What Did the Preacher Preach About?

don · 09-04-09 7:19 am

What Do Adventist Preachers Preach About? A poster on another thread suggested that Adventist pastors only preach about the fourth commandment of all the commandments. If we look back in the early Adventist Reviews and Sabbath Herald, we certainly see a focus on the Sabbath. Early Adventism was a Sabbatarian movement. When they spoke of the "Third Angels Message", they meant the Sabbath in most cases. Ellen White helped expand the definition by identifying the message of Justification by Faith as "the Third Angel's Message in verity". That was shortly after the 1888 General Conference session. But, do Adventist preachers today have this same sabbatarian focus? Once Martin Luther King went to hear E. E. Cleveland. He complained that all he heard was "The Law, the Law, and the Law". Cleveland, in response, said ‘You must have arrived late because all I preached was “the Lord, the Lord, and the Lord.”’” This thread intends to report the topics on which Adventist preachers are preaching. I suspect that it is on a far wider range than our poster on the other thread reports. Also, I suspect it is narrower realm than I would prefer. .

don · 09-04-09 7:31 am

From my local church's website, these are the most recent sermon topics listed<ul><li>A Life Changing Friendship <LI>Reconciled by His Death Saved by His Life <LI>God Speaks; Are you Listening? <LI>The Secret of Faithfulness <LI>The Secret of Integrity <LI>The Secret of Kindness <LI>The Secret of Patience <LI>The Secret of Peace <LI>The Secret of Love <LI>Lord of Our Labor <LI>Lord of Our Services <LI>Lord of Our Desires <LI>Lord of Our Body Temples <LI>Lord of Our Relationships <LI>Life Change Happens at the Foot of the Cross <LI>Hope At the Foot of the Cross: Hope of a New Home <LI>Hope At the Foot of the Cross: Hope of a New Life <LI>Hope At the Foot of the Cross: Hope in the Face of the Impossible <LI>Hope At the Foot of the Cross: A False Hope! <LI>Hope At the Foot of the Cross: Hope for all Mankind <LI>Hope At the Foot of the Cross: Hope in Tables of Stone <LI>Hope At the Foot of the Cross: The Hope of His Return <LI>Hope At the Foot of the Cross: Sings of Hope <LI>Hope At the Foot of the Cross: Hope for a Thief <LI>Hope At the Foot of the Cross: Hope in our Pain <LI>The Surpassing Value of Knowing Christ Jesus <LI>Hope At the Foot of the Cross: Can You Find Hope In Jesus? <LI>Gambling in the Church <LI>Lord of Our Worship <LI>Lord of Our Priorities <LI>The Courage and Inspiration of Children (and other childlike people) <LI>Journey to the World Outside My Shoes <LI>Genocide: Focus on Courage and Trust (mostly Trust)</li></ul>The topics tell only part of the story, of course. We still can improve our understanding and presentations of what is important for this moment in the world's history. .

elaine · 09-04-09 12:29 pm

Don, preaching on the Sabbath to a SDA audience is "preaching to the choir." But, for evangelists, it cannot be denied that the Sabbath is the "testing truth" which separates the new converts from those who are "lost" because they were unable to accept this most important doctrine. It cannot be minimized: The fourth commandment is the sine qua non of Adventism and while all of the commandments should be of equal importance, when, in an evangelistic sermon, are the other nine given equal importance. We know the anwer to that. Not to embrace the Fourth is to eventually have the Mark of the Beast.

don · 09-04-09 12:55 pm

The Early Adventists were focused on the Sabbath. I suspect that if the Christian Churches taught that Adultery was OK, the Adventist Church would discover a new aspect of "Present Truth". .

elaine · 09-04-09 3:23 pm

It is not only the early Adventists who were focused on the Sabbath, it is Adventist's evangelisism today that is, also. If they preach on adultery or lying or stealing as they do about the Sabbath and the horrible danger of the Mark of the Beast, please name the ones who do. The other Christian churches didn't preach on keeping Sunday as the most important part of Christianity; something that cannot be said for Adventism.

don · 09-04-09 4:28 pm

I mentioned the early Adventists not to imply that present day Adventists don't stress the Sabbath. James White in many ways was like the "apostle" of Adventism. If you want to get the gist of Adventism watch how he managed as its most prolific writer and leader. I don't see Adventists apologizing for their Sabbath emphasis. It was their reason to be, it seems. This explains how the 1888 message of Jones and Wagonner on the Righteousness of Christ made such an impact. The Gospel message had been neglected. There were evangelists who recognized the need for a focus on Christ and they led the way in doing so. E. E. Cleveland led a whole wing of Adventist evangelists who incorporated the Gospel of Jesus Christ into each sermon. The summer I worked in Belize as a Student Missionary, Pastor Oliver followed that pattern. Each evening, no matter the topic, he would end with an appeal to accept Jesus as one's savior. The message of Jesus cries out to Adventist evangelists; insisting on a central focus. Can you name an Evangelist who doesn't incorporate the Gospel into their presentations. .

elaine · 09-04-09 5:36 pm

Can you name an Evangelist who doesn't incorporate the Gospel into their presentations. No, because I do not listen to them. Perhaps you, or someone who listens to Amazing Facts or 3ABN to some of the better-known SDA TV evangelists can answer this question. I have received fliers from time to time on these TV evangelists and they advertise the D&R prophecies, and mention the Mark of the Beast as being of ultimate importance to know and prevent its deception.

