A Stumbling Stone And Rock Of Offense

Q: What does the Bible say about the gospel being offensive?

The Bible teaches that the gospel can be a stumbling stone and a rock of offense, revealing truths that some may resist or reject. In Isaiah 8:14, it is noted that God can be a sanctuary for those who believe, but also a stone of stumbling for those who reject Him. This reflects the dual nature of the gospel: it brings hope and salvation to the humble, while simultaneously exposing the pride and rebellion of the unrepentant. Paul highlights this dynamic in Romans 10:1 when expressing his desire for Israel to be saved, indicating that the message of salvation is often met with resistance. Everyone has different reactions to the gospel, which can range from acceptance to rejection, showing that the offense does not come from the preacher's intent but from the message itself.

Q: How do we know predestination is true?

Predestination is confirmed in the Bible, particularly in Romans 9:15-18, where God is declared to have mercy on whom He chooses. Predestination is a core doctrine of Reformed theology, affirmed by Scripture, particularly in Romans 9, where Paul outlines God's sovereign choice in salvation. In verses 15 and 18, it states that God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy and will harden whom He will harden. This highlights that salvation is entirely the work of God and not dependent on human action. Furthermore, Ephesians 1:4-5 teaches that believers were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, reinforcing the idea that God's election is based on His will, not ours. This understanding underscores the grace of salvation, revealing it as a divine initiative.

Q: Why is the fear of the Lord important for Christians?

The fear of the Lord is essential as it is the beginning of wisdom and a proper reverence for God’s authority and holiness. The fear of the Lord is foundational in a believer's life as it cultivates a heart of reverence and awe towards God. Proverbs 1:7 states, 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,' indicating that understanding and wisdom flow from recognizing God’s greatness and authority. In Isaiah 8:13, the Lord instructs us to sanctify Him, meaning to set Him apart as holy and worthy of our utmost respect and obedience. This fear is not merely about being afraid but involves a profound respect that leads to a life of worship and obedience. When Christians fear the Lord, they become grounded in the understanding that He is sovereign, and this perspective guides their actions and decisions according to His will.

Q: What does the Bible say about preaching the gospel clearly?

Scripture emphasizes the need for clear preaching, as it allows individuals to reach a verdict about their condition before God. Clear preaching is vital in communicating the truths of the gospel, as it allows the listener to understand their sinful state and the grace available through Christ. The preacher is tasked with declaring God’s word plainly and boldly, as seen in 2 Corinthians 4:2, where Paul says, 'We have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways.' The objective is not to win friends but to present the truth, enabling the congregation to respond in faith or repentance. Ralph Barnard emphasizes that if preachers communicate clearly, individuals will arrive at a verdict regarding their relationship with God, whether that verdict leads to acceptance, confusion, or offense. The clarity of the message is essential to fulfill the Great Commission effectively.

