Great Is Thy Faithfulness!

Four Signs of Faithfulness

“Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands.”          Deuteronomy 7:9

Lamentations 3:21-25 

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; 

Modern church life is much more complicated than the early church, but the faithfulness of the church in Philadelphia is a model we can emulate today. Christ commended the church in Philadelphia for four things—principles that can be, and often are, lost among the practices and programs of the modern church.

While Christ addresses his letter in Revelation 3:7-13 to the church as a body, His words of commendation were for every individual believer. It’s the faith of the individual believers that determines the strength of the church.

There are four reasons Christ praised Philadelphian believers, and we can benefit from and apply these principles to our personal spiritual lives:

1. They have an open door

Christ opens His letter to Philadelphia revealing His sovereignty. He is the one who “has the key of David … who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens” (Revelation 3:7). With that in mind, He tells the church in Philadelphia, “I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it.”

The notion of an open door appears several times in the New Testament. Paul talked about a door for ministry that was open for him in Ephesus (1 Corinthians 16:8-9). He said the same thing about his opportunity for ministry in Troas (2 Corinthians 2:12). And in Colossians 4:2-3, Paul talked about praying “that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ.” In each case, the “open door” represents an opportunity for ministry. That would include people on the other side of the door who were receptive to Paul’s message.

Philadelphia was a gateway city to a large region that included other cities. Christ was reminding the church in Philadelphia that they were in a strategic location for ministry.

Has God placed you in a strategic place for ministry?

The late John Stott of England adds great discernment to the notion of open doors for ministry:

“Christ has the keys and He opens the doors. Then let us not barge our way unceremoniously through doors which are still closed. We must wait for Him to make openings for us. Damage is continually being done to the cause of Christ by rude or blatant testimony. It is indeed right to seek to win for Christ our friends and relatives at home and at work, but we are sometimes in a greater hurry than God is. Be patient, pray hard, love much, and wait expectantly for the opportunity of witness. The same applies to our future. More mistakes are probably made by speed than by sloth, by impatience than by deleteriousness. God’s purposes often ripen slowly and if the door is shut, don’t put your shoulder to it. Wait till Christ takes out the key and opens it up.”

The church in Philadelphia is reminded that Christ is able to open doors for ministry that no one can close. And the same is true for every church and individual believer today.

2. They have a little strength

Christ next makes a rather strange sounding commendation. He has just reminded them of the great opportunity He has given them, but then says “you have a little strength.” What did He mean?

Literally, the Greek text conveys this idea: You have “but little strength.” Christ presents their situation as almost problematic: You have a big opportunity but only a little strength. The implication is that it is not their strength that is important but Christ’s strength. 

This brings to mind Christ’s words to Paul: “My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Paul learned that in His weakness, Christ’s strength was more than sufficient.

That is the message of Christ for His Church in all places and in all ages. What we do in our own strength has no staying power, but what Christ does for us in His strength will last for eternity.

3. They have kept the Word of God

Third, Christ commends the church in Philadelphia for their fidelity to the Word of God: “[You] have kept My Word.”

After my book I Never Thought I’d See the Day! was published, I was asked to do a number of radio interviews. The most-frequently asked question was: “What is the one thing that is most responsible for erosion of biblical standards in the Church?” I didn’t need to think for long about that answer—it is the removal of the Word of God from the pulpits of churches. When Christians don’t know what God’s desires and standards are, how can we follow them? And further, how can we resist being conformed to the world that violates God’s standards? We can’t without God’s Word!

One of the reasons the church in Philadelphia was blessed by God was because of their faithfulness to His Word. Make a commitment to remain faithful to the Word of God. “Hide it in your heart” that you might not sin against Him (Psalm 119:1).

4. They have not denied the Lord

Finally, Christ commended the church in Philadelphia because they had not denied His name. They were faithful not only to the Word of the Lord but to the Lord Himself. They would not participate in the worship of Caesar that was so common in their day. Even in the face of persecution they did not deny the name of Christ. 

Resolve to serve Christ with your whole heart. Those who serve the Lord faithfully are a testimony of His grace and mercy to a lost and dying world. 

If we want to make an impact for the kingdom of God while we are here and be commended by Christ like the church of Philadelphia, we need to walk through open doors of ministry, depend on His strength, and be true to Him and to His Word.

