejas, y corregirá la Palabra infalible. Pero un hombre que realmente posee una mente capaz es usualmente como un niño y como Sir Isaac Newton, se goza sentándose a los pies de Jesús. Las mentes grandes aman el Evangelio sencillo de Dios, pues encuentran en él, el reposo de toda la ansiedad y del cansancio producidos por las preguntas y las dudas.

Es algo excelente que el Evangelio sea enseñado gradualmente. No es forzado de una sola vez en las mentes de los hombres, sino que viene así: “Mandato tras mandato, línea tras línea, un poquito allí, un poquito allí.” Dios no hace brillar su eterna luz del día en una llamarada de gloria sobre ojos débiles, sino que hay al principio un tenue amanecer y una tierna luz entra con suavidad en esos débiles ojos, y así vemos gradualmente.

El Evangelio es repetido: si no lo vemos de una vez viene de nuevo a nosotros, pues es: “Mandato tras mandato, línea tras línea, un poquito allí, un poquito allí.” Día a día, de domingo a domingo, libro tras libro, un texto después de otro, una impresión espiritual tras otra impresión espiritual, la ternura divina nos hace sabios para salvación. Es grandiosa la excelencia del método del Evangelio.

Nos es traído y somos hechos capaces de comprender de manera que se adapta a nuestra capacidad. El Evangelio nos es explicado, por decirlo así, con labios balbucientes (vean el versículo 11) tal como las madres enseñan a sus hijitos en un lenguaje que les es propio. A mí no me gustaría hablar desde el púlpito como las madres hablan a sus bebés; sin embargo, ellas usan el mejor lenguaje para el bebé, las palabras precisas que un pequeñito puede entender. Vemos, en gran parte de la Biblia, especialmente en el Antiguo Testamento, cómo Dios condesciende a hacer a un lado su propia forma de hablar y adopta el lenguaje de los hombres. No sé con qué lenguaje el Padre conversa con Su Hijo, pero a nosotros nos habla de manera que podamos entender. “Como son más altos los cielos que la tierra, así mis caminos son más altos que vuestros caminos, y mis pensamientos más altos que vuestros pensamientos.” Pero Él se inclina hacia nosotros y nos explica su mente con tipos y ordenanzas, que son una especie de lenguaje infantil adaptado a nuestra capacidad. En el Evangelio de Juan encontramos un lenguaje infantil y ¡cuánta profundidad, cuánto amor! Querido lector o persona que me escuchas, si tú no entiendes la palabra de Dios no es porque Él no presente Su palabra de manera sencilla, sino a causa de la ceguera tu corazón y la condición obsesiva de tu espíritu. Ten cuidado de no emborracharte con el vino del orgullo, sino que trata de aprender, pues el propio Dios no ha oscurecido Su consejo con misteriosas palabras, sino que ha puesto Su mente ante ti tan claramente como el sol en los cielos. “Mandato tras mandato, línea tras línea, un poquito allí, un poquito allí.”

II. Lamentablemente mi tiempo se ha terminado y necesito mucho más espacio para poder hacer justicia a mi tema. En segundo lugar, tengo que referirme ahora a LAS OBJECIONES QUE SE LE PRESENTAN AL EVANGELIO.

Antes que nada déjenme decirles que no tienen absolutamente ningún sentido. Que los hombres pongan objeciones al Evangelio es una pieza de locura sin sentido, porque objetan aquello que les promete reposo. Sobre todas las cosas del mundo esto es lo que nuestros atribulados espíritus necesitan: el reposo es lo que más desea nuestro corazón: y el Evangelio viene y dice: “Yo os haré descansar.” ¿Y los hombres rechazan esa bendición? ¡Definitivamente esto es lamentable! ¡Cómo! ¿Estando enfermo tú insultaste al único médico que te podía curar? ¿Cómo pudiste ser tan insensato? Estabas endeudado y ¿efectivamente rechazaste la ayuda de un amigo generoso que te hubiera dado todo lo que necesitabas? “No,” respondes, “no somos tan insensatos.” Pero oh, la intensa insensatez, la desesperada locura de los hombres, que cuando el Evangelio coloca el reposo ante ellos no quieren escuchar, sino que dan la media vuelta y se van.

No hay ningún sistema de doctrina bajo el cielo que pueda dar descanso a la conciencia de los hombres, un descanso que vale la pena tener, excepto el Evangelio. Y hay miles de nosotros que damos testimonio que vivimos diariamente gozando la paz que viene al creer en Jesús, y sin embargo nuestro honesto reporte no es creído, más aún, no quieren oír la verdad. Ahora bien, si Dios viniera y exigiera algo de ti, podría entender tu rechazo. Me he enterado de una pobre mujer que cerraba con llave su puerta, y cuando escuchó que alguien tocaba no respondió, comportándose como si no estuviera en casa. Su ministro la vio un par de días después que la había visitado, y le dijo: “Pasé a visitarte el otro día; quería ayudarte, pues sé que eres muy pobre; pero nadie respondió cuando toqué.” “Oh,” dijo ella, “lo siento mucho, yo pensé que era mi casero que venía por la renta.” Ella no abrió a su benefactor pensando que era su acreedor. El Señor no está pidiendo en el Evangelio lo que se le debe, ni te está pidiendo nada a ti, sino que se acerca a ti con el perfecto reposo en su mano, exactamente lo que necesitas, y sin embargo tú cierras la puerta de tu corazón cuando Él llega. Oh no hagas eso. Sé sabio, y no le hagas más al insensato. Que Dios te ayude a ser sabio por tu propio bien eterno. Has pasar adelante a tu Dios con todos sus dones celestiales.

A continuación, las objeciones en contra del Evangelio son premeditadas, tal como se dice aquí: “Este es el lugar de descanso. Pero ellos no quisieron escuchar.” Cuando los hombres dicen que no pueden creer en el Evangelio, pregúntenles si quieren oírlo con paciencia en toda su sencillez. No, responden ellos, no quieren oírlo. El Evangelio es tan difícil de creer, afirman ellos. ¿Quieren venir a escuchar su predicación completa? ¿Quieren leer los evangelios cuidadosamente? Oh, no, no se pueden tomar esa molestia. Si así lo desean, que así sea. Pero un hombre que no quiere ser convencido, no debe culpar a nadie si permanece en el error. Aquel que no quiere oír lo que el Evangelio tiene que decir no debe sorprenderse que las objeciones se aglomeren en su mente. El Evangelio pide a los hombres que le presten atención; el Señor dice: “Inclinad vuestros oídos y venid a mí; escuchad, y vivirá vuestra alma,” pues “la fe es por el oír, y el oír por la palabra de Cristo;” cuán triste es que no quieran oír el mensaje de amor de Dios. Es una objeción premeditada al Evangelio, entonces, cuando los hombre rehúsan incluso oír lo que el Evangelio tiene que decir, o si lo oyen con el oído externo, no le prestan toda la atención que requiere