The principle of the gospel is this:
The gospel always brings life to the receiver. And death to the giver.
If the gospel brought death to Jesus Christ
why would we think that in preaching the gospel it would be any less for us?
So no, he says, “If anybody would be my disciple
he must take up his cross and follow me.
If it kills him to give life to us.”
And he invites us then to be saved.
Why would we expect that it would be any less?
So the mixture of our message is life and death
and laughter and tears and such it is,
but for us life is never ordinary.
Life is never flat.
And this is what Jesus said about his father in John 17:
the reason my Father loves me is that
I laid down my life only to take it up again;
no one takes it from me.
Jesus was not sentenced to die by His Father,
He was allowed to choose.
I have authority to lay it down and I have authority to take it up again.
And this is why my Father loves me.
God the Father had this
extraordinary plan of winning you and me for eternity
by having his son killed.
But his son voluntarily responded.
No it’s not so easy for him to respond. In fact he spent his whole life practicing. And even the night before it was still difficult for Jesus.
And He said, “God is there another way?
Is there another way?”
And I know many many people in the church say “is there another way?” And in our Hong Kong churches it does look as if there is another way. Normal Christians live a normal Christian life. Go to meetings, jump up and down on stages, while we are exhausted and tired.
“Wow you got such a special ministry Jackie.”
Well no, I think we are all
called to give up our lives.
Would you like to do this with us because we would really like some help?
The poor people all over the earth who have never heard of Jesus---they are the poorest people.
They are desperate for food,
they are desperate for blankets,
and they’re desperate for medicine.
They are desperate for water.
The most number of the people of the world who have not heard of the love of the Lord Jesus Christ---they are desperately poor.
And they are not going to come here to hear the gospel.
We have to go there.
So why haven’t people gone?
Something to do with God in our life.
And living a normal life so other people can go.
But I say no why don’t you all go if you’ve tasted such good things. Go to the ends of the earth because those poor aren’t going to watch Jesus on TV.
They haven’t got electricity.
They aren’t going to hear about Him unless we go.
So would you?
I’m here with a plea for you.
If you’ve known the love of God. if you’ve tasted of his sweetness at all.
There’s no other way to serve him except giving up your life.
And this is voluntarily.
This is not a sentence at all.
We’re not sentenced to death.
We’re just privileged to answer His call.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For whosoever will save his life shall lose it,
and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
Whatever ye do unto the least of these Ye have done it unto me.
He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me.
Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life.
And he that taketh not his cross
and followeth after me is not worthy of me
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this:
To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction.
Hath not God chosen the poor of this world?
May we never forget the sacred claim upon our lives.
---Sermon by Jackie Pullinger---
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MX1iDtsAMHE
