How Can We Call Ourselves a Church
E.A. Johnston challenges the church to embody true biblical faith by preaching repentance, embracing the gospel fully, and living selflessly for God's glory.
In this challenging sermon, E.A. Johnston calls the church to a radical return to biblical faithfulness by preaching the reality of sin, judgment, and the necessity of repentance. He emphasizes the importance of a burden for lost souls, prayerful living, and placing God's glory above all else. Johnston warns against compromise and self-centeredness, urging believers to live out the gospel authentically and passionately.
Full Transcript
How can we call ourselves a church if we don't preach that sin is black and hell is hot and a future judgment awaits all mankind? How can we call ourselves a church if we don't carry a burden for the souls of men and if the carpet in our sanctuary is not soaked in the tears of broken-hearted saints over the lost and perishing in our community? How can we call ourselves a church if we are not warning men and women and boys and girls to their duty of repentance and calling them to repent immediately or risk perdition in a burning hell? How can we call a church if we are prayerless in our personal lives, indifferent to the needs of others, apathetic to the spread of the gospel, and hoarders with our finances? How can we call ourselves a church if the glory of God is not central in the life of the church but self-preservation is? How can we call ourselves a church if we don't preach up a bloodstained savior on a bloody cross who died for sins becoming a curse for us? How can we call ourselves a church if we don't preach the full counsel of God of ruin, redemption, repentance, and regeneration? How can we call ourselves a church if we have grieved away the spirit of God through conformity and compromise? How can we call ourselves a church if we are full of ourselves and fail to preach the Christ who emptied himself? How can we call ourselves a church when we don't behave like Christians and care more about ourselves than others? Let us pray.
Sermon Outline
-
I
- The necessity of preaching sin and judgment
- The burden for lost souls in the church
- The call to immediate repentance
-
II
- The importance of prayer and selflessness
- The centrality of God's glory over self-preservation
- The preaching of Christ's sacrifice
-
III
- Preaching the full counsel of God: ruin, redemption, repentance, regeneration
- Avoiding conformity and compromise that grieves the Spirit
- Living out true Christian behavior
Key Quotes
“How can we call ourselves a church if we don't preach that sin is black and hell is hot and a future judgment awaits all mankind?” — E.A. Johnston
“How can we call ourselves a church if we are prayerless in our personal lives, indifferent to the needs of others, apathetic to the spread of the gospel, and hoarders with our finances?” — E.A. Johnston
“How can we call ourselves a church if the glory of God is not central in the life of the church but self-preservation is?” — E.A. Johnston
Application Points
- Examine your personal prayer life and renew your commitment to intercede for the lost.
- Preach and live out the full gospel message including sin, judgment, and redemption.
- Put God's glory above personal comfort and self-preservation in all church activities.