Posted on 02/24/2010 11:46:30 AM PST by CondoleezzaProtege
A young man came to me one time and said "You're right brother Paul, you're right. Jesus, is all we need."
I said, "Young mean, Jesus is all we have. He's not just all we need. Outside of him there is nothing..."
(Excerpt) Read more at youtube.com ...
Hi Sprite,
I actually attend a more sedate, traditional style service at a church affiliated with the conservative “Presbyterian Church of America” (PCA) but I definitely appreciate Paul Washer’s no nonsense style of preaching. His style can be likened to that of the itinerant preachers who God used to stir up revivals such as the Great Awakening in early America. Washer himself is a traveling preacher and spends most of his time outside of the states.
Great points, Sprite518.
I have come to start twitching when I hear people say “Jesus is all you need.”
It’s really a useless, throwaway sentiment that *sounds* good and religious, but is practically meaningless.
The word “need” points to some specific goal. We *need* food and water to nourish our bodies. We *need* air in order to provide oxygen to our bodies. We *need* marriage to fulfill our sexual desires. We *need* the Bible to develop a sound understanding of God and our place in His kingdom.
And we *need* Christ to reconcile us to God.
And we *need* the Holy Spirit to invigorate us, to instruct us, to encourage us.
No, Jesus is not all we need. At the very least, we need the Triune God, and in order to survive on this planet, we need the blessings He provides.
So let’s do away with this nice-sounding cliche that “Jesus is all you need.” It’s not helpful.
Nothing to the Christ I bring
only to the cross I cling...
Theo, with all due respect, your posts reflect a complete lack of knowledge of the point of Washer’s message and the nature of all his other sermons.
There are hour plus sermons of his on youtube dealing specifically with marriage. He has even longer ones on the necessity of and absolute supremacy of Scripture. He constantly refers to the necessity of the Holy Spirit’s supernatural work in regenerating the soul and the lack of acknowledgment in that in the American Evangelical community.
The point of this particular sermon was to elevate the supreme worth of Jesus Christ—as attested to in the book of Colossians for example. It is Scripture that says the world was created BY and FOR Christ and IN Christ. IT was not created for us. Even marriage, as Ephesians 5 attests to, is not about us, it’s about Jesus. Even our sexual desires are not meant merely to satisfy us, they’re given to us for the glory of God. It’s all. about. HIM.
I would caution you against making false assumptions and judgments about someone who’s sacrificed so much to advance the Kingdom of God.
I love Paul Washer ..thanks
Did you ever hear of Jonathan Edwards?He started the great revival with a sermon called" Sinners in the hands of an angry God"..
I think if men do not understand that God hates sin and we are sinners the church ends up with name it claim it prosperity preachers.. If we read John 6 we see Jesus say to the crowd following him..you follow me because you are hungry . They were not looking for a Savior, they were looking to get their needs met..it was about them not Christ
Well stated RnMom! That's exactly right.
OOOOPPPS! sorry for the caps.
Father help us in our day, in Jesus name, amen.
Trust me I know this first hand. I myself was (many moons ago) was one of them. Since then I have managed to bring some people to God and ultimately Christ, but not through the style you are talking about.
The way you are talking about, at least from my personal experience, does more harm then good. Then again I maybe wrong. It is just what I have seen and experienced.
Like I said check out Andy Stanley. I have no doubt God speaks through Andy.
If I have Jesus, I have the Father. They are one (not just in unity of purpose, etc., but they are truly ONE). Jesus is the very “expression” of the living God, HO LOGOS. This God indeed gives us His Holy Spirit to invigorate us, to instruct us (via His Word), to encourage us.
Jesus is also my “head,” that is, He is my ever-FLOWING, out-FLOWING, source of supply. He supplies all my needs. All I need is Jesus.
Actually I like listening to the Stanleys. But until a man sees himself as a sinner, he will never be saved by Christ.. It is said that the gospel is offensive, if what you preach is not offensive then it is not the gospel.
Men do not like to hear their true spiritual state.. they are offended.. look they hung Christ and stoned Steven ...
One can present the truth softly or loudly as long as you hold a spiritual mirror to the man soul
If “all you need is Jesus,” I challenge you to go without food, water, and air.
Jesus provides all these things, and we thank Him for these things. But in order to live in these bodies ... we *need* food, water, and air.
I am not demeaning this preacher. I affirm his high esteem for our Savior and for his passion in communicating his esteem.
I’m simply saying that “All you need is Jesus” is a dangerous idea that’s caused a lot of confusion and hurt. Jesus is our provider, the giver of all good gifts, but we “need” more than Jesus during our time on this planet. Indeed, in order to be “fruitful and multiply,” Adam “needed” more than communion with God.
I know single adults who want to be married, but think it’s a bad thing to pursue it until they’ve fully embraced the concept that “Jesus is all you need.” And so they wait and wait and wait. Meanwhile, they miss out on the good gift of marriage, all because they strive to *earn* God’s blessing of marriage by trying to not want it. It’s just all screwed up.
It’s that word “need” that I’m focusing on — what it means, what it provides, the lack that is revealed by our needs.
Jesus provides me with health and wisdom and skills and happiness so I can have a good job that provides all my needs for my family and me. I have Jesus, and that is all I need.
BTW, I don’t have to accept your silly challenge to go without food, water and air. Jesus made all these - water and the air, etc., in other words the “world” (KOSMOS - the world arrangement in which he provided for our needs). I am not talking about the earth, but the world. Jesus made the world and he is the savior of the world. Jesus is all the world needs. He took away the sin of the world.
Why do I need anything else?
“Jesus” cannot unscrew a Phillips screw; you “need” a Phillips screwdriver to do that.
This is just a dumb conversation. Yes, we need Jesus for salvation and for meaningful life, and yes He holds all things together an in Him all things hold together. But Jesus doesn’t fill our belly — the food He provides fills our bellies. Good luck eating Jesus, Overwatcher; I’ll eat the food He graciously provides.
You are absolutely, completely, totally correct - this is a dumb conversation. (I have a whole set of Phillips screwdrivers, by the way).
Jesus said He is the bread of life. I love bread.
I’m suspecting you have had some really bad experiences with some “Jesus Freaks.” You have completely missed my points, and are determined to see nothing but your own.
I don’t know you, but I suspect your understanding of just who Jesus Christ is differs from mine. It would be a lot more interesting to discuss this, if you are so inclined.
You started this dumb conversation by stating how much you detest people who need nothing but Jesus. I need nothing but Jesus (because if I have Jesus I have all I need).
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