Category: Sermons

Whether One or Many: the Home

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No amount of human sacrifice or hard labor can accomplish much unless God’s blessing is upon His people. That is the major message of this psalm. It is assigned to Solomon, who was both a builder and a father, but the message also seems to fit the post-exilic times of Nehemiah. The population of Jerusalem was small and the people had to build and repair the buildings. Houses were desperately needed for families or else the struggling Jewish nation had no future (Nehemiah 7:4).

Surrounded by numerous enemies, Jerusalem needed strong gates and walls with watchmen on the alert day and night (Nehemiah 4:9, 7:3). This psalm deals with the same issues Jeremiah wrote about in his letter to the Jewish exiles (Jeremiah 29:4–7). But Psalm 127 also speaks to us today and reminds us of some privileges we have as the people of God in a dangerous and demanding world.

The Point of the Message Today – the presence of a Christian home in a community or neighborhood must be developed and built. By doing so, that home itself represents a platform for sharing and demonstrating the message and testimony of the gospel of grace and salvation found only in Jesus Christ.

Today I will talk about Value of Lighthouses, the Vanity of Life, and the Vacuum of Space. Now that I have your attention, I know you must be curious as to where I am going with this message!

The Value of a Lighthouse

LIFE PURPOSE: Have you ever asked, “What is the purpose of a lighthouse?” Today, lighthouses serve for a single purpose, are you ready? For tourists to take photographs.

There is simply no reason whatsoever to use a lighthouse these days, unless somebody is at sea with no access to a GPS or some other satellite technology.

Back in the day, the purpose of a lighthouse was a navigational tool, to steer mariners away from cliffs, shorelines, and coral reefs, while in dense fog or on dark nights. The lighthouse provides a signal to ships that they are close to such hazardous areas.

So, a good GPS will provide a captain with a tool to navigate dangerous waters and various hazards that could wreck his ship. While the image of a lighthouse is beautifully poetic, for today, let’s let “GPS” could stand for this…

God’s
Plan of
Salvation

How will people find their way in this life if we, as the body of Christ, the church, are not all about the one task given to us, the task of making disciples? The Bible does not call us to BE disciples, but to MAKE disciples (Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20). So, immediately we see a process of growth, and we can therefore never say, “NOW I am a fully devoted disciple of Jesus Christ.”

Getting “born again” is quick and efficient, while becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ takes a lifetime, it involves a process called sanctification.

Actually, the Great Commission does not call us to BE disciples, but to MAKE disciples. I submit to you that we will never BE disciples until we are involved in MAKING disciples. It is very similar to the Paul-Timothy relationship. We need someone to pour their lives into us, and at the same time, we must find someone into whom we can pour our lives. So, feel free to evaluate yourself as discover where you fit in this discipleship model. OK, I’m back now…

LIFE VERSE: Let me tell you a little personal information. I challenge people in the Connection Class to find and embrace what I call a Life Verse. What is that verse which jumps out at you and describes what you want your life to be all about? My Life Verse is Acts 20:24 – “But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.”

Many of you have heard me talk about a missional lifestyle – which is not adding more activity to your already busy schedule, but using our existing activities (in which you are already involved) for kingdom purposes. How can you use your existing relationships and circles of influence to make a difference in the kingdom?

So, since you already live in a home, located in a neighborhood, and have relationships with people all around you, how can you look for opportunities to demonstrate the love of Christ in word and deed? How can you and your home become the lighthouse that unchurched people can see and eventually find safety and security and salvation (“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12)

There are a few things that prevent us from being as valuable as we can be for God’s sake. Let’s call these, “the Vanities of Life.”

The Vanities of Life – there are three found in our passage…

1. It is vain to build a HOME without God – Psalm 127:1a

In Hebrew, the word ben (son), bath (daughter), and bayith (house) all come the same root word, which is banah (to build). In your efforts, you can build a nice house but you will fail to build a home.

Many people in America are trying to build a home without God. They seek God’s blessing by having a church wedding, and perhaps dedicating their children to God. But I beg the question, how often do they teach their children the words and the ways of God? If anything, they abdicate that parental responsibility to the church, if they attend church at all. One hour out of 168 hours in a week does not impact a child that much, so it is very important that parents take the lead in raising biblically-minded children.

Here is another hard truth bomb; you cannot lead your children to a place where you have not yet been, so what is YOUR plan for your own spiritual growth? Growth does not happen by accident, you need to be intentional.

This same principle goes for building our church home. We can wrongfully seek to build our own kingdom without a second thought about furthering God’s Kingdom.

2. It is vain to guard the CITY (or HOUSE) without God – Psalm 127:1b

Human efforts for protection (the watchmen on the wall) are futile without the ultimate protection coming from God.

What can you do? Lock doors, hire a guard, use a protection service, but a fire, theft, illness, tornado, or a drug addiction of someone in that home can still happen WITH a watchman on the wall. So take reasonable measures, but ultimately trust in the Lord.

3. It is vain to WORK HARD without God – Psalm 127:2

If verse 1 is a warning about overconfidence, then verse 2 is a warning against overwork. I sense Psalm 127:2 is directly connected to Psalm 127:1, so, it is also vain to lose sleep in such a way that we are not trusting God for his provision and protection (building and guarding).

Yet, the notice the phrase, “to eat the bread of painful labor” in verse two. It seems to indicate our tiresome efforts to obtain such food, which could represent the basic necessities of life. How often do we take on two jobs in order to provide the lifestyle we desire, at the expense of our rest, health, and any trust we may have in our Provider? At the end of the day, after 40 years, what do we have to show for all our hard work? Stuff, toys, possessions, but at the end of life, no one ever requested that their possessions be brought to visit them in the hospital, it’s all about family and friends: relationships.

As good stewards of the family with which God has entrusted us, how often do we spend an extraordinary amount of time on activities that have little or no impact for eternity? Maybe it is time to let God back into our everyday lives, into our families, and allow him to lead us in the direction he sees fit, for the kingdom’s sake.

The end of verse 2 does not tell us it is wrong to get up early or get a jump-start on the day, but the point is that our work should be enjoyable rather than a burden. We can look back at Ecclesiastes to read Solomon’s counsel on enjoying life and labor (Ecclesiastes 2:24-25). Notice the restful language in Psalm 127:2b, “he gives to his beloved even in his sleep.”

God had a special name for Solomon, Jedediah, which means beloved (2 Samuel 12:25), but the Bible is clear that WE are also God’s beloved (Romans 1:7, Colossians 3:12, 1 Thessalonians 1:4, 2 Thessalonians 2:13).

