Takin’ Him To Rodeo Drive

May 6, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

Jesus has sent us on-mission (which means we are missionaries) to every street. We don’t go in our power, but we are empowered by the baptism of the Holy Spirit (see Luke 24:46-49). 

Jesus said our missionary work would take us to every street, starting with Jerusalem—which we have called Main Street. These are people very similar to us. Then our mission will expand into all Judea (Acts 1:8). These are people that have less in common with us. Last week we talked about taking the message of Jesus to Lombard Street: Talking with people who have knowledge of the Bible, but tend to twist and turn with the popular traditions of the day. 

Remember that our mission is to be witnesses—share the Scripture and our personal story. It’s not our responsibility to try to open people’s minds so they can repent, but the Holy Spirit opens minds and calls people to repentance. 

The apostle Paul reminded us that, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 4:4). The Holy Spirit uses our witness as the catalyst to open minds. This clash of light and darkness creates acceptance and anger. Notice these contrasts in one short segment of Paul and Silas’ missionary journey in Acts 16:13-24 and 17:1-13:

  • Acceptance—Acts 16:13-15 
  • Anger—16:16-24 
  • Acceptance—17:1-4 
  • Anger—17:5-6 
  • Acceptance—17:10-12 
  • Anger—17:13 

The opposition in Philippi brought Paul and Silas to Thessalonica, and the opposition in Thessalonica brought them to Athens. 

Athens was named for the goddess Athena, and it has been called “the university city of the Roman world.” Philo (a Jewish historian) called the Athenians “keenest in intellect.” It was the center of art, literature, and philosophy 

I’m going to call Athens “Rodeo Drive.” 

Rodeo Drive is called “the intersection of luxury, fashion and entertainment.” Kay Monica Rose, the Rodeo Drive Committee President, said, “There is nothing in the world comparable to Rodeo Drive. The legendary street’s magic continues thanks to the exemplary craftsmanship from today’s greatest fashion houses and brands, the architect-designed boutique spaces, the spectacular window displays, artist collaborations and pop ups, and our unrivaled customer service. At the heart of my vision for Rodeo Drive is the preservation and advancement of an unmatched legacy.”  

A marketing professor once told me, “When advertising, you have to remember that everyone has radio station WIFM playing in their head—What’s in it for me?” The people on Rodeo Drive are self-focused and self-assured. 

How do we take the message of Jesus to those Judeans on Rodeo Drive? Let’s learn from Paul’s time there (Acts 17:16-34). 

  1. Control your anger. Even though Paul was “greatly distressed,” he didn’t let his anger control him, but he kept his distress under control. 
  2. Use measured words. Paul “reasoned” with the people there, which means he engaged in meaningful dialogue with them.  
  3. Don’t argue. Some to the Athenians “disputed with him [Paul]” but he didn’t dispute back. Instead he was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 
  4. Start where they are. Paul noted that the Athenians were “very religious.”  He doesn’t condone their idolatry, but he simply uses it as a conversation starter. 
  5. Move to the eternal issue. He then proceeds to point them to Jesus as the “unknown god” that they are worshiping, bringing everything back to His resurrection from the dead.  
  6. Be ready for acceptance and anger. As in Philippi and Thessalonica, there were some who accepted the Gospel message and some who got angry when they heard it.  

Remember: We don’t change minds—the Holy Spirit does by using our words as a catalyst. 

If you’ve missed any of the other “Streets” we have discussed in this series, please click here to get caught up. 

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Takin’ Him To Lombard Street

April 29, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

As missionaries, we are people sent on a mission. We are sent to everyone everywhere. We are to take Him to every street where God sends us.

“Main Street” (or Jerusalem) is a great place to start, and probably a place where we will always have work to do. These will typically be the people that are most like us—people with whom we will have the most in common. 

There are others that need to hear the Good news of forgiveness that Jesus has made available. As our circle of witness widens, we may have less in common with those with whom we are interacting. This may take us out of our comfort zone, but since the Holy Spirit is in us we will never be out of our empowerment zone! 

