Making Easter glorious

[evangelist6589]

Easter needs to be made Godly and glorious and perhaps none are better for the task than John Piper.

Here are three reasons Christ came to die.

1. To bring us to God
2. To take away our condemnation
3. So that we would escape the curse of the law

Source John Piper book 50 Reasons Christ came to die.

Most only preach a God loves you and only preach the resurrection on Easter but avoid elaborating on our sin, Hell fire, and our condemnation. Easter is more glorious when we hear the bad news first.

 

[HAMel]

...but, but, but..., most folks only want to hear the touchie-feelie stuff. You know, how we're ALL good and happy and we all need to smile more and consider the cost of those front row tickets and enjoy life. They certainly don't want to hear any BAD stuff. I mean, that might "offend" some folks should they hear they are SINNERS saved ONLY by the Grace of God..., and then they won't came back..., and then folks will not tithe regularly..., and then they will stop helping out in the church. And don't forget the Church Family why..., those folks will run the preacher off big time.

...oh no, brother..., we can't have any of that. Some of the folks will start staying home on Sunday Morning and tune in to Joel. Yes indeed. Ole' Joel will make 'em feel good and happy about themselves and..., and..., and..

Okay, I'm turning off my sarcasm.

In truth, American Churches are a mess. We ALL need to put HIM first and stop with the nonsense!

 

[TCassidy]

I am not sure we can make Easter glorious. What can we add to His Resurrection that would be more glorious than His overcoming sin and death?

 

[TCassidy]

In truth, American Churches are a mess.

If your church is a mess you should either change it or get out and find one that is not a mess. The church I attend is anything but a mess. We live up to our motto "Knowing Him and Making Him Known."

 

[HAMel]

...all churches are a mess.

 

[TCassidy]

...all churches are a mess.

No, they're not. Christ's church is doing just fine. "I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." Matthew 16:18.

 

[Revmitchell]

If your church is a mess you should either change it or get out and find one that is not a mess. The church I attend is anything but a mess. We live up to our motto "Knowing Him and Making Him Known."

I don't think it is fair to take what he said and then narrow it down to just his church and yours. That certainly was not his intent. It is a fact that there are very many churches that have lost their way or struggling.

I understand your point that God is in control of His church but you have to admit even in the midst of the sovereignty of God churches fail. The laodicean church comes to mind.

In the end I think you two are talking about two different things and your point does not in any way negate his.

 

[righteousdude2]

If your church is a mess you should either change it or get out and find one that is not a mess. The church I attend is anything but a mess. We live up to our motto "Knowing Him and Making Him Known."

You make your church sound like it is one step south of heaven! If you keep up bragging, everyone on the board will be moving to your home town and joining your church! Whistling

 

[Rolfe]

I don't think it is fair to take what he said and then narrow it down to just his church and yours. That certainly was not his intent. It is a fact that there are very many churches that have lost their way or struggling.

Well, Hamel did claim all churches.

 

[Rolfe]

You make your church sound like it is one step south of heaven! If you keep up bragging, everyone on the board will be moving to your home town and joining your church! Whistling

If TCassidy's church is doing what it is supposed to do, why growl about it? Oh, that more were like his.

 

[HAMel]

TCassidy, if you consider your church one of the more dedicated then good for your church. Obviously, I have no clue one way or the other. For sure however, there are perhaps a few in your congregation that "give the appearance of". Well, that's between them and the Lord.

It has been "my" experience over the years to realize that most all congregations have an agenda, especially those of the founding family, that is all but impossible to penetrate. There are folks out there in churches filled to the brim with talent and willingness but their eagerness is stifled, the result of petty politics. I'm sure the Lord is really, really impressed with said politics.

In the meantime, good for you and your church.

 

[righteousdude2]

TCassidy, if you consider your church one of the more dedicated then good for your church. Obviously, I have no clue one way or the other. For sure however, there are perhaps a few in your congregation that "give the appearance of". Well, that's between them and the Lord.

It has been "my" experience over the years to realize that most all congregations have an agenda, especially those of the founding family, that is all but impossible to penetrate. There are folks out there in churches filled to the brim with talent and willingness but their eagerness is stifled, the result of petty politics. I'm sure the Lord is really, really impressed with said politics.

In the meantime, good for you and your church.

TC knows all too well what you are referring to, he just doesn't want to admit you are right. That means he is either living in lala land, or he is part of the agenda you are speaking about. You choose. I have my suspicions.

 

[TCassidy]

In the meantime, good for you and your church.

I understand what you mean, but in my opinion it is "Good for Christ and His church."

