"Now you are the body of Christ, and members in particular." (1 Cor. 12:27)
Centuries ago the psalmist said, "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Ps. 139:14). The human body is a marvelous example of unity in diversity. Dozens of organs all performing different functions, yet working together in such harmony that we must make a deliberate effort to think of the human body in any way other than as a unity.
In the church at Corinth some had gifts that others did not have and, as a result, they thought of themselves more highly than they should have. This provoked the less gifted to jealousy. The result was discord and strife among the members. In substance Paul was saying to them, "You do not realize your relationship to one another and to Christ. You are joined to one another and depend on one another just as the members of the body are joined to one another and depend on one another. You are the physical expression and instrument of Christ in this world just as the body is the physical expression and instrument of the mind." "Now you are the body of Christ, and members in particular." (1Cor. 12:27) Several practical suggestions about the church are called out by this text.
1. Each member of the church is different from every other member.
The church has the unity of a living organism. No two parts are alike, and each part carries out a different function for the good of the whole. Some inescapable, practical implications are seen.
A. Every member of Christ's church has some place of service cut out for him or her. Sometimes we wonder about the function of the appendix or the tonsils, but all in all, there are no useless members or organs of the body. They each have a function to perform, and unless they do, the whole body suffers. Likewise, no two members of the church have equal abilities. But every member has a function to perform for the common good. Under the leadership of the Spirit it is each person's privilege and duty to discover what that place is and to fill it.
B. Each member of Christ's church must perform his or her own function in the church. As Paul says, "The eye cannot say to the hand, I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable" (v 21-22). Every pastor has had members of his church say to him, "All I can do is just go to church and just sit there." The majority of those who say something like this could do more if they wanted to. If every member of every church would only fill his or her place of service, what a difference it would make!
C. No place of service is so low as to be despised or looked down on, and no place is so high that it justifies conceit on the part of the one filling it. Some members at Corinth were discouraged. Their attitude was: "We don't amount to much in the church." Paul said to them, "If the foot should say, "Because I am not the hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body" (v15). Some at Corinth had too high an estimate of their worth. To them Paul said, "The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" (v21). To the Romans Paul was even more specific, "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, But rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each one of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us" (12:3-6).
2. Each member of the church is to be devoted to the best interest of every other member.
Someone has said, "In brute creation it is the stomach that rules the world. "Selfishness rules. The law of the jungle is "Every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost." But in Christ's church the ultimate aim is the well being of one's fellow members and therefore the whole church. Since the church is a living organism, each member is to be devoted to the highest good of every other member.
Paul told the Corinthians, "There should be no division in the body, but...it's parts should have equal concern for each other" (1 Cor. 12:25). He gives two reasons for this:
A." If one part suffers, every part suffers with it" (v 26). When one member is the victim of half-truths or untruths, when any member is the prey of cheap gossip, the church is the loser. When one member falls into sin, all suffer. Sinning on the part of one member of the church is like putting poison in the public water supply. Sooner or later all the members are hurt by it.
B. "If one part is honored, every part rejoices with it" (v26). Since the church is a body, what is for the good of one is for the good of all. Paul urged the Romans, "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves" (12:10). The members of a church are to be devoted to one another to the building up of the body in love. If only we followed that ideal, how different things would be in our churches!
3. Each member of the church is dependent on every other member.
The human body is dependent on the functioning of each individual organ. When one organ is diseased and unable to perform its function properly, the whole body is sick. The proper use of the hands and feet is dependent the health of the nervous system. The welfare of the nervous system is dependent on proper circulation. No part of the body is independent of any other part.
Likewise, no member of the church is independent of any other member in the worship and service of Christ. And no member is the whole of himself; his fellow members complete him. If the church is to grow and move forward, every member must fill his place and perform his function, because every other member is dependent on him!
Consider a serious question: What is the function of the whole body, each member performing his or her individual part? "You are the body of Christ," our text says. What the physical body is to the mind and soul, the church is to Christ--the physical instrument by which He works His will in the world.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
When Religion Gets Sick
And when He had made a scourge of small cords, He drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; And said to them that sold doves, "Take these things from here; make not My Father's house a house of merchandise." (John 2: 15-16)
A famous preacher once asked, "What is worse than having no religion?" Then he paused for a moment and then answered his own question, " Having no religion is bad, but having the wrong kind of religion is even worse." Wayne E. Oates, in a provacative book entitled " When Religion gets Sick," proposed the possibilty of allowing religion to get sick, (just as we see in the the passage above) He concluded that having a sick religion is worse by far than having no religion at all, and I concur.
Jesus was concerned with sick religion as indicated by His driving the moneychangers out of the temple. Much of Judaism had gotten sick, and the Great Physician had come to bring healing. What did Jesus see in the temple that caused such aggressive action?
1. The Lost Sense of Awe and Reverence for God.
A. The Jews had lost the profound sense and reverence for God. Look carefully at what Jesus observed when He visited the temple. Mant Jewish patrons were coming and going. They had little respect for what took place in the temple, namely communion with God. They bought and sold animals, and they exchanged money as if the court of the gentiles was a market place.
God had intended the temple to be a meeting place for human beings and Himself. He had not intended the temple to be a den of thieves. He wanted it to be a place of prayer.
B. Christians often lose their sense of awe and reverence for God. As people go about the routine of Bible study and church attendance, they can lose reverence for God. The Lord, His church, and His book become rather ordinary.
Jesus' anger is aroused when He sees a lost sense of awe and reverence for His Father. Religion can get sick when the sense of wonder of God departs from aperson or a group of people.
2. The Lost Sense of The Cost of Religion.
A. The Jews had lost sight of the cost of serving the Lord. The presentation of the animals in temple sacrifice represented a commitment on the part of worshippers. ( Just as our tithes and offerings still do today.) God wanted the Jews to present the best animals out of their flocks. This would mean that they gave their best to God.
When Jesus walked into the temple, He saw that religion had been made cheap. People were told, " Leave your animals at home and buy one in the temple." Purchasing animals from the temple merchants cheapened the sacrificial system. And this anger the Master.
3. The Lost Sense of the Outsider.
A. The Jews had lost the sense of the Gentiles' need. The place where the moneychangers and merchants did business was in the court of the Gentiles. This was the place within the temple prcinct where Gentiles, outsiders, could come and learn of the Lord. Most of the Jews in Jesus' time were not concerned for the Gentiles. They were concerned for their rituals but not for the mission of being a blessing to the nations that God had given them.
B. Modern Christians can lose the sense of the outsider. The church can easily become an exclusive club with a preoccupation for its membership. Religion gets sick when people turn inward and do not look outward for the sinners.
How is the health of you Christian expression? If you do not mind, let's have a checkup. Is there a great thrill over the greatness and gradeur of God? Or are you taking short cuts? Are you asking for the minimal requirememts? Then, what about your concern for others? Let's keep our religion healthy and groeing.
A famous preacher once asked, "What is worse than having no religion?" Then he paused for a moment and then answered his own question, " Having no religion is bad, but having the wrong kind of religion is even worse." Wayne E. Oates, in a provacative book entitled " When Religion gets Sick," proposed the possibilty of allowing religion to get sick, (just as we see in the the passage above) He concluded that having a sick religion is worse by far than having no religion at all, and I concur.
Jesus was concerned with sick religion as indicated by His driving the moneychangers out of the temple. Much of Judaism had gotten sick, and the Great Physician had come to bring healing. What did Jesus see in the temple that caused such aggressive action?
1. The Lost Sense of Awe and Reverence for God.
A. The Jews had lost the profound sense and reverence for God. Look carefully at what Jesus observed when He visited the temple. Mant Jewish patrons were coming and going. They had little respect for what took place in the temple, namely communion with God. They bought and sold animals, and they exchanged money as if the court of the gentiles was a market place.
God had intended the temple to be a meeting place for human beings and Himself. He had not intended the temple to be a den of thieves. He wanted it to be a place of prayer.
B. Christians often lose their sense of awe and reverence for God. As people go about the routine of Bible study and church attendance, they can lose reverence for God. The Lord, His church, and His book become rather ordinary.
Jesus' anger is aroused when He sees a lost sense of awe and reverence for His Father. Religion can get sick when the sense of wonder of God departs from aperson or a group of people.
2. The Lost Sense of The Cost of Religion.
A. The Jews had lost sight of the cost of serving the Lord. The presentation of the animals in temple sacrifice represented a commitment on the part of worshippers. ( Just as our tithes and offerings still do today.) God wanted the Jews to present the best animals out of their flocks. This would mean that they gave their best to God.
When Jesus walked into the temple, He saw that religion had been made cheap. People were told, " Leave your animals at home and buy one in the temple." Purchasing animals from the temple merchants cheapened the sacrificial system. And this anger the Master.
3. The Lost Sense of the Outsider.
A. The Jews had lost the sense of the Gentiles' need. The place where the moneychangers and merchants did business was in the court of the Gentiles. This was the place within the temple prcinct where Gentiles, outsiders, could come and learn of the Lord. Most of the Jews in Jesus' time were not concerned for the Gentiles. They were concerned for their rituals but not for the mission of being a blessing to the nations that God had given them.
B. Modern Christians can lose the sense of the outsider. The church can easily become an exclusive club with a preoccupation for its membership. Religion gets sick when people turn inward and do not look outward for the sinners.
How is the health of you Christian expression? If you do not mind, let's have a checkup. Is there a great thrill over the greatness and gradeur of God? Or are you taking short cuts? Are you asking for the minimal requirememts? Then, what about your concern for others? Let's keep our religion healthy and groeing.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
The Rich Rewards of Prayer
".....The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." (James 5:16b)
The Bible teaches that those who have the habit of prayer experience rich spiritual blessings in their hearts and lives. Scripture and christian history both testify that those who have served God significantly have been men and women with an earnest prayer life. So lets take a look at some of the rich rewards that come to those who have faith in God that expresses itself in a life of prayer.
1. A Vivid Awareness of the Nearness of God.
" Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." (James 4:8). When the grateful and humble child of God seeks to come into the throne room of the heavenly Father, one of the great benefits that will come to him is a vivid awareness of just how close God really is.
A. Experiencing the nearness of God can be frightfully disturbing for one who has not experienced genuine repentance, sicere confession, and the joy of being cleansed from the pollution of sin.(Isa, ^; Luke 5:8-10)
B. Experiencing the nearness of God can also be very comforting (Ps. 23:4) He gives strength in times of difficulty
C. Experiencing the nearness of God can be very exciting (Phil. 4:13) The assurance of the nearness of God can give great courage and joy as one faces the trials of life.
2. A Vital Experience of The Dearness of God.
Jesus taught His disciples to approach the Creator God not on the basis of His being their Creator but in terms of His being " our Father who art in heaven" (Matt. 6:9). While He is the God who is in heaven, He is also the Father with whom we can have dislogue in the closet of prayer(v6). It is in the prayer experience that the Father communicates His nearness and His dearness to those who look to Him in faith.
3. An Enlightening Experience of the Wisdom of God.
Throughout the entire Bible and in the experience of the believers, we have testimony after testimony of how, as they prayed, God stimulated their thinking and caused them to have new insight that helped them to cope with the strains and pressures of life.
WE have instance after instance in which God recalled to the memory of His discouraged childern His goodness in the past to help them to face the pressures of the present.
4. An Enabling Experience of the Strength of God.
"He give power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isa. 40: 29-31). Time spent in God's presence fills the child of God with the strebth that comes from heaven.
Most know the famous cartoon character Popeye. He faced many difficult and dangerous crises but was never quite adequate for these until he had eaten a can of spinach, which gave him superhuman powers. I have often thought of how time spent with the heavenly Father brings to His children strength comparable to that which spinach brought to popeye.
The apostle Paul prayed for the believers at Ephesus that they might be strengthen witnmight through God's Spirit in the inner man and that they might be filled with all the fullness of God (Eph. 3:16,19). He encouraged them to trust in and depend on the God who was at work within them and who was able to do far more abundantly than anything they had previously asked for or even thought about. (vv 20-21)
5. A Cleansing Experience of the Forgiveness of God. ( 1 John 1:6-7)
God is eager to forgive His sinful children, He is eager to cleanse us and make us white as snow. Our heavenlt Father does not delight in our being guilty of or burdened by sin. He is eager that we forsake those ways and attitudes that are destructive and come to Him for forgiveness and cleansing.
Scripture tells us that our God is a forgiving God who forgives fully and freely and forever when His children sit in judgement on their own sins and turn from the sin that disrupts their fellowship, destroys their influence, and deprives them of joy. Prayer is the div ine gift by which we can come into God's presence, receive His forgiveness, and experience both the cleaness that follows and the joy of a restored fellowship.
Do not rob yourself by neglecting to pray. When you do not feel like praying, that is all the more reason you should pray. Prayer is not a process by which you make "brownie points" with God. Prayer is not a magical means by which something happens automatically. Prayer is meant to be an experience in which a spiritual tranformation takes place. This is why we are commanded, "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." ( 1Thess. 5: 16-18).
The Bible teaches that those who have the habit of prayer experience rich spiritual blessings in their hearts and lives. Scripture and christian history both testify that those who have served God significantly have been men and women with an earnest prayer life. So lets take a look at some of the rich rewards that come to those who have faith in God that expresses itself in a life of prayer.