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea… (Acts 1:8). 

We need to ask two questions: 

  1. What did it mean then? Judea was still compromised of Jewish people, but it was the area slightly outside the neighborhood of Jerusalem. 
  2. What does it mean now? These are people very similar to people on Main Street, but we are starting to see more differences. These differences often become the source of controversies. 

I’m going to describe some people in our Judea as cultural Christians but not biblical Christians. In the time of Jesus we could think of the Pharisees: People who would call themselves godly because they have set their own standards. 

Lombard Street in San Francisco is a short, curvy street. This is a one-way street and motorists are only supposed to drive 5 mph, and still there are frequent controversies on the right-of-way between homeowners, motorists, work crews, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Everyone thinks their way is the right way. 

How do we take the message of Jesus to those on our “Lombard Street”?

(1) Distinguish the biblical from the non-biblical. 

Both the Pharisees that interacted with Jesus and today’s cultural Christians seem to quote more from their own traditions than they do from the Scripture, so we need to distinguish that the source of our beliefs is from God’s inspired Word. (I share more about the concept of biblical, unbiblical, and non-biblical in this post.) 

A great example for us is how Jesus answered two questions from an expert in the Mosaic law: How do I earn eternal life? Who is my neighbor? See Luke 10:25-37.

(2) Stick to Scripture and your personal story.  

Remember that the person with an experience is never at the mercy of the person with an argument. When the Sanhedrin questioned the legitimacy of the healing of a lame man, Luke wrote, “But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them [Peter and John], there was nothing they could say” (Acts 4:14)! 

Love the personal story of the healed blind man in John 9! 

Judea can be translated “he shall be praised.” We glorify Jesus not by arguing with those on Lombard Street, but by simply proclaiming biblical truth and our personal testimony. 

Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim good news of His salvation from day to day. Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples. (1 Chronicles 16:23-24) 

As we stick with the Scripture and our personal testimony, the Holy Spirit will use our witness to open minds to the Good News of Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18-4:5). 

Follow along with all of the streets we are looking at in our series Takin’ Him to the streets by clicking here.

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Takin’ Him To Main Street

April 22, 2024 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 

Just as assuredly as Jesus fulfilled God’s promise of His crucifixion and resurrection, we Christians are fulfilling God’s promise that we would take the message of forgiveness of sins to the whole world (Luke 24:45-48). We are taking Him to every street where God sends us. There is a song written by Michael McDonald called “Takin’ it to the streets.” One verse says—

Take this message to my brother 
You will find him everywhere 
Wherever people live together 
Tied in poverty’s despair


We know what the “it” is. He is a Savior, a God, a Redeemer, a Father who has made it possible for everyone everywhere to be in a personal relationship with Him for all of eternity! 


When anyone talks about taking the Good News of Jesus to people, our minds typically think “missionary.” 


What is a missionary? What comes to mind when you think of a missionary? 


Quite simply, a missionary is a person sent on a mission (see Luke 24:47; Matthew 28:19-20). 


(You can read all of the Scriptures I reference in this post by clicking here.)


We are not sent on our mission unprepared, but Jesus promised us both His authority and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18-19; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8). In both Luke and Acts, Jesus says that our witness is to begin in Jerusalem. 


I recently looked up a list of the most common street names in America. I found that the most common street name is “Main Street.” But Main Street is also used as a way for people to describe the average setting in the USA. 


Going to “Jerusalem” or “Main Street” first is foretold in the Old Testament (Ezekiel 3:4-5). We’re not first sent to people with an unknown language or obscure customs, but to people we know and understand. These are people to whom we can easily find common interests. 


There are two simple steps when we take Jesus to our Main Street.


    

  1. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to you today and every day. 
    2. 



You cannot give to others what you do not first have yourself, so you need to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to you first. Pray before reading the Bible to ask the Spirit to give you insight (Psalm 119:18).  


    

  1. Find a friend and tell them what was revealed to you.   
    2. 



After Jesus was revealed to Andrew, he found Peter and told him what he had discovered. And after Philip met Jesus, he found Nathanael and brought him to Jesus (John 1:35-46). 


