The Cappuccino Church

By E. A. Johnston Bible Text: Preached On: Ezekiel 11:12 Wednesday, July 3, 2 13

Ambassadors For Christ Intl-USA 133! Terrell "ill #oad Bld$ 1%&2, 'uite 1 "arietta, (A 3 &) Online Sermons: ***.ser+onaudio.co+,-22!

We are li.in$ in a critical ti+e in *hich spirituality in the church is near an all/ti+e lo* and i++orality in society is near an all/ti+e hi$h. The pulpits o0 the land ha.e lost their in0luence upon society 1ecause they ha.e let the *orld into the church and cheapened the (ospel +essa$e in an atte+pt to $ro* their church ca+pus. "any church +e+1ers pro0ess to kno* Christ, 1ut their li.es do not display the e.idence o0 true con.ersion. When (eor$e Whit0ield, the $reat British e.an$elist, ca+e to A+erica in 1)% durin$ the (reat A*akenin$, he *as asked 1y a Boston +inister, 2"r. Whit0ield, ho* +any con.erts ha.e you had since you3.e 1een a+on$ us45 To *hich the $reat Whit0ield replied, 26 don3t kno*, sir, 1ut 6 shall return to these parts in a year or t*o and look 0or the e.idence o0 their sal.ation.5 7e* church +e+1ers today de+onstrate credi1le e.idence o0 their sal.ation. 8isten 0riends, *hen the church 0ails to carry out the +andate o0 the (reat Co++ission and proacti.ely stor+ the $ates o0 hell, then a .acuu+ is created. The .acuu+ 1e$ins *ithin the church until the church co+pro+ises the (ospel +essa$e, places +an and his needs as the center and 0ocus o0 the church and e.erythin$ rotates around the happiness o0 +an. "y +essa$e toni$ht is on the apostate church in A+erica. 6t is entitled 2The Cappuccino Church5 1ecause it3s all 0roth and no su1stance. 6 a+ not insinuatin$ that the entire institutional church in A+erica is apostate, please don3t +isunderstand +e. There are +any sound Christian churches throu$hout our land *ith solid shepherds leadin$ the+, 1ut 6 ha.e seen a drastic chan$e in a +a9ority o0 churches that ha.e cheapened the (ospel +essa$e *ith the e:press purpose o0 $ro*in$ their church. They3.e +ade it a lot easier to 1eco+e a Christian than *hat Jesus stated. Jesus said, 2The *ay is narro* and the passa$e di00icult.5 ;e said, 2<nless you repent, ye shall all like*ise perish.5 6 ha.e 1een around 0or a lon$ ti+e and ha.e *itnessed the tra$ic spiritual declension o0 the church in A+erica. 6t 1reaks +y heart to 1rin$ this +essa$e toni$ht 1ut 6 +ust un1urden +y heart o0 *hat the 8ord has $i.en +e re$ardin$ the church in A+erica today. When 6 *as a little 1oy in the 1-! s and you *ent to church, you kne* you *ere sa0e there. =ou kne* that in all pro1a1ility you *ould hear the true (ospel and 1e surrounded 1y real Christians and recei.e spiritual $ood 1ut today in A+erica, the church looks the sa+e on the outside 1ut instead o0 1ein$ a place o0 1lessin$, it is no* a church that har+s

