The Spirit’s Ministry to the World Today

Transcript

GRM 929
1/16/2005
The Spirit’s Ministry in the World Today
John 16:7-11
Gil Rugh

Significant days. Obviously, what the Bible says is going to take place, that’s what is significant, that we’re seeing a revival of the old Roman Empire as Europe is drawn together into the European Union, and they’re only getting stronger. Now they talk about having one currency. It wasn’t that long ago that would seem like an impossibility. Now they’re becoming a dominant power. Now we look at the dollar falling and the euro rising in strength. We look at the numbers and the European Union and the economic power and they talk about wanting to have their own military power to offset the United States, which is left as being the only dominant power. Interesting days.

With the Babylonian system our focus was not on the political and commercial aspects of Babylon, but the religious aspects. That’s where I want to pick up with today in our consideration. Not to go into a detailed discussion of the Babylonian system. We may yet do that again. But the church today in light of where we’re going. These things we’re talking about, Israel back in the land, the Roman Empire brought back together again with the strength of iron and the brittleness of clay, as Daniel explained it in Daniel chapter 2. The apostate church, the church of the Western world brought together. You understand when the true church is removed from the world, false religion will flourish in the Western world in a great and powerful way, more than ever before. In Revelation chapter 17 the harlot, the woman rides the beast. She plays a dominant influence and power regarding the political and commercial empire. She will be destroyed three and half years into the seven-year tribulation and then the Antichrist will set himself up as god in the temple and require all the world to worship him.

All these events are prophesied to take place after what we call the rapture of the church during that seven-year period leading up to the return of Christ to earth to establish His kingdom. What we see happening now before the rapture of the church occurs are the things coming together. In other words, if the rapture of the church is going to occur anytime soon, we would think that some of these events would begin to come together, at least in a preliminary way. We know that by the time you get to the middle of that seven-year tribulation, three and half years into it, the temple will have been rebuilt in Jerusalem and sacrifices will be going on. Well, they’re either going to rebuild the temple at the very beginning of the tribulation or perhaps they’re going to start. But Israel at least is back in the land. They’re working on peace negotiations, so all of these things come together.

What I want to talk about is where the church is today and particularly the church of Jesus Christ in the light of the apostate church that will be in place after the true church is removed. My concern is not primarily with the apostate church. My concern is primarily what is happening to the church of Jesus Christ that claims to be faithful to the Word of God, claims to be carrying out the ministry and mission that God has given it in the world today. I fear that the church that is to be the pillar and support of the truth and the testimony for Jesus Christ is itself becoming an obstacle to the ministry of the Holy Spirit to the world today.

I read you a portion of an article last study that talked about evangelicals getting together for an evening of friendship in the Salt Lake Tabernacle, the Mormon center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Some prominent evangelicals were there and spoke. One of those evangelicals apologized to the Mormons for sinning against them. The very idea that evangelicals would get together for the Mormons for an evening of friendship I think is an indication of how the church sees its role in the world today and its evangelistic mission role. An article that was sent to me a few weeks ago by a fellow pastor, the title of the article is The Church of Common Ground. This writer is critiquing a missionary leader and his mission’s organization for their approach and what they are promoting as necessary to reach the Muslim world. Starts out by a quote from this mission’s leader, talking about how much of the world today is unreached, much of that unreached world being Muslims. His question is, what do we need to do to reach these people? The answer, we have to find some common ground. Is that what we have to do to reach people? Some of us would say that sounds pretty good, yes, we have to build bridges, we have to find some common ground to minister to them. The mission statement of this evangelical mission’s organization includes this statement. To improve the relationships between Muslims and Christians by creating forums and resources that will foster mutual respect and enable us all to live more fully the truth as revealed by God in holy scriptures.

Now is that the call of Christian missions? To improve relationships between Muslims and Christians? I think not, and neither does the writer of this article, that’s why I like it. We always like what we agree with. He asks the question, why on earth would a Christian missionary make improving the relationships between Muslims and Christians his organization’s mission statement? This whole idea of searching for common ground, if we’re going to reach people with the gospel, we have to establish relationships, we have to build bridges, we have to have some common ground to relate on. Now I have nothing against having friends who are unbelievers, sharing things in common. That is not the call of the church of Jesus Christ, nor is it the ministry of the believer with the gospel. He has a question, are we to preach or are we to reach? Reach is one of those words that has a broad enough usage, we can use it properly. Talk about reaching people with the gospel, or we talk about how we can more effectively reach our city. Well, we need to do some things to establish some common ground, we come back to. We need to build some relationships that will enable us to reach the city. You’ll find much of what is talked about in the realm of growing a church today is led by sociology. Much of the influence in the church growth movement is by sociologists because this whole idea of relationships and people. Their favorite phrase is people movements and these kinds of things.

