Tony Campolo

Good News for a Needy World- Revelation 21:1-5

Tony delivered this sermon at Ocean Grove Auditorium in Ocean Grove, NJ on July 30, 2006

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  1. Tony reads scripture: Revelation 21:1-5
  2. Tony gives accolades to Ocean Grove
  3. Joke about the Baptists and the Methodists
  4. Story about when Tony taught at the University of Pennsylvania in the 60’s a time when there was hope
  5. The decade of hope tuned into the “Me decade”
  6. Story about Fred Craddock and the greyhound dog that stopped chasing rabbits that weren’t real
  7. Story about Tony and Gordon Cosby getting arrested for a good cause
  8. We have become a fearful people and politicians play on our fears
  9. Eric Hoffer once said “A movement can exist without a God, but not without a devil.”
  10. Don’t condemn a whole group of people because there are a few verses in the Quran that are upsetting because there a few verses in the Old Testament that are upsetting
  11. Almost half of the children in America are living in single parent homes
  12. The gays are not the problem. It’s the heterosexuals that are getting divorces, the gays want to get married
  13. Isaiah 40- “They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength…”
  14. Isaiah 41- “Wait in silence…”
  15. Prayer isn’t just telling God stuff, prayer is surrendering to God
  16. Story about when Tony took his African America pastor to hear a Methodist preacher
  17. We can be doctrinally sound, but the question is; is Christ in you?
  18. Centering prayer- Center down on Jesus and drive everything else out of the mind
  19. There is a difference between being quiet and being still
  20. The Prayer of Examen- Close eyes and evaluate your day: How did you treat people, what did you say, what did you do, etc. and ask God to examine you. Did you behave the way God wanted you to behave?
  21. Everyday must be a day of cleansing and repenting
  22. Lectio Divina- praying the scriptures
  23. Story about when Tony was at YWAM and the class that was studying the book of John using the book of John as their text book
  24. Kierkegaard said “you must read the scriptures like a love letter, not like a textbook.”
  25. Meditate upon the Word day and night
  26. Story -“You were once a sperm…” Every one of us is here by divine appointment.
  27. Story about Peter and Paul in heaven
  28. Story about the woman who wrote to Mother Teresa asking to work with her and Mother Teresa replied “find your own Calcutta.”
  29. Story about the drunk that gave his life over to Christ
  30. The only Jesus that people might see is the Jesus they see in you
  31. Scripture says, “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world”
  32. Mark 10- “With God’s help, all things are possible”
  33. Not only will the Holy Spirit renew our vision of what we can do and be and renew our confidence, but He will also renew our courage
  34. In says in Scripture “Be not weary of well doing…”
  35. Believe the Gospel, the Good News
  36. Prayer is ultimately surrendering over and over again to Christ

Reference ID: 07302006 AM

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