We Are The Body - Part 3

We Are The Body – Part 3

4-22-18

Ephesians 4:11-16 

Ephesians 4:7  “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”

This passage of scripture sets the individual “each one” over against the “all” in regard to unity in the Body of Christ. Unity is not always uniformity and is perfectly consistent with diversity of gifting. God’s gracious relation to “all” is also a personal relation to each one!  

1 Cor. 12:7 “But the manifestation of the Spirit of God is given to each one for the profit of all!”

1 Cor. 12:11 ‘But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.”

NOTE: 

Paul moves in his teaching from the message of UNITY to the uniqueness of the believer.

Romans 12:6-8   The MOTIVATIONAL GIFTS of the Spirit of God:

1. Prophecy
2. Serving
3. Teaching
4. Encouragement
5. Giving
6. Leadership
7. Mercy

The Motivational Gifts are the expression of God’s Grace working through EVERY Believer! God’s GRACE gives each believer the desire and the power to concentrate on a particular gift from the Holy Spirit in order to carry out the work of the ministry!

Every Christian has one of the (7) SEVEN motivational gifts listed in Romans 12:6-8. As a result, every Christian views other Christians and circumstances through his or her motivational gifting.

Why? We employ them to benefit one another. These are the gifts God has built into us., made as a part of us, to be used for the benefit of others and for HIS GLORY. They are called MOTIVATIONAL because they are a MOTIVATING force for our lives. They are the gifts that shape our personalities…

IDENTIFICATION:  SEVEN MOTIVATIONAL  

 GIFTS

    l.  Prophet - one who clearly perceives the will of  

       God.  Proclaims truth and exposes sin.

   2.  Servant - one who loves to serve others; a doer; 

        meet needs; frees others

   3  Teacher - one who loves to research and 

       communicate truth. Researcher; clarifies truth and 

       validates information

   4.  Exhortation - one who loves to encourage others to 

        live a victorious  life. These are the extremely 

        positive people; stimulates faith and  promotes 

       growth

   5.  Giving - one who loves to give time, talent, energy, 

        and means to benefit others and advance the gospel.  

       A contributor; entrusts assets; maximizes results.

  

  6.  Ruling - administrator; one who loves to organize, 

       lead, or direct.  A facilitator or leader. Plans ahead 

       and completes task.

  7.  Mercy - Compassion person; one who shows 

       compassion, love, and care to those in need. 

       Removes distress and share  burdens.

Equipping results in unity

1 Corinthians 1:10, "Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."

4 Tools Used for Equipping:

1. Bible.

1 Peter 2:2, "as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby" 

2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." 

I am to feed myself, feed His people, and lead them to feed themselves.

2. Prayer.

Colossians 4:12-13, "Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him witness that he has a great zeal for you, and those who are in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis."

3. Testing.

James 1:2-4, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."

Hebrews 12:5-11, "And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:

'My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.'  If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?  But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." 

4. Suffering.

These can be purging experiences.

1 Peter 5:10, "But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you."

2 Corinthians 1:4-5, "who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ."

Paul magnified equipping at the church of Colosse.

Colossians 1:28, "Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus." 

Equip is word used for mending the nets, bringing together opposing factions, furnishing a house, discipling an offender.

The basic idea of the word is that of putting a thing into the condition in which it ought to be:  Usefulness.

III.  THE LAITY'S (LEADERS) RESPONSIBILITY.  12b

A. SERVING.  12b

"for the work of the ministry" - to equip the people given into your care to meet the needs in practical service.  The leaders share in serving, and many of those equipped share in the equipping.  Spiritual service is the work of every Christian; participation in ministry; Service

B. EDIFYING (BUILDING UP)  12c

Proper equipping (discipling), proper serving by the laity, results in building up the Body of Christ.

Word refers to building of a house, used of any sort of construction.  Speaks of development.

Acts 20:32, "So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified."

C. UNIFYING.  13a

"come to the unity of the faith" - referring to Christian doctrine; disunity in the church often comes from doctrinal ignorance and spiritual immaturity.  When believers are properly taught, when they faithfully do the work of service (obedience), and when the body is built-up, unity of the faith is an inevitable result.  Only a biblically equipped, faithfully serving, and spiritually maturing church can attain to the unity of the faith.