Wouldn't you? I'd like to enter
into this place one time with such zeal and enthusiasm for
the gospel you sound just eaten up. And I've got to eat it up. Got to have it. Got to receive
it. Well, sometimes I get a little whiff of that. Turn with me to
Isaiah chapter 8. Isaiah chapter eight. Say many of the same things over
and over again, but. I want to reiterate this that. I do not want to be offensive.
I've got a lot to learn in this thing of preaching and being
a preacher or a pastor or everything that goes with that title. And
I don't want to be offensive to anyone. I really don't. I
don't want to preach in a harsh and abrasive, hateful, condescending
manner. I certainly try my best to avoid
Taking pot shots at people from the pulpit, that's underhanded. But the Scriptures are full of
warnings and admonitions and corrections and judgments and
so forth, and I want to be able to warn people right along with
the Word of God. But I want to do it in such a
way as to be really concerned for people's souls. I want to
warn people, but I want to do it with a tear in my eye. or
the burden on my heart for their soul, and a tear in my eye. Like Jeremiah, you know, he's
called the weeping prophet. But I don't want, and I don't
want thee, I don't want the gospel to be offensive. Paul said in
Romans 10 verse 1, by my heart's desire and prayer to God for
Israels, that they might be saved, that they might believe the gospel. Not trying to be exclusive here,
we're not trying to exclude people, have a little click here, a little
cull. We want people to believe the
gospel. Don't you get aggravated yourself the way you witness
or the way you come across to people? Don't you wish you could
have more compassion and so forth? I wish the same thing in my preaching. But it's as Ralph Barnard said,
here I go quoting Ralph again. It's as Ralph said, he said,
you need to preach for a verdict though. You need to preach in
such a way, so plainly, so clearly, not mincing words. Somebody said,
I forget exactly what they said about him, they said he's awfully,
what was the term they used, awfully forthright. And they meant that I didn't
mince words. Oh, that's true. I'm not trying
to win friends and influence people. You people are my friends. I hope you'll always be my friends.
I don't have to win you. I'm not trying to win friends
and influence people. I'm not trying to scratch backs
and tickle ears. I'm not trying to please anybody. Barnard said this, he said if
you preach this way, if you preach clearly enough from God's word,
he said folks will reach a verdict. That's what he meant by preaching
for a verdict. In other words, he's not saying
like this generation try to get decisions, preach for decisions
so people make a decision for Jesus. That's not what he's talking
about. He was talking about people will reach a verdict about their
condition before this God. If you preach the word of God
boldly enough and clearly enough so as to be understood, people
will reach a verdict about who God is and who they are and what
they must do to get to this God. He said people will have one
of three reactions. If you preach clearly enough,
he said, people will either go away glad, that is, they'll rejoice
in what you've preached and who God is, and not rejoice so much
in what you are, but rejoice in who Christ is and how he,
by grace, saved you. They'll be glad. They'll rejoice
in God's word and say, that's right, I love that. Will you
preach it again tonight? They'll be glad, or they'll be...
Sad? Some people go away sometimes
confused. I don't understand. They'll be sad, they'll be confused
and upset and troubled about their own heart and condition
and so forth. And I'll add this to that. If
somebody goes away sad, I bet you, based on the mercy and grace
of God, they'll come back glad. Like Barnard told that young
lady one time, he said, you go home and ask God to show you
who you are. And she did and came back all terribly upset.
And then he said, now you go home and ask him to show you
who Christ is. And she came back rejoicing. So, and then he said,
they'll either go away glad, sad, or mad. I don't believe that. I'll believe anything but that
predestination, you know. One of three things. Unfortunately. Unfortunately, most people seem
to get mad. And we don't rejoice in this.
That's the reason I started out like a deer. I don't like that.
Really. We're not trying to be an exclusive
club here, are we? We're not rejoicing in the fact
that we believe this and you don't. What's wrong with you,
you fool? Oh, no, what do we have that we have not received?
If we received it, why do we—glory is if we have not received it.
But unfortunately, most people seem to get mad, even though
you'll be preaching straight from God's Word. One of our brothers was telling
me that he just quoted John 9, 18 the other day. Whom he will
have mercy, he'll have mercy. Whom he will, he hardens. And
he said the lady got mad at him. He said, I don't believe that. The man just quoted a verse of
scripture. But that's the way it's always
been now. That's the way it's always been. Christ said this.
Christ said you let a man come in his own name. I mean, got
his name plastered everywhere. The so-and-so faith ministry,
you know. The so-and-so faith study bible.
You let him, a man come in his own name, looking slick, looking
good. And people will follow him out
of the thousands. They'll receive him. No matter how absurd what
he has to say is, no matter how ridiculous, no matter how crooked.
And these fellas, you can, my daughter could see through some
of these fellas. Yet they pour the money into them and follow
them left and right, don't they? And Christ said that a long time
ago. He said, you let a man come in that way, and him you will