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you spiritually. 6t har+s the soul *ith its diluted (ospel and +an/centered theolo$y. 'inners are 0ed a 0alse (ospel and $i.en a 0alse security. 'o +any pulpits preach death instead o0 li0e and da+n their hearers instead o0 1lessin$ the+. 63+ e.en a0raid to take +y teena$e dau$hter to church these days 1ecause it see+s to 1e +ore hurt0ul to her rather than help0ul. =ou think you3re doin$ $ood puttin$ your child in a youth $roup at church 1ut o0ten it3s +ore corruptin$ in in0luence than spiritually help0ul. That3s ho* 1ad thin$s ha.e $otten in the church in A+erica in our day. When 6 $o around and .isit churches, 6 can 1arely +ake it throu$h the ser.ice *ithout 1ein$ o00ended or e+1arrassed 1y the +inister in the pulpit. The pulpit today in A+erica has not only lost its authority, it3s lost its di$nity throu$h +any o0 the i++ature +en *ho occupy it. The church in A+erica has 1eco+e a Cappuccino Church, all 0roth and no su1stance and instead o0 1ein$ a place o0 spiritual $ood, it o0ten has a da+nin$ in0luence. "any churches in A+erica today are indistin$uisha1le 0ro+ the local country clu1. They o00er all the co+0orts o0 a country clu1 includin$ yo$a classes and ?u+1a dancin$ and co00ee 1ars *hose 0ocus is on +akin$ +an happy and $rati0yin$ his 0lesh. The (ospel o0 the apostate church speaks o0 a co+0orta1le Christianity *hich has no restrictions and it speaks o0 a Jesus *ho has no re@uire+ents. But the Jesus o0 the Bi1le did not speak o0 a co+0orta1le Christianity, rather he said, 27o:es ha.e holes and 1irds o0 the air ha.e nests 1ut the 'on o0 "an has no*here to lay his head.5 The +e+1ers o0 the apostate church are @uite happy there and content. They are entertained *eekly, e+pty, like they 1elon$ to a special social clu1 and they +eet on a re$ular 1asis. They e.en pay their +onthly dues to this country clu1 church 1y tithin$ and this helps to ease their conscience. But the sad 0act is that this apostate church is a church that da+ns. The Cappuccino Church is a *orldly church *ith a *orldly pro$ra+ 0or its *orldly +e+1ers. 6t is o0 the *orld and o0 the de.il. The Cappuccino Church has a pastor *ho is +ore like Jay 8eno than a true shepherd. This co+edian pastor tells 9okes to +ake his people lau$h. The 9okes +ay e.en 1e o00/color to e+1arrass the+ to lau$h. ;e tells 0unny stories to arouse e+otions and his +inistry is 1ased on his pro0essionalis+ and personality rather than the po*er o0 (od throu$h a surrendered li0e under the discipline o0 the ;oly 'pirit. Can you i+a$ine Jonathan Ed*ards tellin$ 9okes to the con$re$ation in En0ield, Connecticut to *ar+ up his cro*d *ith lau$hter 1e0ore he preached 2'inners in the ;ands o0 an An$ry (od54 But *e ha.e +ore 9okesters in the pulpits today *ho +ake you lau$h rather than prophets *ho cry *ith authority, 2Thus sayeth the 8ord.5 'adly, 0e* *ant to ha.e an encounter *ith (od in the church today. They 9ust *ant to 1e entertained. The church *as ne.er intended to 1e a place o0 lau$hter and entertain+ent 1ut a house o0 prayer and *orship. The church in A+erica today has 1eco+e a party church *ith 0un and lau$hter rather than a *eepin$ church 1roken o.er the sins o0 the land and 1urdened 0or the lost and perishin$ around the+. The church has 1eco+e sel0/ 0ocused, sel0/su00icient and sel0/a1sor1ed.