Every person with whom you interact today is precious to God. Our mission is to help them realize that awesome truth. 


So get filled up with the wisdom from the Spirit and then find a friend on Main Street and bring them to Jesus! 


Follow along with all of the messages in this series Takin’ Him To The Streets by clicking here. 


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The Catalyst Of Our Witness

April 15, 2024 — Craig T. Owens 




Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 



Jesus fulfilled all of the jots and tittles of prophecy, showing that God is the Promise Maker is God the Promise Keeper. 


We need to be careful of overlooking details we think might be insignificant because we can easily think that our small lives are somehow insignificant. They are not! As Tom Kaastra reminded us last week, we are here on purpose and for a purpose; our lives are eternally significant.  


Immediately after His resurrection, the followers of Jesus struggled to wrap their minds around what they had just experienced. Just before His ascension, Jesus explained to them both what had happened already, and what was about to happen (Luke 24:44-49). 


Jesus said He had already fulfilled the promised about His crucifixion and resurrection. Luke writes that Jesus “opened their minds so they could understand” (v. 45). 


Notice two important things:


    

  1. The Spirit of Jesus—the Holy Spirit—opens minds 
    2. 

  2. He opens minds to grasp the truth in Scripture 
    3. 



Jesus also says that we are still fulfilling the “what is written” (v. 46) in the the proclamation of the death and resurrection of Jesus. We are fulfilling the prophecy that says the message of Jesus will be preached everywhere to all peoples, so that they also can receive the forgiveness Jesus paid for and repent of their Godless ways. 


Who opens minds? The Holy Spirit. 


What does the Spirit use as a catalyst to open minds? Our witness. 


Who empowers our witness? The same Holy Spirit (see Luke 24:47-49; Acts 1:4-8). 


A witness is a truth-teller, who tells their firsthand story and who amplifies their verbal testimony by their Christ-honoring lifestyle. Jesus used two phrases to remind us that witnessing is not something we do, but it is who we are: 


    

  • you ARE witnesses (Luke 24:48) 
    • 

  • you will BE My witnesses (Acts 1:8) 
    • 



Holy Spirit-baptized Christians are empowered to take Jesus to every street. God has strategically and purposefully placed us on our “streets” to proclaim our witness. From Easy Street to Skid Row, and everywhere in between, we are to fulfill the prophecy of proclaiming this good news to all nations (see 1 Corinthians 9:20-22).


The Holy Spirit opens minds closed to God. He uses our witness as the catalyst for people to repent from their sin and receive the forgiveness that Jesus made available. 


So don’t stop at just receiving Jesus as your Lord and Savior, but also receive the empowering gift He promised—the baptism in the Holy Spirit! 


Please follow along with all of the messages in this series called Takin’ Him to the streets by clicking here. 


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Who Looks Good?

April 10, 2024 — Craig T. Owens 




Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 



The Gospel of John introduces John the baptizer to us like this, “He himself was not the Light; he came only as a witness to the Light” (John 1:8). 


    

  • John had a similar birth announcement as Jesus had (Luke 1:11-14, 28-33) 
    • 

  • John’s birth prompted a Holy Spirit-inspired song from his father that resonates with Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55, 68-70) 
    • 

  • The early years of John are described in much the same terms as how Luke describes the early years of Jesus (Luke 1:80, 2:52) 
    • 

  • John quoted Scripture and taught with very similar authority as Jesus did (Matthew 3:1-12; Luke 3:1-19) 
    • 



Yet for all their similarities, John knew that he was only a herald of Jesus (John 1:19-27). 


John was not the Light—he was only a witness to the Light.


I am not the Light—I am only a witness to the Light. 


You may think that this statement is pretty obvious, and I did too. But as I read these words from John 1:8 again, it caused me to reevaluate just how much I really believe this. 


Do I remember this when no one compliments my sermon? Do I remember this when what I thought was an insightful comment on a verse of Scripture gets hardly any “likes” on my social media channels? Do I remember this when I am complemented and my posts are appreciated? 


