Blessed, Gospel, and Witness

How are these related?

Part 1 of 7

Brother John

November 26, 2024

TUX

You might wonder why I am wearing this tux T-shirt.

Well, here is the backstory.

Shortly after I came out of drug rehab, I was born again on January 16, 1977.

I was 23 years old, single, and seeking direction in my life.

Shortly after that I felt the call of God on my life, and I responded positively.

Those were times of intense prayer and continual Bible reading.

At one point, I felt strongly led to go to a medium-sized suburban church.

It was in the early evening, and I was seeking a place to pray fervently.

I parked in the back of the church and found an open door to the sanctuary.

This was the 1970s, and security was not as big a deal as it is today.

I was not a member of that church, nor had I visited it.

It was just near my home, and I was seeking God with all my heart.

When seeking a suitable place to pray, I went to the main church platform.

When I looked out on the many empty pews, I heard the voice of God inside.

God told me that he would raise me up to preach to many people.

And that I will WEAR A TUXEDO!

I was totally certain that it was God communicating with me.

The only tuxedos I had worn were rented for my junior and senior prom.

Today, I do not own a tux, but I feel God is guiding me to do a lot of preaching in 2025.

I had preached a few dozen times before, but this will be different.

Instead of addressing two dozen people in person, I will leverage several online platforms.

GREAT COMMISSION

Listener beware.

What follows is huge, complicated, and interdisciplinary.

That is the way I think and how I write.

This is the first of seven messages on the interactive topics of Blessed, Gospel, and Witness.

Each of those is essential, and my challenge is communicating how they interact.

I will teach, preach, and equip during each of the seven messages.

You might feel like this picture.

iconic picture of a man in a chair with a huge bank of speakers

Do not worry I have you covered.

This message and future related messages are archived here.

https://blessed-gospel-witness.blogspot.com/

Or this short link.

https://tinyurl.com/bgw-archive

There will be something for everyone seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Some parts of these seven sermons will appeal to seekers or those just considering Christianity.

Some parts will appeal to seasoned saints who will enjoy a lively review of the basics.

Some parts will serve as challenging homework to broaden their horizon after this message.

After four decades of prayer and Bible study, I find that the Great Commission is the pinnacle.

At the end of Jesus' ministry, Jesus gave His followers marching orders.

So I take it personally to go make disciples of all kinds of people.

Disciple-making involves various factors, including the following.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 12:2

https://biblehub.com/romans/12-2.htm

The renewing of the mind comes from both hearing and being a doer of the Word of God.

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

James 1:22

https://biblehub.com/james/1-22.htm

So, my job is to serve up the Word of God in an appealing and understandable way.

Then, your job is to receive, ponder, and prayerfully make applications.

FLYBY

Like airplanes that flyby at an air show, here is a fast overview.

Here are ways to understand the relationship between Blessed, Gospel, and Witness.

My Good Shepard left 99 to find me.
I believed and received the Good News.
Now, I get to go tell others the story of Jesus of Nazareth.

I am excessively blessed spiritually.
That was due only to God's amazing grace in Christ at Calvary.
So, with God's love in my heart and thanks to the indwelling Holy Spirit, I go tell others the Gospel Message.

I have been given the bountiful spiritual riches in Christ.
That was thanks to the unmerited gift of God the Father sending his only Son as the substitutionary sacrifice for my sins.
My ongoing divine assignment is to share the Good News.

I have received the ultimate spiritual gift.
My gift was due to God the Father sending his Only son, Jesus Christ, to become my Savior, and then Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, who indwells me.
I can never repay that overwhelming generosity, but God can use me to guide others to hear and respond to the Gospel Message.

I got my eternal life from Christ.
The Gospel Message is how I got it.
Now, I pay it forward so others will get eternal life from Christ, too.

God willing, during 2025, these and other bite-size units will be published online.

I will use Facebook, X (Twitter), Substack, and other platforms.

Each unit might include a 3 to 7-minute video.

This will be unlike anything you or others have ever seen before.

Circus Lion Released into the Wild

I request your best prayers for this to unfold gracefully.

INTRODUCTION

I cannot know who will view this as a live stream or as a recording.

