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Taking Our Turn at the Plate from Colossians 1:23-2:3 October 4, 2009

Posted by roberttalley in Body of Christ, Colossians, Crucifixion, Religion, Sermons, Suffering.
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Taking Our Turn at the Plate
Colossians 1:23-2:3

As we began our study of Colossians, we found that Paul was praying specifically for the believers in Colosse that the Lord would increase their knowledge of His Father’s will. He knew that they must understand their calling in Christ if they are going to live in this world in a way that is pleasing to God.

After his prayer, he then explained in detail the Father’s plan:

1. His Son would create the universe.
2. Sin would corrupt the universe, especially and specifically mankind.
3. But Jesus would reconcile men to Himself through His death on the cross;
4. …then through His resurrection He gives life to His people, the church.
5. Finally, Paul explained that faith in Christ is necessary to entry into the body of Christ. We find in verses 23b that Paul’s life was given to bringing men and women to faith through the gospel of Christ.

That is what Paul is speaking of in verse 24 when he says, “I…fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ.” He means it is time to take his turn at bat (verse 24). You see, Paul wrote this epistle from a prison cell. He was suffering bodily in prison but he did not consider this as unusual. After all, Christ suffered death for our sake. Why should it then be thought unusual for a follower of Christ to also suffer for the body of Christ?

What might be consider unusual is that Paul rejoiced in his physical suffering. He said, “In this prison in suffer but I rejoice.” Was Paul nuts? How can he rejoice in suffering? I think his short answer would be, “My suffering is purposeful.”

Now in this, Paul was also like Christ. Hebrews 12:2 tells us that “…Jesus…for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame…” The point of both Hebrews 12 and of this verse in Colossians is that Christ’s suffering had a purpose and because it had a purpose, there was joy even with suffering.

I. We, like Paul, can also rejoice in physical suffering if it results from a spiritual purpose (1:23-27). There are many possible purposes for suffering. Sometimes it causes us to grow in our faith. That is actually the point of Hebrews 12. Suffering can come because God wants to be glorified. When Jesus was asked about the man born blind, He said this man did not sin nor did his parents’ sin but this blindness is to the glory of God. He then healed them man as a sign that He was the Messiah. There are situations where sin is obviously to blame for suffering and there is suffering that goes beyond any explanation. That was Job’s situation. But Paul’s suffering was different. His suffering was the result of his spiritual purpose.

Have you ever asked yourself this question, what in life is worth dying for? How would you answer that question? If we were to go through the congregation this morning, we would have a limited number of answers. God, Jesus Christ, the Bible, family, country, these are the things that would be mentioned most often. Would you mention the church, the body of Christ, the people for whom Jesus Christ died? Paul would have the church right at the top of his list.

I realize that this is first of all applicable to those of us who are preachers and leaders and teachers. I, as pastor, must be willing to suffer for the sake of God’s people. The deacons also bear that same responsibility. The Sunday School teachers, the nursery workers, the Kid’s Klub leaders on Wednesday night, and the pre-school nursery workers all bear this stewardship, this responsibility in a specific way.

A. Yet, the spiritual purpose of every believer, like Christ’s, should be centered on His people, on His body, on His church (1:24-25a). Let me give you some bibilical reasons. (1) The Great Commission and the promises of the Holy Spirit’s power in witnessing and the presence of God wherever we go are given to all of us for the purpose of building Christ’s church. (2) It is the church that is given the responsibility in the book of Hebrews to pay attention to the faith of fellow believers to see if there is something lacking and a need for help in the lives of another believer. (3) It is the church that is given spiritual gifts for the purpose of edifying and building one another up. So all of us, like Christ should center on His people, on His church.

B. Our method is to fully reveal the mystery of Christ (1:25b-27). This is why the passage we looked at last week is so important. Everyone of us needs to understand what God is doing in this world so that we can do our part in sharing the gospel with the unsaved and in building and encouraging one another in the faith. We need to understand this mystery that Jesus is the divine Creator but that sin has damaged His creation. He came to the world as a man to die for our sin and to give His church, His people life through His resurrection but we can only access forgiveness of sin and eternal life through faith in Christ. This mystery is the gospel of Christ. The riches and the hope of glory that Paul writes about in this epistle is Christ, our Creator and our Lord and Savior. This gospel is a called a mystery because it was not fully revealed until Christ came.

Now you might ask, “How can I do this?” I am not a teacher like Paul. Let me give you a simple plan of action. Tell people you are a Christian. They will expect more of you but they need to know that you are a Christian and that you are not ashamed of being a Christian. They need to be watching you, scrutinizing your life. Secondly, invite them to church, to Sunday School, to Great Night services, to anything that you might think is appropriate for them. Then tell them why you became a Christian. If it was fear of hell that drove you to Christ, tell it. If it was the guilt of sin, tell it. If it was frustration with the emptiness of your life, tell it. Whatever or whoever it was that motivated you to trust Christ, let people know about it. Then tell them the mystery of Christ. Tell them that Jesus came to save them from sin and give them new life through His death and resurrection. Finally, invite them to put their faith in Christ alone.

Is it possible that some will not like it? Absolutely! May there be some unforeseen consequences for you? Yes! But the bringing of people into the family of Christ is the greatest task in the world. It is why Jesus suffered and died, to bring people to himself.

II. Not only is it worth any suffering that we might experience, we can, like Paul, continue despite exhaustion (1:28-29). Paul makes it clear that the life of a believer focused on the Body of Christ is not easy but that its purpose is makes the weariness worth while.

A. Our purpose is the presentation of completed believers (vs. 28b). Let me explain what I mean. A game is complete when the game is won. That is what the word “perfect” here means, complete. In baseball a complete game is when a pitcher goes from start to finish. Paul says that his goal is, and certainly this should be our goal also, that every believer to whom we minister should finish the game. We are not responsible to win the game; that is Christ’s responsibility; we are, however, responsible to finish.

B. Our method is public proclaim Christ through warnings and wise teaching (vs. 28a). Now every believer is responsible for his or her own growth in Christ but we as fellow believers can help them to complete the game. Although only the pitcher can throw to the batter, he has fielders behind him and bench players and coaches, all there to help the pitcher to win the game. In the same way, we are responsible to help. Some things we can do personally, others we can do as a church. Verse 28 describes for us what we as a church should do. We need to warn one another and teach one another of the truth of Jesus Christ. That is the one truth that Satan cannot stand, that Jesus Christ is the King of kings and Redeemer of all who trust in Him. We must warn against those who deny this truth and teach the truth of Christ as the Scriptures teach it.

III. This responsibility to spread the gospel and faithfully proclaim the truth of Christ, however, extends beyond the walls of Grace Bible Church and even beyond the Lansing area. We can even struggle hard and should struggle hard for saints unknown to us (2:1-3). Now there are many ways that we can do this. One of the key ways is by sending out missionaries. Paul mentions two specific purposes of such work.

A. Our purposes are brotherly love and full confidence in Christ (2:2-3). If we are a family in Christ, one body, then it is imperative that we promote true brotherly love. That is why we support missionaries who plant churches and baptize believers. That is why we support missionaries who are faithful to teach the truth of Christ because it is that truth that promotes love among the brethren and that gives us confidence as we look forward to our eternal future.

These are not just nice things to have but these are characteristics that result from a full knowledge of the gospel of Christ. Paul was thankful that these things were true of the Colossians and he desired that they would be true of all believers. He knew, however, that brotherly love and a confident faith did not just happen but were rooted and grounded in the truth concerning Jesus Christ.

B. Our method is to come to their aid, to encourage them (2:2a). Again there are various ways to encourage one another but Paul is talking about encouraging people who we do not know and perhaps will never meet in this life. He says, I pray for them, I write to them, if there is anything more that they need, whatever it may be, I will strive, I will struggle, I will make it a priority, to meet that need of encouragement.

