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Atlanta Gay Pride Parade 2006
6/27/2006
Cowardliness…being ashamed of the Gospel…being sensitive to the Holy Spirit…spiritual oppression and warfare…maybe a little of all of the above. But in any case, I didn’t deliver the message I intended to at this year’s Atlanta Gay Pride parade.
This year, I hit the streets again with Walter Howard and SWAT (Soul Winning Attack Team - http://www.swattracts.com/) to reach out to those deceived by the satanic lie which is the annual Gay Pride parade here. You can read about last year’s parade (as well as view photos and a video) here. On this day every year Gay Pride parades occur all across the country and there were thousands of people lining the streets of Atlanta to support this one. I had given it a lot of thought and prayer and asked God to guide me in what He wanted to say to them. The result was a short message which I had outlined and memorized and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, I intended to do a little street preaching.
I realized that the audience would be hostile to the message but I understood that the integrity of God’s message and my obedience to it were the primary concerns. As always, the results are up to God. I knew that, just as in my daily life, I had to find that impossible balance between God’s holiness and mercy, His judgment and forgiveness, the Law and grace. The only way it can happen is when Jesus Christ, in reality and not through some kind of worked-up mind set, lived through me and my words.
I tried to prepare myself for what I would face. I knew that people would probably jeer and curse me, possibly throw things at me, maybe get in my face, or even physically attack me. I knew that the police might arrest me. And the worst would be the reaction of other Christians (both real and in name only). Most would say I was driving people away from God because God is love and forgiveness and peace and you have to establish a relationship with people before you can start sharing Jesus with them. Those who claim to be homosexual Christians would say that I was preaching hate. I thought I was prepared for all of it.
Walter and his friends had been handing out tracts during the previous two day’s events and had encountered stiff resistance at times. On one occasion, a man had gotten in the face of one of the women handing out tracts and started shouting at her. When Walter intervened, he had started cursing him and trying to get him to fight. Walter started rebuking him in the name of the Lord and eventually a couple of police officers came over and the man left.
But I got there and met up with Walter and a handful of other Christian men and we stocked up on tracts and walked up to the corner of Tenth and Peachtree. It was a cloudy day and the forecast called for rain and thunderstorms. In fact, on the first night of the 3 day Gay Pride event, storms had blown down the main stage at Piedmont Park resulting in one injury and the cancellation of the evening’s events. Also, the events scheduled for after the parade were cancelled due to weather as we discovered later.
When we got to the corner, we split up so as to cover as much of the traffic through the intersection as possible. I went across the street and wound up by myself right next to an office building that I later found out houses the Georgia chapter of the ACLU! There were some steps there where people were sitting waiting for the parade and I thought that would be a good place to preach. While I tried to decide whether to do it now or later I began to give out tracts. I looked just like most of the people attending the parade with my long hair and Panama Jack hat and I greeted people in a friendly and courteous fashion “Hello, gentlemen…like one?” Many venders were giving out coupons and such so many must have assumed it was something like that. The tracts were on various themes with one that was written by a Christian who was a former homosexual and who had contracted AIDS and later died. It was pink and showed his smiling face on the front with “TLC – True Life Confessions – Speaking Out About the Truth” on it.
Most people choose not to take them but some did and I saw many of them reading them. Many were also thrown on the ground. Others came back and gave them back to me. One who did so said “I’m a member of a much older religion.” One man spat on me when I offered it to him. One women that had staked out her spot for the parade started telling the people that I would offer a tract to “don’t take it…it’s garbage” so I moved down the street beyond her. When I offered one guy a tract that was captioned “Come Home” he took it and stopped. The following conversation ensued:
“Then who left? Did Jesus leave?”
“Are you out here supporting us?”
“I’m here supporting the Truth.”
“Then you’re here condemning us.”
“I don’t condemn you.”
“Are you without sin?”
“No…I’m not without sin.”
“If you’re not here to support us then you’re here to condemn us and you should just leave.”