1. A Vivid Awareness of the Nearness of God.
" Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." (James 4:8). When the grateful and humble child of God seeks to come into the throne room of the heavenly Father, one of the great benefits that will come to him is a vivid awareness of just how close God really is.
A. Experiencing the nearness of God can be frightfully disturbing for one who has not experienced genuine repentance, sicere confession, and the joy of being cleansed from the pollution of sin.(Isa, ^; Luke 5:8-10)
B. Experiencing the nearness of God can also be very comforting (Ps. 23:4) He gives strength in times of difficulty
C. Experiencing the nearness of God can be very exciting (Phil. 4:13) The assurance of the nearness of God can give great courage and joy as one faces the trials of life.
2. A Vital Experience of The Dearness of God.
Jesus taught His disciples to approach the Creator God not on the basis of His being their Creator but in terms of His being " our Father who art in heaven" (Matt. 6:9). While He is the God who is in heaven, He is also the Father with whom we can have dislogue in the closet of prayer(v6). It is in the prayer experience that the Father communicates His nearness and His dearness to those who look to Him in faith.
3. An Enlightening Experience of the Wisdom of God.
Throughout the entire Bible and in the experience of the believers, we have testimony after testimony of how, as they prayed, God stimulated their thinking and caused them to have new insight that helped them to cope with the strains and pressures of life.
WE have instance after instance in which God recalled to the memory of His discouraged childern His goodness in the past to help them to face the pressures of the present.
4. An Enabling Experience of the Strength of God.
"He give power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isa. 40: 29-31). Time spent in God's presence fills the child of God with the strebth that comes from heaven.
Most know the famous cartoon character Popeye. He faced many difficult and dangerous crises but was never quite adequate for these until he had eaten a can of spinach, which gave him superhuman powers. I have often thought of how time spent with the heavenly Father brings to His children strength comparable to that which spinach brought to popeye.
The apostle Paul prayed for the believers at Ephesus that they might be strengthen witnmight through God's Spirit in the inner man and that they might be filled with all the fullness of God (Eph. 3:16,19). He encouraged them to trust in and depend on the God who was at work within them and who was able to do far more abundantly than anything they had previously asked for or even thought about. (vv 20-21)
5. A Cleansing Experience of the Forgiveness of God. ( 1 John 1:6-7)
God is eager to forgive His sinful children, He is eager to cleanse us and make us white as snow. Our heavenlt Father does not delight in our being guilty of or burdened by sin. He is eager that we forsake those ways and attitudes that are destructive and come to Him for forgiveness and cleansing.
Scripture tells us that our God is a forgiving God who forgives fully and freely and forever when His children sit in judgement on their own sins and turn from the sin that disrupts their fellowship, destroys their influence, and deprives them of joy. Prayer is the div ine gift by which we can come into God's presence, receive His forgiveness, and experience both the cleaness that follows and the joy of a restored fellowship.
Do not rob yourself by neglecting to pray. When you do not feel like praying, that is all the more reason you should pray. Prayer is not a process by which you make "brownie points" with God. Prayer is not a magical means by which something happens automatically. Prayer is meant to be an experience in which a spiritual tranformation takes place. This is why we are commanded, "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." ( 1Thess. 5: 16-18).
Monday, March 4, 2013
Prayers We Need To Pray
With my whole heart have I sought you: O let me not wander from your commandments. (Ps. 119:10)
Pslam 119:9-16
It is altogether appropriate for us to say "Amen" when we hear the prayers of others and those prayers express the deep desires of our heart. The Hebrew word "amen" means " let it be so." It is an affirmation of concurrance and agreement. Each of us can participate more meaningfully and more profitably in the public prayers spoken by others if we listen intently and appropriately say "amen."
With great benefits coming to us, we can study the written prayers of others. Often they verbalize the prayers that we would like to utter, and we can then say "amen " as we read written prayers.
Psalm 119 is an artistic record of the psalmist's devotions and dialogues with God. The psalm contains many prayers that we could profitably pray as our very own prayers.
Lets take a look at the second of 22 stanzas in this acrostic poem. It contains some prayers that each of us needs to pray.
1. "Let me not wander from your commandments."
The psalmist recognized the human tendency to wander away from the proper path and offered a prayer that he might be saved from a life of aimless wandering. Why does man wander away from God's truth?
A. Perhaps because of our fallen nature.
B. Perhaps it's because we are forgetful.
C. Many of us are preoccupied with other things, and we find it easy to drift.
D. We can be tempted by the promises and possibilities of what the world has to offer.
E. Some of us wander because of weariness. The psalmist prays that God will so work in his life that he will be saved from straying from God's precious commandments.
2. "Teach me your statutes." (v12)
Throughout this longest psalm in the Bible, we hear the psalmist repeating the petition, "Teach me your statutes." each of us should repeat this prayer and mean it with all our heart.
In this petition the psalmist is saying, "I want what God wants." God's grace had worked within the innermost being of this man to cause him to want to follow God's statutes.
We need to remember that our Savior was thought of as the great teacher ( Matt. 5:1-2; 7:28-29). Only as we understand the teachings of God through Jesus Christ can we truely walk in His ways and do the things He wants us to do.
3. Putting feet on our prayers.
For prayer to be meaningful and productive, we must do more than just talk to Father God. We must cooperate with Him as He works to bring about the fullfillment of the desires we have expressed in the prayer we have offered.
A. We can keep our lives pure by bringing our thoughts and actions under the searching light of God's word.( Ps. 119:9)
B. We can avoid a life of sin by storing up God's word in our hearts that it might serve as both a restraint and as a challenge (v11)
C. We can verbalize the great truths and the great insights that come to us from God's word in our conversations with others (v13).
In order to pray effectively, we need to delight ourselves in God's precepts, His ways, His statutes (vv 14-16).
Devotional Bible study can be the listening side of prayer. God will speak to our needs through His Word if we study it with trust and with a willingness to be obedient.
Pslam 119:9-16
It is altogether appropriate for us to say "Amen" when we hear the prayers of others and those prayers express the deep desires of our heart. The Hebrew word "amen" means " let it be so." It is an affirmation of concurrance and agreement. Each of us can participate more meaningfully and more profitably in the public prayers spoken by others if we listen intently and appropriately say "amen."
With great benefits coming to us, we can study the written prayers of others. Often they verbalize the prayers that we would like to utter, and we can then say "amen " as we read written prayers.
Psalm 119 is an artistic record of the psalmist's devotions and dialogues with God. The psalm contains many prayers that we could profitably pray as our very own prayers.
Lets take a look at the second of 22 stanzas in this acrostic poem. It contains some prayers that each of us needs to pray.
1. "Let me not wander from your commandments."
The psalmist recognized the human tendency to wander away from the proper path and offered a prayer that he might be saved from a life of aimless wandering. Why does man wander away from God's truth?
A. Perhaps because of our fallen nature.
B. Perhaps it's because we are forgetful.
C. Many of us are preoccupied with other things, and we find it easy to drift.
D. We can be tempted by the promises and possibilities of what the world has to offer.
E. Some of us wander because of weariness. The psalmist prays that God will so work in his life that he will be saved from straying from God's precious commandments.
2. "Teach me your statutes." (v12)
Throughout this longest psalm in the Bible, we hear the psalmist repeating the petition, "Teach me your statutes." each of us should repeat this prayer and mean it with all our heart.
In this petition the psalmist is saying, "I want what God wants." God's grace had worked within the innermost being of this man to cause him to want to follow God's statutes.
We need to remember that our Savior was thought of as the great teacher ( Matt. 5:1-2; 7:28-29). Only as we understand the teachings of God through Jesus Christ can we truely walk in His ways and do the things He wants us to do.
3. Putting feet on our prayers.
For prayer to be meaningful and productive, we must do more than just talk to Father God. We must cooperate with Him as He works to bring about the fullfillment of the desires we have expressed in the prayer we have offered.
A. We can keep our lives pure by bringing our thoughts and actions under the searching light of God's word.( Ps. 119:9)
B. We can avoid a life of sin by storing up God's word in our hearts that it might serve as both a restraint and as a challenge (v11)
C. We can verbalize the great truths and the great insights that come to us from God's word in our conversations with others (v13).
In order to pray effectively, we need to delight ourselves in God's precepts, His ways, His statutes (vv 14-16).
Devotional Bible study can be the listening side of prayer. God will speak to our needs through His Word if we study it with trust and with a willingness to be obedient.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Christian Unity
" I therefore the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called. With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love. Endevoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." ( Eph. 4:1-3)
Paul doesn't deal with any problems in his letter to the Ephesians. All news was good news from the people at Ephesus, and Paul had the joyous priviledge of writing a positive letter to encourage them. The theme of his letter is "Christian Unity". Paul had established many churches and watched them grow, so he knew that without unity nothing else really matters. And with unity nothing can defeat the church.
In his first three chapters, Paul lays the foundation of christian unity. In his last two chapters, he describes the practical results of christian unity. In this post I am going to focus the attention on this forth chapter. Here Paul speaks of (1) the behavior of christian unity, (2) the basis of christian unity, and (3) the benefits of christian unity.
1. The behavior of christian unity (Eph. 4:1-3)
Paul begins with behavior, it has everything to do with christian unity. Often it appears that behavior is more important than beliefs in maintaining unity in the church. For example, in any giving church are many different beliefs concerning prophecy, the second coming of Christ, and social practices, and yet most of these churches are in unity. But a person could absolutely destroy a church by their misbehavior.
Few church splits can be traced to bad theology. But many can be traced to bad behavior. ( I can list several such splits, but I wont.) Therefore, Paul quickly and directly deals with behavior as a matter of priority. " I beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation, wherewith you are called," (v 1). In case the church at Ephesus doesn't understand what kind of behavior Paul is talking about, he spells it out for them. He lists seven characteristics of the kind of behavior that builds christian unity.
A. It is compatable with our calling; If we are to help bring christian unity, we must conduct ourselves in a manner that doesn't reflect poorly on our calling as christians. Since we bear the name of Christ, we must not bring that name into disrepute.
B. It is humble; (v2). With all lowliness and meekness, A very wise person once said, " Egotism is the sedative nature provides to deaden the pain of being a fool."
But how does humility come about? It comes from two things:
1. Self-knowledge. Humility depends on honesty; it depends on having the courage to look at ourselves without the rose colored glasses of self-admiration and self-love.
2. God-knowledge. Humility comes from comparing our life with the life of Christ. As long as we compare ourselves with others, we may come out of the comparison fairly well. It is when we compare ourselves with Christ that we see our own failure. God-knowledge plus self-knowledge brings humility.
C. It is gentle (v 2). Those who are gentle are so God-controlled that they are continually kind and gracious towards others. They are people in whom self has died through whom Christ in all His humility lives. Paul said, " I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me..."(Gal. 2:20)
D. It is patient (v 2). Patience has been defined as , the spirit that has the power to take revenge but never does. Patience is the spirit that bears insult without bitterness or complaint.
E. It is magnanimous (v2). as christians we must make allowances for one another; we must be magnanimous towards others and their faults as God has been magnanimous towards us.
F. It is loving (v2). We should not bear with one another through sheer grit and determination, but through christian love. There are four Greek words for love, but the word used here is the highest. It means that we must love others so much that nothing they do or say will keep us from loving them and seeking their highest good. Even though they mistreat us and hurt us, we will feel only kindness towards them.
2. The basis of christian unity ( Eph. 4:4-6)
Behavior is important to christian unity. But a sound basis is absolutely indispensable. What is the basis, the foundation, on which christian unity is built? Paul lays seven foundation stones: one body, one spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God.
A. One body; (v4) Christ is the head and the church is the body. The unity of the church is essential for the work of Christ.
B. One Spirit (v4) There is one Holy Spirit, and He is saying and inspiring the same in all He is consistant, He doesn't bounce all over from one thing to the next, and He always speaks from the scripture. He is one Spirit, with one voice, and one motivation.
C. One hope; This is the hope of the ultimate consummation of our salvation in heaven.
D. One Lord (v5). " I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by Me." ( Jn. 14:6)
E One Faith (v5). Paul is not talking about a set of beliefs that may characterize a particular denomination. There is " one faith" by which people come into a saving relationship with Christ as Lord. There may be many "faiths" (denominations), but there is only one by which we are saved-faith in Jesus as Savior.
F. One Baptism (v5). Just as there is one faith through which we come into a saving relationship with Christ, there is "one baptism" through which we make an outward demonstration of that inward experience.
G. One God (v6). There is one God-- and one God unites us into one family of God. Paul says four things about God.
1. He is Father of All-- that is, He created all.
2. He is above all--that is, He controls all.
3. He is through all--that is He sustains all.
4. He is in all-- that is, He is present everywhere.
3. The benefits of christian unity ( Eph. 4:28-32)
Quite predictably someone may ask, "Why all the fuss about unity? Does it really make that much difference? What are the benefits of christian unity?"
The last five verses of this chapter list the benefits of christian unity. Here we learn that unity in the church does make a difference--a big difference! Let's look at what happens when unity prevails.
A. Conduct is changed (v28). When there is christian unity, there is a change in conduct. No longer do we ask, "What can I get?" but rather, "What can I share?" When we are united in allowing the Holy Spirit to fill us, the hope of heaven to challenge us, and the Lord Jesus to guide us, our conduct is changed.