This person notes, if someone is actually reached for Christ it will be because the Holy Spirit has supernaturally convicted them of sin and brought them into repentance and faith, not because you or I have somehow managed to manipulate them into a conversion experience through our relationship. When we busy ourselves trying to reach someone for Christ, we focus on results and relationships than the Word of God. Now what does this mission organization say we should do to establish common ground with Muslims? Well, here’s a quote, so by sharing God’s wisdom with Muslims we are helping them come to understand the true character and nature of Allah. Please note that Allah is simply the Arabic word for God, a word used by Arab Christians 600 years before Islam. While Arab Christians know the true character of Allah, most Arab Muslims do not, so the cross is not the place to begin when reaching out to the people of Islam. There is something wrong here. We’re talking about someone who claims to be an evangelical Christian leading an evangelical missionary organization and he says the cross is not the place to begin when reaching out to the people of Islam. We begin by establishing common ground through the wisdom of God in Proverbs. So, we share the book of Proverbs with them and say, see the wisdom of Allah is found in our Bible. We establish common ground and then work out from there. I think that is a denial, that is putting up a barrier to prevent the ministry of the Holy Spirit to the world and to the world of Muslims.

It’s the thinking that our problem, and we all wrung our hands over this at one time or another, what can we do to be more effective. It seems like I’m not effective. I share the gospel and people get upset, I talk to people and they’re angry. What can we do to get a better response? Do what this man said, don’t start with the gospel. For the preaching of the cross is offensive to those who are perishing. If we want to take the offense out of our relationships, we take Christ out and start with something generic. The book of Proverbs has a lot of wisdom, some of that would overlap with other religious wisdom. That doesn’t mean we have any common ground.

I want to take you to the book of John, the gospel of John. We’re going to start with chapter 14. Where we’re going is I want to talk about what is the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the church to the world today. If we’re not clear on this, all of our evangelism will be confused, misdirected, and even with good intentions may become a barrier preventing the ministry of the Spirit, rather than being part of it. What Jesus is doing in John chapter 14-16 is preparing His disciples for His departure, His imminent crucifixion and then ultimate going to heaven. He talked extensively about the coming of the Holy Spirit of God. In John chapter 14 He opened the chapter by talking about the time when the church will be raptured from the earth, the fact that He would go and prepare a place for His followers and then He would come again and take them to that place. He’s not talking about establishing the kingdom on earth, He’s talking about coming to take those who are His followers to a glorious place that He has prepared for them in heaven. That’s talking about the rapture of the church.

Look at John 14:16, I will ask the Father and He will give you another helper, and that’s another of the same kind. The Greek word for another here means another of the same kind, another helper like me, a paraclete, one who comes alongside of to give aid and help. That He may be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth, according to verse 17. The world cannot receive Him, the world doesn’t know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. There are unique changes in the Holy Spirit’s ministry. The Holy Spirit has always been present in the world. Genesis chapter 1 begins with the Holy Spirit of God hovering over the face of the deep. The prophets of the Old Testament spoke as they were moved by the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit of God descended upon Christ in the form of a dove at His baptism. But Jesus said He is going to have the Father send the Holy Spirit, He’s going to come in a unique and special and powerful way following the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The world cannot receive the Holy Spirit. Look at verse 26, the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. The Spirit’s ministry, He is the Spirit of truth, remember verse 17? He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I taught you. Some of what is said about the Spirit and His ministry will apply uniquely and only to the apostles, new truth revealed to the apostles. But then the rest of the New Testament explains how this ministry of the Spirit is carried out in and through present day believers. We don’t receive new truth from God, but according to I Corinthians chapter 2 the Spirit of God enables us to understand the revealed truth of God. The natural man does not understand the things of God, but the man who has the Spirit of God is able to discern all things. The Spirit’s ministry has a uniqueness with the apostles in that the truth given is new, but He carries on the same kind of ministry in that He takes the truth that was revealed to the apostles and opens our eyes to come to an understanding of it and enable us to communicate it. II Timothy 2 says we are to take the truth entrusted to us and pass it on to faithful men who will teach others also.