A final comment on Psalm 127:2; while we may get tired IN God’s work, we never get tired OF God’s work. It is for God’s will and purpose that we are on this planet, and it is rewarding to know that God has a plan and purpose for his children, if we would only keep looking for those opportunities to be his hands and feet, and put in a good word for Jesus.

Finally, I need to talk about the Vacuum of Space…

The Vacuum of Space

When I was between ages 6-9, we lived in Florida, and I remember those early days of the space race, and watching TV when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. You have seen it too, the special equipment used to protect the astronauts while in the vacuum of space. There was a whole lot of nothingness out there, even air to breathe! Air is obviously essential to us carbon-based units, so when we think about our homes, whether we are a home of one or a home full of many, there are some essential areas that we need to develop.

A vacuum (not in outer space, but in science) is defined as “space void of matter. The word comes from the Latin adjective vacuus for “vacant” or “void.” We can see a simple principle at work with our vacuum cleaner at home. When the motor sucks air out of the chamber, outside air rushes up the hose to take its place.

Imagine a home that is void of Christian influence; there is a vacuum. When I relate this to the Christian home, you will discover that if you don’t follow the blueprints and build it properly, the emptiness, the space, and the void (or lack of Christian spirituality, priority, or emphasis) will suck in a lot of things that the world has to offer, rather than the things God has planned for us. Let’s follow the Architect’s blueprint in this illustration…

When I was in college, I read a little booklet called, “My Heart, Christ’s Home,” so with respect to the author, Robert Munger, I’d like to use a similar theme to make this message a bit more practical. What parts of our home need to be developed in order for our homes (whether literally or figuratively) to be a meaningful lighthouse to those around us? To really understand the house you are building, these blueprints are essential to getting it done right. Let’s go room by room to see what God has for us.

THE FRONT HALL – this is the place where we initiate relationships. We greet people at the front door, and generally invite people in for a brief conversation. This room may be considered a place of hospitality, but for us today, let this be the place where we entered into a relationship with Jesus. Think back to the time when you heard him knocking and decided to open the door and let him in. As you think about this time, did you keep Jesus at the front door or did you let him into every room or your house/heart? Think about how awkward it would be to leave a guest in the front hall and go on with our business, but that is exactly what many American Christians do all the time.

THE DINING ROOM – this is the place where we eat, so it should represent our appetites and desires. It is the place where I spend a lot of hard work, laboring to get the shiny things that make me happy. Perhaps we have invited Jesus to sit at the table and tell him that he will be pleased with the menu. Then I serve my favorite dishes of money, stocks, academic degrees, fine cars, and my fame and fortune are my side dishes. And Jesus eats none of it. Doesn’t he care for my food? Then he tells me that he has food that I don’t know about, stuff that will really satisfy my heart’s desire. We then have to ask ourselves, do we find ourselves eating more devil’s food cake or angel’s food cake?

THE LIVING ROOM – this is the place where we get to know one another, fellowship together, and live in community. Jesus expects us to meet him in THIS room every day, but how often do we go days without number and forget to meet with him? We met together much more in those early days, but lately, life catches us by surprise and our getting together is less intentional, if not non-existent. How often do we leave Jesus sitting in the living room all by himself and go on with the rest of our day, totally ignoring our guest?

THE WORK ROOM – maybe you have a place in your home that has a work bench, maybe in the garage or perhaps in a shed. It is well furnished with great tools and equipment, but he asks about what you are building that would impact the kingdom of God. Maybe you say your time is limited so you CAN’T do ministry or serve others, or maybe you WANT to do more, but perhaps you lack the strength or commitment.

THE BED ROOM – this is the room that could get R-rated so since we have children here, let me say that all followers of Jesus need to look at the issue of moral purity, whether single or married. What will your browser history reveal? Are you living a life that honors our Lord and Savior, or will we ask him to keep his nose out of our private business?

THE REC ROOM – this is the place of your amusements, the place for fun and relaxation. The friends you pal around with, maybe engaging in activities that Jesus is really not invited to. Then, perhaps you think about this room and you realize that you leave Jesus out of many of the activities in your life.

Finally THE HALL CLOSET – as we go through our entire house, the heart into which we have invited Jesus, and we find embarrassment in most every room. We give reasons for the items found in each room, and then Jesus walks toward the hall closet, you know the one, it’s totally private. It’s packed full of stuff that we can’t turn loose of. We bargain with Jesus that we will let him have more control and influence over the rest of the house, but PLEASE, let me keep this one small area just for ME. Jesus stands there and tells you that there is a particular odor, a stench, and there must be something dead in here. As soon as he says THAT, you know exactly what he’s talking about. You get angry and say that you have given him access to everywhere in the house, why can’t you have this one little thing? Jesus tells you that he wants the key, “Let me take care of that dead smell.” In reality, we really don’t have the strength to deal with it, or we would have done it long ago.

What now? Next Steps…

TRANSFER YOUR DEED. Jesus needs to take over the management of the entire place. We cannot be a victorious Christian in our own strength. Ask him to take the responsibility for cleaning up your life. Be the lighthouse that you were designed to be. Point people to Jesus without your life being a glaring contradiction to his saving grace. Don’t let Jesus be a guest in your home, but let him be the owner that he really is.

CHOOSE YOUR VERSE. As you read Scripture, what is that one verse you will commit to memory and seek to live your life in accordance to the truth found in it? Here are a few Life Verse possibilities for your consideration: Acts 20:24, Galatians 2:20, Matthew 6:33, Proverbs 3:5-6, Matthew 28:19-20, Philippians 4:13, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Hebrews 12:1-2). 

EMBRACE YOUR PURPOSE. How will you use your home as a lighthouse for the good news of the gospel of Christ? As a follower of Jesus, we have a purpose, and the home in one tool at our disposal. Hospitality is often mentioned in the Bible (Romans 12:13, 1 Timothy 5:10, Hebrews 13:2, Matthew 25:37-39, 1 Peter 4:9.

Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. Jesus says in John 15:5 that he is the vine and we are the branches, in him we bear much fruit, apart from him we can do nothing.

Remember the PURPOSE of a lighthouse: The purpose of a lighthouse was a navigational tool, to steer mariners, while in dense fog or dark nights, away from cliffs, shorelines, coral reefs, and other potentially hazardous areas. the lighthouse provides a signal to ships that they are close to such hazardous areas.

Your home as a lighthouse will provide an IDENTITY (that you are a family of faith) and SECURITY (that you understand the meaning of this life). Your home is not just a location, but it means something much more, it is established by God for his glory and his purposes.

