Break Forth Ministries

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

January 27-28, 2012

Saturday Evening Session

Dr. Tony Campolo

Break Forth Ministries

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

January 27-28, 2012

Saturday Evening Session

Do you remember me joke.
Taught at University of Pennsylvania, and then began teaching at Eastern University.
Asks his students; Why did Jesus come into the world?
What was Jesus’ mission statement?
Came into the world to give us internal Life
When Jesus died on the cross, it took care of everything for me.
At an age where he thinks about dying. Each night when he goes to sleep, one day closer to God.
Heard you the first time, I’m sorry-joke.
No response from people at a reserved Mennonite church.
Black church, people get excited.
Black funeral, one of the happiest events Tony had been to. Halfway through the talk, Tony joked saying he wished he was dead that the pastor made life after death seem so much better. Pastor preached to the corpse, Clarence. Thanking Clarence for all he had done. “Good night Clarence” After closing the casket, everyone celebrated that Clarence was going to wake up in the morning to God. That is a church of Jesus Christ.
“Death, where is thy sting, oh grave where is thy victory” Thessalonians
Do not have to be Baptist to go to heaven. “But why take a chance”
Father-in-law, Baptist preacher, got hardening of the arteries, and then stopped speaking completely. Mother-in-law said “it was 6:20 in the morning and daddy sat up in bed and he spoke to an unseen presence and he yelled at this unseen presence. ‘Oh death where is your sting, oh grave where is your victory? Praise be to God that gives me victory’ and then he fell back into bed and died.”
Knowing that if you die in Christ, you will be more alive than ever before.
“You should be willing to say here’s my life I’m giving it to you.”
Story about man having a seizure on the train in London, the friend to the man apologized to Tony that his friend had had this seizure and explained he had one the week before and was not expecting him to have another.
They had been friends since Vietnam. He was American, friend was British. They both suffered great injuries. Told story about them being in Vietnam.
When he found out his friend was having seizures, he closed the store he owned in NY and came to London to be with his friend because the doctor said someone needed to be with him all the time.
Tony told him not to apologize.
If you believe in Jesus, you should be ready to say: after what he did for me, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for him.
Second reason students give when he asks his class at EU, He came to give us the abundant life.
Even if there wasn’t a heaven or hell, we would still become a Christian simply of the joy and liveliness of Christ in our being
Romans 8.
Elevator story, guy with pants down low. Guy had no joy in him. Banging on the wrong door of elevator trying to get out when the door behind them was open, guy did not laugh at him. Tony told him to laugh.
Has a great deal to do with Christianity. When the Holy Spirit invades you, it creates an exuberance and joy.
Iranaeus, “The glory of God is a human being who is fully alive”
Most people aren’t fully alive, insomnia. When they are awake, they are half asleep. Not paying attention or living in the essence of God.
When taught at University of Pennsylvania, he asked “How long have you lived?”
Remembered high school trip to New York City, and the moment that he became fully alive at the top of the Empire State Building.
Life is full of too few moments where we are fully alive.
Spiritual High
Haiti, roads are lousy, high in the mountains 3,000 ft above sea level.
Even though we have ups and downs, I wouldn’t trade down times in Jesus for up times.
Teaching class on social problems. “What do you think Jesus would say to a prostitute?”
Student said Jesus did not meet a prostitute; when He looked into the eyes of them He did not see them in the degraded fashion that we see.
Jesus no longer saw them as the world sees them; he sees them in the Spirit.
Mother Theresa story about looking into the eyes of a man with AIDS; she had a sensation that Jesus was looking back at her.
Spiritual connection with people who do not go to church or believe in God, infinite value.
Story about Tony being late to class and having to pray. Prayed saying they were worthless, the professor stopped him saying “You are not worthless” If Tony was the only person alive in history, the eternal son of God would still have died on the cross for him. (the professor said) He is of infinite value; A lesson about being worthless vs. being unworthy.
