The Theme of My Ministry

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One Sabbath afternoon at a luncheon, I met a former Bible Worker, who asked me what the theme of my ministry was. I told him the cross of Christ. He sneered and told me my theme was rather cliche. He very proudly went on to tell me that his theme was the health message.

I wonder how many people have thought Paul’s ministry was cliche?

For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2 NLT

When I first became a literature evangelist many years ago, I was sitting in the conference president’s office along with a few other L.E.s talking about which book we should promote. A few of them said The Great Controversy. It tells us all about the Sabbath and the mark of the beast. I then suggested The Desire of Ages. I explained why. Unless people are in love with Jesus, it won’t do any good to warn them about last day events. The Desire of Ages helps us fall in love with Jesus. Granted there is plenty of Jesus in the Great Controversy as well. It is also a Christ-centered book. However, warning about the end time events will not do any good unless people’s hearts are broken and they have fallen in love with Jesus.

If telling people that Jesus loved them enough to say goodbye to life forever in order to save them, does not make them fall in love with Jesus, then warning them about last-day events will not do any good.

A while back a man joined our church who just wanted to talk about last-day conspiracy theories. One time when he was having such a discussion, I tried to get him to talk about his experience with Jesus and how his relationship with Jesus has changed his life. He could not do it. He could talk about Sunday laws and theories of how the mark of the beast would be distributed, but he could not talk about how Jesus had changed his life.

All are tested in different ways. On September 11, 2001, when several terrorists were willing to die if they could just kill others too, God magnified himself in the many rescue workers who were also willing to die if they could just save someone else!

Different people are tested in different ways. The rescue workers on 9-11 were not given the Sabbath test. But some followed Jesus by denying themselves and dying just like He did. Some of us will be tested with the Sabbath test one day. Whatever test we meet, we will be able to pass with flying colors if we fall in love with Jesus and make Him and Him crucified the theme of our lives.

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The Theme of My Ministry — 26 Comments

Sheila Sharpe on September 11, 2015 at 7:15 pm said:

You are so right about the Desire of Ages, you will definitely fall in love with Jesus reading it.

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- Edwina Atieno Otieno-Ombado on September 13, 2015 at 7:00 am said:
  
  This is a very warm ,Christ centered lesson study. My life was changed by a revelation of the love of God. Even though I am a second generation PK, I came to know that God has no grand children. I became His child because someone reminded me that God loves me.God then made someone else give me the great controversy and The desire of Ages and told me to begin with The Desire of Ages. I was amazed at the love of God as revealed therein.
  
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Paul Blanke on September 11, 2015 at 7:31 pm said:

William, the man that couldn't talk about how Jesus had changed his life, may not be as uncommon as one might think. For many that have been raised as SDA Christians, there life is not in need of change as they see it. Not as dramatic as those that have been converted from a life of sin as revealed in many public confessions. How would you describe loving God? The fundamental or necessary details? We know that there are at least three kinds of love and two of them we measured by human feelings. I agree that Jesus' gift of love on Calvary is the greatest expression Agape love, the third type. Is our relationship with Jesus a factor in being able to love Him and express it adequately? I know I pray for a closer relationship each day because I don't feel I can provide all that is needed by myself.

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- Edwina Atieno Otieno-Ombado on September 13, 2015 at 4:50 pm said:
  
  Some of us may be like Peter, some like Nocodemus, others like Paul, even condenming others and even like those in the early church doubting Paul's coversion. There are still others like Mary Magdalena other even her accusers, or the woman at the well and many others that Jesus rescued in their situation and revealed the grace and love of God to. THOSE that were very difficult to deal with were the Pharesees ,but even among the we see the example of Paul and Nocodemus.
  Yes we all need a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 3:23 ,6:23. John 3:1-3
  
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R. G. White on September 11, 2015 at 8:16 pm said:

Nicely said, William. Preparation for the end time has to mean being hidden in Christ, and how do we get there, if we do not love and trust Him?

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- Rick A. Shaw on September 15, 2015 at 8:12 am said:
  
  Question: How do we love God?
  Rick
  
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  - R. G. White on September 16, 2015 at 12:11 pm said:
    
    I believe the Bible answers that question directly, Rick.
    