As you can see, this is a team effort and everyone one of us is in the game. Are you going to follow the example of Christ and of Paul and give yourself to spreading the gospel and encouraging those who believe in the truth of Christ and helping them to complete their game? Are you going to witness and pray and give and warn and teach or enable others to teach the truth of Christ? We only have one life in which to do these things. Let us give our life to Christ as He would have us to, by giving our life to His Body, to His Church.

How would Peter define what a Christian is (2 Peter 1:1-4)? July 19, 2009

Posted by roberttalley in Blood of Christ, Body of Christ, Faith, Jesus, Peter the Apostle, Religion, Second Peter, Sermons.
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What is a Christian Anyway (2 Peter 1:1-4)?

When we were missionaries in Germany, we were brought in contact with a group of asylum seekers from an Islamic country. A few were sincere seekers after the truth but many wanted to convert to Christianity so that they might start a new life in a new country. In order to do this, they needed to convince immigration officials that they were truly Christian. They would come to us with lists of questions concerning the religious holidays of Christianity. Others sought baptism as a way of becoming officially Christians. It did not take long for most of them to realize that we were not going to be much help to them and they fell away. They fell away because they did not understand what it means to be a Christian.

What we are asking today is not how one becomes a Christian, although we will also be looking at that. Nor are we discussing what a Christian looks like and does in his everyday life. We will be looking at that question next week. Asked another way the question is this, “What does it mean to be a Christian?”

A Christian is one who belongs to Christ. When Peter begins this letter, he identifies himself by name and makes it clear that he is a Christian, that is, that he belongs to Christ. How does he do this?

First, he says, “I am a bondslave of Christ.” A Christian is a slave belonging to Christ. We are His slaves (verse 1a). Romans 6 explains how that we were in bondage to sin but that through the death and resurrection of Christ we become slaves of righteousness. This means that we now do what Christ wants us to do. In 1 Peter 2:13-16, Peter explains how that works in a specific situation. There was the temptation for believers to refuse to submit to the government because Jesus was their king. Peter makes it clear that our slavery to Christ’s will compels us to obey the government. In other words, a slave of Jesus Christ is one who does the will of Jesus Christ. Peter states clearly that he does that will of God, not his will and not the will of any man but rather the will of God.

Secondly, Peter claims to be a servant. He uses the word apostle, that is, a sent messenger. The word “bondslave” makes it clear that Peter does the will of Christ. The word “apostle” tells us what Christ’s will actually is, to go with a message from Christ. In the same way, we are Christ’s servants (verse 1a). We do not all hold the office of an apostle but we are all sent messengers.

We have heard this morning from Susan Blodgett about her missionary work on the college campus and her recent missionary trip to the Dominican Republic. We support her financially. We pray for her. We rejoice in the work that God has given her and the part in the work which we have. We are no different than her, however. We are also bondslaves and as bondslaves we are responsible to do the will of God and the will of God is that we witness, that we serve as messengers of the gospel of Christ. That is our commission as servants. That is our task as slaves. In John 20:21, Jesus said to his disciples, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent me, so send I you.” We are indwelt and empowered by the Holy Spirit, according to the book of Acts, for the purpose of being witnesses throughout the whole earth. In Matthew 28, Jesus said all authority is given to me. For that reason, “therefore” go and teach, that is, make disciples. We are sent out with a message under the authority of our master to follow the model of our master empowered by the Spirit of our master. That is what a Christian is. He or she is a messenger, an apostle.

We are His called ones (verses 1b, 3b). This is referred to in verse 1 through the word “obtain.” It is the word used when they cast lots letting God determine their course of action. Peter says here, “Every Christian is a Christian because of God’s determination.” Peter is an apostle who walked with Jesus Christ who was given the honor of leading the church at Jerusalem but his faith is exactly like our faith. Our faith is equal to his in value and in honor. And He obtained His faith like we obtained ours, by the grace of God.
This faith is also obtained by the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Romans 3:24-26 explains what this means, “being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” What both Paul and Peter are saying is this, although one is a Christian by grace, it is a free gift, it was not free. Jesus Christ died, demonstrating the righteousness of God through His execution for sins, making it possible to obtain salvation by faith in Jesus. In other words, if one says he believes in Jesus but refuses to believe that Jesus is the only means of salvation, that person is not a Christian. He may speak of Jesus as His Savior but without faith in His death for my sins, He is not my Savior but rather my judge.

This is the description of the calling that we find in the last part of verse 3. Five times in 1 Peter it is written that believers are called but today I only want to call your attention to one of those passages, 1 Peter 2:9-10. Peter writes that we are called out of darkness into His marvelous light so that we might obtain mercy. Christians are called ones. We are called to faith by mercy and grace through the righteous, the just death of the Son of God. Just and righteous not because He got what He deserved but just and righteous because He got what I deserved.

Since we are called with such a merciful calling, it is no wonder that we should submit ourselves to slavery in the will of God, to service in telling the message of His mercy and righteousness in His death on the cross.

This calling, this slavery, this servant hood is great and marvelous but a Christian is much, oh so much much more, than just belonging to Christ. A Christian belongs to a body, the body of Christ.

We are called to a common faith through knowledge of Jesus Christ (verses 1-3). We have already seen that our faith is the same faith as Peter’s faith both in value and honor. The phrase “with us” may seem small but it underlines that our calling is not just an individual calling but a calling of a people. Look again at 1 Peter 2:9. God does not call Robert Talley to be a Christian. Now He worked in my life as an individual and He saved me individually but He called us to a common faith through Jesus Christ. Perhaps verse 5 can explain this concept better. We are his building. Many individual stones but one building.

We are called by a unique Savior (verses 1b and 3b). The body of Christ is inseparable from its Head. It has no sustainability without its Head. We have already seen that we are called together into one body through His righteous death. We are also called by His glory and virtue.

His glory according to 1 Peter 1:11, 21 is what happened after his death, His glorious, bodily resurrection and His even more glorious ascension to heaven to sit in authority on the right hand of God. There is none like Him. His glory is like that of no other.

His virtue is also like none other. Again in 1 Peter 1 we have a description of His virtue. Verse 19 describes Him as a lamb without blemish and without spot. There was nothing inappropriate much less sinful about Him. He truly is like no other.

It is the uniqueness of Christ that is our common bond. He lived like no other man, He suffered like no other man, He was glorified as no other man. He is our head. As we saw last Wednesday night from Ephesians 4:1, 4 the knowledge of our calling by this unique Christ is the foundation for part in the body of Christ and to not commit ourselves to other believers is unworthy of our calling in this unique Christ.

We are called based on great promises (verse 4a). These promises have great value. They are precious. These promises make it possible for us to be partakers of the divine nature. You see, belonging to Christ, being a Christian is more than going to heaven, it is more than being forgiven, I along with every other believer become a partaker of God’s divine nature. That is what it means to belong to the body of Christ. We share a common faith based on our knowledge of a unique Savior but we share more. We share much more. We share His nature. Christ being are head is not just getting corporate strength and direction from Him. His nature is our nature. How is that possible? The beginning of verse 3 tells us how. By His divine power. How is it that we have God’s nature? How is it that we can be one body in Christ? By His divine power through the knowledge of Him.

This is why you should integrate yourself fully into the body of Christ as practiced within a local church. If you are a believer in Christ and do not identify with a body of believers, do not integrate yourself fully with them, bear grudges against them, you are denying the common bond that we already have. Could you imagine a building where the stones are constantly pulling away from each other or pushing each other away? You know that such a building would collapse. Yet many believers claim to be Christians but refuse to commit themselves both formally and informally to other believers. As we saw in the book of James this morning in Sunday School, such a refusal to commit to other believers ultimately brings our Christianity into question.

A Christian belongs to a new world order (verse 4b). Being a Christian, belonging to Christ, belonging to His body is radically different. It is described in Scriptures as a separate reality.

Our old nature is corrupt, that is, doomed to destruction. The next chapter of 2 Peter describes this corruption in more detail. It is not a pretty picture (2 Peter 2:12-19). They are like rabid animals hunted down so that they might be destroyed (verse 12). The lust of the human nature is like rabies. It drives the animal to its own destruction. The animal no more fears that which can harm it. It is doomed.