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(od is a +illion +iles a*ay 0ro+ the Cappuccino Church in A+erica today. The Cappuccino Church is a 0eel/$ood church like the co00ee drink, it +akes you 0eel $ood. 6 re+e+1er 1ein$ in church as a 1oy and there *as a sense o0 (od3s presence there and a certain sole+nity that attended it and you *orshipped (od 1ecause o0 his presence. But today in churches, they ha.e a party and lau$h and sin$ 1ecause o0 his a1sence. The church in A+erica 1ack then *as a place *here true 1elie.ers $athered to pray and lay hold o0 (od and *eep o.er the lost and you heard a +essa$e a1out the 1lood and the cross and the need 0or repentance 1ecause you *ere a sinner *ho needed to 1e reconciled 1ack to an o00ended (od. =ou heard a1out a terri1le place called hell and you *ere *arned not to $o there. But today, in the churches in the land, you3ll hear a 0unny story and 0eel/$ood +essa$es to +ake you 0eel 1etter a1out yoursel0 1e0ore it3s ti+e 0or you to $o lea.e and en9oy your lunch. 8isten 0riends, the apostate church 0ails to *arn the sinner to 0lee 0ro+ the *rath to co+e and it3s run on +an/po*er and +ethodolo$ies rather than (od and ;oly (host po*er. The Cappuccino Church presents a (od that has no clai+s or ri$hts upon a person3s li0e. 6t o+its the need o0 repentance, the plan o0 rede+ption, the 1lood o0 Christ and the 1loody cross on *hich he died. #ather, it preaches a 0eel/$ood +essa$e *hich doesn3t upset any1ody or con0ront the+ *ith their sins. The under$round church in China su00ers persecution as they 0ollo* a cruci0ied 'a.ior. The a1o.e$round church in China is the Three 'el0 Church and it3s a tool 0or the co++unist $o.ern+ent. The apostate church in A+erica *ill 1e the .ehicle used 1y Antichrist *hen he appears. =ou *ill 1e a1le to distin$uish a true Christian then. They3ll 1e the ones 1ein$ persecuted 0or their 0aith and testi+ony in Christ Jesus. "artin 8uther cried out a$ainst the corrupt church in his day and he *as persecuted 0or it. The apostate church *ill persecute true 1elie.ers as the Antichrist appears. Well, that3s +y introduction 0or +y +essa$e toni$ht on 2The Cappuccino Church.5 "y te:t is 0ound in the Book o0 Ezekiel, in chapter 11 and .erse 12. =ou +ay turn in your Bi1les there no*. Allo* +e to read it to you 0or it accurately descri1es the church in the West today. 8isten to ho* (od descri1es his re1ellious people: 2And ye shall kno* that 6 a+ the 8A#B: 0or ye ha.e not *alked in +y statutes, neither e:ecuted +y 9ud$+ents, 1ut ha.e done a0ter the +anners o0 the heathen that are round a1out you.5 Cotice se.eral outstandin$ re+arks 0ro+ this passa$e 0ro+ the Word o0 (od: 1. (od says so+ethin$ to his people *hich is @uite e:traordinary, he declares, 2And ye shall kno* that 6 a+ the 8A#B.5 =ou see, +any that clai+ to kno* hi+ did not kno* hi+. They had a per.erted .ie* o0 (od and their $od *as not the (od o0 the Bi1le. Today in the land, 6 0ear +any church +e+1ers ha.e a per.erted .ie* o0 (od and they ha.e 0ashioned a $od o0 their o*n +akin$ and they *orship that idol rather than kno* the true and li.in$ (od o0 the Bi1le.