receive. But let a man come in the name
of God, like Christ was saying back there in John 8, to honor
God, just trying to preach the truth, the word of God, glorify
God, tell men the truth. Paul said, I'm going to become
your enemy because I tell you the truth. Let a man do that,
and they'll kill him if it were lawful. They did. They killed every one of the
prophets. They killed every one but one of the apostles. And
he said it's coming today when they're going to kill you for
believing in God. Nevertheless, the Lord is still
speaking, Terry Kinsley. He's still speaking. He still
has a few voices out there in the wilderness. who are crying,
not crying, not trying to make themselves known, but trying
to make Him known. Voices that say, He must increase
and I must decrease. My ministry, my name, my glory
must be in the dust, but He must be exalted. Now, what's wrong
with that? There's a few voices in the wilderness,
a few John the Baptists. You know, men, preachers today
are thought of as, oh, he's a kind fellow, and he's a sweet, gentle
pastor. They used to be called Sons of
Thunder, born to Jesus. Christ renamed old James and
John Sons of Thunder. And the message is the same,
isn't it? The message is the same. God's
prophets still come preaching, where grass, behold, all flesh
is grass, but I'm a good grass. They still come preaching, you
best behold your God. God's God, and I mean God, not
your co-pilot. I mean He's in control. Can save
you or damn you. They're still preaching that,
aren't they? There's just a few. We're going to have four of such voices
here this week. the judgment on Franklin County
for John the Baptist passing through. And I hope by God's
grace there's one standing here right now saying, God's God! Is anybody listening? And then
finally saying, Behold a servant of God, mine elect, the Lord
Jesus Christ, the way to God. The message is the same and people
are the same. now as they were in Isaiah's
day, and the reaction to the message is still the same. Look
here at Isaiah chapter 8. Look at verse 11. God's still
speaking through some men. Yes, he is. He's still speaking
through some men. Like it or not, whether men like
it or not, God still speaks through earthen vessels, through the
preaching of the gospel. God still is chosen by this thing
that the world calls foolishness, that this modern sophisticated,
civilized generation called foolishness. God still is chosen by the foolishness
of preaching to save people. Why? Because we have to come
down. We all have to come down on the same plane, don't we,
and sit at the feet of God's Word like little children and
learn all over again. The Lord spake, Isaiah said,
thus to me with a strong hand. A strong hand. What does that
mean? Well, the scripture says, let
God be true and every man a liar. Doesn't it? Men speak with forked
tongue. Men speak with forked tongue.
Men say one thing, mean another, don't they? We're guilty of it. Yeah, we are. Men, most folks,
women, I include you women in with this. Definitely. Most folks
are very underhanded. Underhanded. Scripture says God
speaks with a strong hand. Open-handed. I looked that word
up. It means open-handed. Everything's open. There's no
hidden meanings. No hidden motives. No ulterior
motives behind what he said. Like us. Like us. We're deceptive. We're trickery.
We're tricky. We have ulterior motives. Not
God. God speaks with an open hand,
a strong hand. He's not hiding anything. Paul
said, if our gospel be hid, it's not because we're trying to hide
it or sneak it up on somebody. Like some so-called four-point
Calvinists and so forth say, well, you know, we'll sneak it
in on them. This is family doctrine, and
I'll, you know, in a convenient time, I'll slip this up on them. They'll believe. No, we're not
trying to deal deceptively and trickily with people and underhandedly. Paul said, if our gospel be hid,
it's hid to them that are lost, not because we're hiding it.
No, we manifest ourselves in every man's conscience. But God
doesn't speak underhandedly, but everything's right up front.
The Scriptures, if you're honest, if you open your eyes and your
ears just to read the Word of God, just read through Romans
9. If you're honest, you'll have
to believe what it says, won't you? Thus saith the Lord, I will
have mercy on whom I will. That is the only one way you
can interpret that, isn't it? And whom I will I'll harden.
Strong hand, isn't it? Then they say, these are strong
things, these are hard things. Hard to be understood? No, just
hard. We just don't like them. But thus saith the Lord," they
said to Christ, do you remember? "'Tell us plainly.' He said,
I told you, didn't I?" And one of these days, as we say it,
he's going to say, in the end, I told you so, and you didn't
believe it. And this strong hand, too. The
Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand. That means the power, the
authority, the hand of God, the right arm. That indicates God's
authority, doesn't it? His power. His rule. It's as if God, Isaiah said,
it's as if God himself pointed his finger at me and said, now
you listen to me. Did your dad ever do that to
you? Huh? Did your father, or your mother
even? She was strong. Did he ever point
his finger at you and say, now you better listen to me, and
you better listen up. Did he? Well, mine did. I'll never forget that big finger
looking at me. And you better believe I wasn't popping my gum
and popping my galson. I trembled. Didn't he say, that
I'll dwell with, I'll commune with that person who's broken,
whose contrite and who trembleth at my word, not buts it, not
but, but, but, but, like a goat, not I don't know about this or
that, trembles, bows to, believes, I don't understand it, but that's