But our new nature is divine. Could you imagine an animal, mad with rabies, doomed to death and dangerous to all with whom it comes in contact and then through the divine power that comes through the knowledge of Christ and through faith in Christ escapes the destructive disease and becomes not just a healthy animal but a partaker in the nature of God? It is beyond my comprehension but that is what a Christian is.

He belongs to Christ now.
He belongs to the body of Christ now.
He belongs to a new world order, a new realm of reality.

Do you belong to Christ? If you do, then you are a Christian. You belong to His body, you belong to a new world order. Do you live like it? There is nothing stranger than person who is not rabid acting as if he was. Do you walk worthy of your calling in Christ? Have you integrated yourself with the body or do you live the spiritual life of a lone wolf?

Perhaps you do not belong to Christ. The knowledge of Christ and the faith in Him produced by that knowledge will immediately make you a member of His body and a partaker of His divine nature. Will you trust Him today? Your choice is between two types of slavery. The slavery of corruption and destruction described in 2 Peter 2:12-17 or the slavery of righteousness through the death of Christ. Trust Him today!

An Examination of our Fitness for Duty (2 Corinthians 12 and 13) March 15, 2009

Posted by roberttalley in Body of Christ, Religion, Second Corinthians, Sermons.
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AN EXAMINATION OF OUR FITNESS FOR DUTY

(2 Corinthians 12:14-13:14)

We began our study of 2 Corinthians 10-13 with a look at two necessary traits for our spiritual warfare, boldness and humility. Paul has up to now primarily been describing his own fitness as a soldier of Jesus Christ. Now he tells the Corinthians that he is coming to examine those who claim to be soldiers of Christ and see if they are truly fit for duty. He hopes though that the church will be able to carry out this examination on their own. For that reason he gives them some principles and guidelines, hoping that they will follow them in examining those who claim to be soldiers of Christ and exposing some of them as frauds.

We as a church are responsible to examine ourselves both as individuals and as a church. It is essential that we prove ourselves fit for duty.

1. We prove our fitness for duty by maintaining a parental sacrificial love (12:14-18). If you could sum up these chapters, you would find that this is the epitome of Paul’s fitness for duty. He loves the Corinthian church with the sacrificial love that we know of primarily as the love of a father or mother for their child. At the beginning of chapter 11 he talks about being the father of a daughter who makes sure that she gets the perfect match in a husband. In 1 Corinthians 4, he says that the reason he speaks such strong words to them is because he is their spiritual father.

Being a parent is not easy. Paul points out that he loves them more than they love him. Paul felt the pain that comes when a child does not appreciate their parents instruction. Paul no doubt became impatient with them at times. He never, however, disowned them. He never turned his back on them. This church treated him worse than all the other churches. Yet we find he plans on sacrificing again for them because he feels that is what is best for their future.

He does this in the face of the lies which were being spread about him. He refers to them sarcastically in the last part of verse 16, “I’m a sly one, I am! I’ve trapped you before and I’ll do it again.” The sad part is that some likely believed the lies. They would rather put their confidence in men who had made themselves the measure of spirituality rather than Paul who exhibited humility and sacrificial love.

He reminds them not only of his sacrificial love but also of those who he sent to the Corinthians, like Titus. Paul did not play good cop, bad cop with the Corinthians. He and Titus loved these people with a parental sacrificial love.

a. We are accountable God to maintain this love among us (12:19-21). Paul asks this question, “Do you really think I need to defend myself to you? It is God who sends me. I am accountable to him. All that I have done, all that I have written, all that I will do or write in the future is for one purpose and one purpose only – your edification, to build you up.”

Paul has actually spent much time defending himself in this and other epistles. He does not do it though for his sake but rather for the sake of his children. He does not need to explain himself to the church but if that is what will build these people up in Christ, that is what he will do.

Paul knows, you see, that self-defense often leads to sinful behavior. He lists those things that he fears might happen. It is an awful list filled with the “Dreck” and the mud of this world: contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions (politicking), backbiting (evil speaking), whisperings, conceits, tumults (the chaos that result from fussing and fighting). Verse 21 tells us what results from this type of behavior: humiliation and mourning. Have we not experienced this ourselves?

It is easy for us to turn our backs on such situations. They are painful. Love does not turn its back on such a situation but rather recognizes its responsibility before God and works toward reconciliation and edification. Both are necessary. It is not enough to bury the hatchet but rather we must work to build up that one, with whom we have fought. One identifying characteristic of true forgiveness is the desire to do what is best for that person you are trying to forgive.

Is that not what Paul is doing here? This church has had a history of tolerating sexual immorality and other types of extreme living. Some had openly repented but others had yet to do so. They were not currently living that life style but had not repudiated it. We do not know why. Perhaps they were making excuses for their past behavior. It could be that the false teachers were making excuses for these people. Paul reminds them though that there are no excuses for sin and they need to repent. Paul, why confront these people. Those sins are in the past. Paul’s answer would be this, I love them also and I am going to do whatever I can to bring them to repentance even if the price is deep grief. Why does he do this? Because he is accountable before God.

b. We are empowered by Christ to maintain this love (13:1-4). To knowingly go into a situation with both guns blazing would be easy. To maintain your love for people when you are the focus of their attacks and your message is one that they do not want to hear is quite another. There is really only one way to maintain your love for people with whom you are in conflict, through the power that comes through Christ. Certainly, we should follow Christ’s example but what Paul is teaching here is more. He is speaking of the resurrection power of Christ working in our weakness, strengthening us, enabling us to love those who do not love us, who spread lies about us, who withdraw from us, who continue to make excuses for their behavior. Just as Jesus suffered and died in weakness to save the world from sin, God wants us to suffer in weakness so that he can empower us to help us to love and forgive and edify our brothers and sisters in Christ.

c. We will undertake immediate, specific action when we truly love (13:7-10). We have already seen what Paul plans on his arrival but like a true parent, he does not wait until his arrival. Already we find him praying and writing. Now God may or may not allow you to sit down and write a letter, although that certainly is something you could consider but there is every reason in the world why you should be active in praying for your brothers and sisters in Christ, whether you have a problem with them or not.

First, pray that God would keep them from sin. Everyone of us is surrounded by temptations and everyday some of us are in such danger that we need the protection of God to keep us from evil. Pray that God would keep husbands and wives faithful and our young people pure. Pray that God would keep our business men honest. Pray that God would keep our people from gossip and evil speaking. Pray for them by name. Pray for them by sin. Pray for them by families. Pray for them. Protect them with your prayers.

Secondly, pray for their spiritual preparation. To be complete means to be trained, ready for battle, ready for the game, to have learned the discipline necessary to stand firm when the body gets tired, to be prepared. Pray for new believers, pray for believing teens and children, pray for believers moved by God to serve the Lord fulltime, pray for your pastor, pray for the advisory board, pray for each teacher, each officer, pray for those who have yet to undertake service for God because they do not feel prepared.

d. We have God’s presence when we maintain our love for each other (13:11-14). If we do this, then we will have God’s presence. Worship music does not bring God’s presence. Even prayer itself does not bring God’s presence. When God’s people, however, are at peace with one another, when they are of one mind and one accord, then, we can rest assured that God is with us, whether we feel him or not. When we fuss and fight with each other, when we gossip and backstab, when we puff ourselves up before others, God leaves, I think in much the same way he left Samson. Delilah cut off his hair and Samson woke up and did not even notice that the Spirit of God was gone. When we do not love each other as we should we are like Samson. We still have the muscles and the know how to use them but the strength is gone.

2. When our love is unfit, we should examine our faith (13:5-6). I come to these verses last because they hold up a serious warning. If we, like some of the Corinthians are lacking in love, we need to pay attention and examine our faith. Why? Because faith and love go together. If love is missing, then something is wrong with your faith. Either you do not have true faith in Christ or you need to strengthen that faith that is in you turning to the power of Christ that is in you to empower you to love others and to quit the sins of contentions and whisperings and unforgiveness.