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(od *as tellin$ his re1ellious people that throu$h co+in$ 9ud$+ents, they *ill kno* the true (od and 2kno* that 6 a+ the 8A#B.5 This *ill 1e true *hen 9ud$+ent 0alls upon A+erica 0ro+ the hand o0 (od. Ti+es *ill 1eco+e so desperate, people so despondent, they *ill turn to the $o.ern+ent 0or help and the $o.ern+ent *ill 1e 1ankrupt and entirely helpless the+sel.es. This situation *ill 1e so drastic and so 1ad that people *ill realize that (od is the author o0 their cala+ity and (od *ill 1e a1le to say, 2And ye shall kno* that 6 a+ the 8A#B.5 2. Cotice the ne:t indict+ent (od has a$ainst his strayin$ people. ;e says, 27or ye ha.e not *alked in +y statutes.5 Today3s apostate church has +e+1ers *ho li.e in sin and ha.e no re+orse 0or it. They 0eel that 1ecause they are once sa.ed, al*ays sa.ed, they can sin all they *ant to *ithout any repercussions since they *on their ticket to hea.en throu$h a 0alse, easy 1elie.eis+. (od repri+ands his people 0or their diso1edience to his co++ands. Today3s church that da+ns, preaches an easy 1elie0 (ospel that allo*s you to take Christ as 'a.ior and re+ain in your sins, *hereas the Bi1le declares that Jesus ca+e to sa.e his people 0ro+ their sins. Jesus ne.er preached a sinnin$ reli$ion, 1ut a sel0/cruci0yin$ one. ;e said, 260 any +an *ill co+e a0ter +e, let hi+ deny hi+sel0, and take up his cross, and 0ollo* +e. 7or *hosoe.er *ill sa.e his li0e shall lose it: and *hosoe.er *ill lose his li0e 0or +y sake shall 0ind it.5 But the church that da+ns declares you can ha.e Jesus and the *orld, too. =ou can ha.e Jesus and hold on to your rotten sins and it3s okay *ith hi+. But, (od says 2Co.5 (od says, 2Be ye holy 0or 6 a+ holy.5 And in ;e1re*s it declares, 2Without holiness no one *ill see the 8ord.5 3. Cotice the ne:t ur$ent +atter that (od 1rin$s 1e0ore his re1ellious people: he says to the+, 2neither e:ecuted +y 9ud$+ents.5 The people o0 (od *ere careless ste*ards o0 the thin$s o0 (od. #ather than declare to the heathen the purposes o0 (od, they kept all their kno*led$e to the+sel.es sel0ishly. Today3s church that da+ns has no real (ospel *itness to the *orld. There3s no +essa$e o0 (od3s true (ospel *hich speaks o0 ruin, rede+ption, repentance, and re$eneration. =ou *ill not hear o0 the 1lood, nor the cross, nor sin, nor hell, nor o0 a 0uture 9ud$+ent 0or all +ankind. #ather, it3s a sel0ish (ospel *hich creates sel0ish 0ollo*ers *ho think only o0 the+sel.es and their o*n a+use+ents. Their nu+1er one ai+ in li0e is to $rati0y their 0lesh. They kno* nothin$ o0 the cross in the li0e o0 the 1elie.er nor ha.e they e.er surrendered to the 8ordship o0 Christ *ith all his clai+s and de+ands upon their li.es. The church that da+ns speaks nothin$ a1out the strict and se.ere la* o0 (od *hich e.ery +an *ill 1e 9ud$ed a$ainst and that all *ill 0ail that test. 6 a+ a sinner and 6 need a sin su1stitute in the person o0 Jesus Christ. The re1ellious Je*s did not e:ecute (od3s 9ud$+ents and de0end a holy (od and 0ear hi+. #ather, they put their o*n needs and desires 0irst in their li.es to the ne$lect o0 the thin$s o0 (od. The Je*s put the+sel.es 0irst and (od second in their li.es and (od said, 2Co.5 7inally, notice the last thin$ in this .erse 0ro+ Ezekiel, notice the last indict+ent 0ro+ (od to his strayin$ people. ;e tells the+, 21ut ha.e done a0ter the +anners o0 the

