Preach Christ

Has the primary focus of what is now called “the gospel” shifted from being about Jesus to being about what Jesus will do for people? How can you avoid this in your preaching/sharing/ministry?

This was a discussion question for one of my classes at IHOPU about Christology. The relevance of the answer to this question is so pertinent to us as believers in our generation that I thought I would share my answer here. 

In the church, the primary focus of Sunday morning messages and the sharing of “the gospel” has shifted from being about the person of Jesus and knowing Him in His identity to what He can do for us. One of the reasons that Jesus is so rarely talked about is that people do not fully grasp the unequaled splendor and majesty that He has. They are not fascinated by Him in all of His mind-blowing glory, and thus do not preach about His supreme beauty, but rather preach of what He can do for us. Jesus , the second person of the trinity, has been demoted from the place of high honor and reverence, to a pocket genie who can help us when we get stuck running our own lives. As forerunners in our generation we are called like Paul to preach Christ and Him crucified.

But we preach Christ crucified….1 Corinthians 1:23

For I am determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2 

Yes, we preach about what Christ has done for us but we do it from a place of considering the great worth and unhindered glory of Christ. The only way to preach Christ effectively is to know Him intimately and deeply. Our reach must never relent in pursuing the knowledge of Christ. 

“No Christ is not in your sermon, sir? Then go home, and never preach again until you have something worth preaching.”- Charles H. Spurgeon

Jerusalem Post

I had to write a paper on the events surrounding Jesus' second coming from the perspective of the Millennium for my class on Zechariah and Haggai. It was so exciting that I thought I would share it here:

Jerusalem Post

Peace Returns to the City of the Great King

The Events that have taken place in the recent times in Jerusalem are staggering. Peace has finally come to the City of the Great King. The Messiah has returned and delivered Israel from her enemies and brought blessing and favor upon her! 

This hope for peace began seven years ago when the Antichrist set up a false treaty with the nation of Israel only to break that treaty in the middle. He then began his ruthless destruction of the people of Israel because he hated the inhabitants of the City of the Great King. Many Jewish people cursed God and fled for their lives. In actuality, the Lord raised up the Antichrist due to Israel’s rejection of the good shepherd when He first came as a lowly babe. This was the Lord’s discipline plan to bring the nation back to Himself. Orchestrating the whole event, the Lord wanted to use this conflict to judge the nations in order to cleanse them and Israel and replace their national governments. Throughout these 3 1/2 dreadful years, almost 2/3 of the population of Israel was slaughtered by the Antichrist and his kingdom. He led all of the nations together to hate Israel and gathered them for battle to take over the City of the Great King and dispose of it’s inhabitants. Jerusalem was surrounded on every side with no hope of victory. This siege against Jerusalem lasted 3 1/2 years. The Antichrist’s kingdom sought to capture Jerusalem for religious purposes. Throughout this time, the landscape around Jerusalem was drastically changed from the wars and other natural disturbances. 

Before He returned, the Lord had supernaturally empowered the Israeli army as His agents to defend Israel against attack, but not to wage war. He empowered the soldiers in Judah first to create unity with Jerusalem. The tribes of Judah and Benjamin returned and were restored. The Lord blessed the tiny Israeli army militarily so that they would not be wiped out. People reported seeing angels encamped around Israel on several occasions. Great miracles were released by the Lord in accordance with His coming.

One glorious morning now known as the Day of the Lord, the Messiah appeared in the sky on a white horse with His multitude of armies. When He first came 2500 years ago, He came on a lowly donkey, but this time He came as a victorious warrior. That day for the Antichrist kingdom was erie as there was no light. The sun, moon, and stars were darkened, creating utter gloom and darkness. But the brightness of His appearing lit up the entire sky. Every eye saw Him coming in great glory and power. The trumpet of God was blown and the dead in Christ rose first. It was terrifying and glorious to see body parts floating up from the ground and dead people coming to life as they received a glorified body and joined in ranks behind Jesus. Descending to Earth, He came up from Ephraim and Bozrah in the South marching straight to Jerusalem, rescuing the Jewish remnant that had fled to Egypt and Assyria or had been taken captive along the way. As the greater Moses, He delivered the Israelites from the prison camps. When His feet touched the Mount of Olives, there was a ear-splitting trumpet blast as a earthquake of enormous magnitude divided the mountain in half allowing Jewish remnants trapped in the Valley outside Jerusalem to flee in panic and escape the Antichrist’s armies.