    "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome." 1 John 5:3 NKJV
    
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Ivaylo [Surname?] on September 11, 2015 at 11:36 pm said:

Good article!

Paul Blanke's comment provoked me to write down a few words about 'agape' cliche that was build throughout centuries
- there is no such a thing as three or four kinds of love
- Hellenes have a specific word other than agape for some relationships or aspects of relationships
- agape is general word meaning love, so naturally it's used widely
- in time this bizarre concept of different kinds of love was born and raised up

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- Maurice Ashton on September 12, 2015 at 4:22 am said:
  
  The extent of my knowledge of Greek only extends to the use of the Greek alphabet as maths symbols so I cannot claim to be able to comment on the use or misuse of the greek intended meaning of the word agape. However I think that we can all agree that their is a concept of altruistic love demonstrated by Christ. Significantly that love was not dependent on reciprocation. That is a very far cry from the attitude we see so commonly now-a-days of loving someone in the hope that they will love you back and respond to you in kind.
  
  it is perhaps time concentrate less on the linguistics and more on the attitude that we should demonstrate towards one another.
  
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  - R. G. White on September 13, 2015 at 9:20 am said:
    
    I agree, Maurice, and maybe we should be careful what we call "love."
    
    Saying that, of course, also tends to bring me into agreement with Ivaylo. There is only one kind of love, if we are talking about the real thing -- the love that sinful man in incapable of producing, but for the supernatural element of divine grace. A focus on Greek words, and a tendency to exaggerate, distort, or even imagine the differences between close synonyms, does tend to get us off track.
    
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debra [surname?] on September 11, 2015 at 11:41 pm said:

AMen.I was baptised in 89.Coming from being raised baptise most of my life this is my testimony i meet two of my best ffriends at nine yrs old Jesus and debra kay my grandmother taught me about a man named jesus john 3:16 that loved me soooo much that he was willing to die for me i hardly understood it at 9 yrs but now im 60 i cant thank him enough. There were those fellow members that would let me know what i could and could not eat. How to keep the sabbath holy and them their selves were not living by example. So to say the health message priceless the Great Controversy endless But Jesus will remain. I also share the Cross the love of Jesus

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Lisanne Ward on September 12, 2015 at 4:32 am said:

Happy Sabbath. I like sharing Steps to Christ as well.

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Moronda B. Moronda on September 12, 2015 at 2:23 pm said:

The Desire of Ages has been my favourite book for years. When I read it I see the scenery through the scriptures.

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- Rick A. Shaw on September 12, 2015 at 7:16 pm said:
  
  So are you saying there's just ONE kind of love? The love of sports is EXACTLY the same love I have for my mother?
  Rick
  
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  - Tyler Cluthe on September 14, 2015 at 10:36 am said:
    
    Rick, I tend to agree with you. When we talk of love as a Christian it is not the same as loving some object. It is not even the same as the word love is often used today.
    
    In order to know what kind of love we are to have and where to place that love we need to see Christ in action during those 30 or so years He was on earth. Even that is sometimes difficult with the way we see things and our preconceived concepts. For instance what do we do with the cleansing of the temple or the woes on the Pharisees at the end of His ministry? How do we understand those things as acts of love?
    
    I do agree with Maurice, though, that it "was not dependent on reciprocation." We are to love our enemies even if they do not love us and sometimes that can be difficult especially when their hatred is completely unjustified and cruel. It can also be hard when they attack those that are closest to us.
    
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Nathaniel Okwoli on September 13, 2015 at 12:28 am said:

Let's face the truth, Do we think we can through our approach (telling about Jesus or Warning the people ) have soul converted? It is for the Holy Spirit to convict.

Which ever method we use, (so long as we do not condemn people) those who want to Obey God will Obey him irrespective of the method.

Jeremiah preached salvation through warning, Paul became all things to all people. Let's never think that one method is more suitable. Conviction is for God to do. We just say what needs to be said without trying to please anyone.--In truth and Love.

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- Tyler Cluthe on September 14, 2015 at 10:40 am said:
  
  To me circumstance determines the method but I do think that some methods are generally more productive than others.
  