Look in John chapter15. We have an important section here beginning with verse 18 where Jesus talks about the animosity of the world toward Him and toward all of those who follow Him. This will run down through chapter 16 verse 4. Note chapter 15 verse 8, if the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it has hated you. If you are of the world, the world will love its own, but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. You understand there is nothing you can do as a follower of Jesus Christ to make the world love you. You are hated by the world because of who you are, not because of what you do. It’s who you are. You are a son of the living God; you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ and the world hates Him; because you belong to Him the world hates you. You’ll note, it’s a necessary follow through. I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. All this hand wringing, something is wrong, we ought to have a better relationship with the world. You can’t, the world hates you. Now that doesn’t mean there are things that believers do that are unkind and unthoughtful and contrary to what the Word of God would have them do, but the basic bottom line is, the reason the world has animosity toward us individually and toward us as a church is because we belong to Jesus Christ.

He goes on to elaborate that in verse 23, he who hates Me hates the Father also. Their animosity is to Jesus Christ and to His Father. We have no rapport with the Muslims over Allah. They hate the living God; their Allah is a false god like the Baal of the Old Testament. There is no common ground there. You’ll note the end of verse 25 Jesus quotes the Old Testament concerning Himself, they hated Me without cause. Did Jesus Christ do wrong? Was His approach to evangelism misdirected? Why would the world hate Him? Because He is God incarnate. Why does the world hate us? Because we belong to God and if you will, God is now manifest in and through us by the indwelling Spirit.

Verses 26-27 return to the ministry of the Holy Spirit. When the Helper comes, now here we are in a battle. I know the world is going to hate me, that’s going to mean persecution, that’s going to mean opposition. But when the Helper comes whom, I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth. The Spirit is first and foremost about truth. He proceeds from the Father, note this, He will testify about Me. It’s the ministry of the Spirit to testify concerning Jesus Christ. Look at the next statement, and you will testify also because you have been with Me from the beginning. Obviously, that just applies to the apostles, I didn’t walk with Jesus Christ from the beginning of His earthly ministry. Neither did you, but these men did. But as I noted, the rest of the New Testament would apply this truth and responsibility to us as well, that we are to be testimonies of Him. As I mentioned II Timothy 2, that we take the truth that has been imparted to the apostles and through the apostles to faithful men and we teach it to faithful men who will teach others also.

Then in verses 1-4 in chapter 16 you have the enmity of the world again. The reason I am telling you these things, Jesus says in verse 1, is so that you don’t stumble, you don’t wonder what’s happening. What are we doing wrong, something is wrong here. They are going to make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think he is offering service to God. You talk about totally upside down. They do all these things, in verse 3, because they have not known the Father or Me. These things I have spoken to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you them. These things I did not say to you at the beginning because I was with you. There is going to be a change here now. I want you to understand what this is going to mean. I’m going to leave the world; I’m going to send the Holy Spirit to indwell you and all the animosity of the world against Me is going to be directed toward you now. While Jesus Christ was here it says He was a buffer for His followers and all the animosity of the world was focused on Him. But now He’s gone to heaven and the Holy Spirit dwells in each believer and the animosity of the world is directed toward those who are indwelt by the Spirit of God.

All right, the Spirit of God is going to come and indwell us. We talk a lot about the ministry of the Spirit in the life of the believer. We talk about the fruit of the Spirit in the life of the believer. We talk about the gifts of the Spirit in the life of the believer. We talk about the work of the Spirit in producing sanctification in the life of the believer. But what Jesus now focuses on, what will be the ministry of the Holy Spirit to the world through the believer. Verse 7, I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away. Note this, it is to your advantage that I go away. If I do not go away the Helper will not come to you, if I go, I will send Him to you. I would far rather live today than I would have walked the earth with Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry. It is far better; it is a great advantage. When Jesus Christ returned to heaven after His crucifixion and the Holy Spirit came, it was much better for His followers than when He walked this earth. I think of the awesome privilege and responsibility given to us that we have an advantage over those who walked this earth when Jesus Christ was on this earth, who were with Him at that time. We have the Holy Spirit of God, not only present with us, but He is also now dwelling in us.