CLEAN YOUR CLOSET – Only with God’s help. Allow the Lord to build your home. Have you already made a mess of it on your own? He is the God of new beginnings. Are you young and just starting out and desire to build according to the blueprints we find in this book? A lifetime of regret can be avoided if you just build it right at the beginning.

In this series Ken talked about Mothers, and then last week it was about investing in children. Today it is about building a home that will bring honor to God and salvation to those around you. What commitments do you need to make today?

Next week Ken is teaching about the Joy of Life Together, the Family; as we gather around the table, we do this also with our children at home, (from Psalm 128:3).

He is Faithful

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He is Faithful to Complete it
Philippians 1:1–6

Paul and Timothy – ideal discipleship relationship

Paul and Grace / Peace – Grace, Mercy, Justice – Justice is getting what you deserve, Mercy is not getting what you deserve, grace is getting what you don’t deserve. What it comes to our sinfulness, HELL is better than what we deserve, so we plead for God’s mercy, and then he gives us grace.

Paul and Prayer – he thanks God as he remembers the Philippian people, and offers prayers with joy. Are we joyous when we pray? Usually we are not, but rather fearful. Imagine the class setting, “who will close us out in prayer?” Crickets. Naval gazing. We should jump at the chance to boldly approach the throne of grace.

The Mission (Philippians 1:5) – participation in the gospel – from the first day until now. They did not grow weary is doing what God has called them to do. They did not hire Paul or Timothy or Silas or Barnabas to do the work of ministry, they were in it together. From day one they understood the mission of reconciliation of God to a lost and dying world. Many of us in this room honestly believe that it is our mission to attend worship regularly. Regular used to mean that we were in church on Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night prayer meeting and Bible study. Regular today has been redefined as showing up twice a month, at my own convenience. Let me suggest that if we have not found a small group or a place to give back, we are NOT doing Christianity right.

This graphic helps us see the path we all need to take…

pathways to serving header

I call this WORSHIP PLUS TWO. It is a three-legged stool upon which our mission rests. When we are standing only on one leg, we become weak and vulnerable.

Gather – is the place we are now; we have gathered for worship. It is important simply because the Father is seeking worshipper who will worship him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). But there is so much more to the Christian life than just showing up for worship. Worship is important, but we cannot stop there. Gathering involves our connection with God. I call this our UPWARD JOURNEY.

Grow – the second leg is the place of community, and Bible study. How can people grow on their own? It is similar to birthing a baby and leaving that child on his or her own, expecting that child to grow into adulthood by themselves. A child has a family to raise them. Parents who pour their lives into the child. Believers are a part of a community where there are no lone ranger Christians. We are in this together. While some people pour themselves into the lives of others, other people need mature believers to pour their lives into them. Just this week, as an example, we had VBS (in case you didn’t know) and we saw kids that never really participated come out in full force and enjoy themselves, even on stage singing all these creative and meaningful songs. After gathering for worship, we need to grow into mature disciples of Christ. I call this our INWARD JOURNEY.

Go – finally, the third leg of our three-legged stool is to get involved in giving back; to serve God and serve others in very hands on and practical ways. It is doing for others when other will have no opportunity or intention of returning the favor. It is thinking about the interests of others more than yourself. After all that God has done for you, there is no greater joy is serving others. There are ways of discovering your giftedness and finding a place to match the way you are wired, let’s talk about it. I call this the OUTWARD JOURNEY.

The Motivation (Philippians 1:6a)– For I am confident. This is about conviction. My friend after high school, Marine Corps, knew how to properly keep his personal effects in order; his rack, locker, shoes, pressed uniform… then we lived together in college. He was tremendously messy, never made his bed, didn’t clean up after himself in the kitchen. What happened? He KNEW what needed to be done, but he did not have the conviction to continue his tidy behavior. How often do we know what to do, yet fail to do what God has called us to do?

The Mandate (Philippians 1:6a) – he who began a good work in you. The Father told Abraham that he would be blessed in order to bless the nations. Our God has always been a missionary God, seeking those who are far from him. He is relational, he is incarnational. The Son gave us marching orders when he spoke to the disciples on that hill in Galilee, and spoke the Great Commission, to make disciples of all nations, to teach them all he had taught them, and baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Our leader has spoken, not just to believe and get saved, but we are saved for a purpose. That is the mandate given to us.

The Maturity (Philippians 1:6b) – will perfect it, or will complete it – this is all about maturity. While I mentioned a lot a about this a few moments ago, let me focus on the various parts of salvation. Many people believe that having the right belief and saying the right prayer is all it takes to be saved. Let me suggest a broader interpretation of what it means to be saved.

Justification – this is total forgiveness for all of our past. Once we are justified, God looks on us “just as if I’d” never sinned. Forgiven for the past, present and future sins.

Sanctification – that is a churchy word for becoming more and more like Jesus every day, over a lifetime. When someone says “I’ve arrived” it is a good indicator that they have not, but rather have a long way to go. This is the inward journey, the part I talked about, GROWTH. And we grow best in community, like a garden. How often do we see a single stalk of corn growing in a field?

Glorification – this is the part when we finally see Jesus in heaven, face to face. We will have that glorified body that Paul talks about with the Corinthian church.

So when someone asks you if you’re save, you can honestly tell them, “Yes, partly, and no.”
Which leads me to the final part of this passage…

The Movement (Philippians 1:5-6) – until the day of Christ Jesus – we will meet our Savior face to face in all of his glory. All his plans, all that he came to do for us, in us, and through us, will culminate in our being with him forever. The One who died on the cross to bring forgiveness and salvation moved from the cross to the grave, and from the grave to the sky, he went to prepare a place for us. One day return in all of his glory to take us to that place he has prepared.

He loves us too much to leave us the same way he found us, lost and dead in our sin. He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it. Look again at Philippians 1:5. Earlier I talked about the mission, how they participated in the mission set before them.

Now focus on the movement, participation in their own spiritual growth. He does not want to leave his project undone, all of his children are a work in progress, but we have to do our part and develop a few new habits that will make our growth process more secure. We cannot do it on our own anyway, we need Jesus to work in us to grow us into spiritual maturity.

Where are you in this maturity process? Are you just starting out and realize you have a long way from bearing the image of Christ? The church is all about discipleship, get connected and get involved.

Have you been a believer for a long time yet realize that your maturity is nowhere equal to you years of faith, it is never too late to get back on the path toward spiritual maturity.

Have you never made a commitment to Christ, why wait? Let today be the first day of the rest of your life.

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The Shepherd’s Sacrifice

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Today is the day that we in the USA set aside to recognize and honor the place of mothers in our society.

