Allowing Questions to Challenge Us

SEBTS Brand Placeholder Image

Lawless PhotoStudents, faculty and staff filled the pews in Binkley chapel on Aug. 21 at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Chuck Lawless, dean of graduate students at Southeastern, preached in chapel on Luke’s brief summary in Acts 1:4-11 on the time between the resurrection and ascension of Jesus with the theme of “Why Do You Stand Looking Into Heaven?”

Lawless said: “I want us to talk today about questions. Questions that by our very asking them reveal our heart.”

Lawless encouraged the audience to seek power from God to build the kingdom of Christ and not their own kingdom. “The disciples hearts needed redirection,” said Lawless. He asked them to allow Christ to challenge their hearts and be a witness for Jesus to the ends of the earth.

“We may need to broaden our perspective. Be willing to pray, ‘Lord what do you want?’ and leave it there. Trusting that whatever He does is right. Don’t look down on your peers that are called to churches in the states,” said Lawless.

“We must not get so caught up in the unknown that we ignore the known. We have work to do here today. It is easier to be fascinated with the unknown than the known. Get involved with the local church, share the Gospel, disciple someone else and be a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Gazing is insufficient if that is all we do. Don’t get so enamored with that gazing that we forget the doing. We are called to grow and take the Gospel to our city, state, nation and world. At Southeastern, we are not going to just stand around here gazing into the heavens,” said Lawless.

The audience was challenged to work in the power of the Spirit. “In the power of the Spirit nobodies become somebodies,” said Lawless. Lawless shared about his spiritual mentor, Brother Jack, who exemplified that gazing is not enough. “He always lived in the Spirit and did not miss opportunities to tell others about Jesus. He made time to meet with preachers who wanted to talk and never spoke a negative word about others,” said Lawless.

As Brother Jack, “We gaze so that we can do,” said Lawless.

To listen or watch the sermon online please click here.

To view photos from the chapel service please click here.

Office of Marketing and Communications

[email protected]