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heathen that are round a1out you.5 6n other *ords, they *orshipped (od like the heathen. They 1rou$ht 0alse 0ire into the house o0 (od. They let the *orld in and pushed (od out. 6 0ear +any churches in A+erica today ha.e *alked (od to the 1ack o0 the church and pushed hi+ out the 1ack door and then they3.e $one and opened their 0ront door and in.ited the *orld in. The Cappuccino Church looks 9ust like the *orld, there3s no tellin$ the+ apart. 6 ha.e a hard ti+e 0indin$ any1ody today preachin$ up the 1lood and the cross and callin$ sin 21lack5 and hell 2hot,5 and *arnin$ sinners to 0lee 0ro+ the *rath to co+e. Co, they 9ust *ant to +ake you lau$h and *ant to entertain you. They don3t *ant to upset any1ody 1y +entionin$ sin or the need 0or repentance. They3re a0raid to o00end +an so they o00end (od. (od help us. When Jesus preached, he al*ays upset his hearers. They *anted to take hi+ to the top o0 a hill a0ter he preached and thro* hi+ o00 o0 it. A0ter one preachin$ session, the people picked up stones to stone hi+ 1ut he escaped the+ 1y *alkin$ throu$h their +idst. And one ti+e, a0ter Jesus preached a hard +essa$e, the cro*d le0t hi+ and +any said, 2Who can understand it45 And Jesus turned to his +en and asked, 2Will you lea.e +e too45 When Christ preached, he di.ided the cro*d into sheep and $oats 1ut +any o0 the py$+ies that stand in our pulpits today *ant to 1e accepted 1y their hearers 1ecause o0 their pride so they speak, 2>eace, peace, *hen there is no peace.5 The true (ospel declares *e are ene+ies o0 (od 1ecause o0 sin and *e need to 1e reconciled to hi+ throu$h the 1lood o0 Jesus Christ. We need to repent o0 our rotten sins and 0all on our 0aces and turn 1ack to (od in true contrition and 1rokenness o.er our sins. We need to hu+1le oursel.es 1e0ore an o00ended Creator and 1e$ hi+ 0or +ercy. 8isten 0riends, 9ud$+ent is not co+in$ to A+erica 1ecause o0 the White ;ouse. Jud$+ent is not co+in$ to A+erica 1ecause o0 the Court ;ouse. Jud$+ent is co+in$ to A+erica 1ecause o0 the Church ;ouse. (od is sendin$ 9ud$+ents upon A+erica 1ecause the pro0essed church o0 (od does not *alk in his statutes nor e:ecute his 9ud$+ents 1ut ha.e done a0ter the +anners o0 the heathen that are round a1out the+. The only hope 0or A+erica and Canada is re.i.al. But there is $ood ne*s. (od is callin$ out his re+nant to stand stron$ 0or hi+. (od called out a re+nant in the days o0 Ezekiel. 8isten to .erses 1- and 2 0ro+ chapter 11. 8isten to (od3s +ercy, 2And 6 *ill $i.e the+ one heart, and 6 *ill put a ne* spirit *ithin youD and 6 *ill take the stony heart out o0 their 0lesh, and *ill $i.e the+ an heart o0 0lesh: That they +ay *alk in +y statutes, and keep +ine ordinances, and do the+: and they shall 1e +y people, and 6 *ill 1e their (od.5 6 1elie.e that (od is callin$ his re+nant today in the land to $o to their knees and hu+1le the+sel.es 1e0ore his 0ace. 6 1elie.e it *ill 1e (od3s re+nant *ho e+er$e in the co+in$ days o0 the appearin$ o0 Antichrist. The re+nant *ill 1e the su00erers 0or Christ. The

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re+nant *ill 1e the ones in prison 0or hi+. The re+nant *ill 1e the ones +artyred 0or hi+ and his $lory. This is a call to the people o0 (od to $o to our knees and ask the ;oly 'pirit to sho* us anythin$ in our li.es that is $rie.ous to hi+. 8isten 0riends, 6 $ot rid o0 tele.ision in +y ho+e. 6 *as hooked on too +any ne*s pro$ra+s and cookin$ pro$ra+s and $ol0 pro$ra+s. 6 $ot rid o0 the da+nin$ in0luence o0 tele.ision in +y ho+e. >eople call +e odd 1ut 6 don3t care. 6 spend that ti+e 6 used to *atch t. no*, in +y Bi1le and in prayer. Christ is callin$ his o*n to separate the+sel.es 0ro+ the *orld. Are *e *illin$ to do it4 The Cappuccino Church is a 0eel/$ood church *ith a 0eel/$ood +essa$e and it allo*s you to pro0ess Christ and re+ain in your sins. Jesus said i0 you die in your sins, you *ill $o to hell. The Cappuccino Church is da+nin$ its +e+1ers to hell rather than *arnin$ the+ not to $o there. 6n the co+in$ days o0 these end ti+es, the apostate church *ill $ro* in in0luence and popularity and it *ill spread o.er the land like the $reat pla$ue that it is. 7or it is an indict+ent a$ainst the people o0 (od *ho ha.e not *alked in his statutes nor e:ecuted his 9ud$+ents 1ut ha.e done a0ter the +atters o0 the heathen that *ere round a1out the+. (od ha.e +ercy on us.

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