Sunday, May 16, 2010

Alien Problem/Inner Solution or Inner Problem/Alien Solution?












The Sunday Sound-Bite...

Gospel Driven Disciples includes a weekly component called The Sunday Sound-Bite.

These "sound-bites" will be from various men of God commenting on various topics with the goal of provoking a deeper appreciation of our Lord Jesus Christ and to facilitate obedience to the admonition given in II Peter 3:18 – “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Savior Jesus Christ.”

This selection is an excerpt from a sermon at the 2006 Together for the Gospel Conference hosted by John TG4.
 

4 comments:

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

I thought it was excellent Gregg. Thanks for sharing.

Yvonne.

Arlee Bird said...

I'm not sure why, but I didn't understand the point that was trying to be made here. Maybe I wasn't listening close enough.

Lee

Brian Ray Todd said...

James 4:4 says, "You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God."

I like the point that the culture is not the focus, but the sinners within the culture. Ambassadors for Christ and the kingdom of Heaven requires Believers to be set apart as salt & light, but from the inside ... engaged with this culture heart to heart. It is important to have the Christian role spelled out clearly and guided by the Holy Spirit, for Christ and the faith. Thank you for this ministry that works through the gray areas of discipleship and build the foundations that allow us to be further equipped by speak the truth in love to those who do not know the Lord with saving faith. God bless you! Brian

Gregg Metcalf said...

Yvonne - glad you appreciated it! Thanks for reading, I really have come to appreciate you!

Lee - today in most "evangelical and neo-evangelical" circles the current wave of hysteria centers on being "cultural relevant." In other words to effectively share the gospel one has to become "excactly" like the culture and change the gospel to fit the culture mores, distinctions, values, etc. He is saying, "NO!" Our "citizenship" is in the kingdom of heaven, we are aliens in this presnt world and culture. We don't fint into the culture, we are different, there is a line of demarcation between culture and Christianity. We don't have to shape the gospel to the culture.

Ultimately he said that the world thinks the problem is outside in the "environment" and the solution is inside of man, we just have to find it. But that is not correct, he says that the problem man has is inside - his sin nature and the aline or outside solution is Jesus Christ.

Brian - Very good point. The focus is the sinner and his need for salvation. The focus is not the culture.