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The Unproclaimed Message
By Kristene O'Dell

The "Walk" team is making its way through Mormon country in Utah. Brenda reported that they had things thrown at them for the first time since they began in March. Here are Flip’s thoughts on what is taking place as our "living parable" proclaims the "unproclaimed message." This message is for a nation that is dying on the vine and the true Church of Jesus Christ which holds the keys!

Do those of you who go out to the abortion mill ever sit in your church and wonder why your brothers and sisters really do not understand what you do? Do you sit and listen to sermon after sermon about evangelism, that you agree with, but wish that what was spoken went just a bit further? Are you always trying to explain to others who tell you that you should love people and just evangelize, that you do love people and you do evangelize. There seems to be such a disconnect in the Church today of why we do what we do. Don’t you agree?

There are two words for Gospel used in the New Testament. One is Eyangelion meaning good news. We get the word evangelism from this. How sweet it is to know that our sins can be atoned for. How wonderfully merciful of our God to make a way for us. Because of this good news, we now are able to enter into eternal life with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We certainly do not want to diminish the glorious truth which the word Eyangelion brings. Without it, we are lost and undone and left without hope.

There is another word for Gospel. This word is Kerygma meaning a non-negotionable dictum issued by apotentate. It is this word that the disciples understood. Throughout history, the reason Christians have lost their lives is because of this word. It is this word Kerygma, along with Eyangelion, that we in Operation Save America seek to live out in the highways and byways of our cities.

In 34 BC, Julius Caesar issued a Kerygma stating that "Caesar is Lord." One was free to worship the pantheon of gods in that day as long as one proclaimed that Caesar was Lord. This is what got Jesus crucified on a cross. It was not that he walked around casting out demons and healing the sick. It was when He issued the ultimate Kerygma stating that "He was the Christ." It was this statement that overthrew Caesar’s decree. It was this statement where Jesus declared, "Thou shalt have no other God’s before Me." It was this statement that the Sanhedrin couldn’t bear.

In Acts 17, you see a group who lived out the Kerygma. Paul reasoned with the Jews in Thessalonica for three weeks proclaiming that Jesus is the Christ. The response of those who were envious was, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here, too….these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another King – Jesus!" Acts 17:6-7 What was it that they preached? It was the Gospel of the Kingdom.

It was the Kerygma that got John the Baptist beheaded. It was the Kerygma that jailed the apostles and cost them their lives. It was the Kerygma that got Christians cast into the lion’s den. It was the Kerygma that got others impaled. It was the Kerygma that got the Lollard Preacher boys burned at the stake. It was the Kerygma that put the Pilgrims at odds with King James. It was the Kerygma that caused our Founding Fathers to say in response to King George, "No king, but King Jesus!"

This is the Gospel of the Kingdom! This is the unproclaimed message of our day! The Church in America today is only proclaiming half the message. We understand the Eyangelion, even though we water it down with our seeker-friendly methods. What we do not understand is the Kerygma. We cannot make peace with a world system that is in utter rebellion to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Yes, Christ brought the victory, but He left us here to fight the battle. He left us here to advance His Kingdom- a Kingdom in which everything that sets itself up against the knowledge of God must be cast down and every thought brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. (2 Cor 10:5)

The great question in our current cultural battle is, "Who is Lord and whose laws reign?" It is the Kerygma, not necessarily the Eyaneglion, that makes us duty bound to stand against any governmental law that defies the Law of God. It is the Kerygma that makes our allegiance non-negotiable. It is the Kerygma that causes us to stand and say that every single child is worthy of life, that homosexuality is an abomination, and that there is no other God except Jesus, the Christ!

It is this kind of Church that the gates of hell could never prevail against! One that understands her true identity! One that understands that she is not her own and has been bought with a price. One who understands the unproclaimed message of our day – No king, but King Jesus! Would that we be like those who built this nation knowing that it probably would cost them everything. Would that we once again pledge our very lives, fortitudes, and our sacred honors to see a righteous inheritance left to future generations in America .

Instead, we are left with a gospel message that lets Bill Clinton use the name of Jesus and stand for everything that is in rebellion to Scripture. Instead, we are left with "Christians" who go into the abortion mill saying that their "Jesus" is a loving god and he will forgive them. Instead, we are left with homosexuals piling into churches all across the nation being told that "Jesus" made them that way and there is no need of repentance. Instead, we are left with every religion being put on the same level playing field in America today. Instead we are left with a Church that has lost her bearings and is becoming more like the world instead of confronting the issues of our day. It is no wonder that we are losing our children, who have been brought up in Church, but cannot make distinctions between the ways of the world and the path of righteousness.

As we "Walk Across America," it is this unproclaimed message that we proclaim. There are many who have given their lives to Christ as we put forth this message, "Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand!" The Eyanglion goes hand in hand with the Kerygma. This is the complete Gospel of the Kingdom. Rest assured that you will be called an intolerant, bigoted, fruitcake that needs to be done away with, but know that you are in good company.

Let us be those "who turn the world upside down" by rightly proclaiming that Jesus is Lord! It is through our submission to the Kerygma that the hearts of kings will be turned, though it cost us everything. When Jesus walked this earth, He was crowned with thorns. When He returns, He will be wearing many crowns and we will see that all kingdoms have been established under His authority. When He came into a city before, He came riding on a donkey. When He returns, He will be riding a white horse. What will the nations say when they see the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords? What will America have to say knowing that we once understood the destiny given us as a light to the world? What is it that you and I will say when we are asked, "Who is Lord and whose laws reign?"

 

04/07/2004  The Unproclaimed Message, by Kristene O'Dell

04/06/2004  WAA Report from Enoch, Utah, By Brenda

04/04/2004  Resting under a cross in Enoch, Utah, By Brenda

04/02/2004  WAA Report in Utah now, by Brenda Spurlock

04/01/2004  Flip, Rusty and Curtis Arrested in Mesquite, Nevada

03/31/2004  WAA Report from Nevada Desert, Brenda

03/27/2004  WAA Report from Las Vegas, Brenda Spurlock

03/23/2004  Gambling on Our Future, Kristene, Brenda & Liz

03/22/2004  WAA Report from Needles, CA

03/19/2004  Walk Across America, Twentynine Palms, CA

03/17/2004  Walk Across America Report, Yucca Valley

03/16/2004  Walk Across America (WAA) Report

03/15/2004  Judgment the Horse Becomes Judgment the Beatuiful

03/13/2004  Report from Liz Thomas; "Riding through the desert on a horse with no name."

03/10/2004  Flip speaks from the outskirts of San Bernadino, CA

03/09/2004  Flip speaks with Brenda from Rancho Cucamonga, CA

03/06/2004  God Uses Dumb Animals to us Straight

03/01/2004  Rusty reports from San Juan Capistrano, CA

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