Let Us Weep for the Lost!

I read one of the most convicting quotes from Charles H. Spurgeon this evening and felt compelled to post it and comment on it. Here's the quote:

"If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go there unwarned and unprayed for."

I have to confess that my heart was pierced as I read these words, thinking of those who I know that don't believe. Do I share with them the words of Scripture regarding their eternal destination? Do I present to them the free offer of God? I don't want to be counted amongst those who relish the thought of someone spending an eternity in hell, I want to be in agony over the thought!

What about it brothers and sisters? Are we wrapping our arms around the knees of those walking to hell? Are we imploring them to turn away from the path of destruction and receive the gift of eternal life by repenting of their sins and submitting to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives? Why not?! As Spurgeon says, if to hell they must go, then let it be over our fallen bodies, over our protests and despite our groans of terror for them! Let us gladly accept the mocking and the accusation of being fools if it means we faithfully proclaim to them the Gospel, the only message they will ever hear that can save them from the fires of hell.

Oh what fools we truly are if we think keeping silent will win us any good will! I don't want the good will of someone determined to go to hell. I want them to think me a Bible thumping fool! I want them to remember that I shared the Truth with them. And o what a joy God uses me as the tool by which He saves even one of these!

Be Ready! A Study of 2 Timothy 4:1-2a

I was contacted yesterday at work and asked whether I’d be willing to supervise a Nerf war we have at our church every other month for the kids and teens. Part of my responsibilities included providing a Bible study and so my panic mode set in immediately because I had to be at church by 6:30pm and I did not leave work until 5pm! Luckily, more likely providentially, I was able to look at some of my notes and come up with a quick study.

The following, then, is what I presented to the young people…I think we had a total of 16 present.
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Be Ready!
A study of 2 Timothy 4:1-2

Ask the following series of questions:
• How many of you have ever told someone else about Jesus?
• Why do we share the Gospel with people?
• What kinds of reactions have you experienced from people when you share the Gospel?

It is not always an easy thing to share the Gospel is it?

And yet, we are commanded to do so, are we not?

The Great Commission which Jesus gave to the church is that we were to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.” Matthew 28:19

A few things about this great passage that we must understand:
1) It is not just to the disciples at the time of Jesus, but to all disciples during all the ages. And who are the disciples of Jesus? We are, if we profess Him as Lord and Savior of our lives.
2) This command is not just for professional missionaries…the phrase “go therefore” can be understood to mean “as you are going.” So in your every day life, as you go about your regular things, do these things!
3) Note how Matthew ends this passage. Amen. What Jesus has just finished saying, he emphasizes…let it be as He is saying.

So we are to go about proclaiming His Truth, when it is easy and when it is hard.

Our text this evening is from 2 Timothy 4:1-2a, or as much of it as we can get done in the time we have.

Let us pray.

Read the following:
“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” 2 Timothy 4:1-5

This is a very important command from Paul to Timothy isn’t it?

And while Timothy is a pastor, I say that this passage applies to us all. We may not preach the Word from a pulpit, but when we share the Gospel we are communicating from the Word of God. So it is important for us to understand this very serious command.

“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom”

Wow…based on this sentence, how important do you think it is for us to pay careful attention? (share example of student teaching and test preparations)

Notice that Paul writes, therefore...what is he referring to?

Look with me quickly at 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (read)

BECAUSE of this, BECAUSE the Bible is God breathed! This is not any ordinary book we hold in our hands…it is the very Word of God. If God is real, brothers and sisters, then it is so very important to pay close attention to what He has to say don’t you think?

“Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season”

Do you think it is possible to preach the Word and it not please God? YES! We know this because of what we read here. Paul encourages Timothy to be ready!

What do you think this means; to be ready in season and out of season? (discuss)

Certainly it means whether people want to hear it or not…but if you are to preach in season and out of season, when people are receptive and when they are not…what must you do to be ready? BE READY!

In other words, STUDY! Know the Bible! You won’t always have the Bible with you, nor will you always have time to study right before you share with someone will you? Especially for those, like us, who share mainly with our friends and family, right? When are we most likely to have to share? Whenever, right? (use examples)

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This was as far as we got in the study...there were some good questions asked and when I prompted them for discussion the young people participated well. The age range was from 5 to 17. Quite a diverse group!

Personal Update

Well my hope was that by now I'd be able to post that I'd lost so much more weight, but unfortunately this is not the case. I actually remain exactly where I was before. This is not to say that I have not lost weight, only that I have lost and then gained it all back! :-)

I am still, however, planning on being down to 250 lbs. by my birthday so please keep praying that I will have the discipline I need. Yesterday I did limit myself to just watermelon for lunch and dinner because I felt I needed to sort of get rid of all the toxins from my trip to S. Cali where I was treated to alot of really good food...why can't such food help us lose weight? lol

So I will post another update on November 1st and let us pray that the news will be good indeed. In addition, the Lord willing, I have decided to discipline myself to post more regularly as well. I will post once on Monday and once on Friday, which are also the days when I weigh in.

Current weight: 268 lbs.

God bless!