Johnny Hunt did not shy away
from hard truths in his sermon to the Baptist State Convention of North
Carolina (BSC) annual messengers.
Hunt, an N.C. native, former
Southern Baptist Convention president, and pastor of First Baptist Church in
Woodstock, Ga., addressed messengers Nov. 9.
Hunt’s presence at the
meeting was a visible reminder that God’s grace is great enough to sustain
believers during trials.
A recent Baptist Press
headline read “Hunt recounts bout with emptiness.” The article explained how
Hunt, experienced a season of physical, emotional and spiritual dryness. An
incredibly busy routine eventually caught up with Hunt and left him “leading on
empty.”
From the start he called on
North Carolina Baptists to examine their hearts and consider whether or not
they truly trust God with their lives. Speaking from James 4:13-17, Hunt
pointed out that James charges the people with failing to come to God and
involving Him in their plans. When the Lord is not “in the mix,” something bad
happens whether believers intend for it to happen or not — they become
practical atheists. They start planning without seeking God’s guidance and
wisdom, thinking they can do it all on their own.
The hands of God must be all
over the life of a believer. Hunt said he has learned that each day he must
“surrender anew to the Lord” and “acknowledge that my life and my future are in
the hands of God.”
The text from James talks
about people who have already made out a business plan. Hunt said the
merchants, while not faulted for planning, are at fault for omitting God from
their plans. “We are to allow space for Him to step in and interrupt or alter
our plans,” Hunt said. “God has never shown me A to Z.”
James rebuked the people
because they wanted too much control. “Woven into our heart’s fabric is the
desire to have full charge,” Hunt said. “This passage views ourselves as the
final authority over our lives and then living as if this were true.”
Hunt spoke to the pastors
gathered in Greensboro, saying he believed the sovereign Lord has a specific
place for each of them to serve. In order for pastors to know what God has in
store for them they must pray and determine to follow His leading instead of
setting out on their own with no regard for His guidance.
Hunt illustrated the
necessity of trusting God by reading verse after verse that speaks to the
brevity and uncertainty of life. James 4:14 reminds believers that nothing is
certain, not even tomorrow. “Life slips through our fingers,” Hunt said. “If
you’re going to do something for the Kingdom you better do it now.”
Hunt pleaded with the crowd
to consider if they are doing what they know God has called them to do — no
matter the consequence. He told how he recently suffered a 24-hour illness but
still wanted to preach Sunday morning. Not because he felt like he should, but
because God had so burdened his heart with a message that he had to preach.
“Have you had the burden of God lately?” Hunt asked.
Believers ought to live with
an “if the Lord wills” attitude instead of an attitude that reflects boasting
and arrogance. This type of right thinking will help Christians stay focused on
taking their instruction from God and not anyone else. Hunt bluntly stated that
it is not the deacons or the laity who “pull my string.”
“You’ve got one focus,” he
said. “We’ve got to mobilize our people to reach the nations.”
Hunt said believers defy,
deny, disobey or delight in God’s will. “If we know we’re supposed to take the
gospel to the nations and we don’t, we’re sinning,” he said.
“Maybe the greatest offense
against the Great Commission is not what we’re doing that we need to stop
doing, but what we’re not doing that we need to start doing.”
Hedonism keeps many believers
from doing what they know they need to do for the cause of Christ. “We love
pleasure too much,” Hunt said. “Beach houses, hobbies; we’ve got so much tied
up there there’s little left over for the Kingdom of God.”