Posted by Jed Smock on [02 Dec 2009 08:11PM]
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SOUNDING BRASS VS THE TRUMPET SOUND

University of Oklahoma, December 1, 2009

I found a packaged condom on the ground which someone had thrown at me yesterday. I dramatically picked up the package, opened it, unrolled the condom, held it up and said, 'Behold your God.' Then I lifted up my cross staff and said, 'Behold, my God.' The condom contrasted with the crucifix was a good attention getter.

I gathered a crowd of about 25. The vain big fellow who yesterday dressed as an elf and collected money for the Salvation Army returned today without the elf outfit. I had intentionally moved down the mall so that our events would not conflict. But the big elf moved the SA kettle down beside me and started ring his 'sounding brass.' Many of the students put money in the kettle, which they would not have done had he not been there to harass me. Students were obviously giving to despite God and his messenger. Meanwhile, some were accusing me of lacking love.

I pointed out the irony of the situation. The Salvation Army was found by General William Booth, who preached in the open air with his fellow Salvationists. I said, 'I have the love of God which calls you to repentance and salvation from sin. The Salvation Army once had the love of God; but I fear they have largely become a `resounding gong and tinkling cymbal.' They are now known primarily as a charitable organization, no longer as an militant spiritual army. These fraternity boys collecting money are nothing but a `sounding brass,' who have not the love of God. `True charity does not rejoice in iniquity; but it rejoices in Truth.' You students love sin and you hate Truth.' My message provoked students to put even more money in the kettle.

After about 40 minutes I only had three to four students listening. One was an atheist, Miles, who had been raised a Lutheran. He asked, 'If God told you to kill one of your children would you do it?' Of course, I knew where he was going with this, to God telling Abraham to sacrifice his son.

I asked, 'Do you know why God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac?'

He did not know. I said if you would read the Bible you would learn. He had probably just read about Abraham in Richard Dawkin's book or some other atheist's work. I explained that not only was God testing Abraham; but he was prefiguring the atonement of Christ and attempting to prepare the world to receive the sacrifice of his Son. God provided the ram as a substitute for Isaac. God provided his Son as a substitute for our sins. Abraham believed that God would resurrect Isaac; which pictures God resurrecting his Son. It would be useless for God to give another object lesson by asking a Christian to slay one of his children. Most men did not, nor do they today, get the point of the Abraham and Isaac story; nor do they believe the love of the Father who sacrificed his beloved Son.

Miles then asked questions concerning the age of the earth. This gave me the opportunity to introduce Bro. I said, 'We have a scientist with us who has extensively studied this issue; he will give you the scientific evidence which supports a young earth.'

Bro not only held the attention of the students; but built up the crowd with a somewhat technical explanation of a young earth.

Bro and I alternated for the rest of the day. We started at 11:15 with the sun shining; but by 1 PM the sun disappeared behind clouds and the temperature dropped into the low 50's. Nevertheless, we maintained a good crowd which mostly ranged from 30-70 throughout the afternoon.

My last session included mostly professing Christians; but few of the claimed to be living holy. I exhorted them on righteousness and the need to forsake all to follow Christ. I personally confronted several on whether they would be willing to give up all sin. Three girls said they would. But when they figured that I was giving an altar call expecting them to renounce all sin immediately and publically, they said, 'We can't do that here and now that would be too embarrassing.'

I lifted up the Cross and reminded the students how Jesus had to endure the embarrassment of the Cross with maybe not even the loin cloth to cover his nakedness. Certainly we should be willing to publically renounce our shameful lives for his sake.' Hebrews 12 says, 'Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.'

Shortly after my exhortations two of the girls walked away. I closed in prayer. I announced that I had a book which I would give to the students. One of the girls, who said she was willing to forsake sin received a copy of Walking in the Spirit.

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