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Title: Spreading the Gospel
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Published: Jul 13, 2015
Author: Don Myers
Post Date: 2015-07-13 23:35:19 by Don
Keywords: None
Views: 11409
Comments: 61
It may be illegal in the not too distant future that spreading the Gospel will earn jail time, loss of job, fines, or any other punishments that Satan's cohorts will dream up. One thing I do now is put religious tracts in car-door handles in parking lots. It is illegal here to put any kind of advertising on cars parked on public streets and will earn fines or jail time. One way of spreading the gospel is by religious tracts. Public libraries are a good source of books in which Christians can place tracts. Libraries carry books on witchcraft, abortion, and many other categories of books that are prime targets for religious tracts. Free newspapers and magazines are carried in groceries and other public places: Tracts placed in these papers and magazines can reach large audiences.
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#7. To: Don (#0)
I am reminded of a sermon that was given by the former leader of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Archbishop Iakovos. He had been ordained to the priesthood and started his ministry in a Church within the country of Turkey. Turkey has Muslim "sermon police" who actually show up to Sunday services to monitor Christian pastors' sermons to see if they said anything "offensive to Islam". Not surprisingly, shortly after this new young priest began his sermon, the Muslims placed him in handcuffs and took him to a Turkish jail. When his Bishop came to bail him out, young Iakovos was in tears. "Your Grace, if I cannot even proclaim the Gospel in my sermons, how can I ever serve God in our Church?" "Do not be anxious, Iakovos." the elderly cleric replied, "Come see me tomorrow and I will teach you how to preach a sermon that will be faithful to Jesus Christ and that will not get you arrested." Iakovos showed up early at the Bishop's office and followed him throughout the day as he did his regular pastoral rounds, visiting sick people, taking food to poor families, visiting a retirement home and ministering to elderly Christians there. As the nighttime approached, an irritated Iakovos asked: "So when are you going to teach me how to give sermons that won't get me arrested?" "Why Iakovos, I've been teaching you how to do that all day today. Preach the Gospel. Use words only when necessary."
Indeed the bishop taught the then young priest the works and love of Christ. However, the Greatest Love was Christ sacrificing His own Life for sinners. If that got the priest arrested, actually preaching the Gospel of Christ crucified, died and Risen, then he will have his crown in heaven. If we are silent on the Truth of the Gospel, then we deny Christ to others. The advice from the bishop is sound. From our emulation of Christ people will inquire about our faith. However we must be prepared to tell others why this Light shines from us and there is no avoiding preaching the Cross and Empty Tomb when we do. Otherwise we cloud the Object of our faith.
And to add a bit more, along the lines of Paul Harvey's 'The Rest of the Story', once Iakovos moved to America and became the Greek Orthodox Archbishop here, he still remembered the lessons that he had learned under Turkish oppression -- that sometimes actions speak louder than words.
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#11. To: Orthodoxa, Don, liberator, GarySpFc (#7)
#16. To: redleghunter, Don (#11)
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