george · 09-04-09 5:37 pm

Don, In one or two sentences could you define THE GOSPEL?

don · 09-04-09 9:46 pm

define THE GOSPEL I realize that some people parse the plan of salvation pointing to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus as the central core features of the Gospel. I agree with this so long as the other features of the Good News are not denied. Jesus, the eternal Son of God, dwelt among us. He showed us the Father. He died for our sins. He rose again and sits at the right hand of the Father. As proof of His success in our salvation, the Holy Spirit was sent to continue the divine presence with humanity; calling all humanity to accept Jesus as the saviour; repenting of their sins. The Holy Spirit empowers the believer to live a moral life. Jesus is coming back to physically redeem those who believe. At the end of this age, the sin problem will be resolved and all will be right with the universe once again. .

renie · 09-04-09 11:03 pm

YEH !! Don defined the gospel without mentioning the sabbath.

george · 09-05-09 5:08 am

Don, Good for you. I asked that question in a Sabbath School class I taught once and there was total silence. I was astounded. The term is used in so many ways, and in different ways depending on the church etc. The SDA church uses it to encompass everything from soup to nuts. I think it's important not to overuse the term. It's not about "incorporating the Gospel" into any old sermon. The GOSPEL is a specific message - the core of Christianity, and to think we can cast this label on anything coming from the pulpit is almost a sacrilege. What has amazed me over the years, when I have struggled with SDA theology (at first trying so hard to legitimize it) is that it leaves out that core Gospel when it gets into all of its pet doctrines. It's as if it looses focus when dealing with the Sabbath and many other of its unique teachings. I think I can predict your response - the fact that you, personally, can find the Gospel in all the SDA doctrines, and that may be; but I'm talking about the presentation of its doctrines at its evangelistic meetings, SS lessons, and the school curriculum. It's about the entire "church story" - the way the various Bible themes are woven together, starting with the "great controversy" (the theme, not the book). Specifically, the idea that the SDA church or individual SDAs are going to "justify" God to the universe is anti-Gospel. The whole end-time scenario needs a redo. The Gospel focuses on Christ - and in my opinion, is best summarized in the book of Hebrews (without twisting the entire chapter 9 around to fit the 1844 stuff).

billdljr · 09-05-09 11:16 am

Great topic!! Here is the first article of faith in our list of fundamental beliefs for evangelical SDA's: 1. The Gospel of Jesus Christ— "We believe that the Gospel is the good news that the Lord Jesus Christ has died for the sins of the world! Because of His infinite love for the fallen sons and daughters of Adam, God Himself in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ has come into this sin darkened world, lived a sinless spotless life by perfectly obeying and fulfilling the Law of God, and then He died for our sins, in our place, as our atoning sacrifice upon the cross of Calvary. As the Second Adam, our Lord took upon Himself the guilt, punishment, penalty, and death which we all deserve. The curses pronounced at the Fall of the First Adam fell in full measure upon the Second Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the sin bearer, substitute, and redeemer for the entire human family." Here is the second article of faith which is justification by faith alone: 2. Justification by God's unmerited "Grace Alone" through "Faith Alone" in the sinless life and atoning death of the Lord Jesus "Christ alone"— "We believe that the Good News of our salvation and reconciliation through Christ's shed blood on Calvary is proclaimed to all the world and is attended by the outpouring power of the Holy Spirit. It is God's will that all should come unto a saving knowledge of Christ. Thus the Holy Spirit, through the proclamation of the everlasting Gospel, calls and enables whosoever will to personally believe the Gospel of Christ's finished work of atonement on the cross of Calvary, to repent of dead works, and to be baptized for the remission of sins." "All who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in repentance for their sins are justified freely by God's unmerited grace alone through faith alone in the perfect sinless life and atoning death of the Lord Jesus Christ alone. They are personally justified, forgiven, declared righteous and innocent... By the unmerited grace of God they are accounted perfect and sinless in His merciful reckoning; and their sinfulness and guilt are covered by His sinlessness. The Law of God finds nothing to condemn in the repentant sinner who believes in Jesus. His name is recorded in the Book of Life and he is reckoned as righteousness in Christ and accounted worthy of eternal life." "This is what the apostle Paul calls — justification by faith in the imputed righteousness of Christ. Thus, we as repentant sinners are personally saved from our sins when we believe the gospel. No repentant believer in the Lord Jesus Christ can be ever be lost as we continue to trust only in the sinless life and atoning death of the Lord Jesus Christ unto the end of our lives or until Jesus comes in the clouds of heaven on the Last Day. There will never be a point in our lives where we will not need to be justified by God's unmerited grace alone through faith alone in the imputed righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ." "All saving merit is in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is merely the instrumental cause of our justification and never the meritorious cause. In other words, there is no merit in faith, but rather all righteousness and merit is in the object of our faith, the sinless Lamb of God — the one Mediator between God and Man — Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior." Notice that there is no mention of any of the 1844 stuff our articles of faith and there never will be. We totally repudiate all date setting after the cross. We affirm that the "hour of His judgment", the "sealing" of God's people, the "three angel's" messages, the "day of atonement", and the ministration of our Lord in the "most holy place" began at the cross not in 1844. Bill Diehl <a href="http://www.PresentTruthMag.org" target=_top>www.PresentTruthMag.org</a>

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#1 09-04-09 7:19 am

What Did the Preacher Preach About?

#2 09-04-09 7:31 am

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