B. Conversation is clean (v29). "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth..." It is difficult, if not impossible, to be in unity with God and His people and still have a filthy mouth. An ancient proverb says," The heart of man is a well, and the mouth of a man is a bucket, and that which is in the well of the heart can be determined by what is in the bucket of the mouth."
C. Commitment is deepened (v30). when we live each moment aware that there is but one Holy Spirit by which we have been born again, we desire to do nothing to grieve Him. One of the benefits of christian unity is that we reach a level of commitment beyond beyond which we will not grieve the Holy Spirit.
D. Conflict is eliminated (v31). Unity gets rid of conflict. Conflict comes from "the sins of the spirit" Paul has dealt with the sins of the flesh. now he deals with the sins of the spirit-- or "christian sins". These are identified as " bitterness,and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking...with all malice." When we are one in Christ, we are free from all such disruptive and divisive conflicts.
E. Kindness is practiced (v32). To be kind means to exercise thoughtful consideration.
When the Roman soldiers on guard at Jesus' crucifixion were dividing the prisoners clothes, they came to Jesus' coat and discovered that it was seamless. To tear it would ruin it. For this reason they decided to keep it intact and to cast lots for it.
The seamless robe of Christ has become a metaphor for the unity of the church. Henry Ward Beecher prayed that the church might be one again, like the seamless robe of his Lord. The metaphor is one of great beauty and it quite appropriate. Strife and divisions within the church have been ugly efforts to tear into pieces the sacred garment of the truth.
The Crucified One must look down sadly at the miserable conflict between those He died to redeem. His look of love and sorrow is reminisent of His prayer, ..." that they may be perfect in one; and that the world may know that you have sent Me, and have loved them, as you have loved Me." (Jn 17:23)
Paul doesn't deal with any problems in his letter to the Ephesians. All news was good news from the people at Ephesus, and Paul had the joyous priviledge of writing a positive letter to encourage them. The theme of his letter is "Christian Unity". Paul had established many churches and watched them grow, so he knew that without unity nothing else really matters. And with unity nothing can defeat the church.
In his first three chapters, Paul lays the foundation of christian unity. In his last two chapters, he describes the practical results of christian unity. In this post I am going to focus the attention on this forth chapter. Here Paul speaks of (1) the behavior of christian unity, (2) the basis of christian unity, and (3) the benefits of christian unity.
1. The behavior of christian unity (Eph. 4:1-3)
Paul begins with behavior, it has everything to do with christian unity. Often it appears that behavior is more important than beliefs in maintaining unity in the church. For example, in any giving church are many different beliefs concerning prophecy, the second coming of Christ, and social practices, and yet most of these churches are in unity. But a person could absolutely destroy a church by their misbehavior.
Few church splits can be traced to bad theology. But many can be traced to bad behavior. ( I can list several such splits, but I wont.) Therefore, Paul quickly and directly deals with behavior as a matter of priority. " I beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation, wherewith you are called," (v 1). In case the church at Ephesus doesn't understand what kind of behavior Paul is talking about, he spells it out for them. He lists seven characteristics of the kind of behavior that builds christian unity.
A. It is compatable with our calling; If we are to help bring christian unity, we must conduct ourselves in a manner that doesn't reflect poorly on our calling as christians. Since we bear the name of Christ, we must not bring that name into disrepute.
B. It is humble; (v2). With all lowliness and meekness, A very wise person once said, " Egotism is the sedative nature provides to deaden the pain of being a fool."
But how does humility come about? It comes from two things:
1. Self-knowledge. Humility depends on honesty; it depends on having the courage to look at ourselves without the rose colored glasses of self-admiration and self-love.
2. God-knowledge. Humility comes from comparing our life with the life of Christ. As long as we compare ourselves with others, we may come out of the comparison fairly well. It is when we compare ourselves with Christ that we see our own failure. God-knowledge plus self-knowledge brings humility.
C. It is gentle (v 2). Those who are gentle are so God-controlled that they are continually kind and gracious towards others. They are people in whom self has died through whom Christ in all His humility lives. Paul said, " I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me..."(Gal. 2:20)
D. It is patient (v 2). Patience has been defined as , the spirit that has the power to take revenge but never does. Patience is the spirit that bears insult without bitterness or complaint.
E. It is magnanimous (v2). as christians we must make allowances for one another; we must be magnanimous towards others and their faults as God has been magnanimous towards us.
F. It is loving (v2). We should not bear with one another through sheer grit and determination, but through christian love. There are four Greek words for love, but the word used here is the highest. It means that we must love others so much that nothing they do or say will keep us from loving them and seeking their highest good. Even though they mistreat us and hurt us, we will feel only kindness towards them.
2. The basis of christian unity ( Eph. 4:4-6)
Behavior is important to christian unity. But a sound basis is absolutely indispensable. What is the basis, the foundation, on which christian unity is built? Paul lays seven foundation stones: one body, one spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God.
A. One body; (v4) Christ is the head and the church is the body. The unity of the church is essential for the work of Christ.
B. One Spirit (v4) There is one Holy Spirit, and He is saying and inspiring the same in all He is consistant, He doesn't bounce all over from one thing to the next, and He always speaks from the scripture. He is one Spirit, with one voice, and one motivation.
C. One hope; This is the hope of the ultimate consummation of our salvation in heaven.
D. One Lord (v5). " I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by Me." ( Jn. 14:6)
E One Faith (v5). Paul is not talking about a set of beliefs that may characterize a particular denomination. There is " one faith" by which people come into a saving relationship with Christ as Lord. There may be many "faiths" (denominations), but there is only one by which we are saved-faith in Jesus as Savior.
F. One Baptism (v5). Just as there is one faith through which we come into a saving relationship with Christ, there is "one baptism" through which we make an outward demonstration of that inward experience.
G. One God (v6). There is one God-- and one God unites us into one family of God. Paul says four things about God.
1. He is Father of All-- that is, He created all.
2. He is above all--that is, He controls all.
3. He is through all--that is He sustains all.
4. He is in all-- that is, He is present everywhere.
3. The benefits of christian unity ( Eph. 4:28-32)
Quite predictably someone may ask, "Why all the fuss about unity? Does it really make that much difference? What are the benefits of christian unity?"
The last five verses of this chapter list the benefits of christian unity. Here we learn that unity in the church does make a difference--a big difference! Let's look at what happens when unity prevails.
A. Conduct is changed (v28). When there is christian unity, there is a change in conduct. No longer do we ask, "What can I get?" but rather, "What can I share?" When we are united in allowing the Holy Spirit to fill us, the hope of heaven to challenge us, and the Lord Jesus to guide us, our conduct is changed.
B. Conversation is clean (v29). "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth..." It is difficult, if not impossible, to be in unity with God and His people and still have a filthy mouth. An ancient proverb says," The heart of man is a well, and the mouth of a man is a bucket, and that which is in the well of the heart can be determined by what is in the bucket of the mouth."
C. Commitment is deepened (v30). when we live each moment aware that there is but one Holy Spirit by which we have been born again, we desire to do nothing to grieve Him. One of the benefits of christian unity is that we reach a level of commitment beyond beyond which we will not grieve the Holy Spirit.
D. Conflict is eliminated (v31). Unity gets rid of conflict. Conflict comes from "the sins of the spirit" Paul has dealt with the sins of the flesh. now he deals with the sins of the spirit-- or "christian sins". These are identified as " bitterness,and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking...with all malice." When we are one in Christ, we are free from all such disruptive and divisive conflicts.
E. Kindness is practiced (v32). To be kind means to exercise thoughtful consideration.
When the Roman soldiers on guard at Jesus' crucifixion were dividing the prisoners clothes, they came to Jesus' coat and discovered that it was seamless. To tear it would ruin it. For this reason they decided to keep it intact and to cast lots for it.
The seamless robe of Christ has become a metaphor for the unity of the church. Henry Ward Beecher prayed that the church might be one again, like the seamless robe of his Lord. The metaphor is one of great beauty and it quite appropriate. Strife and divisions within the church have been ugly efforts to tear into pieces the sacred garment of the truth.
The Crucified One must look down sadly at the miserable conflict between those He died to redeem. His look of love and sorrow is reminisent of His prayer, ..." that they may be perfect in one; and that the world may know that you have sent Me, and have loved them, as you have loved Me." (Jn 17:23)
Transforming Friendships
All my state shall Tych'i-cus declare to you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellow-servant in the Lord. Whom I have sent to you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts." (Col 4:7-8)
Some of our most meaning relationships are those we have with friends. We can recall with warm feelings the hours we spent together and the joys, sorrows, and experiences we have shared. The Bible speaks highly of friendships: " A man that has friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother." (Prov. 18-24)
Friendships help to make life beautiful and enjoyable. Elizabeth Barrett Browning once asked novelist Charles Kingsley the secret of his life. He thought a moment, then replied, " I had a friend." One of the most important things we can do in life is to make friends and cultivate lasting friendships.
When we come to the last section of the letter to the Colossians, we meet a whole host of Paul's friends who were with him in Rome. Remember that he was a prisoner and it was probably dangerous to be his friend. But these men chose to demonstrate their friendship and loyalty to Paul by staying with him. Some of these names we identify instantly--Mark and Luke, for example--but others are not so familiar.
In these names and references we find a great message: the message of transforming friendships. We can see a lot of gospel in the names mentioned here.
1. A Transforming friendshio can change a life.
A. A life can be changed. Paul refused to write about his personal problems in this public letter. The bearer of the letter, Tychicus, would fill them in on those details. With him would be Onesimus, who was described as a " faithful and dear brother," (col. 4-9) and who was evidently a native of Colosse.
Onesimus was the slave of Philemon, also of Colosse. He had stolen something from Philemon and fled to Rome to lose himself among the crowds. But while he was there he met someone--Paul--who introduced him to someone else--Jesus Christ. Now this man who once had been a fugitive slave was going back to Colosse with a letter to the church, but also with a letter to Philemon from Paul. In this letter Paul appeals to Philemon to take him in and receive him as a brother.
B. The friendship that changes a life makes it profitable. "Profitable" is the meaning of Onesimus's name. Before he was introduced to Christ, Onesimus had been anything but profitable. But his friendship with Paul and his new relationship with Jesus had transformed his life, making him profitable indeed.
2. A transforming friendship can develop steadfastness.
A. A staedfast friend shares experiences with you. Aristarchus was a native of Thessalonica who was a Jew by birth. Called " a fellow prisoner," he willingly shared the bondage of all believers in Christ.
B. A steadfast friend stays with you. Aristarchus is seen three times in the New Testement: during the riot at Ephesus at the temple of Diana when he was captured by the mob (acts 19:29), when Paul sailed as a prisoner for Rome (Acts 27:2), and here with Paul in Rome. He was a man who stood by Paul in a crisis, always at hand in times of need.
Someone has described a friend as one who steps in when the whole world steps out.
3. A transforming friendship can build a life.
A. Hasty decisions can hurt friendships. Mark is the next name mentioned. Mark had set out with Paul and Barnabus ( he was a relative of Barnabus) on the first missionary jouney but soon left them and went home to Jerusalem. Paul refused to take him with them on the second journey. Their mission team broke up because of Mark.
B.Friendships can rebuild and reclaim lives. Mark's life was mended because of friendship. Now Paul had Mark with him in a place of difficult service.
4. A transforming friendship can weld a heart of loving service.
A. Loving service can renew a church. Paul mentions Epaphras, who was likely the founder and pastor of the church at Colosse as well as those at Hieropolis and Laodicea. The concern that he had for the people there was manifested as he prayed daily for them that they might stand within the will of God.
B. Loving service can show a contrast in fidelity. Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas are mentioned. Demas is mentioned only here, in Philemon 24, and in 2 Timothy 4:10, where the sad and haunting words appear, "Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world." The following verse reads, "Only Luke is with me now." Demas and Luke show a contrast in fidelity.
C. Loving service is willing to share one's home for Christ. The last name listed is Nym-phas, who offered her home as the meeting place for the church. She shared what she had with Christ.
We show friendship to God and others when we serve them faithfully. We are friends of Christ when we obey what He commands and witness to others of what He has done for us. And we do all this because Christ showed His love for us by laying down His life for us.
Some of our most meaning relationships are those we have with friends. We can recall with warm feelings the hours we spent together and the joys, sorrows, and experiences we have shared. The Bible speaks highly of friendships: " A man that has friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother." (Prov. 18-24)
Friendships help to make life beautiful and enjoyable. Elizabeth Barrett Browning once asked novelist Charles Kingsley the secret of his life. He thought a moment, then replied, " I had a friend." One of the most important things we can do in life is to make friends and cultivate lasting friendships.
When we come to the last section of the letter to the Colossians, we meet a whole host of Paul's friends who were with him in Rome. Remember that he was a prisoner and it was probably dangerous to be his friend. But these men chose to demonstrate their friendship and loyalty to Paul by staying with him. Some of these names we identify instantly--Mark and Luke, for example--but others are not so familiar.
In these names and references we find a great message: the message of transforming friendships. We can see a lot of gospel in the names mentioned here.
1. A Transforming friendshio can change a life.
A. A life can be changed. Paul refused to write about his personal problems in this public letter. The bearer of the letter, Tychicus, would fill them in on those details. With him would be Onesimus, who was described as a " faithful and dear brother," (col. 4-9) and who was evidently a native of Colosse.
