Evangelist Bradshaw Challenges GYC Attendees to Life of Commitment

HOUSTON, Texas, United States — “Jesus works best with faulty people — as a matter of fact, Jesus only works with faulty people!”

That was the declaration of Seventh-day Adventist evangelist John Bradshaw to thousands of young adults attending the GYC 2016 event here.

Noting the flood of “fake news” pervading social media and other channels during 2016, Bradshaw noted, “I have real news, good news for you to believe. Jesus died for your sins. Jesus ascended to heaven to be your High Priest in the judgment. That judgment is soon to end. And God’s power is able to keep you now, and then. It’s time to be ready, and God can make you ready. That’s truly good news. Amazingly good news. You can believe that good news today.”

Bradshaw, speaker/director of It Is Written, Adventism’s first weekly television outreach, noted that when some consider the investigative judgment — a foundational doctrine — they may fear all is lost. However, he contended, during the judgment period and beyond, God and His grace are available to those willing to become Jesus’ friend.

He told the crowd assembled at the George R. Brown Convention Center, “There are some things Satan wants no one to know. This subject of the sanctuary and judgment is one he attacks relentlessly. In judgment there’s a priest – a High Priest who is in heaven for you, and not against you. The judgment says, ‘I might have made a mess, but I have Jesus on my side.’Judgment says, I may be weak, but Jesus is strong. Judgment says, Even though I’m down, I’m not out, because ‘What a Friend We Have in Jesus.’ Listen: you think ‘William Miller’ and you think ‘2300 Days,’ you think, ‘Great Disappointment.’[That thinking] means we’ve done him a disservice. He might have drilled way down into Daniel 8:14, but when Willian Miller studied the Bible he did more than exercise his abacus. Miller said, ‘The Scriptures became my delight, and in Jesus I found a friend.’A Friend!”

Bradshaw added, “The Christ of the judgment is the Friend of sinners! But Satan doesn’t want you to know that.He doesn’t want you coming boldly to the throne of grace to find mercy, and grace to help in time of need. He doesn’t want you knowing that you have an advocate with the Father! Jesus is in the heavenly sanctuary now. He’s engaged in judgment now, appearing in the presence of God ‘for us.’” (Hebrews 9:24)

A former pop music radio disc jockey who was converted to the Adventist faith, Bradshaw said he understood how the idea of living without a mediator might be a matter of some concern.

“Now before you panic,” he said, “When we speak of living in the sight of a holy God without a Mediator in heaven does not mean we assume responsibility for our own salvation. The end of Jesus’ ministry as High Priest does not coincide with the death of the Holy Spirit! God’s people are kept by the power of the Holy Spirit. God’s people are sealed with the Seal of God, ‘a settling into truth both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved.’ [Ellen G. White, Manuscript 173, 1902] Man, we want that, don’t we? Yes, we do!”

However, Bradshaw counseled the congregation — and those watching via the 3ABN television network and Internet streaming — not to merely “keep” their faith, but also to share it with others.

“If you are planning on going to heaven, you should be sharing your faith,” Bradshaw said. “This is why GYC emphasizes service, mission.Salvation isn’t self-focused, it’s Christ-focused.And when you’re Christ-focused, you’ll love what Christ loves. Letting someone else know about the good news of salvation is just plain good for you.”

He added, “If you have a pulse, then I would encourage you to be part of GYC. Not [just] an event, not an experience, but a life of commitment to Jesus Christ.”

The GYC 2016 event, the fifteenth such conference, began on December 28 and concluded on January 1, 2017. More information is available online at www.gycweb.org.