Those who take every opportunity to demean and denigrate churches (other than their own of course) fail to realize two things.

#1. They are engaging in what the psychologists call "transference." They are wretched, and their church is wretched, largely because it is populated with people exactly like them, so they assume that is true of all of Christ's churches. Which, of course, is fallacious. (Notice his attack is against "all" churches, not just the erring ones.)

#2. They attack Christ's church, which is, effectively, attacking Christ Himself, for the church is His body, and is an attack on His word, for He made it clear in His word that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against" His church.

If it is His, it is right. If it is not right it is not His. Ipso facto. QED

 

[HAMel]

TC..., you're right..., to a point. You're reference to transference that is. Between you and me however I don't really take every opportunity to demean and denigrate churches at large..., just those churches owned and operated by families that do more harm than good.

I've already stated that yes, perhaps your church is an exception to the rule. I am old enough to realize that if it quacks like a duck and walks like a duck then chances are it's that proverbial duck. On the other hand some folks go along just to get along. I'm not that way. If it's wrong then it's wrong. End of subject.

...and that translates to "Transference"?

I wonder what Dr. Frazier Crane's take on it would be? Again, all Churches are messed up one way or the other. There are no perfect churches nor could even I expect to find one! I'd just like to find one that shelves the nonsense and gets down to business.

 

[TCassidy]

I have no clue one way or the other.

And that was my point. You condemn all of Christ's churches even though you know absolutely nothing about them.

 

[HAMel]

Well, have it your way, TC. Have it your way.

 

[TCassidy]

I've already stated that yes, perhaps your church is an exception to the rule.

I am of the opinion it is the rule rather than the exception.

I am 70 years old. I have been in church my entire life. In my lifetime I have been an active member of 11 churches. None of them were "family owned" or dominated by a clique. All were led by the pastors/elders and governed by the Spirit led congregation. Every time we changed our church home we made it a point to look at the church, the leadership, and how the church was led and governed before joining. We were forced, a couple of times over the years, to move on and keep looking for a new church home due to the irregularities we discovered in the churches being considered.

I am always amazed by otherwise mature adults who complain about the corruption of the church they are members of. If it is so bad why did you join? If it is so bad why do you stay? It seems to me you have nobody to blame but yourself. As the old saying goes, "If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem."

 

[HAMel]

TC, I have ALREADY left the church. I'm 71 next week and have been in church as a child, asked the Lord to save me in 1972.

Again, glad to hear that YOU have had such good fortune in those 11 churches you've belong to but MY walk apparently has been a bit different than yours. At my age I've just finally decided the nonsense is more than I want to tolerate. I do have the right to make that decision.

What's that old line about walk in my shoes for a mile? Not to mention that just because You think it doesn't necessarily make it so.

Now what's this about otherwise "mature adults"?

 

[TCassidy]

At my age I've just finally decided the nonsense is more than I want to tolerate.

Why did you tolerate it before? Had you not tolerated such corruption might not that church have been restored to a right relationship with Christ?

I hear this same mantra over and over again. "All churches are corrupt. No church meets my standard of perfection. Therefore I will no longer assemble myself together as the bible commands me, but will sit home on the coach and be more "spiritual" than all those pharisees."

There are a lot of good churches out there. They are in the majority. But you have to go out and look for them, test their spirits to see if they are of God. Just complaining probably won't get the job done.

 

[agedman]

I am of the opinion it is the rule rather than the exception.

I am 70 years old. I have been in church my entire life. In my lifetime I have been an active member of 11 churches. None of them were "family owned" or dominated by a clique. All were led by the pastors/elders and governed by the Spirit led congregation. Every time we changed our church home we made it a point to look at the church, the leadership, and how the church was led and governed before joining. We were forced, a couple of times over the years, to move on and keep looking for a new church home due to the irregularities we discovered in the churches being considered.

I am always amazed by otherwise mature adults who complain about the corruption of the church they are members of. If it is so bad why did you join? If it is so bad why do you stay? It seems to me you have nobody to blame but yourself. As the old saying goes, "If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem."

I too have been and served in many.

One comes to mind, though in this discussion.

It wasn't "family owned" in the sense of a family, but was "owned" by a theological perspective of control and who it should be passed down, too.

The church underwent split after split, pulpit failure after pulpit failure, and such fighting between those in "control," those who wanted "control," and those against those who would speak out against those who spoke out, that the church is basically no more - it shattered in a meeting in which again was over "control."

But, that is NOT the condition of every church.

And more often, a church that has the focus upon what values are in place to indicate that it is to "be right with God" is the furthest from actually being right with God. For their focus is upon the wrong area of concern.