Preaching Jesus: By Tim Kernan

Acts 17 1-4 “When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he said. Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.”

In the passage above Paul is a sheep among wolves. He knows what the synagogues can do to him and how riled up the gentiles can get when they set their minds to persecuting the church. We see that he keeps his debate points short and sharp: he focuses in on Jesus crucified and resurrected. In doing so he convinces a large number of people before Satan has a chance to work up some serious persecution. Out of jealousy the Jews bring the Christians before the government saying in Acts 17: 6-7 “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, and Jason has welcomed them into his house.”

I was so impressed with the boldness in the church in the past weeks as we were out evangelizing. Its awesome to hear some of the most experienced disciples teaching the youngest to preach the cross. Its never as encouraging hearing disciples share humanisticly about our awesome service (although I do think its great) or programs and whatnot instead of Jesus nailed to a cross for our sins. We aren’t trying to get people to join a club, we are trying to get them to be disciples. When disciples “camp out” at the base of the cross and discipleship they are unbeatable in debate. Whatever grand arguments people may have they cannot withstand a disciple who is not afraid to talk about the sacrifice Jesus made for our sins or his command to be disciples. God has blessed us with a new member every week for the past couple weeks. Its amazing that just as we get to know one new brother or sister that God sends us another one. Like Paul we are keeping our focus sharp because we know that further persecution is right around the corner for us as well.

In the past several weeks we have started two new bible talks on two major campuses. Already at Greenwich campus we have baptized two disciples and we have started bible discussions in the dorms! (Please call Phil for times and locations: 07517224871). On Thursdays at 630pm we also have a bible talk in the Costa coffee shop in Waterstones bookstore on the corner of Torrington Place and Gower near the University College of London Union building. (Call me at 07908461477) It’s simply amazing the impact that God is having. Even as we sit down to study with one person invariably others come to the table because they hear us talking about God.

The disciples hearts are pure. They want to baptize people into a fellowship where they will not become lukewarm because of a lack of a standard. They want to baptize people into a fellowship where we will “encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Hebrews 3:13 They want to baptize into a fellowship with a womans ministry. They want to baptize people into a fellowship where Wednesday night is as fired up as Sunday morning.

That being said even though the hearts are pure this church already bears some scars from persecution. A few months ago the metropolitan police involved themselves because of a credible death threat to Kip, Lianne and I at the Gathering. Heartbreakingly there were actually people legitimizing and encouraging this attack. When persecutors feel that they can’t stop us through their efforts to discourage us they then move on to deadly means. Sadly now that the efforts to discourage us and even kill us have failed we have received threats that the government will be manipulated into treating us “just like terrorists”. As a citizen of a commonwealth country who swore allegiance to the Queen and served her in the military I find it so hard to conceive that the this society would be manipulated to actually attack me. However when I read the passage above it all comes into crystal clarity.

Come what may from these threats we will continue talking to people about the cross and urging them to respond to it appropriately. Undoubtedly we will be attacked in every way possible way and people will resort to every means to stop us however this only draws us closer to one another and to Christ.

Jesus needs to be preached in this city. We have no idea how much time we do or do not have and so we have to keep focused on the message of the cross. Amazing things will continue to happen as more and more people are added to our family and are strengthened to become formidable preachers in their own right. We do not foolishly egg on the persecutors because we know the damage they can do. That being said we are open about it here as Luke was open about it in the book of Acts so that we encourage those around the world who are facing the same thing and so that we can let like minded disciples know the things we are going through so that they have a chance to stand shoulder to shoulder with us.

Much love,

Tim Kernan