Onesimus was the slave of Philemon, also of Colosse. He had stolen something from Philemon and fled to Rome to lose himself among the crowds. But while he was there he met someone--Paul--who introduced him to someone else--Jesus Christ. Now this man who once had been a fugitive slave was going back to Colosse with a letter to the church, but also with a letter to Philemon from Paul. In this letter Paul appeals to Philemon to take him in and receive him as a brother.
B. The friendship that changes a life makes it profitable. "Profitable" is the meaning of Onesimus's name. Before he was introduced to Christ, Onesimus had been anything but profitable. But his friendship with Paul and his new relationship with Jesus had transformed his life, making him profitable indeed.
2. A transforming friendship can develop steadfastness.
A. A staedfast friend shares experiences with you. Aristarchus was a native of Thessalonica who was a Jew by birth. Called " a fellow prisoner," he willingly shared the bondage of all believers in Christ.
B. A steadfast friend stays with you. Aristarchus is seen three times in the New Testement: during the riot at Ephesus at the temple of Diana when he was captured by the mob (acts 19:29), when Paul sailed as a prisoner for Rome (Acts 27:2), and here with Paul in Rome. He was a man who stood by Paul in a crisis, always at hand in times of need.
Someone has described a friend as one who steps in when the whole world steps out.
3. A transforming friendship can build a life.
A. Hasty decisions can hurt friendships. Mark is the next name mentioned. Mark had set out with Paul and Barnabus ( he was a relative of Barnabus) on the first missionary jouney but soon left them and went home to Jerusalem. Paul refused to take him with them on the second journey. Their mission team broke up because of Mark.
B.Friendships can rebuild and reclaim lives. Mark's life was mended because of friendship. Now Paul had Mark with him in a place of difficult service.
4. A transforming friendship can weld a heart of loving service.
A. Loving service can renew a church. Paul mentions Epaphras, who was likely the founder and pastor of the church at Colosse as well as those at Hieropolis and Laodicea. The concern that he had for the people there was manifested as he prayed daily for them that they might stand within the will of God.
B. Loving service can show a contrast in fidelity. Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas are mentioned. Demas is mentioned only here, in Philemon 24, and in 2 Timothy 4:10, where the sad and haunting words appear, "Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world." The following verse reads, "Only Luke is with me now." Demas and Luke show a contrast in fidelity.
C. Loving service is willing to share one's home for Christ. The last name listed is Nym-phas, who offered her home as the meeting place for the church. She shared what she had with Christ.
We show friendship to God and others when we serve them faithfully. We are friends of Christ when we obey what He commands and witness to others of what He has done for us. And we do all this because Christ showed His love for us by laying down His life for us.
When You Have Been Wronged
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in dispair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast, down but not destroyed; (2 Cor. 4:8-8)
Some people at Corinth did not like Paul. They were infuriated by his insistence on christian morality and his daring to correct those whose lives proved to be contradictions to their profession. These worldly church members and the judaizers joined forces against him. The man who seemed to be the ringleader was the same man Paul reprimanded in 1Corinthians (5:1-5) for having an affair with his stepmother. Apparently this man was influential. He persisted in his sin, leading an open revolt against Paul and and taking some of the leaders with him.
Because of Paul's second letter, the church came back into line. They recognized the evil of this man and disciplined him. But in the process Paul was grieviously wronged, both by this man and others in the church. They said Paul had no authority to advise them, that he carried no letters of commendation from the leaders in Jerusalem as they did, and that he had a weak and unimpressive appearance. They also accused him of going back on his word by not visiting Corinth when he said he would. If ever a man was wronged, Paul certainly was. But because of his strong christian witness even under fire, he has provided us with three basic truths that we can apply to our own lives when we have been wronged.
1. Lessons to learn (2Cor. 2:14) Any time we are wronged we can learn a lesson from the experience and emerge stronger and wiser. When Paul was wronged he learned three valuble leasons from his experience.
A. How to triumph over wrong (2:14). To triumph over wrong does not mean to overcome it or defeat it. Rather, it means to refuse to be overcome or defeated by it. We may not be able to control what others do, but we can control how we respond to the wrong done. There is both a human and a divine side to this victory. If we do our part, God will be faithfull to do His part.
1. Human endurance. " And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings: (2Cor 1:6)
An old mule, thought to be of no further use, was put into a deep ditch, and shovel after shovel of dirt was thrown down to bury him. The old mule refused to be buried. He would shake the dirt off his back, pack it down under his feet, and gradually but surely stand higher and higher until, after enough dirt was thrown on him, he simply stepped out of the ditch and galloped away!
2. Divine comfort. "For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by Christ." (2Cor. 1:5). We are not left to face our trails with sheer human endurance alone. The comfort of God sustains us. Between verses three and seven the word comfort ( or consolation) appears nine times. " The God of all comfort" (v3) uphold us with His compassion and care.
B. How to comfort others who have been wronged. Our God is the one "Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted by God." (2Cor. 1:4) Once we have endured suffering and sorrow, we are better able to help others who are struggling with the hardships of life.
C. How dependant we are on God. "...that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we dispaired even of life. But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raises the dead:" (2Cor. 1:8-9) We have no information about the terrible experience that Paul went through at Ephesus. But he recognized the experience had been beneficial--it had driven him closer to God. It proved to him his utter dependence on God.
2. Attitudes to display. (2Cor. 1:13; 2:5-11; 3:1-2). Anytime we are wronged we must realize that real injury is not the wrong itself but the attitude that it creates. Rarely does being wronged cripple us. But we can cripple ourselves by our attitude toward those who have wronged us. Paul portrays the kind us attitude we must whenever we suffer an injustice.
A. An attitude of openness. " For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we had have our conversation ( conducted ourselves) in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward. For we write no other things to you, than what you read or acknowledge; and I trust you shall acknowledge even to the end." (2Cor. 1:12-13)
Some claimed that Paul in his letters didn't quite mean what he said. Paul replied that there were no hidden meanings in his words. He had maintained an attitude of absolute openness during his entire experience. He had told nothing but the truth, being honest with everybody involved. In the language of today he " called it the way he saw it."
What are we suposed to say when we have been wronged? We just need to tell the truth. we are not to be vindictive or accusative; we are to be open. And an attitude of openness is always the right attitude during troubling times.
B. An Attitude of Forgiveness. (2Cor. 2:5-11) When Paul came to Corinth he encountered the ringleader of the opposition. Paul's short visit had been poisoned by the efforts of one man. This man had insulted Paul. Although the man had been disciplined, some church members felt that it had not been severe enough and wanted to impose a still greater punishment. It is at this time that Paul's greatness shone through. Paul said that enough had been done. The man had repented, and to add more discipline now would do more harm than good. It might even drive the man to dispair.
Our job is not to render sinners harmless by beating them into submission. Instead, our job is to gather them back into the kingdom of God.
C. An attitude of innate integrity. (2Cor. 3:1-2). There are two kinds of integrity. "Infused " integrity is the reputation we hope to gain by what others say about us. "Innate" integrity, is the character that is ours because of the persons we are. One is counterfeit, the other is genuine. One is assumed, the other is inherent.
When we have been wronged, we should display the attitude of innate integrity. We don't have to answer every charge leveled at us. Our life and character are answer enough.
3. Ministries to fulfill (2Cor. 4:1). Paul says, "Therfore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not." (2Cor. 4:1). In essence, Paul is saying,"In spite of the terrible wrong that has been done to me, I will not be discouraged and I will not quit--I have a minisrty to fulfill!
Too many people give up when they are wronged. If Paul had been easily discouraged, he would have quit the ministry long before he reached Corinth. We cannot allow the criticisms and ill will of others to distract us from our calling--we have ministries to fulfill. And the more quickly we begin to fulfill our ministry, the more quickly we will recover from the wrong done to us.
A. The ministry of Proclaiming Jesus Christ (2Cor. 4:5, 7-11; 5:18-20)
B. The ministry of separating ourselves from the world ( 2Cor. 6:17). Even when we are wronged by professing christians, we have a ministry to fufill. We must not allow offenses to cause us to give up and return to the world. We are called to separate ourselves from the world.
C. The ministry of dedicating our possessions (2Cor. 9:7) Even if we have been wronged by others in the church, we are still called to dedicate our possessions to God. Our christian stewardship is not unto men but unto God.
D. The ministry of celebrating our sufferings. ( 2Cor. 12:7-10). Paul says, "...therfore I willl rather glory in my infimities ( weaknesses), that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in my infirmities (weaknesses), in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2Cor. 12: 9-10) Paul is saying, " If I am suffering in any way, for the gospel's sake, It will become a ministry of celebration because my suffering will be a living demonstration of the love of God as He delivers me from it.
When we have been wronged we have (1) lessons to learn, (2) attitudes to display, (3) ministries to fufill. Whatever wrongs we may have faced, we can say with Paul, "Now thanks be to God, which always cause us to triumph in Christ,....." ( 2Cor. 2:14).
Monday, February 25, 2013
The Most Excellent Way
"But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I you a more excellent way." (1 Cor. 12:31)
You can live anyway you want to live. You are the only person who has the power to determine how you will live. You can be agreeable or disagreeable, a help or a hinderance, an asset or a liability to yourself, your family,your coworkers, and the kingdom of God. But Paul says, "Now I show you a more excellent way." The christian was never meant to be a good way even a better way, but rather the most excellent way!
Paul had just received a letter from the church at Corinth listing all kinds of problems that had arisen in their fellowship for one reason: They were not following the most excellent way. Paul is saying, " In light of your varied lifestyles and the difficulties, and heartaches they have brought upon the church, it is high time you recognize your need to follow the most excellent way!"
In his letter to the church at Corinth, Paul gives four reasons why love is the most excellent way.
1. It;'s ministry of Healing. ( 1Cor 1:10-17)
The church at Corinth had written a long letter to Paul listing several or their problems. But one problemthat was not listed was divisions in the church. Paul learned of this problem from the relatives of Chloe, a wellknown member of the congregation. He is not secretive; he names the source of his information and then deals directly with the problem. The fact that he chooses to deal first with divisions in the church proves that of all the problems mentioned he considered this one to be the most critical. It is to this problem that he applies the healing ministry of love.
A. The healing ministry of love is realized when Christ is honored. ( 1 Cor. 1:12-16) In 1 Corinthians 1:12 we can see what Paul may be saying about each group that wanted to rally around some human personality. Some said, " I follow Paul." Paul did not take this as a compliment, nor does any preacher. In claiming to follow Paul the theologian they were claiming to be great theologues. Others said, "I follow Apollos." These were the "cultured vulture" who worship good speaking, since Apollos was prince of preachers. Still others said, "I follow Cephas [Peter]," the firey evangalist. This is the" tell- it- like- it- is" crowd. And the "super christians" said, "I follow Christ."
In light of these childish divisions, Paul turns to some wholesome humer. He makes fun of the situation as he singles himself out as an example. In verse 13 he asks a series of questions: "Is Christ fragmented? Tell me about it." "Was Paul crucified for you? I haven't noticed any nail prints in my hands...." Did Christ say in the great commision to baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of Paul the apostle?" In verses 14-16 Paul expresses relief that he baptized just a few, lest that make them his followers.
B. The healing ministry of love is realized when the gospal is preached (1:17). The gospelis the good news about the healing ministry of Christ's love. Christ is the focal point of the gospel--not Paul or Apollos or Peter or any other man.
2. Its simplicity of language (1Cor. 2:1-2). Love is never concerned with impressing others with our importance, our knowledge, our intelligence, or our "eloquence or superior wisdom" (2:1). Love of self is vitally concerned with these things, but not the love that is the most excellent way. This kind of love is concerned with clearly proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and His power to save.
If any man could have complicated the simple with multisyllable words, Paul could have. He certainly had the vocabulary and the intellect to do it. But Paul had been down the empty halls of acadamia as a Pharisee and found nothing until he encountered the most excellent way of God's redemptive love.
Someone has said, "It is nice to be important, but it is important to be nice." paul was nice enough to speak in love's simple language so everybody could understand. No wonder Paul says, "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. (2:4-5)
As long as our faith is based on "men's wisdom," it can fall. There will always be someone wiser than us who can undermine that faith. But when our faith rests " on God's power," no one on earth and no power of satan can cause that faith to fall!
3. Its competency for solving problems ( 1 Cor 5-12). In these eight chapters, Paul addresses himself to that long list of problems that the christians in Corinth had written. The problems included lawsuits, sexual immorality, marriage, food sacrificed to idols, the place of women in the church, abuses of the Lord's supper, and false piety. In all fairness Paul deals with one problem at a time. He does not rush through these problems as though they were not serious. Rather, he he devotes eight chapters to discussing them. But at the end of his discussion he informs the Corinthians that there is not one problem they have shared that love can't solve. Especially in the face of life's problems, Paul sees love as the most eacellent way because of its competency for problem solving.
A. The problem of sexual immorality (5:1-2). Paul is saying that when our christian friends fall into sin, we must confront them in love and ask them to turn away from their sin. If they refuse, we must cut off all association with them. because we love the church, we cannot allow the continuation of this problem to infect it. Love is the most excellent way to handle any form of sexual impurity. When we love others we won't use them to stisfy our own desires. We wont inflict the guilt and hurt of sexual immorality.
B. The problem with lawsuits (6:1-8). Love is the most excellent way to resolve differences. Paul says it is unchristian for fellow believers to take their differences to a court made up of unbelievers- to rely on those who know nothing of the grace of God to settle their problems. Paul notes that any problem between christians can and ought to be in the spirit of christian love.