Hopefully, this will be forwarded to various people.

And I will make an archive of my messages for those to access in the future.

I need to craft a message for a wide-ranging audience.

This reminds me of the teachers in a one-room schoolhouse in the Frontier Days.

They had those from first to twelfth-grade students present.

God will surely draw seekers and they will hear the Gospel Message.

Some will be young in the faith, and they will hear some of the basics.

Many will have been church members and they will be challenged to grow spiritually.

Pastors, Bible teachers, and lay leaders will be equipped to serve better.

I need a rough outline to keep me on track as I preach while flowing in the Holy Spirit.

Any preacher or Bible teacher could take the same verses and craft a different message.

This first part is like the trailer of a movie.

It is a taste of things to come.

I have already begun to sketch out the following six messages in this series.

I invite you to imitate the Bereans to receive the message and search the Scriptures. https://biblehub.com/acts/17-11.htm

Part of my job is to equip the saints for the work of their ministry.

https://biblehub.com/ephesians/4-12.htm

Jesus gave us the New Commandment to love one another as He loved us.

The ways to love others is to pray for them, encourage them, and witness to them.

https://biblehub.com/john/13-34.htm

Those who have been reborn are called to witness to others.

Those who have received the unmerited favor of God pay it forward.

During this sermon, I will gradually go over this format.

Then, in future sermons, I will refer others back to this one.

I will go deep and wide into critical points in the following messages.

Those will be very lively sermons.

This message uses more text than the future messages.

Each week, I write many pages of text.

I like using text in this case so I can carefully set the table for the future.

Thanksgiving Day in in two days and there is care for how the table is set.

I have revised this message several times.

In the future, I plan to mostly have an orderly collection of Bible verses.

I will have previously prayed over and pondered each verse.

I will show the text to the audience.

But my words will just flow as the Holy Spirit prompts me.

That is how I preached previously.

Here are my intentions for the hearers and doers of this sermon series.

I want them to see familiar Bible verses in fresh and inspiring ways.

I want them to feel the calling of the Holy Spirit to study the Bible for themself.

I want them to come to know Jesus Christ better.

I want them to pray better.

I want them to appreciate the amazing grace in the basic Gospel Message.

I want them to be motivated by love and gratitude to witness to others often.

Each one who hears my messages has a few options.

They can sit back and enjoy a white man preaching like a black country preacher.

They can pray earnestly for this sermon series to be bountifully anointed.

They can be used by God to forward the link of this to others.

They can share the link to this message on their social media sites.

They can use the follow-up links to fuel their spiritual practices.

#1 - “I am blessed.”

One of the biggest questions of our time is, “How do you measure success?”

This boils down to extrinsic and intrinsic values.

Here are examples of extrinsic values

Possessions - clothes, vehicle, residence, electronic gadgets, stuff

Career, job, income, perks

Status - at church, job, online, other

Appearance - weight, complexion, sex appeal, fashion, accessories

Here are examples of intrinsic values.

Peace of mind

Contentment

Gratitude

Satisfaction

Flexibility

Our consumer economy promotes external values to gain profits.

Companies are not oriented to care about internal matters.

How does God measure success?

Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these, I delight,” says the LORD.

Jeremiah 9:23,24

https://biblehub.com/jeremiah/9-23.htm

https://biblehub.com/jeremiah/9-24.htm

Here are the seven “I am” statements in the gospel of John.

I am the bread of life: John 6:35, 41, 48, 51
I am the light of the world: John 8:12, 9:5
I am the door of the sheep: John 10:7, 9
I am the good shepherd: John 10:11, 14
I am the resurrection and the life: John 11:25
I am the way, the truth, and the life: John 14:6
I am the true vine: John 15:1, 5

According to the Bible, it is no small thing that we know God.

I have preached many hours on ‘Knowing God Intimately’.

God has revealed Himself in His Names and Nature (also called his attributes).

You can search for those online and find long lists with Bible references.

Jesus came to reveal God the Father to His disciples.

It is spiritually amazing that a child of God can call Abba, which means daddy.

In the providence of God, the Lord planted me in a Christian community in 1974.

