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Francis Chan powerfully reminded Christians about the importance of God’s living Word.

Francis Chan

Christian author and teacher Francis Chan talked about distinguishing what was common from what was holy. He mentioned that people often considered their opinions and feelings as the holiest things on earth, neglecting what the Bible had to say about their situations. Regrettably, their agreement with the Bible only lasted as long as it aligned with their views.

He encouraged the congregation to surrender all their thoughts to God and allow His Word to speak the truth into their hearts. Following this, he read 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 (ESV), emphasizing how Paul prioritized truth over cleverness in his approach to preaching.

As a pastor, he spent much of his life thinking that the impact of God’s message depended on how effectively he delivered it. He once believed that better communication would lead to convincing others to repent or change, but he later realized he was mistaken.

Crazy Love. (Screenshot). (2024). Beyond Human Effort. Retrieved April 1, 2024 from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHtsf7raypE&t=125s

God’s Living Word

Furthermore, he explained, “What the scripture is saying is, ‘No, some people are just blinded to it.’ He says that the God of this world has blinded them, and so it’s not about human effort. It’s just about openly declaring the truth.” He elaborated by sharing that Jesus would often say at the end of His sermons, ‘He who has ears, let Him hear.’

Moreover, he admitted that he once believed that if he could only articulate things correctly, then people would grasp God’s Word. However, Jesus didn’t approach it that way; He placed the burden on the listeners rather than on Himself. Francis emphasized that people in the church had gotten it backward.

“We put all the pressure on the person up front as though his cleverness will either lead you to repentance or not. And Jesus says, ‘He who has ears let him hear,’” he remarked.

Watch the full sermon here.

Reference | Crazy Love

Header Image: Crazy Love. (Screenshot). (2024). Beyond Human Effort. Retrieved April 1, 2024 from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHtsf7raypE&t=125s