Opening of General Assembly at First Presbyterian, Orlando

Rev. Dr. David D. Swanson

Opening Session

From GA Orlando Florida

He spoke on challenging the culture in that one place we need to confront it so that Jesus Christ is proclaimed.  This thought comes from Luther. We cannot shrink from a positive engagement in any way: not wringing our hand – not giving up.

              

Christianity in this time in America he compared to Israel in the time they chose Saul as king.  They wanted a king like all the other nations:

“When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice. Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.”” (1 Samuel 8:1–9, ESV)

Do we want to be just like all the nations?  Do we want to fit in more than we want to confront the culture with Jesus Christ?  He suggested we need to advance the kingdom by learning from David what young people call swagger.  Take on the Goliath in our city secure as a child of the covenant!

Borrowing from a Greek Christian who approaches God like his general he suggested we need to ask: What are the obstacles? What is the plan? What is your strategy for being used by God to take back the city? So First Presbyterian, we have a job before us.  Redding is not Orlando but it is city that needs the gospel and it need the justice and mercy of Jesus Christ.