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  - JAMES LEVOS on September 16, 2015 at 9:26 am said:
    
    This came to mind. A good farmer knows the way to get a good harvest. A good shepherd of the flock of God will know how to bring sinners to Christ and to motivate them to stay close to Him. If the experience of Peter is a model for the expositor of God's word today then the first requisite for a preacher (generic) of the Word is an affirmative answer to the question Jesus asked Peter at breakfast by the sea of Galilee after Jesus' resurrection. "Lovest thou Me?"
    
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Michael Sharp on September 13, 2015 at 4:28 am said:

Good work William, I always enjoy your testimonies and teaching. You're right,our love for Jesus will make us willing to give up all sin to stay connected to Him,and the Desire of Ages is the book to help us draw closer to Him.

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Alice [Surname?] on September 13, 2015 at 5:17 am said:

A book I would recommend to all who want to know Jesus better is: "It's All About Him" by Lee Venden. I am currently reading this book and it is excellent. ISBN 978-0-8280-1807-4 Review and Herald Publishing Association.

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Mary Mark on September 13, 2015 at 6:36 am said:

That is so wonderful! For many years I have been saying the same thing. Fall in love with Jesus then what will be will be. God bless you for this inspirational message!

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Javier Emilio Valencia on September 13, 2015 at 6:59 am said:

I've been a Seventh-Day Adventist all my life and I have three children who have been Seventh-Day Adventists all their lives. My greatest concern is my children's relationship with the Father, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus. People who are raised Adventists are at risk of never having a personal encounter with Jesus. Therefore they keep the Sabbath, thithe, and never eat pork, but have never had the joy of having Jesus in their hearts. It is a hard thing to say and many will disagree with me, but after being an Adventist for forty years, I can tell that we must do our best to preach Jesus on the cross so that all our brothers and sisters, whether new converts or third-generation Adventists, will fall in love with Jesus. If you don't have an intimate relation with Jesus, your habits and lifestyle are worthless.

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- Sharon [Surname Please] on September 15, 2015 at 5:17 am said:
  
  Amen
  
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James Hampton on September 13, 2015 at 9:39 am said:

I believe as a primer, "Steps to Christ" surpasses all others to get to know Christ. Especially the chapter on prayer.

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Lynrol Beckford on September 15, 2015 at 5:35 pm said:

William, I strongly encourage you, as well as those who read your publications, to keep "the cross of Christ" the immovable and central theme of our various ministries! Considering who John the Baptist was (Mal 3: 1; Lk 7: 26-28), and considering what was his declaration regarding Christ (John 1: 29), every true witness will have the cross of Christ central in their testimony!! Jesus, in agreement with John's declaration, said this regarding His own ministry (John 3: 14, 17; Mt 26: 28). Given Paul's inspired declaration regarding an entire planet of people (Rm 3: 9-12, 23), each sin-infected human hearing John's declaration, might want to ask him or herself, "Can God's Lamb actually TAKE AWAY my sin? If it is a truth or a lie, how does either finding affect (or doesn't) my living here? The ministries of John (Mk 1: 4), Jesus (Lk 24: 46-48), Peter (Act 2: 38) and Paul (Heb 9: 14, 22, 26) all have the same central theme of "remission of sins". Can the blood of God's Lamb bring my sins into remission? What dreaded modern day disease is the word "remission" most often associated with? Individuals who sneer at the centrality of the cross of Christ and even view it as a "cliche" don't understand the nature of their disease and therefore the hope embodied in the word "remission". On 9/11, when many who were trapped by the inferno above where the planes hit, came to the realization that no rescue was imminent, cut short the duration to their demise by jumping. Scripture declares the condition of a whole planet of humans (Jer 17: 9-10). There's a multitude living in their personal 9/11 (Rom 8: 23-24). If "first-responders" believe that the message of "remission" that is at the heart of the cross of Christ is now cliche, to be replaced by diet or dress reform or any of the other fundamental doctrines, then that would only (believe it or not!) reinforce the central need of the cross of Christ for both priests and people with its message of REMISSION!! (Heb 5: 1-3; Heb 7: 26-27)

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William Earnhardt on September 15, 2015 at 7:26 pm said:

I have enjoyed reading all the thoughtful and meaningful comments and testimonies. Thank you all for sharing!

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