The following are bulleted highlights of Dr. MacArthur’s sermon [square brackets, underscoring, emboldening are mine]:
- A list of Christian beliefs that unbelievers do not understand
- Some things that blind unbelievers
- We have the mind of Christ and may comprehend some of the glory of the gospel
- Rom 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
- The following scriptures were related to current situation:
- By the truth: 2Co 10:5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
- Php 2:9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, Php 2:10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
- Eph 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,
- Heb 13:7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. [Pastors must lead by example in accordance with God’s word, and be worthy of emulating.]
- Heb 10:24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, Heb 10:25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
- Christians are the only force for truth and righteousness in the world
- 1Ti 3:15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. [Meeting together is fulfilling Christ’s design.]
- Mat 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. [Related to present situation: as, e.g., moral degeneration is retarded by salt.]
- Christians and the church are the salt of society; without this salt, you have the great tribulation
- Christians must mingle in society so that the influence of salt can do its work
- The influence of a virtuous life
- Mat 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
- Salt works quietly; light works visibly
- Throughout history, civil authorities have opposed the work of God and His people, the church: many examples given; past to date
- Act 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.
- Act 5:29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
- Mat 22:21 They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
- Why was this not the initial response to Covid 19? Explained
- Commands NOT to assemble did not apply to protesters; rioters
- Danger from virus: 27 states higher death rate than CA; 8300 died thus far: 21 people out of 100,000; half of those were age 80 and above;
- 2019 deaths in CA and cause: 270K died; 65K heart disease; 60K, cancer; 16K, stroke; 16K, Alzheimer’s; 14K, repertory illness; 10K, diabetes; 5k, liver illness; 14K, accidents; 5K, suicide; 3 million, alcohol; 250K, smoking
- 364 babies lives a day from abortion in CA; 1 of 4 pregnancies
- Abortion clinics and liquor stores have been deemed “essential” businesses
- May of 2019, governor Newsom proclaimed that women from states wherein abortion is restricted may come to CA to exercise their reproductive rights
- [Evil has become good; and good, evil]
- Positives about this current situation: the church always refines its convictions under duress: this is a triumphant hour for the church to be the church: standing by God’s standards is more important now than it has ever been in the life of Dr. MacArthur and true believers
For other posts on social issues, see, Categories: Progressive Govt. / Socialism / Communism; Propaganda Exposed; Social Justice / Identity Politics.