C. The problem of abusing our christian liberty (chapter 8). Paul contends that souls are more important than steak. People are more valuable than meat. Lives are more important than our liberty. When we are tempted to say, " It is my right to do this or to say that," we must remember the words of Paul, who advocates the most excellent way: " All things are lawful to me, but all things are not expedient:..." (6:12)
There are certain times when we have every right to do a certain thing. But the most excellent way of love reminds us that if exercising our liberty cause even one brother or sister to stumble, we should renounce that liberty.
D. The problem of placing our piety on parade (chapter 12). When the more excelent way of love binds us together as the body of Christ, nothing can sever that unity. We care for onr another-- we rejoice with one another. Love is the most excellent way, becauseit removes any competitive or jealous spirit among God's people. It takes piety off parade and puts Jesus Christ on parade!
4. Its superiority of value ( 1cor. 12:31-13:13). Paul concludes chapter 12 by saying, " And yet show I to you a more excellent way." Then he sets forth the beautiful love chapter of 1 Corinthians 13. And now these three remain: faith, hope,and love. But the greatest of these is love" (v13). Why is love " the greatest of these"? Why is it the most excellent way? Because of its superiority of value.
A. The the superiority of loves value is seen in the worth it imparts to the gifts of the Spirit ( 13:5-13). These gifts have no intrinsic value. The only value they have is the value love imparts to them.
B. The superiority of loves value is seen in the words used to describe it.
Paul ends his letter with these words: "Let all your things be done with love." (16:14). Then he closes with, " My love be with you all in Christ Jesus" ( 16:24) Love is the most excellent way because of its ministry of healing, simplicity of language, competency for problem solving, and its superiority of value.
You can live anyway you want to live. You are the only person who has the power to determine how you will live. You can be agreeable or disagreeable, a help or a hinderance, an asset or a liability to yourself, your family,your coworkers, and the kingdom of God. But Paul says, "Now I show you a more excellent way." The christian was never meant to be a good way even a better way, but rather the most excellent way!
Paul had just received a letter from the church at Corinth listing all kinds of problems that had arisen in their fellowship for one reason: They were not following the most excellent way. Paul is saying, " In light of your varied lifestyles and the difficulties, and heartaches they have brought upon the church, it is high time you recognize your need to follow the most excellent way!"
In his letter to the church at Corinth, Paul gives four reasons why love is the most excellent way.
1. It;'s ministry of Healing. ( 1Cor 1:10-17)
The church at Corinth had written a long letter to Paul listing several or their problems. But one problemthat was not listed was divisions in the church. Paul learned of this problem from the relatives of Chloe, a wellknown member of the congregation. He is not secretive; he names the source of his information and then deals directly with the problem. The fact that he chooses to deal first with divisions in the church proves that of all the problems mentioned he considered this one to be the most critical. It is to this problem that he applies the healing ministry of love.
A. The healing ministry of love is realized when Christ is honored. ( 1 Cor. 1:12-16) In 1 Corinthians 1:12 we can see what Paul may be saying about each group that wanted to rally around some human personality. Some said, " I follow Paul." Paul did not take this as a compliment, nor does any preacher. In claiming to follow Paul the theologian they were claiming to be great theologues. Others said, "I follow Apollos." These were the "cultured vulture" who worship good speaking, since Apollos was prince of preachers. Still others said, "I follow Cephas [Peter]," the firey evangalist. This is the" tell- it- like- it- is" crowd. And the "super christians" said, "I follow Christ."
In light of these childish divisions, Paul turns to some wholesome humer. He makes fun of the situation as he singles himself out as an example. In verse 13 he asks a series of questions: "Is Christ fragmented? Tell me about it." "Was Paul crucified for you? I haven't noticed any nail prints in my hands...." Did Christ say in the great commision to baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of Paul the apostle?" In verses 14-16 Paul expresses relief that he baptized just a few, lest that make them his followers.
B. The healing ministry of love is realized when the gospal is preached (1:17). The gospelis the good news about the healing ministry of Christ's love. Christ is the focal point of the gospel--not Paul or Apollos or Peter or any other man.
2. Its simplicity of language (1Cor. 2:1-2). Love is never concerned with impressing others with our importance, our knowledge, our intelligence, or our "eloquence or superior wisdom" (2:1). Love of self is vitally concerned with these things, but not the love that is the most excellent way. This kind of love is concerned with clearly proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and His power to save.
If any man could have complicated the simple with multisyllable words, Paul could have. He certainly had the vocabulary and the intellect to do it. But Paul had been down the empty halls of acadamia as a Pharisee and found nothing until he encountered the most excellent way of God's redemptive love.
Someone has said, "It is nice to be important, but it is important to be nice." paul was nice enough to speak in love's simple language so everybody could understand. No wonder Paul says, "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. (2:4-5)
As long as our faith is based on "men's wisdom," it can fall. There will always be someone wiser than us who can undermine that faith. But when our faith rests " on God's power," no one on earth and no power of satan can cause that faith to fall!
3. Its competency for solving problems ( 1 Cor 5-12). In these eight chapters, Paul addresses himself to that long list of problems that the christians in Corinth had written. The problems included lawsuits, sexual immorality, marriage, food sacrificed to idols, the place of women in the church, abuses of the Lord's supper, and false piety. In all fairness Paul deals with one problem at a time. He does not rush through these problems as though they were not serious. Rather, he he devotes eight chapters to discussing them. But at the end of his discussion he informs the Corinthians that there is not one problem they have shared that love can't solve. Especially in the face of life's problems, Paul sees love as the most eacellent way because of its competency for problem solving.
A. The problem of sexual immorality (5:1-2). Paul is saying that when our christian friends fall into sin, we must confront them in love and ask them to turn away from their sin. If they refuse, we must cut off all association with them. because we love the church, we cannot allow the continuation of this problem to infect it. Love is the most excellent way to handle any form of sexual impurity. When we love others we won't use them to stisfy our own desires. We wont inflict the guilt and hurt of sexual immorality.
B. The problem with lawsuits (6:1-8). Love is the most excellent way to resolve differences. Paul says it is unchristian for fellow believers to take their differences to a court made up of unbelievers- to rely on those who know nothing of the grace of God to settle their problems. Paul notes that any problem between christians can and ought to be in the spirit of christian love.
C. The problem of abusing our christian liberty (chapter 8). Paul contends that souls are more important than steak. People are more valuable than meat. Lives are more important than our liberty. When we are tempted to say, " It is my right to do this or to say that," we must remember the words of Paul, who advocates the most excellent way: " All things are lawful to me, but all things are not expedient:..." (6:12)
There are certain times when we have every right to do a certain thing. But the most excellent way of love reminds us that if exercising our liberty cause even one brother or sister to stumble, we should renounce that liberty.
D. The problem of placing our piety on parade (chapter 12). When the more excelent way of love binds us together as the body of Christ, nothing can sever that unity. We care for onr another-- we rejoice with one another. Love is the most excellent way, becauseit removes any competitive or jealous spirit among God's people. It takes piety off parade and puts Jesus Christ on parade!
4. Its superiority of value ( 1cor. 12:31-13:13). Paul concludes chapter 12 by saying, " And yet show I to you a more excellent way." Then he sets forth the beautiful love chapter of 1 Corinthians 13. And now these three remain: faith, hope,and love. But the greatest of these is love" (v13). Why is love " the greatest of these"? Why is it the most excellent way? Because of its superiority of value.
A. The the superiority of loves value is seen in the worth it imparts to the gifts of the Spirit ( 13:5-13). These gifts have no intrinsic value. The only value they have is the value love imparts to them.
B. The superiority of loves value is seen in the words used to describe it.
Paul ends his letter with these words: "Let all your things be done with love." (16:14). Then he closes with, " My love be with you all in Christ Jesus" ( 16:24) Love is the most excellent way because of its ministry of healing, simplicity of language, competency for problem solving, and its superiority of value.
Believe And Behave
And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2)
"Believe and Behave" is the central theme of the book of Romans. Paul contends that what we believe has everything to do with how we behave. If our belief is wrong, our behavior will be wrong. And if our behavior is wrong, our belief cannot be right. Our behavior says more about our beliefs than does our verbal testimony or writtencreed.
We often tend to emphasize either belief or behavior to the exclusion of the other, which makes for a partial and imbalanced christianity. Paul, a man of balanced faith, assigns equal importance to each. The first eleven chapters of Romans deal with belief and the last five with behavior.
In the winter of A.D. 57-58, Paul was in Corinth at the end of his third missionary journey. He was soon returning to Jerusalem with and offering for the poor. A woman named Phoebe, who lived in a suburb of Corinth, was soon to sail to Rome. Paul saw an opportunity to send this letter to the church of Rome with her.
Because there was no postal service in the Roman Empire except for government business, personal letters had to be carried by friends. Paul was not sure he would get away from Jerusalem alive. Desiring to to leave a written explanation of the gospel of salvation in the hands of the christians in Rome, he wrote this letter, which Phoebe delivered safely to the church.
Realizing that this may be his only communication with the church so strategically located in the capital of the world, he stressed what he must have felt to be the two cardinal truths of the christian faith--the belief that results in salvation and the behavior that results from salvation.
1. The Belief That Results in Salvation. ( Rom. 1:16)
After a few brief words of introduction, Paul proclaims, " For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ..." (Romans 1:16). What kind of belief enables us to receive salvation?
A. Belief in the unlimited power of salvation. Paul says that he is proud of the gospel of salvation. He considers himself privileged to preach it. What a strange statement considering all that had recently happened to him! At Phillipi he had been jailed, at Thessalonica he had been expelled, at Berea he had been smuggled out, and at Athens he had been scorned.
The gospel Paul preached in Corinth was considered "foolishness" by the Greeks and a "stumbling block" by the Jews. In spite of the opposition, Paul says the gospel "is the power of God unto salvation!" The unlimited power of the gospel made Paul victorious over every obstacle in his path
Whe Pual speaks of "the power of God unto salvation," he speaks from personal experience. At first he hated the christian faith; his heart was calloused against the call of God. He even planned a journey to Damascus to arrest and persecute those who were followers of Christ.
If ever a man were unbending in his conviction, Paul was that man. Nothing could change him--until he encountered the person of Jesus Christ. It was then that he discovered the unlimited power of God that can change any person, anywhere, in any condition! The belief that besults in salvation is a belief in the unlimited power of salvation.
B. Belief in the unrestricted availablity of salvation. Paul proclaims that this salvation is available to all who believe. Why does Paul say, "To the Jew first"? Because they were in the immediate proximity and had the best religious background for accepting the gospel. Then he says, "And also to the Greek." The gospel reached Greeks as well as Jews.
The Greeks were the intellectuals of the first century and were often cynical. Stoicism and Epicureanism were four hundred years old, and ineach the evcitement had almost gone out of the movements and decay had set in. Greek-Roman religion in the first century was confused and caotic, with so many gods and deitied that cities even maintained "catch-all" shrines to provide emanations that might be overlooked.
What caused Greeks to become christians? The answer is revealed in the opening of Pauls address on Mars hill: " The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands" ( Acts 17:24). In place of the randomness that Athens offered, Paul tells of a God who can speak for Himself and who is not contained in human thought. Jesus provides an unrestricted, universally available salvation.
In his letter to the church at Rome, Paul says that salvation is available without restriction because of several factors.
1. The "need" requires it. " For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). Since all have sinned, salvation is available to all. It is available without restriction because paople have sinned without exception.
2. The "grace" that provides it. " For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life though Jesus Christ our Lord" (6:23). Salvation is available without restriction not because of human goodness but because of God's grace. If salvation were available on the basis of our goodness, it could not be availabe without restriction.
3. The "price" that purchased it. "But God commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (5:8). How could God "prove His love toward us" through the death of Christ? Because " God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself" (2Cor. 5:19). Christ died for us, He deid on our behalf--voluntarily. "I lay down my life... no man takes it from me" (John 10:17-18).
A little boy made a toy boat, but soon he lost it in the street gutter in front of his home. It was swept down the street sewer. Later he saw it in the window of a pawn shop. He saved his pennies and paid one dollar for the boat. As he left the shop he said, " little boat, you're mine twice-- I made you and I purchased you."
We are God's twice. He made us and He ourchased us.
4. The "love' that ensures it. Robert Bruce, a disciple of John Knox, deid on July 27, 1631. That morning he had come to breakfast and his younger daughter sat by his side.
As he mused in silence, suddenly he cried: " Hold, daughter, hold; my Master calleth me." He asked that the Bible should be brought, but his sight failed him and he could not read. "Cast me up the eighth of Romans," cried he, and he repeated much of the latter portion of this scripture till he came to the last two verses: "I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." "Set my finger on these words," said the blind dying man; "God be with you my children. I breakfasted with you, and I shall sup with my Lord Jesus this night. I die believing in these words" (marcus loane, the hope of glory [ waco:word, 1969], 160).
For belief to be valid, it must accompany the right behavior.
2. The behavior that results from salvation (Rom. 12:1-2; 13:1-5; 14:21; 15:1-3)
Belief results in salvation- behavior results from salvation. In other words, belief saves us and behavior proves that we are saved. Paul points out that our belief in the gospel will affect three areas of our behavior.