Celebrations of mothers and motherhood can be traced back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who held festivals in honor of their mother goddesses, but the clearest modern precedent for Mother’s Day is the early Christian festival known as “Mothering Sunday.” Once a major tradition in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe, this celebration fell on the fourth Sunday in Lent and was originally seen as a time when the faithful would return to their “mother church”—the main church in the vicinity of their home—for a special service.

The official Mother’s Day holiday arose in the 1900s as a result of the efforts of Anna Jarvis. Following her mother’s death in 1905, Anna Jarvis conceived of Mother’s Day as a way of honoring the sacrifices mothers made for their children. After gaining financial backing from a Philadelphia department store owner, in May 1908 she organized the first official Mother’s Day celebration at a Methodist church in Grafton, West Virginia.

Over the years, many towns and churches adopted the holiday and Mother’s Day became an official U.S. holiday in 1914, by Woodrow Wilson.

Get this, Jarvis would later denounce the holiday’s commercialization and spent the latter part of her life trying to remove it from the calendar.

On Mother’s Day we celebrate moms, and with good reason because they are always looking out for someone else, they sacrifice so much for others, they protect their children and their household, and mothers lead their families in ways that are best, right, and true. They are not like the nanny or the babysitter.

The babysitter is a hired hand, and while they may be looking out for the children while mom is away, it would be unusual for the hired hand to sacrifice themselves by running into a burning building to rescue the children. It is the maternal instinct that kicks in and allows a mother to make such a sacrifice.

Enter the shepherd in John chapter ten:

Today we are looking at a passage of Scripture that reveals the magnificence of our Good Shepherd. We are going to see how the heavenly shepherd behaves, and you will likely make an obvious connection to the sacrifices of earthly parents.

In John 10, this particular debate grew out of our Lord’s confrontation with Jewish leaders, following the excommunication of the blind beggar (John 9). Jesus had briefly spoken to the people about light and darkness, but here he changed the imagery to that of a shepherd and his sheep. Why? Because to the Jewish mind, a “shepherd” was any kind of leader, spiritual or political. People looked on the king and prophets as shepherds. Israel was privileged to be “the flock of the Lord” (Psalm 100:3).

Jesus opened his sermon with a familiar illustration (John 10:1–6), one that every listener would understand. The sheepfold was usually an enclosure made of rocks, with an opening for the door. The shepherd would guard the flock at night by lying across the opening. It was not unusual for several flocks to be sheltered together in the same fold. In the morning, the shepherds would get up, call to their sheep, and assemble their own flocks. Each sheep recognized his own master’s voice.

The true shepherd comes in through the door, and the sheep recognize him. The thieves and robbers could never enter through the door, so they have to climb over the wall and enter the fold through deception. But even if they did get in, they would never get the sheep to follow them, because sheep follow only the voice of their own shepherd. The false shepherds can never lead the sheep, so false shepherds have to steal them away.

It is unfortunate that John 10:1 is often used to teach that the sheepfold is heaven, and that those who try to get in by any way other than Christ are destined to fail. While the teaching is true (Acts 4:12 says there is no other name under heaven by which men can be saved), it is not based on this verse. Jesus made it clear that the fold is the nation of Israel (John 10:16). Did you know that Mormons use that verse and claim that THEY are the other sheep of which Jesus was referring? Jesus makes it clear that it is the Gentiles who are the “other sheep” not of the fold of Israel.

When Jesus came to the nation of Israel, he came the appointed way, just as the Scriptures promised. Every true shepherd must be called of God and sent by God. If he truly speaks God’s Word, the true sheep will “hear his voice” and not be afraid to follow him. The true shepherd will love the sheep and care for them.

Since the people did not understand his symbolic language, Jesus followed the illustration with some application (John 10:7–10). Twice He said, “I am the Door.” HE is the Door of the sheepfold and makes it possible for the sheep to leave the fold (the religion of Judaism) and to enter HIS flock. The Pharisees threw the beggar out of the synagogue, but Jesus led him out of Judaism and into the flock of God!

But the Shepherd does not stop with leading the sheep out; He also leads the sheep in. They become a part of the “one flock” (not “fold” – see John 10:16) which is his church. He is the Door of salvation (John 10:9). When you keep in mind that the shepherd actually was the “door” of the fold, this image becomes very real.

He is the DOOR for the Sheep (John 10:7-10). As the Door, Jesus delivers sinners from bondage and leads them into freedom. They have salvation! This word “saved” means “delivered safe and sound.” It was used to say that a person had recovered from severe illness, come through a bad storm, survived a war, or was acquitted at court.

Jesus was referring primarily to the religious leaders of that day (John 10:8). He was not condemning every prophet or servant of God who ever ministered before He came to earth. The statement “ARE thieves and robbers” (not “were”) makes it clear that He had the present religious leaders in mind. They were not true shepherds nor did they have the approval of God on their ministry. They did not love the sheep, but instead exploited them and abused them. The beggar was a good example of what the “thieves and robbers” could do.

It is clear in the Gospel record that the religious rulers of Israel were interested only in providing for themselves and protecting themselves. They turned God’s temple into a den of thieves (Matthew 21:13), and they plotted to kill Jesus so that Rome would not take away their privileges (John 11:49–53).

The True Shepherd came to save the sheep, but the false shepherds take advantage of the sheep and exploit them. Behind these false shepherds is “the thief” (John 10:10), which is probably a reference to Satan. The thief wants to steal the sheep from the fold, slaughter them, and destroy them.

When you go through “the Door,” you receive life and you are saved. As you go “in and out,” you enjoy abundant life in the rich pastures of the Lord. His sheep enjoy fullness and freedom. Jesus not only GAVE His life for us, but He GIVES His life to us right now!

Jesus also declares, “I Am the Good Shepherd” (John 10:11–21). This is the fourth of our Lord’s I AM statements in John’s Gospel (John 6:35; 8:12; 10:9). Certainly in making this statement, He is contrasting Himself to the false shepherds who were in charge of the Jewish religion of that day. He had already called them “thieves and robbers,” and now He would describe them as “hirelings.”

Some of the greatest people named in the Bible were shepherds by occupation: Abel, the patriarchs, Moses, and David, to name a few. Keep in mind that Jewish shepherds did not tend the sheep in order to slaughter them, unless they were used for sacrifice. Shepherds tended them that the sheep might give wool, milk, and lambs.

Jesus pointed out four special ministries that He performs as the Good Shepherd.

He DIES for the sheep (John 10:11–13). Under the old covenant, the sheep died for the shepherd; but now the Good Shepherd dies for the sheep! Five times in this sermon, Jesus clearly affirmed the sacrificial nature of His death (John 10:11, 15, 17–18). He did not die as a martyr, killed by men; He died as a substitute, willingly laying down His life for us.