What is He going to do when He comes? Now note the end of verse 7, I will send Him to you. Now this is consistent, the Holy Spirit is with you, He will be in you. I will send Him to you. Verse 8, and when He comes, He will convict the world. How will He convict the world? Through you. Where is He going to send the Holy Spirit? Into the world just as an influence or a power? No, He is going to send Him to you, He says. He will be in you, and now through your ministry with the truth that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth will reveal to you He will convict the world. This is the ministry of the believer in the world today, this is the ministry of the church which is what? The pillar and support of the truth, that we have been entrusted with by the Spirit of truth who now indwells each believer and indwells the church. Both are true, I Corinthians 3 and 6. Both the believer’s body and the church is a temple of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, that through the testimony of the believer the church comprised of the people of God the Holy Spirit will convict the world.

Right away we’re talking about something that is unpleasant, convicting someone. He is going to make them aware of this, and this ministry of the Holy Spirit can make a person uncomfortable. Going to convict him in 3 areas, He’ll convict the world concerning sin, concerning righteousness and concerning judgment. Doesn’t primarily say he’ll convict them on how they can have a happier life, doesn’t say he’ll convict them on how their families can be better. We need to get to the root issue. Not saying that a husband and wife who have a living and vital relationship with God won’t have a better marriage. But that is the result, it’s not the root issue. The root issue is sin that has to be dealt with. He’s going to convict the world of sin.

He elaborates this on the following verses, convicts them of sin, righteousness and judgment. Let’s back up. He convicts them concerning sin because they do not believe in Me. This is a foundational ministry of the Holy Spirit. He’s going to convict the world concerning sin because they don’t believe in Christ. Apart from Christ you are lost in your sin. The wages of sin is death, you are lost and without hope in the world, you are the enemy of the living, you are under His wrath and are doomed to hell because you don’t believe in Christ and there is no other solution for sin. I tell you when the Spirit uses the individual and uses the church to convict an unbeliever of sin, it can get very uncomfortable. You know the old preachers in the older churches, the times of the Puritans and subsequent men like Charles Spurgeon, others, did not believe a person truly could be saved until they came under an overwhelming conviction of their own sin and guilt before God. Sometimes I think the Puritans went too far, I mean you could be turned away when you came and said what do I do to be saved, because they belabored sin until you were so overwhelmed with your sin you were in despair. Then you are ready to get saved. Maybe they went too far on that but I daresay we have swung totally the other way. You can be saved, just make a decision for Jesus. Somehow, we’ve taken the Holy Spirit of God out of this equation totally. People are uncomfortable when they’re convicted of their sin, so we won’t talk to them about their sin. It’s become popular to have a growing church today to minimize the proclamation of sin and the presentation of the gospel. One of our families, I’ve shared it before, moved a little west to Colorado, went to a church where the pastor was a graduate of a leading evangelical seminary, a true evangelical seminary. They didn’t hear the gospel there week after week and they made an appointment, went in and sat down with the pastor. The pastor said our board has agreed that we will not present the gospel on Sunday mornings because it will only drive away the people we want to reach. Well, what about the people God wants to reach? The church is not my playground, I’m not here to assemble a crowd because I’ll feel good about it, but I’ll do it under the guise of doing good to them. I want to exclude the Holy Spirit in His ministry to the world from our Sunday morning service, and then we want to go about like we’re honoring the Lord? But the Spirit of God is not welcome here, because the last thing we would want Him to do is bring conviction concerning sin to someone. We say well if they get saved that’s great. The problem is some people come under conviction and don’t get saved. You know what happens when you’re under conviction? You know, even as a believer, what happens when you’re in sin? All of a sudden, I don’t think I feel like going to Bible study tonight, I don’t think I fell like going to church. Besides, I’m not comfortable there anymore. They’re always doing this; they’re always talking about it. All of a sudden what’s wrong here? We don’t want to hear what we’re doing wrong so there are only two choices, we either bow before God and deal with it or we look for a way to get away from it. You know how you feel, you finally get your neighbor to come to church. Here they are sitting next to you and you’re praying, oh Lord I pray that once they’re here we won’t just drive them away. I get up and say this morning we’re going to talk about the eternity of hell. They’ve told you on the way over, I don’t believe in hell and I don’t like to go to churches where they….. You say, oh Lord. You feel like telling them, let’s go for lunch, we’ll come back next Sunday.

