26 Jun Sunday Preview – I Want To Be A Christian
Whew! What a HOT day this has been in the Upstate. I’m sure that I’ve seen hotter days, but I’ve got to admit, I can’t remember when. This day reminds me of our logo for this summer’s sermon series. For those of you who are new to Temple or maybe just dropping by the website, we’ve been in a series of sermons that we’re simply calling the “TBC 2010 Summer Bible Conference.”
What I”m doing during our Sunday’s together this summer is preparing and preaching messages that would normally be preached in a Bible conference setting.
I know that some may not know the difference, and others may not see a difference, so let me explain the difference – at least to me. These sermons would be different from my normal pastoral preaching in that they are not so much meant to instruct as they are to encourage. They are not preached primarily to educate, but to excite. As one prominent SBC evangelist described a Bible conference, “It’s basically a brag on Jesus service.” I whole-heartedly agree.
They also differ from what I would consider to be revival sermons in that the whole point of the revival sermon is to move to a point of decision. The sermon’s passage, points and preaching is done to bring people into a confrontation with Jesus – whether that be a decision to follow Him as Lord and Savior or to commit their lives more fully to Him. The messages I’m preaching this summer are preached to the express purpose of lifting up Jesus and encouraging the saint.
Does this mean that there is no instruction? Absolutely not. Does this mean that there is no praying and pleading for men to come face to face with Jesus? No. These things naturally come in the course of all true Biblical preaching. But for these Sundays during the summer of 2010 we’re going to focusing on the Word and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. It has been and it is going to be a blast getting excited about God’s Word!
This Sunday I will be preaching a message dealing with the question of what it really means to be a Christian. I won’t be talking so much about the act of salvation, but the results of Christ in the life of the believer. What does it mean? How does it affect our lives? How can we as fallen, feeble and frail human beings really live the Christian life? The answer is found in a very familiar verse to many Christians. Philippians 1:21. “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
I want to encourage you to make every effort to be in both Worship and Bible Fellowship this coming Sunday. I realize that we are in the middle of Summer and that there will likely be many who will be out traveling and on vacation, but you need to hear this message and your church family needs to see you at church as well. That’s what the whole “encouraging one another as you see the day approaching” thing is all about.
I pray that you have a great weekend and I look forward to seeing you, your family and friends at Temple this coming Sunday morning.
HIS.
Pastor Brad
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