Jesus contrasted Himself to the hireling who watches over the sheep only because he is paid to do so. But when there is danger, the hireling runs away, while the true shepherd stays and cares for the flock. The key phrase is “who is not the owner of the sheep” (John 10:12). The Good Shepherd purchases the sheep and they are His because He died for them. They belong to Him, and He cares for them.

Throughout the Bible, God’s people are compared to sheep; and the comparison is a good one. Sheep are clean animals, unlike pigs and dogs (2 Peter 2:20–22). They are defenseless and need the care of the shepherd (Psalm 23). They are, to use Wesley’s phrase, “prone to wander,” and must often be searched for and brought back to the fold (Luke 15:3–7). Sheep are peaceful animals, useful to the shepherd. In these ways, they picture those who have trusted Jesus Christ and are a part of God’s flock.

The Pharisees, in contrast to good shepherds, had no loving concern for the beggar of John 9, so they put him out of the synagogue. Jesus found him and cared for him.

He DISCERNS (knows) His sheep (John 10:14–15). In the Gospel of John, the word know means much more than intellectual awareness. It is more of an intimate relationship between God and His people (see John 17:3). The shepherd knows his sheep personally and therefore knows best how to minister to them.

To begin with, our Lord knows our names (see John 10:3). He knew Simon (John 1:42) and even gave him a new name. He called Zaccheus by name (Luke 19:5); and when He spoke Mary’s name in the garden, she recognized her Shepherd (John 20:16). If you have ever had your identity “lost” in a maze of computer operations, then you can appreciate the comforting fact that the Good Shepherd knows each of His sheep by name.

He also knows our natures. While all sheep are alike in their essential nature, each sheep has its own distinctive characteristics; and the loving shepherd recognizes these traits. One sheep may be afraid of high places, another of dark shadows. A faithful shepherd will consider these special needs as he tends the flock.

Have you ever noticed how different the 12 disciples were from one another? Peter was impulsive and outspoken, while Thomas was hesitant and doubting. Andrew was a “people person” who was always bringing somebody to Jesus, while Judas wanted to “use” people in order to get their money for himself. Jesus knew each of the men personally, and He knew exactly how to deal with them.

Because He knows our natures, He also knows our needs. Often, we don’t even know our own needs! Psalm 23 is a beautiful poetic description of how the Good Shepherd cares for His sheep. In the pastures, by the waters, and even through the valleys, the sheep need not fear, because the shepherd is caring for them and meeting their needs. If you connect Psalm 23:1 and 6, you get the main theme of the poem: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want … all the days of my life.”

As the shepherd cares for the sheep, the sheep get to know their shepherd better. The Good Shepherd knows His sheep and His sheep know Him. They get to know Him better by listening to His voice (the Word) and experiencing His daily care. As the sheep follow the Shepherd, they learn to love and to trust Him.

He DELIVERS (brings) other sheep into the flock (John 10:16). The “fold” is Judaism (John 10:1), but there is another fold—the Gentiles who are outside the covenants of Israel (Eph. 2:11ff). In our Lord’s early ministry, He concentrated on the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:5–6; 15:24–27). While the people converted at Pentecost were Jews and Jewish proselytes (Acts 2:5, 14), the church was NOT to remain a “Jewish flock.” Peter took the Gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 10–11), and Paul carried the message to the Gentiles in the far reaches of the Roman Empire (Acts 13:1ff).

The missionary message of the Gospel of John is obvious: “For God so loved the world” (John 3:16). Jesus Himself defied custom and witnessed to a Samaritan woman. He refused to defend the exclusivist approach of the Jewish religious leaders. He died for a lost world, and His desire is that His people reach a lost world with the message of eternal life.

He has DOMINION over (takes up) His life (John 10:17–21) which benefits the sheep. This is a reference to his voluntary death was followed by his victorious resurrection. From the human point of view, it appeared that Jesus was executed; but from the divine point of view, he laid down his life willingly. Three days later, he voluntarily took up his life again and arose from the dead, demonstrating his dominion over sin and death.

Sometimes the Scriptures teach that it was the Father who raised the Son (Acts 2:32; Romans 6:4; Hebrews 13:20). Yet here, the Son stated that he had authority to take up his life again. Both are true, because the Father and the Son worked together in perfect harmony (John 5:17, 19).

I have one final D word, DIVISION. That is how the listeners responded to Jesus’ message. “There was a division therefore again among the Jews” (John 10:19). This is not the only time this word is used (John 7:43; 9:16). The old accusation that Jesus was a demon-possessed was hurled at him once again (John 7:20; 8:48, 52). People will do almost anything to avoid facing the truth!

We think this is only a Jesus story, this sort of thing doesn’t happen to us today. But whenever someone stands for the truth, stands for right, proposes something new that will enhance our worship experience or challenge us to grow in our faith and in numbers, it can cause division, even among God’s people. The root cause of this sort of division can be linked to our corporate attitude. Do we move ahead in faith, trusting God to move us to higher levels of commitment to Christ and his church? Or will we resist growth and change, and even the ability of God to work through us because we treat the traditions of men as doctrines of God?

Since Jesus Christ is “the Door,” we should expect a division, because a door shuts some people in and others out! He is the Good Shepherd, and the shepherd must separate the sheep from the goats. It is impossible to be neutral about Jesus Christ; because, what we believe about him is a matter of life or death (John 8:24).

In conclusion, let me tell you another shepherd story:

Two men were called on, in a large classroom, to recite the 23rd Psalm. One was a published orator trained in speech technique and drama. He repeated the psalm in a very powerful way. When he finished, the audience cheered and even asked for an encore that they might hear his wonderful voice again. (I think of Alexander Scourby reading the KJV Bible).

Then the other man, who was much older, repeated the same words–‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want…’ But when he finished, no sound came from the large class. Instead, people sat in a deep mood of devotion and prayer.

Then the first man, the orator, stood to his feet. ‘I have a confession to make,’ he said. ‘The difference between what you have just heard from my old friend, and what you heard from me is this: I know the Psalm, my friend knows the Shepherd.

So, do you know this Shepherd of whom I speak? It is a matter of faith to trust that he is who he said he is. Today can be your fresh start of salvation.

How can you be more attentive to the voice of Jesus? I remember playing out in the neighborhood all day and then it came time for supper. Each of my friends and I could easily pick out that one voice, their own mom’s voice, from all the others calling us home for dinner. Have you heard HIS voice? That one voice that calls you to himself?

How can you develop a closer connection to Jesus; through prayer, Bible study, serving others?