Some of you may be asking yourself, how do I know if I am truly in the faith. Are you trusting Jesus, His crucifixion in weakness and His bodily resurrection from the dead by the power of God for forgiveness of sins. It is only through Him that we can be forgiven. Trust Him today and enter His service and His family for all eternity.

NEXT WEEK: JESUS, THE SERVANT (Isaiah 42)

Boldness and Humility in Spiritual Warfare (2 Corinthians 10) February 15, 2009

Posted by roberttalley in Body of Christ, Boldness, Humililty, Religion, Second Corinthians, Sermons, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Leadership, Spiritual Warfare.
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BOLDNESS AND HUMILITY IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE

(2 Corinthians 10:1-16)

INTRODUCTION: I remember the first time that I lost sleep because of the ministry. I felt like we had been dropped into the middle of a boiling pot of water with no way out. I had no answers. In fact, the situation over which I lost sleep that night continued for over two years and I never had any answers. I remember how that first night, my wife and I talked over the situation and talked over the situation and how that I looked into the pitch dark of our bedroom with not a sound stirring in the rural area where we lived at the time wondering, fretting, asking God what to do and not getting any advice from Him that I found useful.

It is good to know that others have been where we were at that night and not only survived but were victorious in their battle against Satan. We are going to look at one of those victors in battle, the Apostle Paul, for the next few weeks. I trust that his example will serve for each one of us as a wake up call to what serving Christ means.

There are many aspects to spiritual warfare but I would like for us to look at the attitudes that are necessary for successful spiritual warfare: boldness and humility.

I. Boldness is necessary to assault spiritual disobedience (verses 2-6). Perhaps this goes without saying but boldness is a necessary attitude of warfare of any kind. Paul is careful, however, to define the battle so that we can understand the reason for his boldness.

A. The battle is not personal (verses 2-3). Notice, I did not say physical or mental or emotional. There are definitely physical elements to spiritual warfare. In 2 Corinthians 7:5 Paul mentions his arrival in Macedonia, an area north and east of Achaia, the province where Corinth was located. He makes it clear that he was totally affected by the spiritual warfare in which he found himself. It seems likely that, at the time this verse talks about, Paul was clinically depressed. He was in a rough state of affairs.

We tend to view those who take medicine for depression as second-class Christians. Now I am sure that there are times when medicine would be unnecessary if people dealt with their spiritual needs properly. Let us not forget, though, that there is no shame in being troubled and there is also no shame in being physically affected by those troubles. James reminds us that Elijah was a man subject to the same troubles that we are. Our Lord Himself went through extreme physical and emotional weakness so that He might sympathize with our weakness.

This battle then is physical and emotional as well as spiritual but it is not personal. For that reason, spiritual victory is not dependent on an outward show of boldness.

Paul had a few enemies in Corinth who were accusing him, among other things, of being a wimp. They said, “Sure, he can write a mean letter but when he shows up, we will just walk all over him.” Paul admits in verse one that there is some truth to this accusation. He has a tendency to be strong with the pen and weak in presence. Paul says, however, that does not matter. This battle is not about me. It is not about my style, my abilities, or my methods.

If ever there was a lesson we need to learn, it is this one. How many times have we heard people say, if we could just get the right music style, the right atmosphere in the church service, we could see things happen. These things are important but they do not win spiritual battles. Others say, if we could just have some miracles for people to see or a powerful preacher or an excellent training program, then we could move our community for God. All of these things are fine and have there place but they do not win spiritual battles. Others say, if we could learn to pray like David Brainerd, sing like the Wesleys, preach like Luther, serve like Mother Teresa, organize like Billy Graham, and survey like Bill Hybels, we could have revival, we could win spiritual battles. Revival, however, does not depend on us, it does not depend on our methods, nor does it depend on our style of ministry. Spiritual warfare is not personal.

B. What is this spiritual warfare of which Paul speaks? This war is a spiritual assault with the Christ’s gospel against the stronghold’s of disobedience, the unbeliever and his or her way of thinking (verses 4-6).

In these verses, Paul mentions the goal of our battle (verses 4b-5), tearing down spiritual strongholds and bringing others to Christ. He does not, however, mention what our weapons might be. He simply says (in verse 4a) that our weapons are mighty in God. Paul is not saying that his weapons are superior but rather that his God is superior. Our weapons are mighty in God. Whatever the form that our earthly weapons may take, they are mighty in God (see Mark 14:36). In other words, spiritual warfare is dependent on God. Our warfare is only possible, our weapons are only effective if God is the might behind them. When we pray, if we are effective, it is of God. When we preach and teach, if we are effective, it is of God.

This is basic but we stray too easily from this truth. Paul said, my effectiveness is not dependent on me but on Christ (see also 2 Corinthians 2:14-16). George Morrison once preached, “Men who do their best always do more, though they be haunted by the sense of failure. Be good and true; be patient; be undaunted. Leave your usefulness to God to estimate. He will see to it that you do not live in vain.” We cannot evaluate our usefulness by the response of the world to our personality. Only God can evaluate our usefulness.

II. The second attitude that Paul found necessary seems to be the opposite of boldness. It is humility. Humility, however, is necessary to edify the body of Christ (verses 7-11).

A. Edification is for one’s own army not the enemy (verses 7-9). It is through edification that we are able to as an army rather than as individuals attack the spiritual stronghold’s. That is in some way or another, one of the main themes of almost all of Paul’s epistles. Jesus put it this way, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not stand against it.”

Paul intended to spiritually assault those teachings and those teachers who were preaching a false gospel. Paul speaks in verse 6 of punishing, literally, of taking vengeance on those who preach a different gospel. For those, however, who are Christ’s, that is, those who put their faith and trust in Christ, his goal is different. He is not interested in their destruction (verse 8b), he is not interested in pulling down their defenses. That is reserved for the enemy. Paul’s goal for his fellow-believers is not pulling down but building up.

In this Paul is following the example of Christ. Matthew 11:28-29 describes these characteristics in Jesus Christ, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Jesus did not find it shameful to reach out to us as sinners but rather humbled Himself, made Himself lowly in order to save us. Paul says, my ministry is modeled after Christ. I am not ashamed to humble myself nor am I ashamed to boast. My goal is you edification.

B. God gives us authority to edify with humility one another (verses 8-11). “Why, Paul, do you humble yourself this way? You are an apostle! Why allow these people to treat you this way?” Paul might would answer, because my authority as an apostle is to build up the body and not to pull it down.

It would be easy for us to say at this point, “Sure, that is good for Paul but I have no authority, I have no responsibility, I have no ability to edify my brothers and sisters in Christ!” Let us see what the Scripture says.

Twice in Romans 14-15, Paul commands believers to get along with their brothers in the area of doubtful things so that we might edify one another.

Four times in 1 Corinthians 14, Paul says let edification be the determining factor as to whether you use your spiritual gift or not. If your spiritual gift does not build believers up, then leave it at home.

Three times in Ephesians, Paul points out that the purpose of the church, of this church, and how we relate to one another, is that we might edify one another. You and I as believers are commanded to edify one another and this edification is necessary if we are going to grow in Christ. It is not just for the pastor or the teachers or the advisory board or the adults but everyone of us is responsible to build one another up in Christ.

III. Now boldness and humility come from the same source, the ministry of Christ’s gospel (verse 12-18, especially verses 17-18).

A. These spiritual traits do not come from our moral example (verse 12). This is really a repetition of what Paul wrote earlier but Paul wants to remind them that he is not his own standard. He is held to the standard of God. Those who spend their time setting themselves up as spiritual standards are fools. Certainly Paul set himself up as an example but not in the same way as these false teachers did. He said it this way in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” The danger of keeping rules is not that you may be too strict. The danger of setting yourself up as a moral example and standard is not that you might not reach your own standard. The danger of setting yourself up is that by doing so you miss the truth. Why do good, moral people go to hell? Because they do not understand that Jesus Christ is the standard. They are looking for ways to outweigh what is bad in their life. Jesus has an empty scale on the bad side of the scale. But when we make Christ our source of righteousness we have the source we need for boldness and humility in spiritual warfare (verses 14-15a). Why could Paul boast? He had the gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16).