what it says, and I believe it. Now there's the man God will
reveal himself to. And the Lord spake thus to me
with a strong hand," he said, a little bit, and he instructed
me, look at it, stay with me, this is good. He instructed me
that I should not walk in the way of this people. God says, my ways are not your
ways. There is a way. Turn to that,
Proverbs chapter 16 with me. Proverbs chapter 16. God says
my ways are not your ways. The scripture says we have turned
everyone to his own way, right? We think we know. We think we
are right. We think our way is the right
way, don't we? We, man. I'm talking about mankind.
Look at verse 2. All the ways of a man are clean
in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits,
tries the spirit. Look down at verse 25. There
is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are
the ways of death. Man thinks he's going the right
way, but it's the opposite way. He thinks it's the right way,
but it's all wrong, isn't it? Look over chapter 21 with me,
Proverbs 21. Proverbs 21, verse 2. Every way
of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord ponders the
heart. Justice and judgment. Not sacrifice,
or more than sacrifice? What are the ways of man? What
are man's ways? Huh? What are the ways of mankind?
Well, that's the way of pride, isn't it? The way of pride. Every
man is proud. Every man and woman, by nature,
is proud of themselves, aren't they? You know, the byword, the
watchword. Well, I'm okay, and you're okay.
No, we're not okay. Not according to God's Word,
are we? We're not okay. It's the way of pride. I'm somebody,
you know. I'm special. I use claro, because
I'm worth it, you know. That's the way of man. The ways of man are the way of
the world. You know, the way of God is not
the way of pride. It's the way of lowliness, meekness,
humility. He said, those that abase themselves,
I'll exalt. Those that exalt themselves,
I'll obey. What do men do? They exalt themselves. God said,
you're coming down. If we can get down, God will
bring us up. The ways of man are pride. God won't have anything
to do with it. Proud love. He said, there's
seven things I hate. Six things. Okay, seven are abomination. The first is a proud love. And
we're all plumb full of it. I'm talking about good church
folk now. I'm talking about all of them. It's the way of the
world. The ways of man are the way of
the world. You know, have you seen the bumper sticker? He that
buys with the most toys wins. Have you ever laughed at that? Man, I'm telling you what, what
does the scripture say? What says the scripture like
we read this morning? Say, what's the profit of man if he gained
the whole world? He'll lose, doesn't it? You gain
the world, you lose. The world says you gain the world,
you win. That ain't it. That's the way
that seems right, but it's wrong, dead wrong. I'm talking dead
wrong. Hell-bound wrong. Right? The way of the world. The ways
of man are the way of—and this is the worst way of all—religion. It's the most ungodly way of
all, because they draw near with their lips, and hypocrisy in
their heart is still in the world. They say, get religion, clean up your
life, join a church, walk an aisle, make a decision, get right
with God, join the fastest-growing church in America. Everybody
is somebody. Everybody you talk to is a Christian,
aren't they? That's the reason you can't hardly
talk to anybody. They're all fixed up. They got
it all settled. They made their peace with God
and so forth. They go to church somewhere.
There's church on every corner. You could walk blindfolded down
the street and run into a church. Go to church. Or you go to church.
I go to this church. Or you go out of this church.
I'm going to that church next week and I'm going to this one
over here. Or you go. You come to my church, I'll go to your
church. We'll go to church. We'll just be good little church
people. What does your church believe?
Well, I believe what my pastor believes. What does he believe?
He believes what the church believes. What does the church believe?
They believe what I believe. What do you believe? We believe the same
thing. Well, what's that? I believe
in Jesus. Jesus. There's 10,000 boys in Mexico
named Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. That's how you say it too, Henry.
Jesus. 10,000 boys in Mexico named Jesus. They can't save or flee. Neither
can the 10,000 Jesus's all over the world in these so-called
churches. Sounds to me like we need to
know the right one, doesn't it? Paul said they'll come preaching
another Jesus, and we haven't preached another gospel. Church
unity. Look at verse 12. The Confederacy. Church unity is the clarion cry
today, isn't it? And I'm not against that. My
soul. I want us all to be united. I
want us all to endeavor together and strive together. for the
faith of the gospel. I'm not against church unity,
but if what they mean by love and charity and unity and so
forth is to cover up the gospel, to speak half the truth, to sneak
in on the blind side of people and cajole and beg and trick
and do underhanded things to get people saved, I don't want
any part of that. I hate to be associated with
so-called preachers. They say we're the interdenominational
church, you know. We've got the interfaith fellowship.
It would be a good name for a church, we're the interfaith fellowship.
We've got Buddhists and Muslims and Hindus and we'll just do
anything. Anybody that says God, we'll have you. Come on in here,
we'll have you and your money. You know, we're all going different
ways, but we all get to the same place. Really? I'm a man sincere. You're not to cry today. I'm
not trying to preach to somebody who's not there, but I'm just