The Shepherd’s Staff

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The Shepherd’s Staff – Ezekiel 34:7-16

This is a difficult and ambiguous time at King’s Grant Baptist Church. It is hard to take in that the person who has shepherded us for all these years has decided to leave us. Many couples have been married, many family members have been buried. A pastor goes through life with us, we were a family.

On the other side, now we feel alone, vulnerable, anxious, and to some degree we feel betrayed by the simple fact that our pastor is going to shepherd other people instead of us. Yes, we recognize God’s calling on his life, and sometimes following that call moves our ministers in a different direction, but we grieve the loss none the less.

There is no doubt that losing a pastor can be a time of upheaval for a church. When a pastor simply retires after long and faithful service (like Jerry), or if he moves on to another area of service in response to God’s leading (like Skip), it can be a time of sweet sorrow. We can, and should lift him up in prayer and encourage him in his new adventure.

But there is also a flip side. We grieve the loss, the ambiguity, and the anxiety, the uncertainty: who will faithfully teach us the Bible? Who will do our wedding? Who will preach my funeral? Who will train me to be all that God wants me to be for his kingdom’s sake?

Then there is the inevitable posturing for leadership by various members of a congregation. This is generally done because some people sense a vacuum of leadership now that the CEO is gone. The thought is that WE need to gain control of the situation, perhaps others feel that no one can better lead during this time than so and so, and during this election year, we can tend to campaign for taking on such leadership. After all this potential tension, it comes down to trusting the body of Christ, and in the Holy Spirit who is leading the people of King’s Grant Baptist Church.

In order to help us through this difficult time, we must first begin with an understanding of exactly whom the church belongs to. The church does not belong to the pastor or to the leadership or even to the congregation. While we embrace congregational rule and autonomy in a Baptist church, we cannot lose sight of the fact of whose church this really is.

The church belongs to Christ. The Bible says that Christ is the Head of the church. The word church (ekklesia) literally means the “assembly of the called-out ones.” These called-out ones gather together to worship the head of the church, our Savior, our Lord, our True Shepherd.

The church (all those who profess faith in Jesus Christ) is committed to following the leadership of Christ in all that we do; by obeying Him, and even presenting an accurate image of Christ to a lost world who is constantly watching. The church is the body of Christ. He died for His body, and His body dies daily in order to live for Him. Until and unless church leadership is committed to this biblical model and the congregation comes to grips with this truth, no pastor can really be successful.

So the first step in surviving the loss of a pastor is to understand the definition of the church. Additionally, we should be united in our understanding of and our commitment to the church, both the local church and the universal church. A lot of church conflict comes from a lack of unity in the beliefs of the church and the commitments of the church to its mission and purpose. The church is not about US, the church is about and FOR him. So, before beginning to seek a new pastor, the church, the body, must agree on the true leader of the church.

It is amazing that when we have a proper Christology, other issues become very clear. As an example, our understanding of Christ will determine our understanding of our mission; which in turn determines our understanding of church. We cannot get this out of order. For the visually inspired, it looks something like this:

Christology-Missiology-EcclesiologySecond, the church must understand and be committed to the sovereignty of God in all things. Nothing that happens is a surprise to God, God allowed this to accomplish his will and his purposes, for US and for HIM. God has assured us that, all things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). The church can take comfort in the knowledge that we are being led by the sovereign God who is involved in the details of everyday life and the ministry of his church.

Third, the departure of a pastor is a good time to reevaluate and/or redefine the mission and work of the church. There are obvious commands from Scripture—teaching and preaching the Word of God, being a people of prayer, worshipping and glorifying our heavenly Father, and fulfilling the Great Commission to make disciples. But we have to ask ourselves if we have moved from our original calling to be on mission; living with purpose and intentionality. Have we embraced a more comfortable lifestyle and do we emphasize our own worship preferences? We must ask the question, as John says in the Revelation, “Have we lost our first love, and left the mission and vision that Jesus has for us?” Leaving our first love can manifest itself by promoting our own desires and preferences over Jesus and his mission, the lost, and God’s calling us to be on mission with him.

All this is to say, God is in charge, so we don’t have to take control of the situation. He knew that we would be going this long before the announcement was ever made. Nothing catches God off guard, and we don’t have to worry. Cast all your cares on him because he cares for you, Peter tells us (1 Peter 5:7). I believe that God is going to teach us something during this time. While our local shepherd has left us, the Good Shepherd will never leave us nor forsake us. We are NOT lost sheep and we are NOT left as orphans. God has a plan for us and we must simply trust that he is looking out for us!

This church has gathered under the leadership of the Holy Spirit; we have among us a fine group of servant leaders. You have a capable and faithful staff that is in place to care for the needs of this congregation and offer leadership during this interim time. It is my desire that the congregation have confidence in your current staff to guide us through this time of change and uncertainty.

Ok, so let’s get to this passage about shepherds in Ezekiel 34.

This passage begins with a look at the ungodly leaders of Israel, and the apostasy of the kings of Israel. When ungodly leaders lead God’s people, everyone suffers. While they are called “shepherds,” they are actually political leaders, perhaps kings. Of Israel’s 20 kings, ALL of them were weak, unspiritual, and evil leaders. Of the 20 kings of Judah, only six were good. Godliness was missing from every aspect of community life, just take a look at Ezekiel 22. Leaders used their strength to shed blood (Ezekiel 22:4, 6), prophets devoured people and seized their valuables, they multiplied widows (Ezekiel 22:25), the priests did violence and profaned the holy things of God (Ezekiel 22:26). So, with leaders like this, who will blame the people for practicing extortion, robbery, oppression of the poor, or exploitation of the foreigners, (Ezekiel 22:29). There is a great and sober truth at play here: people learn by example.

There was an absence of leadership in every way possible. And because if it, the Lord counted them all guilty of violating his trust and he announced their destruction. As a result, God’s lament over the situation is recorded in Ezekiel 22:30, “I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.” The people needed a leader who would challenge them toward personal holiness and embrace God’s global purpose.

This verse of Scripture, Ezekiel 22:30, reminds me of a song years ago by Al Denson, called “Be the One”

In a world full of broken dreams, Where the truth is hard to find
For every promise that is kept, There are many left behind
Though it seems that nobody cares, It still matters what you do
Cause there’s a difference you can make, But the choice is up to you

Will you be the one, To answer to His call
Will you stand, When those around you fall
To take His light, Into a darkened world
Tell me will you be the one?