B. The goal of our boldness and humility, of pulling down the enemy and building up the brethren is the expansion of Christ’s gospel (verses 13-16).

You might ask, if Paul has all this boldness and humility from God, why does he keep laboring with these Corinthian believers. Are they not more trouble than they are worth? Paul would answer, “No, they are part of the goal, the boundaries, the sphere of work that God has set up for me.”

The goal of the body of Christ’s faithfulness, that is, Christian growth is the expansion of the gospel. Verse 15 shows us how this should work.

Opportunities are lost when we do not grow in faithfulness to Christ. Paul had been forced to give so much time to issues in Corinth he had not been able to enter some open doors. In 2 Corinthians 2:12-13, he describes how the necessity of sending Titus to Corinth combined with his own emotional state prevented him from entering the open door in Troas. Even Paul could not go it alone but needed the aid and assistance of the body of Christ to be effective in the ministry of the gospel.

That may seem like a contradiction. Are we not dependent on God and not on man? The answer is yes. Let us not forget though that one of the main tools God uses is His church. We are His army responsible to pull down strongholds of disobedience. We are His body responsible to build one another up in mutual growth in Christ.

NEXT WEEK: THE FACE OF THE ENEMY (2 Corinthians 11:1-15)

“Lord, Where Are You Going?” A sermon appropriate for Ascension Day January 18, 2009

Posted by roberttalley in Ascension, Body of Christ, John's Gospel, Messiah, Peter the Apostle, Religion, Sermons.
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“LORD, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?”

John 13:31-38

It is a cool spring night. The fall before during the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus openly proclaimed that He was going away (John 7:33). Now this was a strange statement for someone who claimed to be the Messiah, for someone who is going to overthrow the Roman oppressors and sit on the throne of David. John 7:35-36 tells us how that they speculated that Jesus would go out among the Jews dispersed throughout the Roman empire and begin to teach the heathen.

The disciples were not much better. When Jesus again said, I am going away, Peter’s question was simple, “Lord, where are you going?”

I. Jesus had said, “I am going to be glorified” (verses 31-32).

A. Jesus glorified the Father in His crucifixion (verse 31b-32a). Just a few days before in John 12:27-33, Jesus explained that through His death, the Father would be glorified. We sometimes sing a song to the effect that we were in the mind of Christ when He died on the cross but ultimately Jesus Christ died so that the Father would be glorified. God hates sin and, as we heard last week in Sunday School, God hates sinners but He sent His Son to die for those sinners so that He might be glorified. What most honors God, more than all the acts of creation or judgment or benevolence put together is that His Son came to die that sinners might be made righteous. That is how that Jesus glorified the Father and, I might add, that is also the beginning of the glorification of Jesus, the Son of God by the Father (John 17:1-4).

B. As wonderful as the glory of the cross is, that is not the main point that Jesus is making here when He says, “I am going away.” It is a necessary part of His future glory but this glory is beyond the cross, beyond even the resurrection. The Father glorified the Son in His ascension into heaven, that is, in His exaltation to the throne of God. (verses 31a and 31b).

Peter did not really understand what Jesus was talking about and that is why he asked, “Lord, where are you going?” Fifty days later, Peter made it very clear that he understood what it was that Jesus meant. In Acts 2:33-36, Peter explains in detail how that the Father glorified Jesus Christ.

C. This double glorification is necessary for our eternal salvation (John 17:1-5 and 1 Peter 1:17-21).

II. Jesus is going soon and will not be found or followed (verses 32b-33, 36-37). The word “seek” here is an important word. It means more than wondering where something is at and looking around to see if you can find it. Desire is implied here. You see, as Wesley put it in the Christmas carol, “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” Jesus is the “Desire of the nations.” He is the Messiah. Even those who rejected Him, who crucified Him, they also desired Him, they also sought Him, but they did not recognize Him as the one for whom they were seeking.

A. This statement had immediate emotional impact (verses 36-37, John 14:1). It caused Peter to ask questions. It troubled them. The one whom they had sought, whom they had desired, had come. He had called them and they had followed Him. They recognized Him as the Messiah. They knew that He was the Sent One, the Son of God. And now He is going and refuses to tell them where He is going. This was very hard for them to accept. In fact, Peter says, Lord, you can take me. I’ll go. If it cost me my life, I will go. These are questions of deep, troubled emotion. This is not an intellectual exercise.

B. This statement had eternal implications (Compare John 8:21 with John 13:36). This is where the main difference between the rulers of the Jews and the disciples is to be found. Jesus told both groups that they would seek Him, that they would desire Him. The rulers of the Jews, He said, would seek Him, that is, would seek the Messiah, but that they would die in their sin and would not be able to come to where Jesus is. The disciples also would seek Jesus and would not at first be able to follow Jesus Christ but they would in the future be able to follow. Why? Because they recognized Jesus as the Messiah, the Christ, the Sent One, the Son of God.

III. Jesus has left us with an important command to obey while He is gone (John 13:34-35, 37-38).

A. This command is new…

…in that it had not been obeyed (Compare verses 34-35 with 1 John 2:7-11). The command to love your neighbor, to love your brother is part of the key command of the Old Testament law – Leviticus 19:18. but it had been ignored. When Jesus came along and He began to preach and practice love for one another, it was received as radical and new, not because it was not known but because it was not often previously practiced and in the religious leadership of that day was hardly practiced at all.

B. Obedience to this commandment is modeled for us by Jesus Christ (verse 34b). This command is not only new because it had not been obeyed previously but also because it had finally the perfect model, Jesus Christ. Now we already have earlier in this chapter an illustration of this love through the washing of the disciples’ feet by Jesus Christ (see especially verses 14-15). We understand that to love one another demands that we submit ourselves as slaves to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

There is, however, another point about the washing of their feet that illustrates for us how we are to love each other. Not only does it involve humbling ourselves before one another but also involves honoring the one who we are serving. Not everyone had their feet washed in that day. No one ever washed a slave’s feet. He washed feet but there was no one to wash his. The washing of feet was reserved for the honored guests of the house. In other words, if I am going to love you as Christ has loved me, not only must I humble myself to the servant’s position but I must also exalt you to the honored position.

Almost every time when I preach a strong sermon on the necessity of loving one another, not just in this church, but throughout my ministry, someone asks me how? Again, we know what it means to love one another, to humble ourselves and to exalt one another. What we do not recognize is how to do this. A few minutes after Jesus spoke to words of John 13:34, He returned to this theme in John 15:12. John 15:9-10 tells us how we can love one another as Jesus loves us. We must abide in His love as He abides in the Father’s love. John 15:5 points out that unless we abide in Christ, we are powerless. That includes especially our love for one another. Are there practical things that you can do? Yes. Ephesians 4 gives us a whole list of practical ways to love one another. It begins though with Christ enabling us. Without Christ’s help, we cannot love one another and to the extent that I do not love my brother and sister in Christ is the proof that I am not abiding in Christ as I should.

C. To ignore this commandment is to set ourselves up for a spiritual trap (Compare verses 37-38 with John 21:15-17). Peter is an excellent example of someone who followed Christ but had problems loving his brothers, his fellow disciples. We find in John 13 that he still must learn to obey this commandment. Is He a believer? Yes. Is he abiding in Christ as he should? Absolutely not. Here is a man who is more concerned about proving his loyalty and his usefulness to Christ than exalting his fellow disciples above himself. Peter paid a price for his powerlessness to love. He fell into the trap of Satan. He denied Christ. Not once. Not twice but rather three times.

When you look at John 21:15-17 and remember the events and the words of both Peter and Jesus in the upper room, we find that Jesus visited one last time this theme of love for Christ and for His people before He ascended to heaven.