A. Our conduct ( Rom. 12:1-2). " I beseech you therefore...." Whenever we see the word "therefore" in scripture we need to find out what it's there for. It always looks back on what has been said. Paul is saying, "In the light of the belief that results in salvation, I now set forth the behavior that results from salvation." You have believed, therefore you should behave!" He did not say "I command you!" He says, "I beseech you." After all, he is writing to those who have already believed in Christ and thus should of their own volition behave as believers.
There may be things we cannot do and much we cannot give, but by the grace of God we can behave!
1. Our conduct should be voluntary--"present your bodies" (v1)
2. Our conduct should refuse to be molded by others. "Be not conformed..."(v2). christians don't take the color of their social enviroment. Like their Savior, christians are distinctively different from those around them!
3. Our conduct should come from within. "But be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind..."(v2). Until we have genuine belief that results in salvation, we lack the power to behave. But when Christ comes into our lives, we become new cretures. Christ becomes the center of our lives.
B. Our citizenship (Rom. 13:1-5). Our citizenship--the way we relate to people in elected positions of authority--may be the greatest testemony we have. In God's economy there is no place for the destuctive spirit of rebellion and anarchy.
C. Our concern. (Rom. 14:21; 15:1-3). In chapter 14 Paul says that salvation enables christians to place the concerns of others above their own self-ish interests. When we reach this level of behavior, the criteria is no longer merely "is it right or wrong?" but rather "will it cause my brother to stumble?"
If our belief in Christ is genuine, we will behave as Christ would. We won't be out to please ourselves, to prove out point, or to insist on our own way. Rather our lives will be characterized by the christian love of which Paul speaks in 1Corinthians 13: " Love is patient, love is kind.... It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs" (vv 4-5)
Believe and behave! Thats the message of the book of Romans. "Believe and behave--not Believe or behave. When we grab both of these truths so that they are both translated into our everyday lives, then Paul's letter to the church in Rome has accomplished its purpose both in the church of times past and in our time.
"Believe and Behave" is the central theme of the book of Romans. Paul contends that what we believe has everything to do with how we behave. If our belief is wrong, our behavior will be wrong. And if our behavior is wrong, our belief cannot be right. Our behavior says more about our beliefs than does our verbal testimony or writtencreed.
We often tend to emphasize either belief or behavior to the exclusion of the other, which makes for a partial and imbalanced christianity. Paul, a man of balanced faith, assigns equal importance to each. The first eleven chapters of Romans deal with belief and the last five with behavior.
In the winter of A.D. 57-58, Paul was in Corinth at the end of his third missionary journey. He was soon returning to Jerusalem with and offering for the poor. A woman named Phoebe, who lived in a suburb of Corinth, was soon to sail to Rome. Paul saw an opportunity to send this letter to the church of Rome with her.
Because there was no postal service in the Roman Empire except for government business, personal letters had to be carried by friends. Paul was not sure he would get away from Jerusalem alive. Desiring to to leave a written explanation of the gospel of salvation in the hands of the christians in Rome, he wrote this letter, which Phoebe delivered safely to the church.
Realizing that this may be his only communication with the church so strategically located in the capital of the world, he stressed what he must have felt to be the two cardinal truths of the christian faith--the belief that results in salvation and the behavior that results from salvation.
1. The Belief That Results in Salvation. ( Rom. 1:16)
After a few brief words of introduction, Paul proclaims, " For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ..." (Romans 1:16). What kind of belief enables us to receive salvation?
A. Belief in the unlimited power of salvation. Paul says that he is proud of the gospel of salvation. He considers himself privileged to preach it. What a strange statement considering all that had recently happened to him! At Phillipi he had been jailed, at Thessalonica he had been expelled, at Berea he had been smuggled out, and at Athens he had been scorned.
The gospel Paul preached in Corinth was considered "foolishness" by the Greeks and a "stumbling block" by the Jews. In spite of the opposition, Paul says the gospel "is the power of God unto salvation!" The unlimited power of the gospel made Paul victorious over every obstacle in his path
Whe Pual speaks of "the power of God unto salvation," he speaks from personal experience. At first he hated the christian faith; his heart was calloused against the call of God. He even planned a journey to Damascus to arrest and persecute those who were followers of Christ.
If ever a man were unbending in his conviction, Paul was that man. Nothing could change him--until he encountered the person of Jesus Christ. It was then that he discovered the unlimited power of God that can change any person, anywhere, in any condition! The belief that besults in salvation is a belief in the unlimited power of salvation.
B. Belief in the unrestricted availablity of salvation. Paul proclaims that this salvation is available to all who believe. Why does Paul say, "To the Jew first"? Because they were in the immediate proximity and had the best religious background for accepting the gospel. Then he says, "And also to the Greek." The gospel reached Greeks as well as Jews.
The Greeks were the intellectuals of the first century and were often cynical. Stoicism and Epicureanism were four hundred years old, and ineach the evcitement had almost gone out of the movements and decay had set in. Greek-Roman religion in the first century was confused and caotic, with so many gods and deitied that cities even maintained "catch-all" shrines to provide emanations that might be overlooked.
What caused Greeks to become christians? The answer is revealed in the opening of Pauls address on Mars hill: " The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands" ( Acts 17:24). In place of the randomness that Athens offered, Paul tells of a God who can speak for Himself and who is not contained in human thought. Jesus provides an unrestricted, universally available salvation.
In his letter to the church at Rome, Paul says that salvation is available without restriction because of several factors.
1. The "need" requires it. " For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). Since all have sinned, salvation is available to all. It is available without restriction because paople have sinned without exception.
2. The "grace" that provides it. " For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life though Jesus Christ our Lord" (6:23). Salvation is available without restriction not because of human goodness but because of God's grace. If salvation were available on the basis of our goodness, it could not be availabe without restriction.
3. The "price" that purchased it. "But God commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (5:8). How could God "prove His love toward us" through the death of Christ? Because " God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself" (2Cor. 5:19). Christ died for us, He deid on our behalf--voluntarily. "I lay down my life... no man takes it from me" (John 10:17-18).
A little boy made a toy boat, but soon he lost it in the street gutter in front of his home. It was swept down the street sewer. Later he saw it in the window of a pawn shop. He saved his pennies and paid one dollar for the boat. As he left the shop he said, " little boat, you're mine twice-- I made you and I purchased you."
We are God's twice. He made us and He ourchased us.
4. The "love' that ensures it. Robert Bruce, a disciple of John Knox, deid on July 27, 1631. That morning he had come to breakfast and his younger daughter sat by his side.
As he mused in silence, suddenly he cried: " Hold, daughter, hold; my Master calleth me." He asked that the Bible should be brought, but his sight failed him and he could not read. "Cast me up the eighth of Romans," cried he, and he repeated much of the latter portion of this scripture till he came to the last two verses: "I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." "Set my finger on these words," said the blind dying man; "God be with you my children. I breakfasted with you, and I shall sup with my Lord Jesus this night. I die believing in these words" (marcus loane, the hope of glory [ waco:word, 1969], 160).
For belief to be valid, it must accompany the right behavior.
2. The behavior that results from salvation (Rom. 12:1-2; 13:1-5; 14:21; 15:1-3)
Belief results in salvation- behavior results from salvation. In other words, belief saves us and behavior proves that we are saved. Paul points out that our belief in the gospel will affect three areas of our behavior.
A. Our conduct ( Rom. 12:1-2). " I beseech you therefore...." Whenever we see the word "therefore" in scripture we need to find out what it's there for. It always looks back on what has been said. Paul is saying, "In the light of the belief that results in salvation, I now set forth the behavior that results from salvation." You have believed, therefore you should behave!" He did not say "I command you!" He says, "I beseech you." After all, he is writing to those who have already believed in Christ and thus should of their own volition behave as believers.
There may be things we cannot do and much we cannot give, but by the grace of God we can behave!
1. Our conduct should be voluntary--"present your bodies" (v1)
2. Our conduct should refuse to be molded by others. "Be not conformed..."(v2). christians don't take the color of their social enviroment. Like their Savior, christians are distinctively different from those around them!
3. Our conduct should come from within. "But be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind..."(v2). Until we have genuine belief that results in salvation, we lack the power to behave. But when Christ comes into our lives, we become new cretures. Christ becomes the center of our lives.
B. Our citizenship (Rom. 13:1-5). Our citizenship--the way we relate to people in elected positions of authority--may be the greatest testemony we have. In God's economy there is no place for the destuctive spirit of rebellion and anarchy.
C. Our concern. (Rom. 14:21; 15:1-3). In chapter 14 Paul says that salvation enables christians to place the concerns of others above their own self-ish interests. When we reach this level of behavior, the criteria is no longer merely "is it right or wrong?" but rather "will it cause my brother to stumble?"
If our belief in Christ is genuine, we will behave as Christ would. We won't be out to please ourselves, to prove out point, or to insist on our own way. Rather our lives will be characterized by the christian love of which Paul speaks in 1Corinthians 13: " Love is patient, love is kind.... It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs" (vv 4-5)
Believe and behave! Thats the message of the book of Romans. "Believe and behave--not Believe or behave. When we grab both of these truths so that they are both translated into our everyday lives, then Paul's letter to the church in Rome has accomplished its purpose both in the church of times past and in our time.
We Reap What We Sow
"What is this thou has done to me? did I not serve with thee for Rachel? wherefor then has thou beguiled me?" (Gen 29:25)
The eeger lad with exuberance on his journey. His stepa must have been lighter as he anticipated the experience of a new country. With the help of the Lord, Jacob immediately found the counrty where his mother's kinfolks lived. The adrenaline must have been flowing in his system, because when he saw Rachel, he was able by himself, to roll the stone from the well's mouth, a task that usually required several men. When he identified himself to Rachel, she was delighted to know him and ran to tell her father.
Jacob the schemer met his match in Laban, his mother's brother. Jacob remained as a guest for a month, but after that Laban suggested that a contract be drawn up for work. Jacob proposed that he work seven years for Laban's daughter, and at that time she would become his wife. However Jacob did not count on Laban's craftiness.
The wedding feast was a great one, with all the customs of that day. The morning after the wedding had been consumated in the darkness of the tent, Jacob discovered he had slept with Leah, Laban's elder daughter, rather than Rachel. Of course he raised a great objection, but Laban showed him the "fine print" in the contract and explained ti was the custom of their country never to give the younger daughter in marriage until the firstborn was wedded. As a result, Jacob had to serve another seven year term for Rachel. Naturayyl, Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. However, God blessed Leah with many children. It was a long time before Rachel even bore her first child, and then she died giving birth to her second one. Some great lessons stand out to be learned from this story.
1. God leads His children along.
How refreshing for us to know that in spite of our shortcomings and sins, God can use us. The Lord had chosen Jacob as the channel through which the Messiah would come. If we had been choosing, no doubt we might have picked Esau, for in many ways he was a more likable character. Yet Jacob, with all his indesirable traits, had a nature sensitive tp God's will. He did not always act in accordance with this knowledge, but he genuinely loved God in spite of his personal ambition and inconsistant nature. Esau, on the other hand, was a worldly wise sophistcate who felt no need for religious affiliation or divine support.
God blesses us when we are earnestly trying to do His will. He will lead us if we will just keep ourselves in tune with Him. He does not count our mistakes, but only our intentions. His is always ready to wipe the slate clean and give us a fresh start. The land of Laban was the place of "begiining again" for Jacob. We too can know the joy of starting afresh if we honestly seek the Father's face and His will.
2. The Web of Deception is a Tangled One.
A poet wrote, "Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive." Jacob learned this truth firsthand. He started out as a supplanter. Nothing mattered to him except getting what he wanted. He did not care if he hurt anyone in securing the things he felt he must have at a given moment. Then he met someone who operated from the same base. Experts do not agree as to whether or not we inherit emotional qualities, but we cannot help bur wonder if Jacob's "craftiness" was from his mother's side of the family. After all, she helped him in deceiving Issac, and now we see that her brother has the same characteristics. Even Jacob the schemer was not going to gain the upper hand with Laban, because Laban had more resources to work with and therefore had Jacob at a disadvantage.
What do you imagine Jacob thought the morning after his wedding when he found Leah in his tent? Do you suppose that he saw any relationship between the darkness of the tent the night before and the darkness of his father's eyes when Jacob tricked to receive his blessing? The similarities are too great to go unnoticed. Jacob must have felt great remorse. We do not, however, see any repentance at this moment. Sin had stalked its victim! Jacob was now getting a dose of his own medicine.
3. God Always Sends Compensation.
The relationship between Jacob and his wives as an interesting one. God blessed Leah with children, which was the greatest honor that could come to a woman of the day. A man from Israel, reflected the feeling of his people even to this day as he suggested that Rachel was the "beauty Queen" who did not want to work, While Leah was the better of the two. Also, Rachel died earlier and was buried by the side of the road near Bethlehem. She never enjoyed the blessings and fruits of old age. Leah, however lived a long time and was finally buried in the cave of Machpelah with Jacob, her husband, and the other two patriarchs and their wives. Nearly four millenia have passed, but the grave of Leah is still honored. Also, God sent the Savior through one of Leah's sons, Judah. Life indeed has a strange way of sending compensating blessings for our inadequacies and adversities.