Instead of having leaders who were consumed by God’s glory, God’s mission, and leading the people for their own good, Israel’s shepherds were concerned with themselves, (Ezekiel 34:2). Look at some of the issues revealed in Ezekiel 34:1-8…

The False Shepherds (Ezekiel 34:1-8)

  1. They feed and water themselves (Ezekiel 34:1-3)
  2. They refuse to care for the weak, sick, injured (Ezekiel 34:4)
  3. They allow wild animals to devour them (Ezekiel 34:5-8)

It was the responsibility of the shepherds, the leaders, to care for the people, to protect them, and to see to it that their needs were met. But these selfish leaders of the kingdom of Israel had abused and exploited the people because they thought only of themselves.

The leaders not only exploited the sheep but they also abused them by neglecting to meet their needs. Sheep require constant care, but the leaders didn’t manage the nation’s affairs for the sake of the sheep, but for their own profit. They didn’t care for the sheep at all, but only for themselves. As I put this together, I thought, any resemblance to those in DC is purely coincidental.

False shepherds of the Old Testament had led the nation to ruin, yet God will come to rescue his people. True leaders don’t exploit their people—they sacrifice for them. Jesus, the true shepherd, set the example by laying down His life for His flock (John 10:10). I’ll talk more about this on Mother’s Day May 8.

Rather than focus on the ungodly shepherds of their day, I want to focus on that which God expects of US today, for the leaders of his sheep.

When I was a kid, one of my favorite shows was called, “the Dukes of Hazard.” At least once each week Uncle Jessie would get on the CB radio and call out, “Shepherd to lost sheep, shepherd to lost sheep, y’all got your ears on?” So, in this passage, while God has stern words for the shepherds, he will also comfort his people, because he has a message for his lost sheep.

God may have been chastising the shepherds, but he never gave up on his sheep. Check out what he expected the shepherd to do.

The Faithful Shepherd (Ezekiel 34:11-16)

  1. He seeks the sheep (Ezekiel 34:11)
  2. He cares for his sheep (Ezekiel 34:12a)
  3. He delivers or rescues his sheep (Ezekiel 34:12b)
  4. He gathers his sheep (Ezekiel 34:13)
  5. He feeds his sheep (Ezekiel 34:14-15a)
  6. He leads his sheep (Ezekiel 34:15b)
  7. He pastors his sheep (Ezekiel 34:16)
    1. Positive: seeks the lost, brings back the scattered, binds the broken, strengthens the sick (Ezekiel 34:16a)
    2. Negative: destroys the fat and strong, feeding them with judgment

I want you to notice the personal pronouns used in this section, Ezekiel 34:11-16. These are first person promises, some 25 promises in all. These promises include judgment as well as deliverance. When we read about all of the exploitation of the kings, these “I will” statements in Ezekiel 34 suggest God’s determination to be involved in the lives and destinies of his people. No longer will there be a human mediator between God and his people. The Messiah was to be the shepherd of God’s people.

God was leading the sheep for their own good, not as Israel’s shepherds had done, who were in it for themselves. After reading this list of what the faithful shepherd is going to do, why would the people of God want a different kind of king over them, other than God?

What about us? God wants to have authority over us, but we often feel that his authority is NOT in our best interest. Is he really looking out for us? Don’t I get a say in this? I have all of my life goals and plans, or the vision for this church, all set and they’re beginning to unfold, so don’t come in a make me change anything. Let me tell you, immediate obedience to God is always in our best interest; disobedience always brings vulnerability and downfall.

God wants to lead us for our own good. He is not a tyrant; he is one who wants to relate to us and carefully lead his sheep.

What I see here is actually pretty staggering; but the truth is that we DO NOT deserve this type of leadership. In case we are viewing ourselves as defenseless, fluffy, innocent sheep who are worthy of a sacrificial leader, we should always remember that just like Israel, we have often rejected God’s leadership. Perhaps we have even hated God’s leadership. In fact, every sin that we commit is actually a profession that WE are really in charge. Each sin is a reminder of our OWN reign in our lives, and a demotion of God’s reign. And we are ALL guilty, “All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way;” (Isaiah 53:6).

In spite of our rebellion, God has never wavered from his desire to reconcile sinners to himself. No one has ever sacrificed so much, his own Son, to bring an ungrateful people into his presence.

So during this time of uncertainty of not having a senior pastor, I trust that you will have confidence in God’s direction and leadership, and in the earthly shepherds that our heavenly father has provided. We need, and have, shepherds (your staff members) who are looking out for your best interests. We are here to love you, care for you. We are here to challenge you to strive for God’s best, and to take risks for the kingdom’s sake. You are not left as orphans because our pastor is gone. This time in the life of our church is cause to embrace the True Shepherd who cares for us more than any earthly human being is ever able to do. Don’t fret, don’t worry, but have confidence in God, in our Savior, and in his timing. Anticipate and expect much greater things in our future. For his glory and his honor! Amen.

Next Steps:

  1. Will you commit yourself to prayer during this time, as we seek a new pastor?
  2. Will you commit yourself to others in this church through faithful participation and active service?
  3. Will you put your own desires and personal preferences aside as we seek to become a church focused on God’s mission and global purpose?
  4. In what ways will you seek the lost? Bring back the scattered? Bind the broken? Strengthen the sick? Feed or lead the sheep?
  5. In what ways will you meet the needs of others during this time of uncertainty?

False Expectations

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This message is a part of the new sermon series for 2016 at King’s Grant Baptist Church, taken from Luke 14:25-35. Here is the video of my message.

There was a debate perhaps 25 years on the meaning of salvation. At that time I discovered a tremendously insightful resource by John MacArthur called, The Gospel According to Jesus. It changed my life. This is what it was all about…

As Baptists we understand that salvation by grace through faith. No one earns salvation through their deeds. But can someone be saved and not follow Jesus as a disciple? Can Jesus be your Savior without him being your Lord? Can you pray a prayer as a younger person, and because Baptists believe in “once saved always saved,” it matters not that you never grow in maturity?

Let me tell you a story about someone coming to Christ while I was out witnessing with my pastor; this was my first full-time staff position after seminary. The pastor and I went out visiting and this young man, likely a senior in high school, sat and talked with us at his kitchen table. I sensed that the guy was not buying what we were selling, but before we left, he was on his knees praying the sinner’s prayer with my pastor. My question after that evening, after it was all said and done was, “will we ever see this guy get involved in worship, Bible study, or have any desire to grow in spiritual maturity at all?” Did he mean it? Was he ready to accept the challenge of following Jesus?

What are the expectations that WE have of Jesus and Christianity? What are the expectations that Jesus has of US?

When Jesus left the Pharisee’s house, great crowds followed Him, but He was not impressed by their enthusiasm. He knew that most of those in the crowd were not the least bit interested in spiritual things. Some wanted only to see miracles, others heard that He fed the hungry, and a few hoped He would overthrow Rome and establish David’s promised kingdom. They were expecting the wrong things.