“Peter,” he said. “Do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord! I love you.”

“Peter, if you love me, follow my example, feed my sheep. The good shepherd gives his life for his sheep. Greater love has no man than this, that he should lay down his life for his friends. Peter, give your life for my sheep, for your brethren. If you do that, then people will know that you are my disciple.

Peter was willing to show his loyalty through death. Jesus wanted to world to see Peter’s loyalty through his life, specifically, through his love for his fellow believers.

In 1 Peter 2:22, after that Jesus described the glorification of Jesus Christ by the Father, Peter follows Jesus pattern and commands the believers to love one another. Peter learned his lesson well. Although it took a little time, he came to the point where he understood the connection between his salvation and his relationship to his brothers and sisters in Christ. Have you understood that connection and how are you putting it in practice?

NEXT WEEK: “LORD, HOW CAN WE KNOW THE WAY?” from John 14:1-7

The Joy of the Lord is our Motivation. It Produces an Attitude of Willingness. September 16, 2007

Posted by roberttalley in Body of Christ, Joy, Prayer, Religion, Second Corinthians, Sermons, Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Growth, Stewardship, Tithing.
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THE ABUNDANCE OF WILLINGNESS IN GIVING

II Corinthians 8:3-4

Last week we looked at the part that joy plays in motivating our giving. This week we want to look at the attitude that joy produces in our giving. Joy produces willingness.

“GRACE” AND “GIFT” SYNONYMOUS IN THIS CHAPTER

Before we look at willingness, I want to explain something about the words “grace” and “gift.” The translation in our pew Bible (NKJV) takes the same word and when it refers to God’s work translates it “grace” and when it refers to the Macedonians’ work translates it “gift.” In other words they gave (i.e., graced) just as God had given (had graced) to them (compare verses 1 and 4).

What we do and what God does should not be all that different. He freely gives. We should freely give. As we saw last week, He is motivated by joy and we are to be motivated by joy also. The primary difference between God’s giving and our giving is our ability. God’s ability to give is limitless. Our ability is not. There is no one who has limitless resources. We cannot give as God gives in that sense. How then are we to give?

It is expected that we give (or “grace”) to others according to our ability (verse 3a). Now I am using the word “expected” here instead of “commanded” because Paul was careful not to use that type of phraseology but he does go to great lengths to set down some principles here by which we can live.

WHY TITHE?

The greatest argument there is for tithing is proportional giving. You give according to what you have. People argue about whether you give according to your net or gross. They ask do you tithe on social security and retirement if you have already tithed on that money when you first earned it. It is interesting that the principle here is not complicated but simple. If you have, then give according to what you have. If I have a dollar and you have ten cents, naturally I should be giving more than you give because I have much more. Certainly, other factors play into the matter and we will speak of those but the principle is clear, give according to what you have. When I get more, I should give more. I don’t need to pray about it. I don’t need to think about it. I give, motivated by the joy of the Lord, out of what I have.

THE ATTITUDE MUST BE CORRECT.

This is only acceptable if you have a willing mind (verse 12). Now what does Paul mean? Look back a couple of chapters to 2 Corinthians 6:2. Paul is talking in this verse about the day of salvation. “Behold, now is the accepted time.” Is salvation a good thing? Absolutely! It is a very good thing. If you want your giving to be a very good thing, it must come from a willing mind. Not from a mind that is seeking God’s blessing and grace but from a mind that is willing because it is motivated by the joy that comes from God’s grace. Paul has nothing against fairness. He talks about that in the next few verses but what makes tithing acceptable and well pleasing to God is not the percentage point but the willing mind. That is, of course, why many people do not tithe. Their mind is not willing. If you want me to do something that I am not willing to do, I can usually find some excuse not to do it. If I am willing then it is not a problem. I must have an attitude of willingness. Where do I get this attitude of willingness? It is motivated by joy in the grace/gift of God.

I’ll never forget one night as a kid with my dad in Shelbyville, Tennessee. We were listening to a big name preacher on the subject of the judgment seat of Christ. The preacher made the statement, “If God gets your pocketbook, He’ll have you.” On the way home, my dad made a statement that I will never forget. Now my dad believed and believes in tithing. In fact, I remember him preaching from the Old Testament that you skipped giving the tithe, you should give another twenty percent. He believed in giving but he said to me on the way home, “Robert, that preacher got it backwards. It is not, “If God gets your pocketbook, He’ll have you.’ If God has you, He will have your pocketbook.” As I grow in the Lord, I understand better and better what my dad was saying. What I give is only acceptable if I have a willing mind, a mind motivated by the joy of the Lord.

psst!!! I WON’T USE THE WORD “SACRIFICE” BUT THAT IS WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT BELOW

Willingness gives (graces) above its ability (verse 3b). This is what I mean by an abundance of willingness, an overflow of willingness. These were “gung-ho” givers. Just as God’s grace overflowed to them and the joy that comes from experiencing God’s grace overflowed to them so also did their willingness to give overflow. Obviously, you cannot actually give beyond your ability, above what is in your power. You cannot give what you do not have but these people were sitting on ready and the minute God gave to them they were ready to give it out. These were people who had nothing but their main concern was not what they had but God’s grace and joy in Christ and how they could show that grace through giving.

Paul then speaks to the Corinthians about their willingness in verses 10-11. He says a year ago you were ready, you were willing to give. Now it is time to put your money where your mouth was. It is after all to your advantage. If you give willingly, if you sit on ready to give, your giving will be well-accepted by God.

NOT JUST ABOUT MONEY

Again, I want to make the point that this applies to more than just giving. In verses 16-17 of this chapter we find that Titus was of his own free will ready to assist the Corinthians, not because it was an important mission but because of his care and his concern for the Corinthians. He was zealous, he was eager, he was “gung ho” in his readiness to take the offering because he cared for the church in Corinth. An abundance of willingness will not only make you willing to give financially but will make you willing to pour your life into the lives of other people. Often, we are not ready to pour our lives into others, we do not have this attitude of willingness.

MAINTAINING WILLINGNESS

We find this attitude of willingness difficult to maintain but maintain it we must. This is not a new problem. Remember when Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemane to pray and he took some of his disciples with him. He went a little way from his disciples and when he returned he found them asleep and he said to the “Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation, for the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” This tips us off to why we are sometimes not willing to give and to help. We are not watching and praying. We are not evaluating and examining the situation and we are not bringing to God our concerns about the situation. You want to be more willing to serve God? Let yourself be motivated by joy (as we talked about last week) and let yourselves be strengthened by watchfulness and prayer. You must purposefully pay attention to your life in watchfulness and you must be going to God in prayer for yourself and for others. I understand that prayer meeting has at least in my lifetime been the least popular of worship meetings that we have. I understand that there is not a lot of motivation for people to get together and pray but if you want a motivation, this is it. God will strengthen you and make you more willing to give and to serve and to sing and to resist sin if you pray.

The abundance of willingness not only applies to giving and to caring for other believers and to resisting sin but it also applies to giving out the gospel. Paul was a ready Christian. He wrote in Romans 1:15, I am now ready to preach the gospel in Rome. He had often been hindered from going there but he was ready the moment God gave him the opportunity to rush in and give the gospel. There are a lot of hindrances to giving the gospel in the workplace and in the family and in the community but what God wants to see is a readiness to give out the gospel when the opportunity is there. That is where the abundance of willingness helps, in that we see the opportunities God gives us and we pounce on them and use them to give out the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The abundance of willingness also applies to how we receive and react to the gospel. Even at the time of salvation, we see that some of these people were blessed with an abundance of willingness. In Acts 17, the people of Berea were presented by Paul and Silas and Timothy with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Verse 11 says that they received the word with a readiness of mind. When you read the Word of God, do you have a readiness to search the Scriptures and respond to them? Do you come to church planning to respond to the message? During the congregational singing, do you come planning to respond to the musical message or are you a spectator?

