Him We Preach - Chip Brogden

sermonindex Dec 31, 2008

Today's meditation is taken from:
Him We Preach
by Chip Brogden

http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/articles/preach.html

"Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus" (Colossians 1:28).
Paul tells us the secret of his success and the key to the whole New Testament - for that matter, the key to the whole Bible and the Key to Everything. After presenting us with this glorious unveiling of Christ, Paul does not say, "This is WHAT we preach," but "This is WHOM we preach."

Christianity as an institution has long been occupied with things: churches, clergy, teachings, doctrines, religious things. The "house church movement" is similarly engrossed in the dynamics of how to meet, where to meet, and what to do when meeting. The "charismatic movement" is obsessed with alleged manifestations and spiritual gifts. The "prophetic movement" is absorbed with what they think God is saying, doing, or about to do. Paul was preoccupied with a Person, and the difference between what we preach today and Whom he preached then explains how and why he was part of a small remnant of people who were able to turn the world upside down without the aid of the Internet, television programs, or international conferences and meetings.

H

HopeinChrist Dec 31, 2008

Simple yet how profound when put into practice. Good post.

A

AbideinHim Dec 31, 2008

T. Austin Sparks and Watchman Nee emphasized the truth of the preeminence of Jesus Christ in many of their writings. "Christ the Sum of All Spiritual Things" by Brother Nee helps us to see that everything outside of Christ is dead. Jesus Christ has not given us wisdom, He is our wisdom. Righteousness is not a thing that has been imparted to us, but Christ is our righteousness. We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus. There is no spiritual blessing that can be found apart from Christ. "God has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who has called us to glory and virtue." It is only through the knowledge of the Person of Christ who is our all and all that spiritual fulness can be found.

Mike

sermonindex Jan 3, 2009

Paul does not say, "This is WHAT we preach," but "This is WHOM we preach."

Roniya, Thank you for this post.

Some of us have been so badly bruised in fellowships, that we become afraid to try to find one that we feel safe in.

I was OOC for many years for this reason until just some years ago. My husband visited a church around the corner from our home and brought home the CDs of the pastor there for me to hear.

In one CD - as he opened his sermon with prayer - he prayed, "Lord, make me invisible" - but he prayed it so quickly & quietly - I doubt the congregation heard him. And then he preached a sermon that was as if I were hearing straight from God and forgot the man.
That is what caused me to join this church - as they say.

Anton Bosch taught us that these men are called to be servants.

Our pastor is a servant.

He said quickly one night - that a prophet points you to Jesus. He said it quickly and it wasn't what the conversation was about nor was he speaking of himself. It just came out of him for reasons which none of us knew.

I needed this third confirmation, that it ~~[i]~~is[/i] all about Who He is - the Whom we preach, that makes all the difference in the 'world'.
Thank you.