Jacob's life is a strange mixture, a paradox, a dilemma. On one hand he was a schemer and suffered for it. On the other hand, God stood within the shadows and kept watch over Jacob. He overruled Jacob's mistakes and sins and blessed him in spite of them. Aren't you Happy that we serve a God who, because of His mercy, forgives our sins?
The eeger lad with exuberance on his journey. His stepa must have been lighter as he anticipated the experience of a new country. With the help of the Lord, Jacob immediately found the counrty where his mother's kinfolks lived. The adrenaline must have been flowing in his system, because when he saw Rachel, he was able by himself, to roll the stone from the well's mouth, a task that usually required several men. When he identified himself to Rachel, she was delighted to know him and ran to tell her father.
Jacob the schemer met his match in Laban, his mother's brother. Jacob remained as a guest for a month, but after that Laban suggested that a contract be drawn up for work. Jacob proposed that he work seven years for Laban's daughter, and at that time she would become his wife. However Jacob did not count on Laban's craftiness.
The wedding feast was a great one, with all the customs of that day. The morning after the wedding had been consumated in the darkness of the tent, Jacob discovered he had slept with Leah, Laban's elder daughter, rather than Rachel. Of course he raised a great objection, but Laban showed him the "fine print" in the contract and explained ti was the custom of their country never to give the younger daughter in marriage until the firstborn was wedded. As a result, Jacob had to serve another seven year term for Rachel. Naturayyl, Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. However, God blessed Leah with many children. It was a long time before Rachel even bore her first child, and then she died giving birth to her second one. Some great lessons stand out to be learned from this story.
1. God leads His children along.
How refreshing for us to know that in spite of our shortcomings and sins, God can use us. The Lord had chosen Jacob as the channel through which the Messiah would come. If we had been choosing, no doubt we might have picked Esau, for in many ways he was a more likable character. Yet Jacob, with all his indesirable traits, had a nature sensitive tp God's will. He did not always act in accordance with this knowledge, but he genuinely loved God in spite of his personal ambition and inconsistant nature. Esau, on the other hand, was a worldly wise sophistcate who felt no need for religious affiliation or divine support.
God blesses us when we are earnestly trying to do His will. He will lead us if we will just keep ourselves in tune with Him. He does not count our mistakes, but only our intentions. His is always ready to wipe the slate clean and give us a fresh start. The land of Laban was the place of "begiining again" for Jacob. We too can know the joy of starting afresh if we honestly seek the Father's face and His will.
2. The Web of Deception is a Tangled One.
A poet wrote, "Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive." Jacob learned this truth firsthand. He started out as a supplanter. Nothing mattered to him except getting what he wanted. He did not care if he hurt anyone in securing the things he felt he must have at a given moment. Then he met someone who operated from the same base. Experts do not agree as to whether or not we inherit emotional qualities, but we cannot help bur wonder if Jacob's "craftiness" was from his mother's side of the family. After all, she helped him in deceiving Issac, and now we see that her brother has the same characteristics. Even Jacob the schemer was not going to gain the upper hand with Laban, because Laban had more resources to work with and therefore had Jacob at a disadvantage.
What do you imagine Jacob thought the morning after his wedding when he found Leah in his tent? Do you suppose that he saw any relationship between the darkness of the tent the night before and the darkness of his father's eyes when Jacob tricked to receive his blessing? The similarities are too great to go unnoticed. Jacob must have felt great remorse. We do not, however, see any repentance at this moment. Sin had stalked its victim! Jacob was now getting a dose of his own medicine.
3. God Always Sends Compensation.
The relationship between Jacob and his wives as an interesting one. God blessed Leah with children, which was the greatest honor that could come to a woman of the day. A man from Israel, reflected the feeling of his people even to this day as he suggested that Rachel was the "beauty Queen" who did not want to work, While Leah was the better of the two. Also, Rachel died earlier and was buried by the side of the road near Bethlehem. She never enjoyed the blessings and fruits of old age. Leah, however lived a long time and was finally buried in the cave of Machpelah with Jacob, her husband, and the other two patriarchs and their wives. Nearly four millenia have passed, but the grave of Leah is still honored. Also, God sent the Savior through one of Leah's sons, Judah. Life indeed has a strange way of sending compensating blessings for our inadequacies and adversities.
Jacob's life is a strange mixture, a paradox, a dilemma. On one hand he was a schemer and suffered for it. On the other hand, God stood within the shadows and kept watch over Jacob. He overruled Jacob's mistakes and sins and blessed him in spite of them. Aren't you Happy that we serve a God who, because of His mercy, forgives our sins?
Watch Your Weak Moments
" Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therfore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. And Esau said, Behold I am to the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?" ( Gen. 25:30-32) Everyone of us experiences weak moments when we should not make decisions. In a weak moment a dieter may see an appetizing dessert and give in to the temptation. In a weak moment a tired driver may decide to keep driving instead of pulling over, and that decision could be dangerous, even deadly. Weak moments can cause us to lose our character. Esau had a lot of advantages. He was the oldest son Issac and Rebekah and thus had the birthright. He was a rugged outdoorsman and a skillful hunter. Unfortunately, he had a flaw that cost him dearly. He had trouble handling weak moments. This flaw was especially apparent when he sold his birthright to Jacob because of sheer hunger. The story of Esau teaches us some valuble lessons about the weak moments of life. Lets consider these lessonsand take them to heart. 1. We Must Tame Physical Desire. The first lesson to learn from Esau's life is that we need to tame our physical desires. Esau allowed physical impulses to dictate his actions, and he lived to regret his carelessness. A. Consider the occasion of Esau's weak moment. Esau had been in the field hunting. When he returned home, Jacob was cooking some red stew. Esau was hungry and tired, and this was a favored dish. He asked Jacob to give him some of the stew, and Jacob refused. Under one condition could Esau have the stew--he would have to sell his birthright. Listen to Esau's response: " Look, I am about to die. What good is a birthright to me?" ( Gen. 25:32) B. Weak moments are inevitable. These are the times when our resources are depleted. Our focus shifts to the temporal, and we zero in on sastifying the particular appetite that is nagging us and give little heed to the consequences. J. Wallace Hamilton wrote a book called Ride the Wild Horse. The thesis of his book is that God gave us every desire that we have. No desire is bad within itself, but must be controlled by God. So the first lesson here is to allow God to tame your physical desires. But there is another lesson. 2. We Must Treat Priviledges Responsibly. The story of Esau teaches a valuble lesson about treating the gifts entrusted to us responsibly. A. Consider the gift of esau's birthright. Esau was the firstborn of Issac and Rebekah. This was a distinguished position, because in those days the firstborn son had the privilege of ruling the other children. The family inheritance would ultimately belong to Esau as well. Esau had a marvelous privilege that he could never have attained through human achevement. Unfortunately, he disdained his gift during a moment of weakness. Feeling the pain of hunger caused him to treat his privilege carelessly. B. Gifts Are Not To Be Taken Lightly. God endows all believers with one or more gifts, and he greatly desires that we acknowledge and use those gifts. We must not disregard them like Esau did. Let's learn to cherish our privileges and to treat them responsibly. So far we have learned two valuble lessons from Esau's life. We can learn at least one more lesson. 3. We Must Consider Decisions Carefully. Perhaps the greatest lesson Esau learned is the crucial importance of moments of decision. The decisions we make influence the rest of our lives. A. Consider Esau's Crucial Decision. Esau's decision was a hugh one at the time. Stated simply, it was the decision to remain hungry and keep his birthright or to satisfy his appetite and lose his birthright. At the moment the decisiion seemed obvious to Esau. But later he lived to regret that decision because he could never get his birthright back. That decision in a moment of weakness cast a shadow on the rest of his days on earth. B. The DEcisions of Life Demand Great Care. Life brings all kinds of decisions, both big ones and little ones. We should be ever conscious of God's leadership in our lives. He leads us during our moments of stregth and during our moments of weakness. If we look to Him for guidance, He will never lead us to regret a decision. Do you have a resource for the weak moments of life? All of us have those times, and we need help fromsomeone greater than ourselves. Invite Christ into your life. He will join His life with yours.
The Secret of Facing Need
My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19) When you are confronted with special needs for yourself, your family, your job, or your church, what do your do? When Paul wrote his letter to the Phillipians he had some great needs himself. As a servant of Christ, he is a prisoner of Rome.He acknowledges that he is afflicted (4:12) and that he is under pressure (4:14); he refers to his necessity and to their need (4:15-19). Paul has learned the secret to facing need. This is a key to celebrated christian living. Today we are going to look at some specific ways to deal with our needs. 1. Be Enthusiastic (4:4) When we have a need, we are not to hide it, or deny it, or disregard it; we are to rejoice in the Lord. The word "rejoice" is an imperative, a command. It is present tense, urging continual action. It is the attitude of life, "always". It is given double emphasis in the light of the Phillipians' difficulties. Our focus is to be on the Lord, not on our need. It was one of those should- have- never- gotten- out- of- bed days for a certian preacher. He cut his face while shaving. Then he burned his toast for breakfast. After he rushed out the door so he wouldn't be late for an appointment, one of his tires blew out a few miles down the road. He finally got his car back on the road and was going a few miles over the speed limit when a police officer stopped him and gave him a ticket for speeding. By that time he was extremely upset, and he made a rather sorry picture as he complained bitterly to the policeman about the kind of day he was having. " I know what you mean," said the officer. "It used to happen to me that way-- before I became a christian!" 2. Be Gentle(4:5) Christian enthusiasm is not without reason. The word "moderation" means a readiness to listen to reason. It is the attitude of yeilding one's rights, thus showing consideration and gentleness to others. The tendancy of the world is to become hard and tough, to demand one's rights, but this is not the christian response. We are to be gentle towards people. 3. Be Peaceful.(4:6-7) The natural tendancy in the time of need is worry. Every night Americans take millions of sleeping pills. Worry is not the answer! We3 can either worry or pray. God's word says we are to worry about nothing--not even one thing. When we worry we are sinning by showing a lack of trust in God. Instead, we are instructed to commit our requests to God in prayer and allow Him to be Lord in our lives. Peace comes through prayer as an act of worship, through supplication for our personal needs, and through thankfulness for what is happening in our lives. Peace beyond human understanding keeps guarding our inner life. This is the way to respond to need. 4. Be Positive(4:8) Think positively not negatively! Think spiritual thoughts. Think high thought, just thoughts, thoughts worthy of respect, living by Gods standard. Think agreeable, loving, and pure thoughts and keep practicing them! This is the way the God of peace will bless. 5. Be Teachable (4:9,11) " Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me- put it in to practice" (v.9) The Lord has a purpose for the need in your life. A. The Lord uses a need to develop us. What happens to us is not as important as how we respond to what happens. The Lord is developing spiriatual qualities in our lives. Her are several of these qualities: gratefulness (v.6), joyfulness (v 10), contentment (v 11), flexabilty (v12), and faith (v 13). What quality is He developing in you? B. The Lord needs to improve us. A need that we have causes us to search our hearts and ask the Lord, " Whats wrong?" C. The Lord uses a need to test us. When we have a need and the funds for it are not available, the Lord may be testing us. Whatever our need , and whatever God's purpose, we are to thank Him!! 6. Be Content. (4:10-12) Contentment is an attitude that none of us possesses naturally. It is something we have to learn. Paul learned it; he had not always known it. Our natural inclination is not to learn to be contant. Rather, it is to complain of our circumstances or to covet what we do not have. Contentment is realizing that God has provided everything we need for our present happiness. The opposite is covetousness, lustinf for more and more. 7. Be Expectant. (4:13) " I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." There is no greater verse in the Bible. When we have the right attitude, there is nothing we cannot do! This verse is positive: "I can." It is personal; " I can." It is powerful: ".....do all things." In the face of your need, you can be defeated or you can be expectant of the victory Jesus gives. 8 Be Generous. (4:14-18) The Phillipian church was a generous church; consquently, Paul's needs were met (vv 14, 16, 18) In the time of our need, we tend to be stingy; but he key to qualifying for verse 19 is the attitude of generousity within us. If we are in "need," this means we should be giving. 9. Be Fulfilled. (4:19) All our need is supplied and satisfied. God's treatment of the Pillipians will correspond to their treatment of Paul. So what about your needs? How are you responding to them? What are you doing with them? We need to take our eyes of the finacial page and put them on God. Paul wrote in God's Word " My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." ( Phil. 4: 19)
Thursday, February 21, 2013
The Forgotten Beatitude
