In this episode titled "Letters to the Churches: Abiding in Truth", Pastor Duane Brooks calls for repentance and a sincere dedication to following Jesus, highlighting the need for revival in the church.
We are called to a higher challenge of resisting compromise with worldly values, particularly in the western church.
The revivals at the Asbury and Wilmore campuses highlight the transformative power of the gospel. We cannot serve God and self simultaneously by indulging in worldly pleasures while still claiming to follow Jesus. Jesus is a faithful witness who calls for repentance and correction for those who compromise their faith.
There is a fear of the world trapping believers, causing them to dilute the gospel and lower their standards to avoid offense. He criticizes the tendency to value human praise over God's praise.
Finally, Dr. Brooks praises the church in Pergamum for not denying the name of Jesus and encourages believers to emulate their faithfulness amidst societal pressures.
Quotes:
Tim Keller: Jesus doesn’t just give us truths; he is the truth. Jesus is the prophet to end all prophets. He gives us hard-copy words from God, truths on which we can build our lives, truths we have to submit to, truths we have to obey, and truths we have to build our lives on, but he himself is the truth.
George MacLeod: The greatest criticism of the church today is that no one wants to persecute it: because there is not very much to persecute it about.
John R. W. Stott: Honesty in business, chastity before marriage and fidelity after it, contentment in place of covetousness, self-control and self-sacrifice. If the church were to maintain such standards it would find itself where it really belongs – outside the gate and in the wilderness. But the fear of the world has ensnared us. Our tendency is to dilute the gospel and to lower our standards in order not to give offense. We love the praise of our fellow human beings more than the praise of God.
Martin Luther: You can’t break any of the ten commandments without breaking the first.
Tim Keller: Sin isn't only doing bad things, it is more fundamentally making good things into ultimate things. Sin is building your life and meaning on anything, even a very good thing, more than on God. Whatever we build our life on will drive us and enslave us. Sin is primarily idolatry.
Bill Hinson quoting another person at a convention: “I think we will be better off if we can just start explaining to people that Jesus Christ is not the way but a way.” A minister from Pakistan stood up and said, “If that is true then I need to call my brothers in Pakistan and tell them that they are dying in vain.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Lack of repentance is the root cause of powerlessness in the church, in this materialistic, self-indulgent age. There can be no spiritual power in a non-repentant church.
Duane Brooks: If the church does not repent of compromise, it will have to reckon with the risen, ascended Lord who comes to fight with the sword of truth drawn.
Text Revival to 94000 quote: I’m trusting God to show me who I have not yet become.
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