Speakers say heart of Gospel is to show God’s glory

Nov 16, 2004
JONI B. HANNIGAN & BARBARA DENMAN

JACKSONVILLE (FBW/FBC)–R. Albert Mohler Jr. was once a young boy who remembered well the alligators and mosquitos at Lake Yale, one of Florida Baptists’ campgrounds.

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Now he is the president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., where the truths he learned at Southside Baptist Church in Lakeland, led him to be a respected Southern Baptist leader and one who has a deep appreciation for Florida Baptists.

“Florida Baptists, you have touched so many lives,” Mohler told messengers to the Florida Baptist State Convention annual meeting Nov. 8. “The man you bring before you tonight is one of those persons God touched.”

One of three speakers to lead in a theme interpretation of “Celebrate His Glory,” Mohler spoke Nov. 8 and Nov. 9 about the glory of God. He was followed by Emanual Rogue, language missions director for the Miami Baptist Association, and Joseph L. Gaston, an associate in the Language Church Development Deapartment of the Florida Baptist Convention.

Recalling what it was like to grow up in Florida, Mohler said he and the world watched recently as Florida Baptists responded to a historical hurricane season.

“I want to express to you a sense of appreciation from the entire Christian community and from the Southern Baptist Convention,” Mohler said, “for the way you have shown the glory of God and the love of Christ in the aftermath of the hurricanes of this past year.

“But more unprecedented than the intersection of all these awful storms is the demonstration that Florida Baptists have made of how to minister to one another, how to show the love of Christ in a time of need and, brothers and sisters, how to show fortitude in the face of such adversity. May God bless you. May God bless your churches and may you be blessed by knowing that you have been a blessing to others in the midst of these days.”

Reading from John 1:1 about the character and work of Christ, Mohler said Scripture points first to the internal reality of one true God who is unchangeable.

This reality is revealed through the diety of Christ (one God in three persons); the revelation of His sovereignty; and through Jesus’ humanity.

“We see His humanity and we see His glory,” Mohler said. “If the glory of God becomes evident in this day it will be because we beheld the glory of the Son.”

Elaborating on the character of God, Mohler said, “God is never greater or lesser... . God’s internal reality, His character, His being, it isn’t one thing one day and one thing the other. God is eternal. He neither wavers or wanes.”

What can change is God’s visibility, Mohler added. God’s glory can be seen in numerous circumstances where His Word is preached, the Gospel is communicated or when a sinner comes to faith in Christ. In addition, Mohler said. God’s glory is seen when the church is faithful, when husbands and wives stay together and when parents do their job in raising their children.

“God’s glory is in the little pictures and the big pictures and the task of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ,” Mohler said. “The blood-bought church is to show God’s glory. It should be our 24/7 obsession to show the world what God’s glory looks like.”

God’s glory, according to the Book of Revelation, Mohler said, should also be seen through the work of the Redeemer.

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor,” recited Mohler, describing the sacrificial nature of Christ.

In closing, Mohler referred to Romans 3 in which the Apostle Paul clearly describes the sinner’s condition and need for Jesus as the propitiation for sin.

“When we read the Scripture, we understand that God has had a consistent redemptive purpose from the very beginning,” Mohler said. “In fact, God’s consistent redemptive purpose is not rooted in time, but in eternity.

“Before the worlds were created…God determined to save a people through the blood of His Son,” Mohler continued. “And He created a world in which this would happen. ...Every single atom and molecule was created to be a witness to God’s redemptive work.”

Mohler said that the story of God’s purpose has been evident through all time and “is so wonderful that we must keep it in our hearts and minds all the time” and should excite believers when they preach, share the Gospel, support missionaries and serve.

“Let’s be very thankful for a moment that in heaven we are all going to confess that we got there one way,” said Mohler. “There aren’t going to be several doors. There aren’t going to be several avenues. There is only going to be one way and that is through faith in Christ Jesus.

“God displayed his redemptive work publically,” Mohler continued, speaking of Paul’s writings. “Paul wants us to see the glory of God in this work. Paul dares us to look to the cross. To see the glory of God.”