What do we want? We all go through it, and we know what it’s like. That’s why we can talk about a lot of things with people, but we don’t talk about sin. When the Spirit of God begins to drive that to the heart things get uncomfortable. If people don’t believe in Christ there is no hope for them, and that’s what the Spirit convicts them of—sin because they don’t believe in Christ. Apart from Christ they are condemned in their sin, they are without hope, they are on their way to hell and the Spirit drives that home to their heart through the ministry of the truth that He has brought.

The second thing the Spirit convicts the world of, remember this is the ministry of the Spirit to the world, is concerning righteousness. The reasons He’ll convict them concerning righteousness is because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me. Well, how does that relate to righteousness and what did Jesus Christ do in His death and resurrection? He secured righteousness for hopeless sinners.

Turn over to the book of Romans. You’re in John’s gospel, keep a marker there, we’re coming back, and go through the book of Acts and you’ll be in the book of Romans and go to chapter 4, Romans chapter 4. Here we have the presentation going on about the truth of God. Paul unfolds first our sin and then righteousness, the righteousness of God provided for us in Christ. He started this section in chapter 3:21 after talking about sin, because if we’re going to talk about the gospel of God we have to talk about sin, we have to talk about righteousness. The bulk of the first 3 chapters of Romans was about sin. Now from the end of chapter 3 through chapter 5 we’re going to talk about righteousness. The end of verse 24 we talk about those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. Now note Romans 4:25, He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, delivered over to crucifixion because of our sin, the wages of sin is death. He had to bear our sins in His body on the cross so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. He was raised because of our justification. In Greek it’s the same basic word translated justification and translated righteousness, so he’s saying to be justified is to be declared righteous. He was raised because of our righteousness. That’s God’s declaration to all that righteousness had been provided for sinful human beings by the death of His Son on the cross.

The Holy Spirit will convict the world of righteousness because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me. My resurrection and ascension to the Father is the declaration of the provision of righteousness for sinful people. That’s a convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit. You are a sinner, lost and without hope, but there is righteousness provided only in Christ. Your righteousness, all your righteous deeds are like polluted rags, Isaiah the prophet says. The best of our religious deeds, polluted garments in the sight of God. The Holy Spirit convicts of righteousness, and the only true righteousness is the righteousness found in Christ.

Thirdly, the Holy Spirit will convict the world concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. At the cross satan was defeated, he was crushed by Christ. Now it’s just a matter of when his dominion will be removed from him. Back up to John 12:31, now judgment is upon this world, now the ruler of this world is cast out. If I am lifted up, I will draw all men to Me. This He spoke of the kind of death He was going to die. To be lifted up was almost a technical term for crucifixion, because they lay the cross on the ground, they nailed you to it, then they stood it up and planted it in the hole in the ground. When we talk about if I am lifted up, He’s talking about the kind of death He was going to died, crucifixion. But we want to note verse 31, now judgment is upon this world, now the ruler of this world will be cast out. At the cross the sin, the world, the devil are judged, and in the judgment of the devil is the judgment of all those who belong to him. Remember Jesus said to the religious leader of His day, you are of your father, the devil. Hebrews chapter 2 says the death of Christ was to set us free from slavery to sin, set us free from the power of death and the devil. In the judgment of the devil there is the declaration of the judgment of the world. They go together. Now judgment is upon this world, now the ruler of this world is cast out. The death and resurrection of Christ is a declaration of judgment. Satan, the exalted angel of God, anointing cherub that covered the throne of God, because of sin lost his position, because of sin and judgment is doomed to an eternal hell. That’s why in the book of Acts we’re told God is commanding all everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.

What do we have to talk about to the world? We present the truth concerning Christ, which deals with sin, righteousness and judgment. But the world doesn’t like that, the world will hate that, we’ll be enemies. Exactly. That’s why you need to read the context. We read this is the ministry to the world, but you understand the Spirit of God is not being sent to the world, He’s being sent to you, to indwell you. Then through you the Spirit of God will carry on His convicting ministry, and so Christ said you need to understand the world will hate you because it hates me, it hates my Father. Now I will be in heaven, and you will represent me on the earth and the Spirit of God will dwell in you and through you the truth will be proclaimed. They’ll persecute you and they’ll kill you and they’ll ostracize you because they hate Me. Here’s our evangelism strategy—present the truth of God.