Who exactly am I trying to make look good: me or Jesus?


I want John’s desire to become my desire and my prayer: “Jesus must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). 


(Please check out all of the Scriptures I referenced in this post by clicking here.)


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Takin’ Him To The Streets

April 8, 2024 — Craig T. Owens 




Just before Jesus ascended to Heaven, He told His followers that they would have the joyful responsibility of taking the good news of forgiveness and eternal life to all the highways and byways of every nation. Later on, Paul would get more specific about all of the groups to which he was taking the message of Jesus (see Luke 24:46-47; 1 Corinthians 9:20-22). 


That commission is still in effect for Christians today: We are to share the gospel with everyone—from easy street to skid row, from Wall Street to Main Street, and every street in between. 


The streets on which you live and work are different from the streets where I travel. In fact, all of us live on different streets, but everyone we meet on every street needs to hear about Jesus. In this new series of messages, we are going to learn how the Holy Spirit can help us be ready to take Jesus to those on each street where God sends us. 


I hope you can join me at Calvary Assembly of God for this highly practical series of messages. If you missed any of the messages, you can find them all here:







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I Am Being Watched

December 12, 2023 — Craig T. Owens 




Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 



I just discovered a way that Michael Jackson was like Jesus Christ.


Check out this episode of The Podcast.




Some resources to go along with this video:



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WWLD?

November 15, 2023 — Craig T. Owens 




Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 



An expert in Jewish law asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” 


Jesus, knowing this man was an expert in the law, turned the question back on him, “What do you think is written in the law about this?” 


This man quoted to Jesus two passages in the mosaic law, and Jesus told him, “You have answered correctly. If you do that you will have eternal life.” 


The two things he quoted were loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving your neighbor as yourself. But then comes an interesting phrase. Luke writes that, “He wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” This tells me that this expert in the law was trying to figure out the least that he could do to be approved by God. 


In answer to his question, Jesus told the story that we now refer to as the parable of the good Samaritan. The Samaritan didn’t measure his love by the least he could do, and he didn’t limit himself to doing only what was comfortable or convenient. In fact, he didn’t measure his response at all—he simply did what was needed without any thought of the cost. 


This is exactly what Jesus did too. He gave all that was needed because He was motivated by love (Philippians 2:6–8; John 3:16–17, 15:13).


We often use WWJD to ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” 


Since Jesus embodied love, maybe a more clarifying question would be WWLD—What would love do?


Maybe we could combine this with the Golden Rule. If I was in need, how would I want my neighbor to treat me? Then, as Jesus said to the expert in the law, “Go and do likewise to all your neighbors.” This is what pleases God and glorifies Jesus. 


(Read this whole account for yourself in Luke 10:25-37.) 


Perhaps a good prayer for us would be: Heavenly Father, I want to love the way Jesus loved. Help me to do what Love would do in all my interactions with my neighbors today. Father, be glorified in my neighborly responses today. I want to follow the example Jesus gave me, so I pray this prayer in His name. Amen.


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Our Musical Testimony

August 21, 2023 — Craig T. Owens 




Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.  



As these songs of ascent are reminding us, we’re trying to ascend into God’s presence. But it seems like the forces pulling us back downward are so strong! The lyrics in the most popular songs are getting more and more raunchy, the blockbuster movies routinely celebrate sin, TV shows increasingly push a decidedly unbiblical agenda, government leaders are caught in scandals, and church leaders are “de-transitioning” from their Christian testimony. 


It doesn’t seem like there is much to celebrate. 


Just like the Jews who found themselves defeated and living in a foreign land, or fighting opposition to rebuild their way of life, or contending with occupying forces that were hostile to their religion, we, too, find ourselves in a very similar place—even in a country that was supposedly built on godly principles. 


The worldly-minded and irreligious have always tried to pull down the godly. When they do, it makes it hard to even worship God (Psalm 137:1-4). 


I’ve been reminding you that in Hebrew literature we can usually get our perspective from the middle of the story. So before we look at this next song of ascent, let’s look at the middle of the Jewish story—the middle of their time of exile, when things seemed darkest. 


