THE CHURCH AT KOLOA

From The Pastor's Desk
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  2. From The Pastor’s Desk 5-25-2020

From The Pastor’s Desk 5-25-2020

Aloha From The Pastor’s Desk

John the Baptist Didn’t Mince Words

John the Baptist, a man, which many would consider to be eccentric. In Luke 2, we find him in a desert or wilderness that was uninhabited and barren, not necessarily sandy and waterless. He wore camel’s skins and ate locust (protein) and honey (carbohydrate).

What’s interesting, he starts his ministry in the desert, where the average temperature would range between 120 and 130 degrees. He starts his ministry in the middle of nowhere. He doesn’t go to Jerusalem where there was a big population to preach his message, and what’s interesting, the people came by the droves, walking 25 to 30 miles from Jerusalem to the desert or wilderness. Every public relations firm would tell him, ‘that’s the wrong way to start a ministry. You need to be conveniently located; at a place where people can get to you. You need to make a demographic study and base your ministry upon that demographic study;’ there’s none of that here.

John came on the scene during a time of intense moral corruption. It’s against the darkest, bleakest background, that the light of the God’s message shines the brightest.
I have many times instructed our people, that God hasn’t called us to go out into the world and rebuke the darkness or demonic forces. He has called us to be light and salt to a lost and dying world. The light shines the brightest, when it is the darkest. I remember as a kid singing in Sunday School: “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.” Are you allowing your light to shine before a lost and dying world? Do you reflect the Lord Jesus in your speech, actions, and attitudes; your demeanor? If you were accused for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? I hope so!

It is during this time of great moral corruption the Word of God came to John. For over 400 yrs, known as the inter-testamental period, they had no prophetic voice, dreams, or visions given to the people. God was silent. In verse 2, it reads: “the word of God came to John.” The “word” in verse two, is from the Greek word “Rhema,” and it means, not a general mess, but a specific message that came from God. What was the message? “Get ready, the Messiah is coming”. He was to prepare the world for the coming ministry of Jesus Christ.

Why were people attracted to him? Because he was a man of conviction. He had a conviction and he knew what God wanted him to say. His opening line wasn’t: “Ladies and gentlemen, you look marvelous today. Thank you for coming out to see me”. His opening line was, “You bunch of slimy snakes, who told you to flee from the wrath of God? (Luke 4:7.)” How’s that for a sermon opener? He is speaking to the religions rulers at this point (Matt 3:7). He doesn’t mince words and he was very confrontational.

We have a tremendous responsibility to share the message with conviction and to realize, that we are forerunners, to let people know that Jesus is soon to return, and they need to turn from their sins and embrace the Lord Jesus, who promises us, eternal life. The grave is not the end; it goes beyond that. I hope you know Jesus as your personal savior and you are living for Him.

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