(the surrounding crowd applauds and he walks away)
When it started to rain, I went back across the street where Walter was. I told him a little of what had happened and that I had tried to do some street preaching but just couldn’t. He suggested that I may have been constrained by the Holy Spirit and maybe that’s true. Matthew 10:16 says “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.” I guess there is a time to shout and a time to whisper. But I didn’t want to whisper. At least, a few seeds were planted and, hopefully, some fell on good ground and will grow a harvest of repentance in time.
It was different this year. It’s impossible to describe the oppressive spirit that hangs over this event. But this year was meaner, angrier, darker, and stronger. And it will grow stronger each year. John 9:4 says that the “night is coming when no one can work.” Soon it will be impossible to spread the Gospel in public because of the spiritual oppression and laws which are being passed to prevent it. We need to “preach the Word in season and out”…while there is still time.
I’m not sure why I couldn’t deliver the message which I feel God had placed on heart. Perhaps we tried too hard to keep it light-hearted and maybe it would have been better if we went into it with a sober attitude that we were there to engage in real warfare for souls against an army of thousands both seen and unseen. The simplest explanation is that I was intimidated. I have asked God’s forgiveness and I thank Him and that He never gives up on me! But in any case, below are the notes for the message I intended to give:
Great news for Gay and Straight – God Loves You!
John 3:16-18 For God so loved THE WORLD that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Why Condemned? Because We Have A Common Problem – Sin
Sin is rebellion against God
Romans 3:23 All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God
What Are the Consequences of Sin?
Romans 6:23 the wages of sin is death
Matthew 25:41 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels’
We’re All Equally Guilty before God
James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.
Romans 3:10 THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE
Isaiah 64:6 all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags
Hebrews 12:14 …holiness, without which no one will see the Lord
So there is no way for us to make ourselves good enough to be with God in heaven and escape Hell
That’s Why Jesus Came
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Back to John 3:16
How Can We Receive The Gift of God’s Forgiveness That Christ Purchased For Us?
Luke 24:46,47 Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations.
Acts 2:38 Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Repentance Means Acknowledging Your Sin And Trusting God for the Strength to Break Free of Those Sins
Does that mean you will never sin again?
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
God is rich in mercy and grace and quick to forgive! You confess it, repent of it, and get back up and start following Jesus again.
What Does It Mean to be a Follower of Jesus?
Matthew 16:24 If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
That’s the Gospel!
Why Today
So why am I telling you this today? Because there is a parade about to come down the street that celebrates homosexuality and there will be churches marching in it telling you that God made them that way and that He smiles upon homosexuality. Is that the truth? Is that what the Bible says? Let’s take a look:
1 Corinthians 6:9,10 Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
Romans 1:26,27 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
Jude 1:7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.
In God’s eyes, a Gay Pride Parade is just like having an Adulterer’s Pride Parade or a Thief’s Pride Parade. If they were having one of those parades, we’d be there for that one, too. The Bible clearly states that homosexuality is sin and that those who refuse to repent of it will not inherit the Kingdom of God. If that upsets you, then it is the Bible which you are at odds with and not me.
Now you’re faced with a decision. You have heard the truth. What will you do with that truth? You can accept or deny it. There are no other choices. Do you feel that twinge of conscience? That’s God trying to get through to you. Please come and talk to me or one of my friends if you you’re tired of carrying the burden of your sin…if you’re tired of having to stage a parade to help offset the guilt you feel because of your sin…we’d love to help you. If you think about what I’ve said later, just remember that God is everywhere and you can call out to Him wherever you are.
People, God is rich in mercy, quick to forgive, and slow to anger. But you can’t continue to flaunt your sin in His face and expect to escape the consequences. Repent…while there is still time.
As for those churches who are marching in this parade today, I say to them what Isaiah said “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil. For they have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.”
The Kingdom of Heaven has come near to you this day.
“Come home to what? Oh, come home to Jesus…I didn’t leave Jesus.”
I tried to smile and continued handing out tracts. Several times I tried to get the courage to stand and deliver the message I felt that God had given me for that day, but for some reason I just couldn’t do it.