Jesus came to bring celebration into lives. How many times has he brought celebration?
Story of Prodigal son; when the son comes home they celebrate.
What time is it? “Party Time!”
Angels have celebrations; we are into a God that loves celebrations.
Heaven will be one gigantic party.
The Kingdom is like a wedding feast.
Bible said Jesus came to humble himself.
Mediterranean people know how to throw wedding feasts
Joyfulness of walking with Jesus.
“A servant is not greater than the master, what they did to me, if you follow me, they will do to you.”
Apostle Paul gave testimony of Jesus to the Philippians.
Praise be to God that in the midst of suffering we can still say “Hallelujah.”
Of course Jesus came to give us joy.
People only know how to ask for things when praying.
God knows what you need before you ask.
Dan Rather interviewed Mother Theresa and asked her what she says when she prays.She responded saying that she doesn’t say anything. He then asked “what does God say to you?” She responded, “God doesn’t say anything, he listens.”
In the morning, Tony doesn’t ask God for anything; he lets Him enter his body and absorbs everything about Jesus.
Song: Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Because until the spirit of God possesses you, you cannot do what Jesus expects you to do.
Tony talks about Shane Claiborne, when he lives out his life authentically. Everything he lives for is to give to others in the name of Jesus and to live out love and justice in the world and to claim His name.
The Simple Way
Story about man who came in with his son to yell at Tony blaming him for not using his degree in business, instead he was out on the streets giving money to the homeless and helping them. The father said, “I don’t mind being Christian up to a point.”
Jesus calls us to go beyond that point; we only want to go part of the way.
Dietrich Bonheoffer quote “When Jesus calls a person, he calls that person to come and die. Die to everything your live for up to that point, everything you thought was important up to that point, all of that has to die so you can be resurrected and be a new person like Christ would be.”
Woman at church kept saying “thank you Jesus” about all the bad things happening. Tony’s mother said she was saying this because that meant things were getting so bad that Jesus would have to come. Living in the last days.
Get eschatology from the Bible, not other people.
Matthew 13
Evil has never been more pronounced as it is today. The kingdom of evil is growing bigger and stronger every day, but the Kingdom of God is growing even stronger alongside of the kingdom of evil.
In Africa, Latin America, and Korea churches are growing. The Church is on the move.
Compassion International, support a child.
25 years ago, 45,000 children died every day from disease and malnutrition. Today 30,000 die. The church is responsible for the change. You can afford to support a child every month.
Couples in church.
If already supporting a Compassion child, support another.
Making a lot of money and keeping it is wrong. Need to use it for good. If you love God, you will respond to loving those He wants you to love.
Human Trafficking, Poverty.
Red Letter Christians, take Jesus seriously.
80 years ago 75% of people had no access to clean drinking water. Today, its 20%. The Church has pulled this off, by going to third world countries to drill wells.
Authentic Christians, overcome hypocrisy.
80 years ago, 90% of population was not literate, today it is down to 20%. The church caused this. Mission groups.
T.S. Elliot, said that“the world will not end with a bang, but a whimper.”
Tony says that the world will end as the Kingdom of God. No bang or whimper.
Philippians 1:9
Apostle Paul: “We do not labor as those without hope; we labor as people with hope.”
Time for us to commit and become His disciple because it is too easy to say you are a believer. Need to commit your life to Christ.
We all should be like missionaries, be like Mother Theresa. We need to change.
You’re never too old, you’re never too young.
Story about 68 year old woman who wanted to go to Haiti.
Jesus is calling you.
Metaphor about the Apostle Paul getting an interview into a Bible college and being asked about when he was called by God.
If you commit your life to Christ, you become new.
Present yourself as living sacrifices. You need to take a stand for Jesus.
Allow Jesus to take you wherever he takes you.
Be a disciple
Commit to Christ, and if the pastor isn’t thrilled to talk, you need to go to another church.
Book of James

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