In that residential setting, I saw, heard, and felt the love of God in others.

There were regular times of prayer, Bible study, worship, and communion.

During those 18 months, God gracefully performed my drug rehab.

I arrived in a mental and emotional mess.

I left in my right mind.

My initial understanding of God was as Jesus, my Good Shepherd.

The image of Jesus holding the lamb with sheep nearby stuck in my mind.

Over the last 40 years, I have had hardships, hassles, and heartbreaks.

Repeatedly, the Holy Spirit reminded me of that image and related verses.

Many times, I turned to Psalm 23 like others have.

PSALM 23

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Psalm 23 KJV

I have personalized the first verse many times.

David proclaimed that the Lord is my (his) shepherd.

I say in my heart, mind, and sometimes out loud that the Lord is MY (John’s) Shepherd.

The Bible says that the shepherd leads THROUGH the valley.

When I am in a valley, I trust that the shepherd will guide me ALL the way THROUGH.

#2 - Thanks to the Gospel Message, you, too, can be blessed.

The summary of the Gospel Message is called the five solas.

The word for alone in Latin is sola.

This simple summary sentence was used during the Reformation in the 1500s.

I have preached many hours on this simple yet profound sentence.

In the coming messages I will invest some time to unpack this summary.

Salvation is

by grace alone

through faith alone

in Christ alone

to the glory of God alone.

I ran low on time and energy to complete this message.

So I turned to AI and asked the following.

"Create simple, clear summaries of the Gospel message to inspire and instruct preachers. Each summary should:

Be concise and easy to understand.
Include one or more relevant Bible verses.
Feature a relatable illustration or story (biblical or modern-day) that connects with a wide audience.
Use a conversational tone suitable for preachers aiming to engage both believers and seekers."

Here are three of the many responses in the full document linked at the end.

It has many more responses for prayerful consideration and further Bible study.

God's Love and Reconciliation

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

Like a parent who never stops seeking a wandering child, God actively pursues reconciliation with humanity. Imagine a father waiting daily for his son's return, just as in Jesus' parable of the Prodigal Son. This unconditional love and open invitation to relationship forms the heart of the Gospel message.

Transformation Through Grace

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Consider a butterfly's metamorphosis - just as a caterpillar transforms into something entirely new, the Gospel speaks of personal transformation through faith. This change isn't earned but received as a gift, illustrated in the dramatic conversion of Paul on the Damascus road.

Freedom from Burden

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

Think about carrying a heavy backpack throughout your day, filled with worries, guilt, and stress. Now imagine setting it down and feeling the relief wash over you. This is what Jesus offers—rest from the burdens we carry. The Gospel assures us that by coming to Him, we find true peace and rest for our souls.

These can prove that the Gospel Message is not complicated.

A child can understand and respond to the Gospel Message in faith.

There are hundreds of ways the gospel has been preached over the centuries.

The challenge is not to figure out the Good News.

Those who are seekers I invite you to print out this link and ponder the messages.

For the preachers and Bible teachers, I invite you to refresh your understanding of the gospel.

#3 - Those who are born again are called to witness to their faith.

Everyone is always witnessing all day and all night.

They are indirectly communicating their values, priorities, and much more.

This is done by the following.

How they dress - modest, immodest, neat, sloppy, etc.

What they say and do not say - curse, bless, thank, encourage, etc.

What they do and do not do - manners, habits, behaviors, etc.

Lifestyle choices - vehicle, residence, friends, peers, etc.

This is happening at these locations.

Home

Employment

School

Marketplace

Public

Family gatherings

Online

So it is like everyone is always unconsciously wearing a sandwich board sign.
The challenge is to make gradual and graceful shits to more conscious communications.

image of a man wearing a sandwich board sign

It can be difficult to show the love of God to the least of these.

Did for the least of these - Matthew 25:40

So it is essential to go back to the biblical roots.

The Power of Love

"We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19)

Imagine a community garden where everyone contributes their time and effort, transforming a barren plot into a vibrant oasis. This is like God's love for us—He first plants the seed of love in our hearts, enabling us to love others and build a flourishing community. The Gospel reminds us that God's love is the catalyst for change in our lives and the world around us.