D. UNDERSTANDING.  13b

Speaks of full acquaintance; not salvation knowledge but a deep knowledge through a relationship with Christ that comes from prayer and faithful study of and obedience to God's Word.  This is a life-long process; experiential knowledge - we know through experience.

E. MATURING.  13c

Manifesting the character qualities of the One Who is the only measure of full-grown.  The agents of maturity are the Word and prayer.

These Lead to Growth

2 Corinthians 3:18, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

1. DOCTRINE.  14

a.  Anchored

"no longer be children¦" one who does not talk

b. Aware.

"trickery of men" - manipulated

"craftiness" - manipulation of error made to look like truth

"deceive" - scheming

Paul's emphasis is that none of these will mislead the spiritually equipped.

2. DEVOTION.  15

Means to speak, deal, or act truthfully.  We speak the truth within the context of a truthful and authentic Christian life.  Living authentically and proclaiming the truth.

The equipped church, whose members are sound in doctrine and mature in their thinking and living, is a church that will reach out in love to proclaim the truth of the gospel.

F. FUNCTIONING.  16

None of us can do as much as all of us can do.  As a body, we belong to each other, we affect each other, and we need each other.

This text tells me that when each part of the body is working properly the body receives the support it needs.

The body  "joined and knit together" where the spiritual supply, resources, and gifts pass from one member to another, providing the flow of ministry that produces growth.

John Calvin said, "If we want to be considered members of Christ, let no man be anything for himself, but let us all be whatever we are for the benefit of each other."

v.16 translates - "Under His control, the different parts of the body fit together and are held together by supporting joints.  As each part works as it should, the whole body grows and builds itself up in love."

"increase" - growth; is present middle in form, indicating that the body produces its own growth through resident dynamics.  Spiritual growth in the body does not come from forces outside but from the vital power within that causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself.

CONCLUSION:  These truths affirm that every believer is to stay close to Jesus, faithfully use his spiritual gift in close contact with every believer he touches, and that through such commitment and ministry the Lord's power will flow for the building up of the Body in love.

We Are The Body - Part 2

IF WE ARE THE BODY

Summary: We must find our place in the church and perform that function that God has given to us.

Text: 1 Cor. 12:12-26

Introduction

Last week we took a look at the DEFINITION of “The Church”. We discovered that God has created “The Church” as an extension of WHO and WHAT He is in the world we live in. He is the HEAD of the Church. He is the empowerment of “The Church”. He is the GLORY of the Church.

We learned that “The Church” has been designed by God for ALL people to experience. To put aside our differences and come together to honor and worship and to BE “The Church”.

This week… we are going to take a look at “The Body” and recognize that we ALL… are a part of it… so that means we ALL have to be ABOUT being the Body of Christ. 

Its NOT a passive role. We are in a battle. A battle that is not against flesh and blood… but against the rulers and principalities of the air… A battle in the SPIRITUAL Realm… a battle for our souls! 

(Ephesians 6:12)

So… lets understand HOW GOD sees us as a piece of the Body?

1. Read 1 Cor. 12:12-26

2. In March of 1981, President Reagan was shot by John Hinckley, Jr., and was hospitalized for several weeks. Although Reagan was the nation’s chief executive, his hospitalization had little impact on the nation’s activity. Government continued on. 

On the other hand, suppose the garbage collectors in this country went on strike, as they did not long ago in Philadelphia. That city was not only in a literal mess, the pile of decaying trash quickly became a health hazard. A three-week nationwide strike would paralyze the country. Who is more important--the President or a garbage collector? 

In the body of Christ, seemingly insignificant ones are urgently needed. As Paul reminds us, "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" (I Cor. 12:21-22).

3. I think that we have done church wrong for years. The reason I think this is that God’s word says so.

a. Someone gets up and performs

b. Everyone else watches

4. Church growth experts indicate that in a typical church 20% of the people are doing 80% of the work.

Proposition: Solution to the Problem: We must find our place in the church and perform that function that God has given us.