calling it like it says right here. This is what he said to
Isaiah. He was the same back then as
it is now. Exactly. Henry, exactly. They say a confederacy. A confederacy. We're all going different ways,
but we'll all get to the same place. We have a man in here
this morning who came How many thousands of miles is it from
California? I'm not sure. Thousands of miles from California. What if he had gone to the airport
to get a plane to Virginia, and he went up there and said, I'd
like to get a plane to Virginia. They said, OK, that'll be $368.42. Here you are. Now, which plane?
They said, any plane. Yeah, but whichever one you like
best. Whichever one's prettiest to
you, just choose the pilot of your choice and get on that plane. After all, they're going to Virginia,
I love them. You say, that's foolish. Oh, my soul. Every religion is going to heaven. Then what difference does it
make what we're doing? If God loves me, Christ died
for me. If everything's right and good and everything, why?
If our hope be only in Christ, Paul said, we're of all men most
miserable. Most miserable. But they're not
all going to the same place. Yes, they are. I take it back.
They are all going to the same place. But it's not the place
I want to go. There are not many gods and many
ways to God. There's one body, one spirit,
who teaches one lesson, Christ. One calling, one hope of your
calling, even in that you're called. One Lord, one faith,
one baptism, one God, right? One way to God. And this one
way stood up and said, I am the way. No man come, nobody's going
to heaven but by and through me. Not Mohammed, not Buddha,
me, and not this Jesus down here who is trying and can't and will,
if you let him know, in this sovereign Lord in whose hands
you are." Well, they say there's strength
in numbers. A confederacy. If we all get together, if we
all get together, if we get enough people praying, God will have
to hear us. Confederacy. God will have to
hear us. Well, what does it say at the
Scripture? Not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit. The wind bloweth where it listeth, where it listeth. Well, are all
these people can't be wrong? Oh, yes, they can. Noah had a
church, eight people, and they didn't have a nice building.
They lived, they worshipped on a boat, Well, he says, don't say with
them a confederacy. Don't join arms with them. You
see that? Verse 12, don't. I don't care how appealing it
is to you and how sweet it sounds and all that. You know, the Church
of England is joining with all that papacy and Catholicism all
over there. It's just one and the same. He
says, don't do it. Don't say a confederacy to all
whom this people shall say a confederacy neither. Look at this, but fear
ye their fear. What do men fear? What do men fear? Man. Wrong. Fear God. Didn't he say in Romans 3 that
there's no fear of God before their eyes? Men fear men. Men fear what others might think,
especially preachers. Preachers fear losing their jobs,
losing their reputation, losing their family, losing their pension,
losing their church, and so forth. But God told Isaiah, look at
this, don't fear their fear, nor be afraid. He said, Who art
thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and
a son of man which shall be made as grass? and forgets the Lord
thy maker." He said that in chapter 51. He said, I'll tell you who
to fear. Look at verse 13. Sanctify the
Lord of hosts himself. Are you with me? Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself. Sanctify. That means set apart.
Peter said one and the same thing. Sanctify the Lord God in your
hearts. Set him above. Exalt him. Glorify
him. Worship him and him alone. Set
him up, exalt him, the Lord of hosts himself. Let him be your
fear and dread. Fear of the Lord is the beginning
of wisdom. Fear of the Lord. Fear of the
Lord. This generation doesn't know
anything about that. They just don't know anything about it.
I hear them talk. Oh, my soul. I hear them use that name. And
let me tell you something. Don't ever use the word of God
in a flippant manner. Don't ever use it as a joke. Don't ever say, well, you know
what it says in the scripture, y'all. Don't do it. Tremble at
his word. Don't use God's name in any of
your silly little slogans and say, well, God did this, and
a little saying on your desk or on your wall or something.
Don't use that name. God will not hold him guiltless
who takes his name in vain. His name is to be praised. We fear the Lord. The fear of
the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. This generation didn't
know a flip about the fear of the Lord. But all of God's saints
in the past and the present and the future fear the Lord. The
Lord is to be feared in the assembly of the saints. This is scriptural, biblical
language. Do you know what it is to fear
the Lord? Here's a better question. Do you fear the Lord? To fear the Lord means to be
in awe of. To fear the Lord means to reverence,
respect. I mean, afraid to take... See,
people in the Old Testament were afraid to use the name. As a
matter of fact, they wouldn't call him by his name.

A Stumbling Stone And Rock Of Offense

What does the Bible say about the gospel being offensive?

How do we know predestination is true?

Why is the fear of the Lord important for Christians?

What does the Bible say about preaching the gospel clearly?

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A Stumbling Stone And Rock Of Offense

What does the Bible say about the gospel being offensive?

How do we know predestination is true?

Why is the fear of the Lord important for Christians?

What does the Bible say about preaching the gospel clearly?

Sermon Transcript

About Paul Mahan

Comments

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