Jeremiah wrote a book of Lamentations which was in the middle of the exile. In the middle of his tears and gall and bitterness he wrote this—


I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.” … I called on Your name, Lord, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea: “Do not close your ears to my cry for relief.” You came near when I called You, and You said, “Do not fear.” (Lamentations 3:19-24, 55-57) 


Jeremiah said when he called God, He came near. He’s not saying that God had left him, but instead, Jeremiah is saying that he got his eyes off the ever-present God. As soon as he put his eyes back on God, he could feel His nearness. 


Our next song of ascent (Psalm 126) opens with the word “when.” This is a celebration of how God kept His word that the exiles would be released from Babylon and return to Jerusalem. As the Jews praised God for keeping His Word, then the surrounding nations saw and heard the testimony in the songs of joy that were being sung. 


God’s people were both singing for joy for God’s deliverance AND they were singing in joyful anticipation of what was still to come. 


They make a request in prayer for God to “restore our fortunes” (v. 4). This phrase always means that God is going to bring back everything that was taken away and then some. 


We have a promise two times in the next two verses that God will (not might) bring in these restored fortunes. In the midst of darkness or drought, it may seem hopeless to keep sowing seed. God sees your tears, and He will use your tears to water that seed and He will bring a harvest. 


The New Testament assures us of the same promise: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). 


We show our faith in God’s eternal victory by lifting up our voices in song today. That song is a testimony to the nations around us and an encouragement to other saints who may be struggling with weariness (see Ephesians 5:18-20). We keep on singing these songs of joy in anticipation of the final and eternal song we will sing in Heaven. 


God is near. He hears your sighs. He sees your tears. He is watering the seeds you are sowing, and He will bring a harvest. As you sow in tears, sow also with songs of joy! 


If you’ve missed any of the other messages in our Ascending series, you can find them all here. 


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Not Succumbing To The Mob Mentality

July 18, 2023 — Craig T. Owens 




Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible. 



Mobs are scary things! Almost anyone can get caught up in the ugly mentality, vile words, and inexcusable actions. 


Even professional soldiers. When Jesus was arrested, He was turned over to “the governor’s soldiers” (Matthew 27:27). These are professional soldiers. Punishing people—even carrying out capital punishment—was their job. But they gave in to the mob’s thirst for blood and made a sport out of punishing Jesus, doing what was outside of their job description.


The mob outside Pilate’s courtroom was stirred up by the religious leaders, and they “shouted all the louder” for a murderer to be released to them instead of a Healer (vv. 20, 23). 


Even as Jesus hung helpless and dying on the Cross, the religious leaders continued to incite the crowds with their taunting, prompting even other condemned men to join in (vv. 39–44). 


How easy it is to get caught up with the loud voices of the hour and to join our voices and actions with theirs! Mobs are hungry things and they continually devour almost anyone around them.


But Jesus didn’t succumb to the mob mentality. He didn’t even say a single word to those who taunted Him so mercilessly. Instead, as Peter recorded for us,


“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps. ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.’ When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.” (1 Peter 2:21-23) 


The unexpected way that Jesus responded got people’s attention. A professional soldier, a centurion, after watching how Jesus conducted Himself as He died, had to admit He was the Son of God. 


A condemned thief that hung on a cross next to Jesus, who just moments before had been joining in the taunting of Jesus, used his nearly last breath to ask Jesus for forgiveness and for entrance into heaven.


Even Governor Pontius Pilate was so moved by the silence of Jesus, that he marveled!


It’s so tempting to join with the loud voices around us. It’s even more tempting to shout back at those who are insulting us. But let us remember the example of Jesus, and perhaps offer a prayer like this: 


“Holy Spirit, help me to not succumb to the loud voices, nor to lash out against people who torment me. But, like Jesus, may I entrust myself “to Him who judges justly.” May my quiet lifestyle be a testimony that gets the attention of others. In the name of Jesus I pray this. Amen!” 


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