Come over to the book of Acts. At the beginning of the church Peter preaches, he preaches concerning Jesus Christ, he preaches concerning their sin and guilt. In Acts 2:23, this man, the one appointed and anointed by God you delivered over to the hands of wicked men. You nailed Him to the cross, you’re guilty. God raised Him from the dead, He is the judge of all, verse 34, sit here until I make your enemies your footstool. Verse 36, let all the house of Israel know for certain God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. Didn’t know here now we have to build some relationships, we have to establish common ground, let’s get together and talk about this new material. Let’s understand, you are a sinner under condemnation, you need the righteousness of Christ. And some day He will be your judge.

Look at verse 37, when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, they were pierced to the heart. The Spirit of God took the truth of God and did what man cannot do. He carried that truth to the heart of that person. Three thousand are saved. But you understand that’s not always the result. Sometimes the Spirit of God carries that truth to the heart of a person, and it enrages them. You don’t have to go very far in the book of Acts, and you find persecution develop. You don’t have to go very far, and you find in chapter 7 Stephen will preach a powerful sermon and those who hear it are so enraged they drag him out and stone him to death. You know why? They couldn’t stand the conviction of the Spirit of God in their heart as the Spirit of God spoke through Stephen the truth.

Look over to Acts chapter 24. We could work through the sermons in Acts, but we did Acts not too long ago. Look at Acts chapter 24. Here is Paul’s great opportunity with a significant Roman official and his wife. This Roman official has a Jewish wife and Paul had the chance to sit down and talk to them. Acts 24:24, but some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla his wife who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ. What did Paul talk about? Relationships. Building bridges. Common ground. He talked about faith in Christ, but as he was discussing, look at what he was talking about, righteousness, self-control which gets into the issue of sin, and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, go away for the present. When I find time, I will summon you. You know what? The Spirit of God was using the Word of God so intensely in the life of Felix he couldn’t take it any longer. Go away. That’s all the time I have. But the Spirit of God has brought him under such conviction concerning righteousness, self-control and judgment to come he can’t take it any longer. He had a choice to bow in faith before Jesus Christ or to get away from the message. And he’s in a position to send the messenger away. At the same time, he was hoping that money would be given to him. Therefore, he used to send for him quite often and converse with him. But after two years had passed Felix was succeeded by Portius Festus and wishing to do the Jews a favor Felix left Paul in prison. You know this is a striking passage. What happened was Felix sinned away his opportunity of grace. Over the next two years he’s going to hear Paul often, but there is no indication he ever came under such conviction again. It’s a frightful thing. Oh, I heard the truth, I hear the truth, it’s like withering and I can’t wait to get away. But I’ll give it consideration. Maybe tomorrow, maybe next time. But you know somehow it doesn’t have the same impact next time.

Sometimes pass people in the city who have positions and they’re known, and I think of the times I’ve presented the gospel to them in the past. It seemed like they were on the brink, now it seems like nothing. God doesn’t promise every day. Today is the day of salvation. What is Paul going to do when he talks to this important Roman official and his wife? Dither about relationships, about common ground? There is one thing this man must hear, the necessity of faith in Christ. I must talk to you about righteousness, about sin, about judgment to come. Oh, maybe Paul should have been softer, ease it in.

Turn to the book of Revelation chapter 14. You know I think about it. What would you talk to a person about if you went to the hospital, the doctor says they have about three hours to live, maybe two. What are you going to go in and talk to them about? There’s only one thing—they have to hear the gospel, this is urgent. I mean I don’t have time to talk about let’s build some bridges, let’s talk about what we have in common. You know we don’t understand. It’s not my cleverness. That doesn’t mean we don’t plead and beg people. Paul wrote to the Corinthians and said, we beg you, standing in the place of Christ, be reconciled to God. But you note the context of that. He made Him who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. You must trust in Christ. He took your sin that you might receive His righteousness. I’m not saying we’re hard, we understand, as Paul wrote to Titus, that we were one time foolish, stupid, didn’t understand any of it ourselves until the mercy of God and the grace of God intervened in our lives. That is saying that we come in as those who are on a higher plane to bestow this truth on them whether they accept it or reject it. No, we come with a heart of passion and love for them, but there is no adjustment here. We come to tell them the truth, and if they hate us for it……. What did Paul say to the Galatians? Have I become your enemy because I tell you the truth? Then so be it, I will not neglect the truth.

