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The Most Important Message to Preach Today
The Most Important Message to Preach Today
Friday was a momentous day for our country. An official change was made that concerns and upsets us all. I have no doubt that due to the announcement from the Supreme Court on Friday, preachers all over the country scrambled to prepare a different sermon than they had originally intended to preach today. The Scriptural approach to same gender sexual activity and marriage is probably being preached in numerous churches. I made the decision to preach the sermon I had already been planning on. Why? Because I’m convinced that the topic we are discussing in today’s sermon is the most important message that needs to be presented today. We need to know that a key to our victorious growth is not being able to help but point people to God.
The Scripture is clear. Same gender sexual activity is a sin. Romans 1:26-27 says that same gender sexual activity is a dishonorable passion and shameless act that is contrary to nature. I Corinthians 6:9 says those who participate in same gender sexual activity (along with other sinners) will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. I Timothy 1:8-11 explains that those who participate in same gender sexual activity (along with a host of other sins) are lawless, disobedient, ungodly, sinful, unholy, and profane. The ruling on Friday hasn’t changed any of that, and preaching on that subject today isn’t going to change that ruling.
What we need to grasp is that our job is the same today as it was on Thursday. Our job is to point people to Jesus Christ. Our job is to share the gospel so sinners might be saved, set free from their sins. Our job has never been to make sure America had laws that upheld Scripture. That was nice. Perhaps it was even helpful, though I think an argument can be made that it has actually crippled too many Christians and churches. I certainly wish our country would maintain scripturally based moral standards, but we need to remember that our country is part of the world. And the world is going to do what it does best, be worldly. No doubt, we love our country and we hate to see it walk a path that will surely lead it to God’s judgment. But our job is not to protect nations from judgment. Our job is to take the gospel to the lost. Our job is not to save society, but to save sinners.
Additionally, we need to grasp that God has never asked for or expected us to spread the gospel through political means. Certainly, I hope you take God’s Word with you into the voting booth as I hope you take it with you everywhere you go. But Jesus neither died to affect civil legislation nor asked us to make Christian countries. He’s commanded us to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20).
Of course I hope the Supreme Court’s decision will in some way be overturned. But whether it is or not will not save one person from any sin, leastwise the sin of homosexual activity. However, as it always has, the gospel can save anyone from every sin and set them free so they overcome those sins.
I didn’t change my sermon topic today because the most important message we need to hear is not a reminder that people in the world are sinning. The most important message we need to hear is that we know the God that can save them from their sins, and we must not let anything stop us from pointing them to Him.
- June_28_2015--The_ ... o_Preach_Today.pdf (43.62 kB)