WILLING CHURCHES

Willingness demands, implores, begs for the opportunity to give to (to grace) and to commune (to fellowship) with others by serving (deaconing) them (verse 4).

We call ourselves “Fellowship” Bible Church. That word is found twenty times in the New Testament and five of those times it talks about an offering and four of those times it refers to the churches in Macedonia. These people had determined that they were partners with the church in Jerusalem and they were going to help them, they were going to commune with them through a financial gift. We use the term fellowship to mean sharing a good time with each other but how many times do we think of the offering as a show of our fellowship with other believers in Christ. These people not only thought of the offering as a vital method of fellowship but begged to be able to participate with the other churches in it. Yes, fellowship has an emotional aspect and it has a spiritual aspect but it also has a very practical aspect. If we give as He gave to us we will fellowship with other believers through sharing with them what we have.

We were discussing on Wednesday night the meaning of fellowship and how to explain it to teenagers. The youth workers came up with the term friendship. I like that. There is another word that describes fellowship. It is “partnership”. Do you know why we have church membership? Because we are partners together. This partnership we have in Christ, in this local church is a willing partnership and should be motivated by the joy of the Lord.

WILLINGNESS PRODUCES SERVANTS.

This willingness not only produces fellowship in sharing with other believers but it also produces servants. The word here is where we get our concept of deacons. How would you all like to be deacons? Serve through giving. I want you to notice two quick things about service. In this verse (8:4) we find we do not serve alone but in fellowship with and for other believers. Service in the body of Christ is not a single person serving but the whole body serving. You may be serving in just one particular way but like a body, every move you make is in conjunction with God working in the hearts and lives of others. Secondly, in 9:12-13 we see that service through sharing not only meets needs but results in true thanksgiving. Do you want to be thankful? Learn to share! Learn to give! Learn to serve! Learn to deacon as a church not individually but as the body of Christ.

CONCLUSION: Did you come to church this morning with a willing mind? Are you willing to respond to God’s message? Perhaps God spoke to you about one of these matters. You need to respond. Today. Not to me but to God. Will you purpose in your heart to respond in that area with which He is dealing. Perhaps you need to start giving financially more or out of a different motivation. Maybe you need to pour your lives into others in a more consistent or in a more sacrificial way. Do you need a willingness to witness of the gospel of Christ? Are you holding back fellowshiping with God’s people? Some of you need to find a church to which you are willing to commit yourself in partnership, a church that you are willing to join as a servant of your Head, Jesus Christ. There are other areas. These are the ones most obviously spoken to by the Bible but there are many areas. Are you willing to do what God wants you to do? Remember, willingness comes from the joy that God’s grace gives us and is maintained by watchfulness and prayer. If you have been watching during this sermon, evaluating yourself, then what you need to do now is fall before God in prayer.

The Bereans were willing to respond to the gospel of God and because of that response they are in the presence of God right now. That is the only hope of salvation, responding in faith to the message of Jesus Christ. Are you willing to respond to the truth? If you have a willing mind, you will find that God will accept you through faith in Jesus Christ. He will save you today, if you are ready to respond. Respond to Christ Jesus in faith today!

Hobby-horse time! Is the local church important? With links… September 1, 2007

Posted by roberttalley in Body of Christ, Church Membership, Religion, Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Growth.
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What does a pastor do when a subject upsets him? Sometimes he rants about it in his sermon preparation and then deletes the paragraph from the sermon manuscript.

Seriously, the subject is not easy to deal with and the practical problems of formal church membership against informal church membership are not all addressed directly in Scriptures. Below are some links attempting to do so. I’ve followed that with a rant that was deleted from the sermon because I recognized it as a rant and not pertinent to the text that I am preaching from this Sunday.

From Grace Church

Again from Grace Church

From Fundamentally Reformed

Again from Fundamentally Reformed

Earlier Link Categorized under the Body of Christ This link should have been catogorized under Church Membership. Other good categories are Spiritual Growth and Spiritual Disciplines. If church attendance, membership, etc. are viewed from this light, it makes a difference in one’s attitude toward the subject. There is a lack of evidence of formal church membership in the New Testament. There is overwhelming evidence for the necessity of Christian fellowship (church body life) in bringing someone to maturity in Christ. That is the point of the rant below. I would also include Ephesians 4-5 as strong evidence of the importance of involvement in the local church as a spiritual discipline leading to spiritual growth. We are to grow together and not just as individuals. Thus the practical demand for a membership commitment.

THE RANT

The command to turn to Jesus is mentioned in a number of contexts in the book of Hebrews but two of these are somewhat unique. We find them in 3:12-13; 10:23-25. Both command the people in the church to exhort each other. In the first passage it says daily that we need to exhort each other in the faith in Jesus Christ. In the second passage it says that we are to assemble ourselves together as often as possible so that we can exhort and encourage each other in the doctrine and in the love of Jesus Christ.

It is fashionable nowadays to consider church membership and church attendance as legalistic. Certainly, wrongly emphasized it can be but I am afraid that we have lost my generation and the generations younger than me to the world because Christ was not important enough for us to gather together and to exhort and to encourage each other. We have trouble making time for the fellowship of the body with the church because we have been deceived into thinking it does not really matter. We have all kinds of excuses but when all is said and done, too many things are more important to us than getting together with God’s people for prayer, Bible study, fellowship, worship, service.

Psalm 1 and 2 (the baptism links are thrown in for fun) August 11, 2007

Posted by roberttalley in Baptism, Body of Christ, Church Membership, Messiah, OT Preaching, Personalities, Psalms, Religion, Systematic Theology.
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For those who have missed the last two Wednesday nights, here is a little something that you might enjoy. Randy McKinion discusses the connection between Psalm 1 and Psalm 2. Come on Wednesday night, we’re studying Psalm 3

Here is an interesting series of exchanges on believer’s baptism and church membership. (HT: Justin Taylor and Adrian Warnock)

http://theologica.blogspot.com/2007/08/grudems-change-of-mind-regarding.html

http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/757_response_to_grudem_on_baptism_and_church_membership/

http://theologica.blogspot.com/2007/08/grudem-response-to-piper.html

How important is it that members be baptized believers? How important is it that teachers in the church be members? Should baptism be a requirement for church membership? How do we define the fellowship of local church? The practical application of these and other questions are discussed in the exchange. (By the way, I tend to agree with Grudem.)

A Sermon from Ray Pritchard to Prepare us for the Lord’s Table July 31, 2007

Posted by roberttalley in Body of Christ, Character, Communion, First Corinthians, Forgiveness, Judgment, Lord's Table, Repentance, Sermons, Spiritual Disciplines, Worship.
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“Unworthy”

What to do when you are in doubt about an issue? July 29, 2007

Posted by roberttalley in Body of Christ, Character, Christian Liberty, Judgment Seat of Christ, Romans, Sermons, Spiritual Emotions, Teamwork.
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Back from vacation…I’m interrupting the Sunday morning series on God’s Word to deal with an important issue.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE IN DOUBT

Romans 14:1-15:7

INTRODUCTION: When Christ died for us, He saved us from our sin and gave us a new nature. That is what Romans 1-8 is all about. In Romans 12-16, Paul describes how that new nature is to be lived out. Living God’s love out in your life affects every area in your life including those issues where the Bible does not clear up every doubt that you might have about that issue. That is the subject of chapter 14 and the first part of chapter 15.

BEGINNING WITH THE END

Paul ends his instructions on doubtful issues with the instructions to receive each other in this area of doubtful issues just as Christ has received us. This is the general principle that we are to apply when someone disagrees with us over a doubtful issue.

It is important at this juncture to define what a doubtful issue is. A doubtful issue is any issue in which I am convinced in my mind that there is freedom but that other believers with whom I have close contact feel there is not this same freedom.

OKAY, GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE.

We have two examples in this passage.

Romans 14:2 mentions that some believe that all things edible are lawful, but others for spiritual reasons eat only vegetables.

Romans 14:5 mentions that some believe that all days are the same, but others for spiritual reasons observe some days as being holy.