During the Tuesday afternoon theme interpretation, Roque encouraged Florida Baptists to live a life of victory that celebrates the resurrection of Christ.

Roque, director of language work for the Miami Baptist Association, said he thanks God for “Florida Baptists who reached out in a foreign land called Cuba 55 years ago. My parents were won to Christ because of the mission efforts of Florida Baptists 150 years ago,” he said.

Such mission and ministry efforts characterize the 150 year heritage of the Florida Baptist State Convention, he said.

Reading the session’s theme verse found in John 11:25, “I am the resurrection, and the life, he that believeth in me, though he was dead, yet shall he live,” Roque asked, “Do you believe this?

“This is what our faith is all about,” he continued, adding that these words of Jesus have power in all situations.

Roque suggested that the Christian believer has the power to change his life by knowing Jesus better. When Jesus spoke these words to Mary and Martha at Lazurus’ tomb, He also told them, “I am the great I Am,” Roque said. By knowing Jesus better, their lives were changed and so, too, was the town of Bethany, he said.

“No other event has such clear implications for our lives, than the resurrection,” said Roque.

By knowing Christ and His power, the believer no longer has just earthly resources, but heavenly resources as well, Roque continued.

Along with knowing Him, expect, too, times of suffering, just as He suffered, said Roque, adding that those times “become great opportunities to know the Lord in a more intimate way.’’

Roque suggested living a resurrected life through service brings “glory to Christ as we reflect His character.” The power of a resurrected life can change communities, churches and individuals, he added.

In presenting the fourth theme interpretation, “The Glory of His Return,” Joseph Gaston recalled Dec. 31, 1999, as one of the greatest days in the past century; a time at the dawning of the new millennium and of great anticipation.

Yet, all too often, life in the present seems to be one of preoccupation, lost hope and despair, said the Port-au Prince, Haiti, native who serves as associate in the Language Church Development Department, Florida Baptist Convention.

Referring to the theme verse found in Matthew 25:31, “When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon throne of His glory,” Gaston reminded Florida Baptists that there is reason to celebrate.

“The Gospel of the Lord is not completely preached until we take it from Revelations until the resurrection of human kind,” he said, where the focus can be transforming, renewing, and breaking into human history.

The best is yet to come, when Christ returns in divine revelation. “Let us celebrate!” Gaston said.

Beginning with the Book of Genesis God promises redemption, until the time of His return, “may this be present in our daily lives,” Gaston added. “Christ’s return calls every believer to rejoice and celebrate.”

Gaston recalled two biblical passages demonstrating the Glory of God—Isaiah 6 and the Transfiguration. “All of these are nothing as compared to the glory of Christ when He returns from heaven. Christ will come in glorified body with splendor and magnificence, splendor and honor.”

The language specialist then painted a picture of Christ’s return—coming from a cloud in the sky, with million of angels in heaven, a sight no eyes have seen nor ears have heard.

“Let us celebrate the glory of His return. Let us celebrate with His angels. He will not come alone, He will be coming in glory of Father, glory of the church,” Gaston said.

During the second coming all the nations will be gathered, he explained. The universal church will be of all races, colors, languages; all ethnics, everyone will come. “Christ’s return will overcome barriers,” continued Gaston.

And at that time, good and evil will be separated, he said, the goat and sheep will be parted. They will be “judged by the King of Kings.”

The believers shall enter heaven, a perfect place, where there is no more sickness, no more pain, no more thirst or no more crying, Gaston added. “Instead, God’s people will be dwelling together in the light of heaven and the presence of Jesus.”

Such a glorious picture, he said, gives reasons for celebration.

As a native of Haiti, one of Florida Baptist mission partnership countries, Gaston expressed his appreciation for the Florida Baptist State Convention “and for the legacies and testimonies of thousands of servants who came before.”

He described an acrostic for Florida Baptist Convention: “focused on mission, bold on ministry and committed to the message of Jesus Christ.”

Recalling Hebrews 11, Gaston said that God inspired the author to write down the hall of fame of obedient, faithful people who walked with God. Gaston believes the names of Florida Baptist State Convention leaders, messengers, pastors and true believers also would be placed in this hall of fame.

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