Dr. Tommy Green addressed the 156th annual meeting of the Florida Baptist State Convention Tuesday afternoon with a message of unity in the face of adversity for the messengers in attendance, which ended in a time of commitment and prayer for racial reconciliation.
Speaking from Matthew 20:17-19, Dr. Green told the gathering that even though Jesus told the disciples what was going to happen to him once they got to Jerusalem, the disciples didn’t fully grasp the struggles that were ahead of them as they traveled on the road to the city.
Like the disciples on the road to Jerusalem, sometimes we experience difficulties in the midst of the plans and promise of what we believe is next for us. While on the road to our destination, we will experience adversity.
“There’s a cost to ministry,” he said.
On the road in, Dr. Green reminded the group of the beatings and abuse our Savior endured until He finally hung on the cross and gave His life up for us. It is on the road in the midst of the journey where we discover if we are authentic.
“The road in demands obedience and surrender until it’s finished,” he said.
Just as Jesus told His disciples that He would rise again the third day, we find our hope as we look toward our future.
“Our victory is found in King Jesus,” he said. “The church today must stand upon the supremacy of Christ.”
“Florida Baptists – we don’t need a resolution, a vote or statement to unify us – we need the supremacy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior,” Green declared.
Dr. Green ended his message with a plea to come to the altar and pray with someone of a different race or different language. As people streamed from their seats to the front of the room, Dr. Green prayed: “We can say as Florida Baptists: we won’t let anything divide us because we believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and we can do more together than we can do on our own.”
By Nicole Kalil, Florida Baptist Convention, November 14, 2017
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