Living as a Blessing to Others**

Genesis 12:2 – “I will bless you…and you will be a blessing.”

**Called to Be a Blessing**: God’s blessings are not just for us to enjoy but to share with others.

**Application**: Encourage the congregation to think about how they can be a blessing in their communities, carrying forward God’s love.

CONCLUSION

Memento mori - remember you will die.

Carpe Diem - Seize the Day

Only what's Done for Christ will last - C. T. Studd

CALL TO ACTION

Hebrews 5:12-14 Do You Still Need Milk or Do You Eat Meat?

Making it a high priority to explore the following links will prove to be worthwhile.

These materials are diverse and challenging.

You can take what you like and leave the rest.

Soon, I will offer a large collection of such resources on a dedicated blog.

Please pray for that to unfold gracefully and soon.

You are invited to share this message and/or the links with pastors and Bible teachers.

This and future messages may help college students strengthen their faith in God.

I invite you to do the following.

Examine the Bible verses listed, their context, and their cross references.
Research these websites for renewing your mind better. (Romans 12:2)
Consider these articles related to prayer to use and share.
Study these AI responses to questions.

Bible Hub

Bible Hub is the online reference source that I use often.

There are an abundance of useful aids that are connected on that site.

It is free and does not have annoying ads or other popups.

https://biblehub.com/

Shepherd Trilogy

Phillip Keller

The Shepherd Trilogy: A Shepherd Looks at the 23rd Psalm / A Shepherd Looks at the Good Shepherd / A Shepherd Looks at the Lamb of God: Keller, W. Phillip: 9780551030701

This is 3 books by the same writer in one volume. The first one is a huge bestseller and the other 2 are closely related. The titles are A Shepherd Looks at the 23rd Psalm, A Shepherd Looks at the Good Shepherd, and A Shepherd Looks at the Lamb of God.

The writer was literally a shepherd for many years. He brings unique insights to those popular verses. The original audiences of the OT and NT would have understood the reference from their observations of shepherds, the stories they heard about shepherds, and by having been a shepherd.

The writer has also written many other books based on his study of the Bible https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B001I9OLZW So there is a richness in his comments as he unpacks these familiar passages.

Serenity Prayer - long version

I invite you to pray this long version of the Serenity prayer daily for 40 days.

Surely, that will lead to internal transformations and a closer walk with Christ.

Serenity Prayer - Long Version - white background

Let Go and Let God

Let Go and Let God is a five-word slogan that has helped me hundreds of times over the decades.

I have shared that slogan and this one-page article with others.

This goes into the specifics of what to let go of and what to let God do.

Let Go and Let God

Testimonies

Here is a church service with lots of amazing testimonies.

These can encourage your faith in God.

These can be shared with others as evidence that is alive, caring, and changing lives.

Because of You

This ministry was mentioned in the previous link.

https://www.godbehindbars.com/

The 24 First Principles of Ways to Thank God

Here are ways to extend thanking God beyond the Thanksgiving Day holiday.

The 24 First Principles of Ways to Thank God

A Simple Summary of the Gospel Message with Bible Verses and Illustrations

PRAYER REQUESTS

I request your best prayers.

You are invited to pray these requests for others and yourself.

May God continually prepare me as a vessel of honor for His glory.

May God clean me up on the inside, purifying my thoughts, words, and deeds.

May God keep me in His everlasting care from day to day.

May God guide and anoint my sermon preparations and delivery.

May God prepare the hearts of those who hear live and on the recording.

May the Word of God be like seeds that grow, mature, and bear good fruits in the hearers.

May I steward my time and talents optimally to best love others in the short and long-term?

BENEDICTION

Benediction is a biblical blessing as we are dismissed.

Benediction from Jude 1:24-25

“To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and

to present you before his glorious presence

without fault and with great joy—

to the only God our Savior

be glory, majesty, power, and authority,

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

before all ages,

now and forevermore!

Amen.”

Search This Blog

Blessed Gospel Witness

Blessed, Gospel, and Witness - part 1

Benediction from Jude 1:24-25

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