We are not here to build a large church; we are here to proclaim the truth. It is the Spirit’s responsibility to take the truth and use it in a life. When I lose sight of that I begin to think my responsibility is to build a church, reach the city. I believe we have an obligation to carry the gospel to the city, whether we reach the city, I don’t know. Whether this church will shrink or grow, I do not know. But I know what our responsibility is—to be the pillar and support of the truth and proclaim that truth in the power of the Spirit and the Spirit will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment. By God’s grace some of those who are convicted will be saved and the majority will be driven away and become our enemies.

We are at the end of this phase of history in Revelation 14. Remember what we’re getting in Revelation 14 is a preview of the last three and half years of the coming seven-year tribulation. It will culminate with Revelation 19 and the return of Christ to the earth to establish His kingdom. Note Revelation 14:6, I saw another angel fly in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach. The gospel does not change. I don’t need to go to church world conferences to find out what we ought to do. Here we get to the end of time and an angel proclaims to those who live on earth, to every nation, tribe, tongue and people. He said with a loud voice, fear God, give Him glory because the hour of judgment has come. Worship Him who made heaven and earth. Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great, in verse 8. This world system is coming under judgment, one final opportunity to hear the eternal gospel. Nothing changes.

We get to the end, the same thing. The angel from heaven is sent now, proclaiming the gospel. The church of Jesus Christ going around, we’re going to reach the city. I don’t know whether we are or not. Paul did tell the Corinthians, I speak this to your shame, there are some who have not the knowledge of God. We can give out the knowledge of Jesus Christ, we can share the gospel. I don’t know what the Spirit of God will do with that. It created such animosity in the ministry of Jesus Christ that after three years He was crucified. Created such animosity in the life and ministry of the Apostle Peter that we’re told he, too, was crucified. Created such animosity and hatred in the ministry of the Apostle Paul that we're told in tradition that he was beheaded. Created such animosity in John, the apostle of love, that we read in the book of Revelation he’s exiled to the Island of Patmos because of his testimony for Jesus Christ.

We think something is wrong because people don’t like us. We can’t be the church of Laodicea, they are miserable, blind and naked and they don’t know it. But they’re successful, they don’t think they need anything. Are we embarrassed to be identified with Christ. We had the tsunami, you know we have relief organizations in there, some evangelicals. They advertise for money because they said if we carry this in, it’s an opportunity to present the gospel. You know what they were told in those countries? You can’t distribute anything if you’re going to try to convert people. Now we’re blocked. The only “religious” organizations in there are those who don’t do any converting. What are they doing? Paul came to Corinth and said I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. That’s why we’re in this city. Do we want to reach the city? Yes, if by that you mean we want to present the gospel to every person we can. Are we here because we want everybody to come here? I don’t know what the Spirit of God will do with the truth. Invite your friends to come, invite them to your home Bible study, invite them to wherever, but invite them with a purpose, that they might hear the gospel so the Spirit might convict them of sin, righteousness and judgment. Pray that under that convicting Spirit a person doesn’t sin against the grace of God and be like a Felix who walks away unconverted, walks away from his only hope of salvation.
Let’s pray together. Thank you, Lord, for sending the Spirit of God. It is awesome for us to consider that we have a greater advantage than those who walked this earth with Jesus Christ. We not only have the Spirit of God with us, we have Him dwelling within us. Now as our Lord and Savior is seated at your right hand and He ever lives to make intercession for us, we are privileged to be on this earth indwelt by the Spirit of truth, and individually and as a church to proclaim the truth of your Son, to be identified with Him, to have the Spirit use us and the truth proclaimed through us to convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. Lord, I pray we would not be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Gentile. I pray for those who are here, that there may be none like Felix who comes under the conviction of your Spirit and hardens his heart and sins against your grace. We pray in Christ’s name. Amen.