And to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, " It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20-35) An experiance pastor tells of hearing both the pastor of his college church and the pastor of his seminary church preach a series of sermons on the Beatitudes of Jesus. Neither included this beatitude that Paul preserved for us. Later in a church of his own, he also preached on the Beatitudes, and he did not include this beatitude either. Why not? His testemony was, " I forgot it." Then he added, " I suppose the two pastors i heard and the authors of the six books I read in preparation for my series forgot it also." Ask almost any christian, even the most careful Bible student, to name the beatitudes, and he will name those listed in Matthew 5. Not one out of a hundred would name the one given in Acts 20. So it is fair to call Acts 20:35 the forgotten beatitude. A. There is no question as to the authenticity of this beatitude. That this is a genuine saying of Jesus there is no doubt. Beyond doubt, this was a current saying of Jesus with which the elders in Ephesus were familiar. Moreover, the writer, Luke, who heard Pauls address to these pastors and preserved it, also wrote the gospel that bears his name; and his gospel preserves , in slightly varied form, Jesus' beatitudes. ( Luke 6:20-23) B. There can be no doubt that Jesus demonstated this beatitude in His life and ministry and death; Just as surely as He dsemonstrated meekness, mercy, and purity of heart, so did He demonstrate that " it is more blessed to give than to receive." C. There is no fault found with the form in which this beatitude is given; Paul prefaces his statement of the beatitude with a twofold caution: "Laboring," he said, " you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, " It is more blessed to give than to receive." His caution " To remember" is certainly in place for us, for this is the forgotten beatitude. Lets look at three questions concerning this beatitude. 1. Why is this beatitude forgotten? A. We have never understood it; Taken together the full impact of these words has never hit us as Jesus intended they should. We tread lightly on the first half of the saying and let our minds dwell on the latter half. But Jesus' emphasis is the other way around: " It is more blessed to give than to receive." This turns the normal attitude of the carnal mind upside down. There is a blessedness in receiving, and our Lord does not discount this fact. None of us could live for ten minutes apart from what receive. It is blessed to receive, but it is more blessed to give. B. We have never believed it; If we doubt that this is the most disbelieved truth in the Word of God, all we need to do is look first at the average church treasury and after that into the faces of the average congregation when the offering is being received or when the pasor mentions money. Many look at giving to the church as a necessary nuisance, a bother, a thing to be dreaded. It isn't so at all if our hearts are right. The sense of our text then is this: " It is a far happier experience to give than to receive." And it surely is if our hearts are right with God. C. We have never actually tested it; Oh, a few have! And their testimony tells us that it is the very Word of God. They say, " It IS more blessed to give than to receive." Those who love the most give the most. But the majority of christians cannot testify one way or another. They haven't tried it out! 2. What are the results of this beatitude bring forgotten? A. We have missed the main emphasis of Jesus' teaching; This beatitude stands supreme among a the beatitudes of the Bible. It is the center of the Bible's teaching, the supreme emphasis of Jesus. To give was the purpose of His coming: " The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matt 20:28). Selfish-ness is self-destructive; giving is redemptive, creative, permanent. We lose what we keep and keep forever what we give to God. B. We have missed the greatest joy, the supreme blessing of christian living; What is christian living? It is doing our best to give more than we receive for Christ's sake because we love Him and because we love a lost world. What is the christian philosophy of life? It is believing in and trying to live by this Word of the One who redeemed us: " It is more blessed to give than to receive." No amount of earthly things can ever satisfy the spititual part of us that God made to be blessed by giving. The writer of Ecclesiases tells us: " He that loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loves abundance with increase: this is also vanity" (5:10) C. We have failed to take the gospel to the whole world; Why has the gospel made such a slow conquest of the world? Why have missions and evangelism lagged and dragged? It is because preachers have been so timid about preaching the joyous truths of the Bible about giving and because people have been so rebellious and unbelieving when they have presented it. There is no danger of exaggerating the measure in which this beatitude has been discredited in the world and even by Christ's own people. Selfishness is the dominant note of humanity, the cancer of society, the mud on the chariot wheels of Gods army; and selfishness finds its supreme expression in man's attitude towards money. The world believes it is more blessed to get than to give; and therefore, for two millennia we have not carried the gospel to all the world. 3. What blessings would follow a recovery of this beatitude? A. Blessings on us as individuals; " It is more blessed to give than to receive." That is true for each one of us as individuals. We love our Lord because there was no trace of selfishness in Him. He gave and gave and gave, and it was His joy to give. The writer of Hebrews says of Him:" Jesus.....who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross" ( 12:2) Jesus demonstrated the truth of this beatitude as He did all the others. We are to be like Him. When pastors persuade their congregations to give " not grudgingly, or of necesssity" (2Cor 9:7), but joyfully and liberally, they are doing a real service to their souls. B. Blessings on our churches; It would mean that our churches would have the means, the resources, but above all the spiritual power to attempt to carry out the Great Commision. A young seminary graduate was in his first pastorate in a rural setting. Both the church and his salary were small. With three young children he was having a hard time making ends meet. One kind farmer in his church brought him a fine milk cow and the feed to feed her. " Pastor, milk this cow. She'll give all the milk your children need." Some weeks later when the farmer asked about the cow, the young pastor replied, " She went dry. I don't know why. We were very careful. We milked only the milk we had to have." That is bad for a cow. It is bad for a church. Because of their failure to give liberally, most of our churches have gone spiritually dry. C. Blessings on unsaved souls; " It is more blessed to give than to receive." If they would only heed these words, churches would challenge an unsaved world by an exalted testimony and witness. The churches would beginto do the thing they were brought into existence to do. They would start knocking of the doors of the world with the gospel; the world would heed, and some would be saved. The beatitudes describe the traits of character of a happy christian; and this one, so often forgotten, is the most joyious of all!
The Purpose of Prayer
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Meanwhile praying for us, that God would open to us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Chriast, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Col, 4:2-4 A pastor is invited to a family's home for sunday supper. Before anyone says grace, the children start to eat. The embarrassed mother gives them a quick reprimand, while the children stare in confusion. The pastor then offers grace in the strained silence. The mother explains, " We don't always say grace before meals at our house." Of course, this has been fairly obvious, but the pastor butters his roll and waits, because he knows there is another line to this script. "We just take it for granted that God knows how thankful we are!" Why should we pray? God knows how grateful we are. That figures, according to the logic of the dinner table. The trouble with this kind of attitude is that it dosen't stay at the dinner table. It leaves the table and roams all over the house. And soon we find ourselves saying, "Why pray at all? God knows all that we need." Did not Jesus Himself say that God knows all that we need before we even ask Him? But Jesus' conclusion was, " Therefor,e do pray." This same line of reasoning led Fredrick Speakerman, in his book, Love Is Something You Do, to ask the question, " What if God refuses to read His children's mail unless it is addressed to Him?" We are to pray that we might commune with God and share with Him the most deeply felt needs of our lives. We are to express to God the gratitude and praise and joy that we feel in Him and in salvation. Paul elaborated on the purpose of prayer in Colossians 4:2-4 1 The purpose of prayer is see in the manner of prayer.(v2) A. We are to pray with perserverance; Prayer is not a spasmatic outburst in a moment of emergancy, but persistant calling on God for Hid guidance and blessing. B. We are to pray with watchfulness; This word kiterally means to be wakeful, to be alert when we pray. Prayer should not be reserved solely for times of crisis. We should pray before crisis comes so that we have the spiritual resources to meet the testing time. Napoleon said that battles are not won on the battlefield; rather, they are won at the conference table in the planningmeetings before the battle is ever begun. C. We are to pray with gratitude. 2. The purpose of prayer is seen in the object of prayer. (v3-4) A. We are to pray that God will give us an open door of service. Remember that Paul was in prison when he wrote the letter to the colossians. He could have prayed many things while he was in prison-- release, the favorable outcome of the trial, comfort, rest, - but Paul prayed that God would give him an opportunity to minister. B. We are to pray that God will help us to take advantage of our oppotunity for service. To pray for the open door, an opportunity for service, is just half the prayer. We are to pray also for the courage and ability to take advantage of the opportunity that is there. Paul wanted the Colossians to pray that he might be able to " Speak the mystery of Christ." This should be our prayer too. This is the purpose of prayer: We prayso that we are in communion with God with persistance, watchfulness, and thankfulness in order to have opportunity to witness for Christ and the strength to take those opportunities.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
The 7 Hebrew words for Trust
Ok just one more vocabulary post i promise, well at least for a while. So as we continue to look at words we should know, I would like to focus on just one. Trust. In the OT the writers used seven different words that all mean trust, but each one has a different nuance of the word. Whae we look at them all together we see the big picture, a word with a broad scope. Now for the cool part. All seven of these words came over to the NT ( through the greek translation of the OT, calle dthe septuagint) in one word (pistis 4102). This one word " Faith " literally carries the definition of all seven of the hebrew words for trust. So when we put our faith in Him we trusting Him in all seven facets of the word. So lets take a quick look at these incredible words, used by the OT writers. (Hasah 2620) a verb meaning to seek, to take refuge, like the shade of a tree. It is used particurly of the Lord. He is our shield providing refuge. (batah 982) confidence, itnexpresses the feeling of security that is felt when one can rely on someone else. (aman 539) to build up, to nurture, primarily providing security, like a baby in the arms of a parent. (mibtah 4009) to trust , to be confident, it refers to the person of thing in which one puts their trust. (yahal 3176) to wait with hope. ( hul 2342) to whirl, to shake, to writhe, it it used to describe an anxious waiting, to describe labor pains, it also implies God's creative work. (mahseh 4268) a NOUN designating refuge or shelter, it indicates the place of safty and protection. So there it is my friends, when we truely put our faith (trust) in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are seeking shelter in Him. We are confident in that shelter. We know He will build us up. We are certain that He will do it. We wait with hope ( expectation), sometimes groan like we're in labor as we wait for Him to create new things in our lives. And we know that He is the source of that trust!! What an awesome God!
So How Do You Face Trouble
Then Job arose and rent his mantel, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground and worshipped. And said " Naked came I out of my mothers womb, and naked shall I return there: the Lord gave , and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." ( Job 1:20-21) Is there any good news for those who suffer? Intimes when trouble strikes, we need to take an inventory to see if there is any good news that can cheer us up, and help us to carry the burden of pain. Trouble and suffering are facts of life that all of us must cope with sooner or later. An incurable disease may afflict someone we love or even us personally. A financial disaster may wipe out our fortunes. A domestic tragedy may taer apart our home. There are fatal accidents on life's highways. There are dead end streets where all hopeful expectations are brought to a stop. How should christians handle suffering and trouble? When trouble comes some people turn to religion, hoping it will deepen and stregthen their faith. Others turn away from religion in disappointment and despair. Still others turn against religion in hate and cynicism. How do people cope with pain and trouble? Some bluster and bluff and cuss. Some develop a headache and take an aspirin. Some drink or take grugs that enable them to escape the pain of reality temporarily. Some pray and trust God. What will you do when trouble comes? Will you turn to God? Will you turn from God? Will you turn against God? Lets take a look at Job, the ultimate example of a man who struggled with suffering in the times before Christ. 1. Jobs character (Jobs character Job 1:1,8) Job is a dramatic illustration of one who experienced undeserved suffering. He is a dramitic example of how the innocent can suffer. Job was a blameless man, Job was upright, this means straight and real and right in his dealings with others. Job feared God, he was a fervent worshipper of God. Job was a man who stayed away from evil, Job didn't comprimise his principles. 2. Jobs position; Job lived in a time when people commonly believed that anyone who was good and did good would be happy and prosperous. Job was a good man, and he was also happy and prosperous. He was the best of the best, there was nobody quite like him. He enjoyed great wealth, he had a wonderful family, he was a priest in his own home, and he was the epitome of success and happiness. 3. Jobs calamity and suffering; Suddenly Job's life was turned upside down, and he suffered some catostrophic events that were both undeserved and unexplained. Job suffered the loss of his property (1:14-17) Job suffered the tragic death of his children (1:18-19) Job experienced the loss of his health (2:7-8) Job experienced bad counsel and advise from his wife (2:9) Job endured the frustration of sicere friends who blundered in their efforts to comfort and counsel him, even with all that, Job still had some fortune in his life; his friends did come to him, this required great effort on their part. They sat in silence with him for seven days. Sometimes silence is the best way to support someone who is suffering. They gave the best advise they knew to give. In a nutshell they told him to admit his sinfulness and hypocrisy, to confess his sercret sins. Jobs friends were philosophers and thinkers, and they offered him the best solutions they could think of for the complex trouble he was in. Job and his friends believed that suffering was the result of sin and that people who suffered must have sinned. In the middle of his pain, Job held on to his conviction concerning his personal integrity. He was convinced that he did not deserve the suffering that was totally out of proportion to any sin that he may have been guilt of. We learn from the book of Job as we study it in its entirety that suffering is not always the result of sin. We alos learn from the book of Job that God is often blamed for tragedies, catastrophies, and hurts, for which He is not responsible. Jobs friends came to him with the suggestion that his suffering was the unavoidable consequence of some great flaw in his character and in his beliefs, and conduct. Job was patient in the sense, that he held on to his sense of integrity and denied that his suffering was due to some great sin in his life. When suffering comes to us, we must hold on to the conviction that God is love, and that God is good. We must believe that God always acts in conformity with His good character. So how will we handle trouble? Will it bring us closer to Christ? Will it turn us away from Christ? Will it turn us against Christ? Several suggestions may be helpful to us as we consider the possiblity of suffering in the future. First, Lets consider the example of Jesus as He dealt with the pain and suffering of others. And remember He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Before suffering comes we need to develop some resources to help us in times of trouble. Just like the way we take out liability or accecident insurance. 1. We must develop the daily habit of a quiet time in which we let God speak to us from his word. 2. We must let prayer be a conversation with God in which we not only speak to Him, but also let Him speak to us. 3. We need to regularly participate in publiuc worship and let God use this time to draw us closer to him. 4. We need to develop genuine christian fellowship with other members of Gods family, this allows God to use us to be a blessing to each other. 5. We must expect the angels of God to come in our time of need. And in the meantime, we must not be anxious about trouble that may come in the future. Lets be determined to live our lives for the highest and best purposes, under the leadership of the risen Christ and the power oh his Holy Spirit.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)