Natural affection, friendship and God's word!
A. without natural affection is a sin! Ro.1:31
1. Natural affection comes with birth in the same physical family.
Even wicked people respect this! When you see a man bully your sister.
You walk up to him, and say, stop, let her go! He may ask, who she is to you!
You say she is my sister! He will walk away and let go of your sister.
I had seen lots of these in my life time! I did lots of times in Hong Kong and here in N.Y.C.
I simple said, I am a minister from the church of Christ.
Usually they walk closer to me and stare at me a little then walk away slowly!
2. But when comes to God's word, we have to choose God's word!
Jesus made it crystal clear in Matt.10:37-38
He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me;
and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
And he that does not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me. 3.
Yes, when we made this choice, we feel very sad!
This is why Jesus follow up with verse 38 that says,
anyone does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me!
This is one cross we have to carry to follow Jesus!
B. How about friendship?
1. 30 years ago, many had talked about friendship evangelism!
This means lots of friendship activities! But 30 years had gone by.
I have yet to see one converted by those who practice this!
To me, 30 years is long enough to make a move!
3. Friendship without sitting down to study God's word, there will be no evangelism!
I am very sure about this one!
The Bible says, faith in the Lord comes from listening to God's word! Ro.10:17
4. When I met someone, I always feel the urgency to tell him God's word!
I always think this may be the only time I will see this person!
Acts 20:26-27 always show up in my mind!
I testify unto you this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
For I shrank not from declaring unto you the whole counsel of God.
5. And there is 1 Cor.9:16à Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast,
for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
6. Please think deep about this one, my dear brothers in the Lord!
How many times already that you had shrank back from declaring God’s word because of friendship
or natural affection!
C. There is no chance for salvation after this life! Luke 16:19-31
…"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to paradise.
The rich man also died and was buried. In hades, where he was in torment,
he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.
So he called to him, `Father Abraham, have pity on me and
send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
because I am in agony in this fire.
"But Abraham replied, `… between us and you a great chasm has been fixed,
so that those who want to go from here to you cannot,
nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'
"He answered, `Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house,
for I have five brothers. Let him warn them,
so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
"Abraham replied, `They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'
"`No, father Abraham,' he said, `but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
"He said to him, `If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets,
they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"
My dear brothers and sisters, if you have to beg them please beg now!
May the Lord bless you and keep you always! Preach this on June 20, 2010.