There are a lot of these types of issues.

Some believe drinking alcoholic beverages in moderation is lawful, but others for spiritual reasons practice total abstinence.
Some believe that Sunday is no different than any other day of the week, but others for spiritual reasons observe Sunday as the “Christian Sabbath”.
Some believe that each Christian should vote his conscience; others for spiritual reasons prefer to vote either Republican or Democrat or perhaps even not at all.
Some believe that corporate prayer in a small group is relatively unimportant, others find it to be a necessity for our spiritual growth and fellowship.
Some believe that all types of music can be used for the glory of God in public worship, others believe that we should limit our worship music to a relatively small selection of types.
Some believe that the mode of baptism is unimportant, others feel for spiritual reasons we should practice baptism by immersion only.
Some believe that there is freedom in how we educate our children, others believe that only public schools or Christian schools or home schools are legitimate methods of education.
Some believe that holidays like Halloween or the pagan practices that have been integrated into our Christmas and Easter celebrations are harmless, others believe that they are dangerous to one degree or another.
Some believe that there is some freedom in the matter of divorce and remarriage, others believe that divorce and remarriage are forbidden in every case no matter the circumstances.

These are all issues that in our fellowship have been discussed at one time or another during the past two years. These are all issues over which good Christians disagree. There is debate as to what the Bible teaches in these areas. In the minds of some there is doubt as to that the Bible teaches in these areas.

AN ISSUE TO WHICH THERE IS NO DOUBT

As we have seen already, there is no doubt as to how we are to treat the opposing side. We are to receive each other in this area of doubtful issues just as Christ has received us.

How did Christ receive us (15:7)? The word implies hospitality, to be welcomed as a friend. When we receive Christ as Savior we are received as honored friends into His kingdom and that is how we are to treat those who disagree with us in these issues over which there is doubt. We find this same word used twice in 14:1-3. There are two things that are important to understand from these two verses.

SO HOW DOES THIS WORK?

Verse 1 gives us the practical application of these principles. If you have a broader understanding of Scriptures than those who are on the other side of the issue, receive them, welcome them as honored friends. Don’t debate them (verse 1). Don’t despise them or hold them in contempt (verses 3 and 10). Do not grieve and destroy your brother or sister in Christ (verse 15). Don’t dissolve the work of God (verse 20). Don’t cause them to stumble (verse 21).

OBJECTION #1

Does that not make us a slave of those who disagree with us if we submit or we acknowledge our differences as legitimate differences. Look at verse 18. We are to be slaves in these matters, slaves of Christ. We do that, according to verse 19, by pursuing peace and edification. The word “pursue” is used in other places to mean “persecution”. We are to chase peace and edification like a hound dog trying to tree a ‘coon. This is not passive. This is very, very active. All you have to do to understand this, is to lay in bed at night and listen to a pack of ‘coon dogs in the distance chasing a raccoon or a ‘possum. They get closer and closer and louder and louder and more excited and more excited, that is the way that we are to pursue peace and edification of those with whom we disagree, without debating them but rather, if necessary, submitting to them.

OBJECTION #2 - BUT THAT IS A TERRIBLE BURDEN

You are correct! Not only are we to pursue peace but according to Romans 15:1 we are to bear with the scruples of those with a stricter conscience than ours, not by pleasing ourselves but by pleasing, i.e., accommodating ourselves to the opinions, desires, and interests of others. Paul does not pretend this is easy. The word “bear” implies something burdensome, something heavy, something that is perhaps exhausting to carry. That is why the picture of Jesus pleasing us, accommodating Himself to our interests, bearing our reproach in 15:3 is such a beautiful picture of what we need to do. In the same way that Christ bore our sins for our interest we are to bear the opinions of others for their good and their edification.

OBECTION #3 - HOW ABOUT THEM?

This does bring us to a very thorny problem. What is the responsibility of the person with the stricter conscience? Are those with a less strict conscience at the mercy of those with a stricter conscience?

Romans 14:3b answers this question for us. Just as those with a broader understanding of the issue are not to despise those with a stricter understanding, those with a stricter understanding are not to judge, not to criticize, not to look on them as a criminal or to dispute with them as before a court of law. When they do this, even if they are right in their opinion, they are doing several things…

TAKING THE PLACE OF CHRIST

According to verses 4 and 10-12, the believer with a judgmental attitude has taken the place that belongs only to God. The place of judgment. The place of evaluation. Obviously, the Bible teaches that we can and should evaluate others to see if they are qualified for certain responsibilities or to know if they are believers of the truth or not but it is left to Jesus Christ alone to judge our opinions and how we lived them out. That is not my place and that is not your place.

CHRIST DIED FOR UNITY NOT UNANIMITY

According to verses 8-9, the critical believer has not only taken the place of God but he has attempted to destroy the unity for which Christ died. Christ died to save us from our sin, He died to give us an eternity with Him but He also died to make us one body in Him. He died that we as a body of believers might be united together in Him. Verse 15 warns us not to destroy with our critical attitude, those for whom Christ died. Romans 15:5-6 sums this up for both sides of the issue: “Be like-minded according to Christ.”

THE QUESTION FINALLY ANSWERED

There is a third group that is addressed in chapter 14. First, there are those with a broad understanding of an issue. Then, there are those with a narrow understanding of the issue. Finally, there are those who are not sure where they stand on an issue. There are two commands to this group. These commands apply to all of us but they are especially appropriate for those who are in doubt, those at whom the title of this sermon is directed.

ESTABLISH YOUR CONVICTIONS

Command #1 is given in 14:5—Be fully persuaded in your own mind. Do not let there be a shadow of a doubt about your position. Investigate, try to understand the issue. Paul expands on this concept in verse 14. He says, “I know and am convinced, persuaded, not just by logical arguments but by Jesus Christ that the opinion I hold is right.” He says though, “There are others who are not so convinced and if they are not convinced then they should stay away from the broader position.” Why? Because in verse 20 it is evil, it is bad, for one to partake, to be a participant of something of which their mind is not convinced that it is okay.

DON’T PARTAKE UNTIL YOUR CONVICTIONS ARE ESTABLISHED.

This brings us to the second command. It is implied in verses 22-23. “He who doubts is condemned, is damned if he eats.” If you are not convinced, don’t you dare follow the broader understanding of the issue. That is simple but that is the way that you should look at issues for which you are not convinced in your mind about the truth.

What is certain is that as a believer, whatever my opinion is, I am to fulfill the law of love in everything I do. There is not one area in my life, in which I cannot express the love of Christ. When I give up my rights the way God wants me to give up my rights, when I refuse to criticize and judge and condemn, that is, view others with the attitude God wants me view them, when I honor as a friend those believers, even though they differ with me on various issues, I am showing God’s love in my life. It does not really matter what your position is, if you have the stricter or the broader position or no certain position at all, you are to love your brother as Christ has loved you.

Last year I preached from this same chapter and mentioned a number of issues, many more than I have mentioned this morning that raised the eyebrows of a number of people. One of those was mode of baptism. In that area, I have a stricter conscience than some other believing Christians. I am not talking about liberals but people with solid Christian credentials. I believe they are wrong. The constitution of this church holds them to be wrong. I must follow my conscience but my attitude toward them must be Christian. Perhaps we cannot work together in the same church because of this issue but I am not to judge them, that is Christ’s responsibility.

AN INVITATION TO THE FAMILY OF GOD

We have talked today about some family matters. I trust that you understand that we have a wonderful family and Christ is the head of our family. The only way to become a part of His family is to be received by Him as an honored friend.

The only way to be received by Christ is to understand that you are a sinner. Like a sheep gone astray, your end is doom. You are spiritually condemned by God but Jesus bore your sins in His body on the cross so that you might become righteous, acceptable before God. Jesus paid your sin debt, was condemned, and punished for your sins. When you trust Christ as Savior your debt of sin is paid in full and you are received into the wonderful family of God.

Will you trust Jesus today and be received into His family?

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