All the kings of the earth were gathered with their armies around Jerusalem to fight Jesus and His armies at the Battle of Armageddon. The Lord terrified the horses of the Antichrist’s army and struck the horses blind, causing great panic as they were led by insane soldiers. In sight of all nations, Jesus destroyed the Antichrist’s armies surrounding Jerusalem by the breath of His mouth and liberated the Jewish prisoners. Anyone who fought against Israel was struck with disease. The flesh, eyes, tongues of enemy soldiers dissolved even as they stood on their feet. Great agony and blood-curdling screams could be heard from those perishing. Even the animals caught the plague and died. Great fear and panic caused the Antichrist’s army to fight against their own soldiers. That day, Israel gained the wealth and spoils of the nations of the earth. God saved His people because they are valuable to Him, showing His goodness and beauty and His people as His crown jewels.

God’s judgement and salvation came to nations surrounding Israel. Humbling their pride, He cleansed them of their sin, offered them salvation, and allowed them participation in His kingdom. This happened to the cities that oppressed Israel including: Syria (Hadrach, Damascus, Hamath), Phonecia (Tyre, Sidon), and Philistia (Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, Ashdod).

Upon the salvation of the city, loud lamenting could be heard through the streets as the Jewish people gazed upon the one whom they had pierced. Realizing they had rejected their Messiah 2500 years ago, they wept with sorrow. National repentance was clearly evident throughout the land. Though the Messiah knew the gravity of the sin they had committed, He forgave them and called everyone to celebrate the Feast of Atonement. He brought salvation as He is just and humble. He poured out the spirit of grace and supplication so that they could receive revelation, power, prayer, and salvation. Though they rejected Him the first time, Jesus was loyal to them for centuries while they despised Him. The love that Israel has for Him now because of this is tangible in the streets of the city. Through the process of global war, the Lord saved, refined, and transformed Israel. The leaders of Jerusalem received Jesus, a Jewish man, as their Messianic King. Rejoicing is heard in the streets. As the greater Joshua, He lead Israel refugees back to the promised land.

Now we have entered into the Messiah’s reign and people are calling it the Millennium due to the prophecies from the Bible. Establishing His throne in Jerusalem, His dominion stretches from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. As the greater David, He won back Jerusalem and established His throne there. Now that Israel has received her Messiah, Jesus begins to cleanse the land. Through His dominion He has caused all war to cease. Promising to restore double what the enemy took from Israel, the nation has been blessed agriculturally, spiritually, and governmentally. This is the active fruit we have seen thus far of Jesus ruling as King in Jerusalem. He has also regathered Israel from the nations in great numbers and brought them back to Jerusalem. This is possible due to the drastic alteration in the landscape from the earthquake and war desolation. Jerusalem is now a large, plain set upon the highest mountain in the entire earth. Now two rivers of living water with supernatural healing properties flow from the Temple and throne of God flowing east toward the Dead Sea and west toward the Mediterranean Sea. 

Idolatry is completely removed from the nation as well as bad leadership and government. This is an expression of Jesus’ righteous anger and zeal for the affections of His people. Children have a unique, dynamic relationship with Jesus as they see Him as their source of security and strength instead of relying on what their parents say from experiencing the Lord. Another phenomenon is that there is no night in this Millennium, but everything continues to run their cycle of life. The sun, moon, animals, vegetation, and topography are all different. They have been restored and are incredible as they are freed from the chains of sin and death. There is no light as the Lamb is the light of the Temple and illuminates the whole earth. Jesus is King of Kings over all the earth as all the kings of the earth pay homage to Him, worship Him, and serve Him. This includes the Gentiles as well as the Jewish people. Jerusalem is the safest city in all of history. Everything in the City of the Great King has holiness to the Lord written on it. 

 Next month, be sure to make your way to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. Those who don’t attend will experience a drought upon their land and agricultural growth will be low. Besides, who doesn’t like a feast? Let us rejoice and be glad, for Israel’s Messiah has come. The Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father has come. His government and peace shall know no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom establishing it and upholding it with justice and righteousness from now until forever. His name is Jesus!