Kimberly Posted February 6, 2005 Share Posted February 6, 2005 I am just curious...do most SDA pastors usually preach about the second coming of Jesus a lot? I have mixed feelings about this. Shouldn't we also hear about how Jesus is in our lives today? And not be focused so much about when he comes again? Also, please tell me how you relate to the second coming. And what exactly does it mean to be "ready" for Him? Does this mean we just need to have faith, or is there more to it? Do all Protestant churches talk about the second coming as much as SDA's do? Today the sermon was mainly about this, and some of the pictures used looked a little scary to me...and I came away with ambivilant feelings about it all. Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Shane Posted February 6, 2005 Share Posted February 6, 2005 Adventists are called to prepare the way of the Lord. We are called to sound the trumpet. We are a modern-day Noah, Jonah and John the Baptist. (Some of us are more like Jonah than Noah or John the Baptist <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> ) I have found the number of sermons focusing on the soon coming of Christ is very dependant on the specific pastor. Preparing for the second coming of Christ is all about how Jesus is, or should be, in our lives today. Quote Pastoral Family Counselor... Find me at www.PostumCafe.com Author of Peculiar Christianity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cricket Posted February 6, 2005 Share Posted February 6, 2005 The second coming is part of our name. It is one of the main topics preached among Adventists. To me, it is a crucial and vital understanding in my faith. It is what I look forward to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 6, 2005 Share Posted February 6, 2005 What pastors preach on is all over the place. My current pastor mentioned that he is going to preach on the sabbath and 2nd coming once each quarter. That is him.. I have found almost ZERO consistency rearding topics a pastor chooses in over 3 decades listening to many campmeeting speakers and pastors...except for the fact that most sermons are junk. Seems like the messages from many pastors reveal they have no vision of mission or purpose..they are Friday night, one verse wonders. I get the impression that they are poorly trained..deal mostly with church issues and don't value the bible much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberly Posted February 7, 2005 Author Share Posted February 7, 2005 I was hoping for more discussion on this. Especially those "pictures" used during sermons...you know the ones...with a man playing chess with Satan, then you see Jesus with his hand on the good guy's shoulder. Does anybody here find these pictures spooky? Or the ones with serpents wrapped around people's bodies? Or lighting striking things? What are these pictures supposed to do? Scare us? Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Shane Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 I love those pictures. They are so insightful. Espeacially the chess game picture. It really gives us an insight on the great controversy. Quote Pastoral Family Counselor... Find me at www.PostumCafe.com Author of Peculiar Christianity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darlene Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 I'm not a pastor but I did a church officer induction service in one of our churches this past weekend. My sermon title was "Cracked Pots and Overflowing Vessels." It was about how the Lord comes into our lives, fills us to overflowing which imperfectly shows others what Jesus is like. It also included an illustration of a water bearer who had two vessels one perfect and the other cracked. For two years he carried the water from a stream to the house and by the time he got there one pot was full the other half empty. The half empty pot felt bad that he wasn't able to complete his task well and apologized to the pot bearer. The pot bearer assured the cracked pot that he knew this all along and that he had planted flower seeds on that side and that because of the water spilling from the cracked pot, flowers had grown that he picked and used to grace their table. Just so, we are God "cracked pots" and he uses us for His service, imperfect though we be. So, JimBob is a sermon that contains 9 text and 2 EG White quotes a topical sermon? If so, so be it. I was assured that God used it well for many and that as a result they will fulfill the office that their church has entrusted them with to the best of their ability. I left them with Ecclesiaties 9:10 "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with they might." By the way, I always close my sermons with reference to the second coming and the approaching of that small dark cloud in the eastern sky. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 Quote: So, JimBob is a sermon that contains 9 text and 2 EG White quotes a topical sermon? It is if the 9 texts and 2 EGW references are related to the same theme/topic. Remember that I do not rant against topical sermons. I have heard some excellent ones.. My rant/tirade is against low scripture exposure NON FAT DRY MILK ones. And also the TREND of presenting only topical sermons verses expository ones that....teach the principles of God's WORD SEE NEH 8:8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Gail Posted February 8, 2005 Administrators Share Posted February 8, 2005 JB, what is the criteria for judging whether a sermon is effective? Is its effects on me good enough to say whether it's a good sermon or not? Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cricket Posted February 8, 2005 Share Posted February 8, 2005 Guess it depends on how it affects you: what does it motivate you to do next? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberly Posted February 10, 2005 Author Share Posted February 10, 2005 I would love to know who here likes the pictures used in some sermons like I described. Are they scary to you or enlightening? I find them a little curious, sometimes scary at times. Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeHiscost Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 Quote: I would love to know who here likes the pictures used in some sermons like I described. Are they scary to you or enlightening? I find them a little curious, sometimes scary at times. Kim Kim, When I was first aware of the beasts as described in Daniel and the Revelation, I had already seen Jesus as capable of defending me under all circumstances. Though His overriding protection was most obvious when I followed the paths He revealed as important, the more important lesson I learned was that He continued to work for my best interests in spite of my failures. That included giving me endurance through the more difficult times caused from my own lack of discretion. [:"red"] "If we are faithless [do not believe and are untrue to Him], He remains true (faithful to His Word and His righteous character), for He cannot deny Himself." [/] 2 Timothy 2:13 AMP [:"red"] "You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your right hand upholds me; And Your gentleness makes me great." [/] Psalms 18:35 NASB Lift Jesus up!! Quote Lift Jesus up!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 Kim, Our Pastor doesn't use pictures in his sermons, just the Bible. He keeps us pretty busy looking up passages, not looking at pictures. Our former Pastor didn't use pics, either, so I'm not sure I can give any opinion on this. But Hi anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 I haven't seen the pictures in question either--am having a hard time imagining them in my head (serpents wrapping around people? what is that in reference to?). If anyone here uses power point, they use pretty generic pictures, and usually there's no power point, so I can't comment--sorry! M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberly Posted February 10, 2005 Author Share Posted February 10, 2005 I am talking about the ones you also see in SDA publications like Amazing Facts...and when the church does the seminars...they use a lot of pictures of angels, demons, lightening, snakes...maybe where I live they are used more? I know Doug Batchelor likes them! Kim P.S. Hi Rose! I didn't want to post this over at you know where, they would be harsh I'm sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 Hi Kim! Yeah I know what you're taking about about being careful where to post. But the formers are following these CA conversations also, and lifting them from here onto there to have more to "discuss". Oh well, some people just need to get a life, you know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darlene Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 Yes, Kim, I know what pictures you are referring to. I've seen them all my life at evangelistic meetings but, not necessarily in sermons. Being a visual person they help me to better understand what the Bible is talking about in the prohecy they are representing. They are not pictures that particularly bother me because for me, in my mind, they stay with the Bible prophecy and do not bother me in my daily life. Is that why they bother you, because they carry over into your life? I'm just trying to understand. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 When we read both the Apostle John and Daniels visions, and what they describe they saw, (the beasts, the woman riding the beast, drunk with the blood of saints etc,), the mental pictures can be frightening. These mental pictures we carry with us from reading our Bible (which to me, may be more frightening Pastor Doug's, for I formed them before I'd seen any SDA pics) not only help me to understand, but more easily remember the prophecies. But are these the pictures Kim means? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Gregory Matthews Posted February 11, 2005 Moderators Share Posted February 11, 2005 It is well known in Adventism that the typical are illustration, and subject matter, used in so-called Revelation Seminars attract a specific sub-set of the American population. They do NOT attract a cross-section of that population. Quote Gregory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cricket Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 Here's a link to a picture like the ones she's been talking about: http://www.tagnet.org/adventistevangelism/catalog/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 Quote: JB, what is the criteria for judging whether a sermon is effective? Is its effects on me good enough to say whether it's a good sermon or not? Nope , not without more detail. grrrr..I had the rest of the answer here and hit the back button and lost 10 minutes of typing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 Is the message a catalyst for contrition, repentence, walking closer to God, yielding to his will? Then there is the parable of the soils and listener responsibility or you could say Noah was a bad preacher and Jesus was a failure. Can a movie cause change ? sure Can a donut? sure A great sermon is like going to the best restaurant verses going to a greasy spoon cafe with small portions. It is like gold mining and finding nuggets verses going to Knott's Berry Farm and panning for gold and getting a micro flake of gold dust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberly Posted February 11, 2005 Author Share Posted February 11, 2005 Yes, those are the types of pictures I am referring to. In other churches I've attended, I don't recall seeing so many "Prophecy Code" type pictures. I don't relate them to my life, they just look weird, to be honest. I guess they are used as a tool to better enhance the reader's imagination? They're so dramatic, but so is the Bible I suppose. Does anyone know if these pictures are mainly specific to the SDA church? Or have you seen them elsewhere? Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cricket Posted February 12, 2005 Share Posted February 12, 2005 I have a feeling they are used mainly by SDAs. We are the ones who stress Bible prophecy so much. It is one of the things that makes us unique. Something along the lines of pretorism, historicism and a bunch of other things that maybe Gregory Matthews can help clarify. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 26, 2005 Share Posted February 26, 2005 Hunting for the sermon link I am supposed to listen to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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