Many scholars believed that this thorn was a physical ailment of some kind. Paul pleads three times for God to take it away and the answer every time is no. My grace is sufficient for you. For every story of Goliath there is a story of Absalom. For every sermon given at Pentecost there is a story of denying Christ three times. Yes beloved, God can deliver us from the valley but that does not mean He must or that He will. Lentz's Christianity is the same as many in the seeker friendly, purpose driven world. It is devoid of the realities of God's sovereignty. What Lentz set out to do in this sermon is no different than what Tony Robbins will set out to do when he speaks to a large crowd. He wants to motivate them. He wants to encourage them. He wants to inspire them. Well what is wrong with that preacher? Nothing from a purely carnal perspective. But they had bigger needs. They came to a church. They needed to hear the Gospel. Not sound bites of the Bible used to prop up predetermined talking points designed to make them feel good. No one gets saved that way. Which is a nice segue into the post sermon portion of this video, the altar call.
Those who have read my writings know I am not a huge fan of the state of the modern altar call. This is not to say that it cannot work. I was saved during an altar call but only because the pastor preached the Gospel which allowed the Holy Spirit to draw me. The weight of my sin became unbearable and I crawled to the altar like a man crawls through the sand to an oasis. What we see here however is the typical altar call theology implemented in churches today. Lentz bragged at the start about Hillsong NYC seeing 2000 salvations this year but if this is what constitutes a salvation I am very fearful that many are perpetually believing in vain. The initial call is nothing more than a parlor trick. Lentz asks if you need Jesus, to raise your hand when he counts to three. If you need Jesus? For what? As a fourth for your golfing trip? As your best friend? As the one to walk you through you valley? The foundation he laid out for the call was devoid of anything resembling the Gospel. He then has everyone stand and pray this prayer together, even though it is supposed to be for those who "need Jesus."
"Jesus I give you my life. I am a sinner and I need your forgiveness. And today I choose to follow you. By your grace I am forgiven. And by your grace I am set free. It's a new day, in Jesus name."
Well, at least he did not finish by thanking God for how hot his wife was again but the larger point is this prayer is absurd. I am glad that he at least mentions that we are sinners and need forgiveness but what is the problem beloved? He never preached about any of that! Our words do not save us. Only an understanding of what Jesus did on the cross and putting faith in that can lead us to repentance. There was zero discussion about sin in this sermon. Zero discussion about the need to repent. The need for a Savior. This was three sermon points and a cloud of dust surrounded by irreverent coarse jokes and an altar call that saved no one. Do not fall for the relevance wrapped in a leather jacket. When your starting point is to relate to everyone's carnality and your sermon is designed to make everyone feel better about their sin, you cannot expect to see anyone saved by a trite three sentence prayer that avoids what they needed to hear the entire time. The Gospel.
Reverend Anthony Wade - March 6, 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-0Gd4z6kdw
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