Preaching At People

Preaching At People

Last Wednesday a young man came up to me while I was reading about Paul’s conversion in Acts 9 and he opened his Bible and read to me: And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward (Matthew 6:5). 

To his credit, the young man did quote Scripture. Unfortunately, he misapplied it. I wasn’t praying in public to be praised by others No, I was open-air preaching, which usually brings ridicule and mocking – there’s no praise in open-air preaching. I quoted him many Bible verses that support open-air preaching.

Witnessing The Wrong Way

Then last Friday night, Aaron and I were witnessing downtown. He was preaching and a young woman came up to me and told me that what we were doing was wrong. She said “you are preaching at people instead of to them.” I thanked her for her comments but politely disagreed with her. We are pleading with sinners to turn from their sins and turn to Jesus. I kept quoting her several verses about preaching the Gospel, but she kept coming back and accusing us of preaching at people.

Folks, we preach the glorious Gospel because Jesus Christ is the only Savior. You are either lost or found. You are either unsaved or saved. You are either born once or you have been born twice (born again). You are either on the broad road to destruction or you are on the narrow way. You are either Hell bound or glory bound. You are either an unrepentant sinner who loves their sin or you are a repentant sinner who loathes their sin. You are either an unbeliever or a believer. You either hate Jesus Christ or you love Him. There is no middle ground with Jesus Christ our Lord.

Accused of Preaching at People

The young lady that accused us of preaching at people also said that we are not showing people the love of Jesus. I asked her to show me Scripture that shows we aren’t loving people. She couldn’t tell me any.

So today I’d like to read about the apostle Paul in Acts 13:47-52 and Acts 14:1-21: For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.

Apostles Ran Out of Town

But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts. But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles. And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them, They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:

They Preached The Gospel

And there they preached the gospel.  And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked: The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.

And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,

Like Passions

And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them. And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch.

Loved People To Jesus

Did you hear how Paul “loved people to Jesus?” Constantly he was run out of town. He was even stoned nearly to death. The towns people of Lystra threw rocks at him until they assumed he was dead, then they carried his body out of the city. Now I ask you, do you really think the citizens of Lystra tried to kill the apostle Paul because he was preaching the false gospel of “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life?” Do you really think Paul was preaching health, wealth and prosperity? Of course not.

Paul was preaching the full counsel of God and that’s what unbelievers hate to hear. The carnal person cannot handle the true Gospel unless the Holy Ghost works on them. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:11-14).

Hate The Gospel

Some people hate to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ because they love their sins. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved (John 3:18-20).

So I ask you today, do you hate hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ being proclaimed in the open-air? Street preaching is biblical. It is necessary and much needed in today’s ever increasing secular world. But back to you, do you hate what we are doing? If so, I’d encourage you to examine yourself and see if you are in the faith. The carnal man cannot accept the glorious Gospel unless the Holy Ghost is revealing God’s truth to you.

That’s why we come out here. That’s why we lift up the name of Jesus in the open-air. If Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior, then you are an unrepentant, Hell bound sinner. People don’t want to talk about this or think about it, but it is reality. Left to yourself, you are a sinner and you are headed for Hell. Be sure your sin will find you out. The wages of sin is death; physical death and the second death. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Just Like Everyone Else

People like to say I’m just like everyone else. They want to compare themselves to other people.  But Jesus is the perfect standard and none of us meet His standard. That’s why all unrepentant sinners will spend eternity in the lake of fire and brimstone. Suffering for all of eternity never wipes out their sins. This is not a game. This is not a joke. That’s why we come out here and share the Gospel with you.

You are spiritually dead in your trespasses and sins if you have never surrendered your life to Jesus. You can only be made alive through Jesus Christ. Each and every one of us deserve everlasting punishment. We really do deserve to suffer forever for our sins against our Holy and righteous Creator God. But God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

You can be saved today. Your sins can be forgiven. You can receive everlasting life, if you repent and put your trust in Jesus. Again, if the Holy Ghost is not convicting you over your sins and revealing God’s Holiness to you, then more than likely you will laugh and mock on as you walk on by. But if God is convicting you today that you are a sinner and that you really deserve to spend eternity in the lake of fire and brimstone, then there is good news for you. There is hope. Your hope can be found in Jesus Christ alone.

Jesus The Sinless One

Jesus walked this earth 2,000 years ago and He did what you and I could not do. He never sinned. Not one time. He always obeyed God the Father. He never lied, never lusted, never coveted, never stole anything, never blasphemed God, never made any false idols in his mind like so many Americans do (like I used to do).

Then Jesus willingly laid down His life as a ransom for many. He who knew no sin, became sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthians 5:21). You can be made whole today. Your sins can be forgiven. Turn from your sins and turn to the risen Lord Jesus. Surrender your life fully and completely to Him.

Trust Jesus Christ

Repent and believe the Gospel. Ye must be born again. Repent and put your faith in Jesus Christ. He is Lord. He is Lord of all. Bow your knee and confess with your tongue that Jesus Christ is Lord. Oh, recognize that you are a wicked sinner and that Jesus is the Righteous One, the only Righteous One. Don’t trust in yourself. Don’t trust in your own goodness because none of us are good.

Trust Jesus Christ and trust Him alone. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). Trust Jesus. Repent and put your trust in Him and receive everlasting life. Do this today and be saved. The apostle Paul shared the Gospel publicly and in private (Acts 20:20-21). We are doing the same thing. Like Paul, we exhort you to have repentance toward God and put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

(This message was lifted up in downtown Springfield, MO on October 14, 2016)