This blog is taken from my book God's Heart Cry for Revival
Why Untransformed?
Over the years I have heard hundreds of sermons, anointed and un-anointed, on so many different subjects. All were biblically based, most were truthful and many were deeply touching and moving. Yet after all this preaching I always wondered, why is the general body of believers in Christendom untransformed? Why do many still behave and talk like the heathen and shine so dimly? Then one day I was reading verse 17 of the 4th Chapter of the book of Matthew, which reads, “From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.’”
What Did John the Baptist Preach?
These are obvious Scriptures, yet the Lord wanted me to see the obvious. John the Baptist came preaching a water baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4b). In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is near.” (Matthew 3:1-2) He preached the same message as Jesus.
What Did the Early Church Preach?
Then I looked further to find out what the disciples preached and found Mark 6:12 which reads, “They went and preached that people should repent.” It also says that Jesus told them to preach, “The Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” (Luke 9:2) In Acts 2:38 we read that Peter preached, “Repent and be Baptised (the message of John the Baptist) every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven.” Paul also preached this message, along with the powerful truth of the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul says in Acts 26:20b, “I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.” He and the disciples did not waver from this message and saw untold thousands affected and transformed through the power of this, the true message.
What Should Be Our Focus?
So John the Baptist, our Lord Jesus and His disciples’ and Paul’s message was the same: “Repent for the kingdom of Heaven is near.” If this message was their main focus, shouldn’t it be the focus of the whole Church?
In Christ
Robert Cartledge
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