According to Paul…

I. We Are All Members of Christ’s Body (12-14)

A. For As the Body is One

1. After Paul’s explanation of spiritual gifts, he tells that the Corinthians that we are all one body.

2. He compares the church to the human body.

a. The picture is practical and descriptive: the human body is one organism, one person, one being, one life; yet it has many members or parts to it.

b. All the parts of the body are still in the body and actually form the body, enabling it to function.

3. By saying, "So also is Christ," he means so it is with Christ’s body, the church.

a. Just as our human bodies have many parts, we are still just one body.

b. So the church has many parts, but it is still one body.

4. Paul says "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit."

a. When a person becomes a Christian, the Holy Spirit takes up residence, and he or she is born into God’s family.

b. "And have all have been made to drink into one Spirit’’ means that the same Holy Spirit completely fills our innermost beings.

c. We all have the same possibility to be used by God in ministering to others.

B. Not One But Many

1. Illustration: In a Peanuts cartoon, Lucy demanded that Linus change TV channels, threatening him with her fist if he didn’t. "What makes you think you can walk right in here and take over?" asks Linus.

"These five fingers," says Lucy. "Individually they’re nothing but when I curl them together like this into a single unit, they form a weapon that is terrible to behold."

"Which channel do you want?" asks Linus. Turning away, he looks at his fingers and says, "Why can’t you guys get organized like that?”

Charles Schultz.

2. I think that Paul’s point is clear: we are all in this together. We all:

a. Walk together

b. Talk together

c. Sing together

3. Either we sink together or we swim together.

4. If we are going to get anywhere, or accomplish anything, it must be together.

Transition: Paul also tells us that...

II. As Members of Christ’s Body, We Are All Important (15-20)

A. If the Foot Should Say

1. Paul says "If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body?"

2. Apparently, some members of the Corinthian church had an inferiority complex.

a. "Oh, I can’t do what Brother so-in-so can do, so I’m just no good for anything."

b. People get this "I’m useless" attitude and so they give up.

3. However, Paul says that we would be a mess if we all did the same thing.

a. We would look pretty silly if we were all ears or all eyes.

b. A body all eye or ear not only eliminates other necessary functions, but ceases to be a body.

c. We wouldn’t be a body at all; we’d be a freak show.

B. But Now God

1. Illustration: What would happen if today at the Super Bowl, the quarterback goes up to the line of scrimmage and all of the sudden his offensive line decides they want to be wide receivers?

2. Paul says "But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased."

a. Paul brings the believers back to the sovereign purposes of God. It is God who has organized the body in the way he wants it.

b. The implication is that it is the same with the church; according to God’s will, it is composed of many parts, so that it may function as one body—the body of Christ.

3. If God wanted you to have a gift that someone else has, He would have given it to you.

4. If He didn’t want you to have the gifts you have He would have given them to someone else.

5. Rom. 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

Transition: Finally…

III. As Members of Christ’s Body, We Are Indispensable (21-26)

A. And the Eye Cannot Say

1. Here Paul talks about the fact that we need one another.

2. He says, "And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."

1. As the organs of the human body—such as the eye, hand, head, and feet—need each other, so the members of the church with their various functions need each other 

1. Illustration: When loses a body part…, they discover something: an important part of them is missing!

c. We are all necessary!

3. Paul says, "No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary."

a. "On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable (NIV)."

b. ἀíáãêáῖïò: pertaining to being necessary and indispensable to the occurrence of some event

c. We cannot do it without you!

B. And If One Member Suffers

1. Paul further illustrates the fact that we are all in this together when he says "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it."

a. We are called to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15).

b. Too often, unfortunately, we are jealous of those who rejoice and apathetic toward those who weep.

c. Believers are in the world together — there is no such thing as private or individualistic Christianity.

2. We are to share in the lives of those to whom we have fellowship with.

• The word fellowship means to share in something.

• We are to share in one another’s joys

• We are to share in one another’s sorrows

• We are to share in one another’s success

• We are to share in one another’s setbacks

3. 1 Pt. 3:8-9 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

Conclusion

1. If we are going to be the Church that God wants us to be, we have to find our place in the body of Christ and perform that function that God has given to us.

2. Well, what if my place in the church is to sit and do nothing?

a. Eph. 4:11-12 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

b. We all have something to do.

c. We all have a place.

d. We are all important.

e. We are all indispensable.