Thursday, February 23, 2012

The applied DNA of the Gospel

I listened to a sermon today while donating plasma by Tullian Tchividjian. I was not donating plasma near Tullian, he was the preacher of the sermon of which I was listening. Misplaced modifiers are funny.

You can listen HERE.

He quoted Blaise Pascal's challenge to pastors when he asked them to, "Make people wish the Gospel were true, and then show them that it is."

The most marvelous News ever to grace the world is the most unbelievable hope a person who has come to realize their place before God has ever heard. The Gospel is the Best News.

Here are some other quotes from Tullian's sermon HERE.

He also referenced Donald Grey Barnhouse (love him) mentioning that if the Devil took over Philadelphia the town would most likely be clean, crime would go down, kids would say, "Yes sir," and everyone would gather into churches every Sunday where Christ was NOT preached.

It was a challenging view of what we as Christians often settle with regard to what we expect and desire out of this life and of our loved ones and ourselves.

He also mentioned that if no one has ever responded to your preaching of the Gospel by saying "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?" then you have not preached the Gospel. It is radical and outrageous. It is much freer than you would dare believe. It is more self-controlled and pure than you believed possible.

Lastly, he mentioned some time spent with Elyse Fitzpatrick and how amazing the Gospel is and just how far it will push our comfort zone if we take it to be as serious and merciful as it is.

If you have an hour, download it from iTunes at the link at the top and give it a listen.

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