Jesus turned to the multitude and preached a sermon that deliberately thinned out the ranks. He made it clear that, when it comes to personal discipleship, He is more interested in quality than quantity. In the matter of saving lost souls, He wants His house to be filled (Luke 14:23); but in the matter of personal discipleship, He wants only those who are willing to pay the price.

A “disciple” is a learner, one who attaches himself or herself to a teacher in order to learn a trade or a subject. Perhaps our nearest modern equivalent is “apprentice,” one who learns by watching and by doing. The word disciple was the most common name for the followers of Jesus Christ and is used 264 times in the Gospels and the Book of Acts.

Jesus seems to make a distinction between salvation and discipleship. Salvation is open to all who will come by faith, while discipleship is for believers willing to pay a price. Salvation means coming to the cross and trusting Jesus Christ, while discipleship means carrying the cross and following Jesus Christ. Jesus wants as many sinners saved as possible (“that My house may be filled”), but He cautions us not to take discipleship lightly; and in the three parables He gave, He made it clear that there is a price to pay.

We are going to dive in to what it means to love Jesus Christ supremely and to carry one’s cross.

  1. Jesus’ Instruction concerning discipleship (Luke 14:25-27)
    1. In regard to the candidate’s family (Luke 14:25-26)
      1. Jesus was still traveling toward Jerusalem, and large crowds had joined him.
        1. Perhaps all these casual followers considered themselves “disciples” of this popular teacher.
        2. Perhaps they thought he was the Messiah and wanted to be there when he inaugurated his kingdom.
      2. Jesus needed to explain that following him did not mean receiving goodies, like the expectation of so many children.
        1. He wanted to explain what it meant to truly be his disciple. So he turned and spoke to them. His disciples had to hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself.
        2. This may be the only verse that teenagers will enthusiastically quote and follow, after all, Jesus said that I am to hate my parents.
        3. Certainly this caused a stir among the people. Who would possibly ask his followers to hate their family members and life itself? The point is not to HATE, but to LOVE others less. Your love for Jesus must be so strong that any other relationship of LOVE would look like HATE in comparison.
      3. Jesus never contradicts himself. Never has Jesus advocated “hatred”—in fact, he even commanded his followers to love their enemies (Luke 6:27, 35).
        1. In these words Jesus was not going against his own commands of love, or the fifth commandment to honor father and mother (Exodus 20:12).
        2. Instead, the word “hate” is a Semitic hyperbole—an obvious exaggeration to make a point (see Genesis 29:30–33; Proverbs 13:24). Their love for Jesus should be so complete and wholehearted that their love for family members, and for life itself, would pale in comparison, to the point of being like hatred. In first-century Jewish family settings, deciding for Jesus could mean alienation from the family.
        3. Jesus warned the would-be disciples that they must be clear about their true allegiance. Jesus’ point was that those who wanted to be his followers would have demands placed upon them. The task would not be easy. Sometimes relationships would be severed, and his followers would have to turn away and remain with Jesus (12:51–53). Those who cannot make that kind of commitment cannot be his disciple.
    2. In regard to the candidate (Luke 14:27)
      1. Besides being willing to love Jesus more than any others and more than life itself, the true disciple must be ready to carry the cross and follow Christ.
      2. Jesus’ audience was well aware of what it meant to “carry the cross.” When the Romans led a criminal to his execution site, the criminal would be forced to carry the cross on which he would die. This showed submission to Rome and warned observers that they had better submit too.
      3. Carrying your cross means daily identification with Christ in shame, suffering, and surrender to God’s will. It means death to self, to our own plans and ambitions, and a willingness to serve Him as He directs (John 12:23–28). Bearing a “cross” is something we willingly accept from God as part of His will for our lives.
      4. Jesus gave this teaching to get the crowds to think through their enthusiasm for him. He encouraged those who were superficial either to go deeper or to turn back. Following Christ means total submission to him—perhaps even to the point of death.
  2. Jesus’ Illustration concerning discipleship (Luke 14:28-35)
    1. A disciple must be like a man preparing to build: the example of the unfinished building (Luke 14:28-30). The story has a couple interesting observations.
      1. Adequate Resources – mockery – a landmark of foolishness. If a person could not finish what he started, the community would mock him, and his unfinished building would be a testimony to his lack of following through.
      2. Adverse Reality – the calling to follow Jesus deserves serious thought and contemplation – the example of John Mark leaving the missionary journey (Acts 12:25-13:5, 13:13). The glamour and newness wears off and reality sets in. The young man did not count the cost of following Jesus and serving God as a companion of Paul.
    2. A disciple must be like a monarch preparing for battle: the example of a unsuccessful war (Luke 14:31-33) – To rush out with his soldiers, without first discussing the options, would invite disaster for any nation. It is far better to think it through beforehand. So those who want to follow Jesus should carefully consider their decision.
      1. The Christian life is a battle, if it was easy, everyone would do it.
      2. Satan is the enemy and our adversary, who seeks out downfall. He is the god of this world. Spiritual warfare is not a minor endeavor.
      3. For some, giving up everything may be literal, such as the rich young ruler in Luke 18:18–23 and many of Jesus’ early followers; for others it may be a willingness to hold loosely to material possessions.
    3. A disciple must be like a maître d’ preparing for a banquet: the example of an unsavory condiment (Luke 14:34-35)
      1. The maître d’ handles the reservations and preparations, so many Christians blend into the world and avoid the cost of standing up for Christ.
      2. But Jesus says if Christians lose their distinctive saltiness, they become worthless. Just as salt flavors and preserves food, Christ’s disciples are to preserve the good in the world, help keep it from spoiling, and bring new flavor to life.
      3. This requires careful planning, willing sacrifice, and unswerving commitment to Christ’s kingdom. Being “salty” is not easy, but if Christians fail in this function, they fail to represent Christ in the world. The person with ears should be able to understand these words and apply them.
        1. Salt without flavor is good for nothing; it has no purpose at the dinner table.
        2. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

What are those “costs” to believers? Christians may face loss of social status or wealth. Family and friends may hate or avoid you. We may have to give up control over their money, time, or career. It is not like living overseas where Christianity is illegal, and may cost your freedom or your life.

Following Christ does not mean living a trouble-free life. All people must carefully count the cost of becoming Christ’s disciple so that they will know what they are getting into and won’t be tempted to turn back when the going gets tough.

The title of this message is False Expectations, so let me wrap this us by sharing with you what I would call one of the most haunting verses in the Bible is Matthew 7:21-23 – “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ Talk about false expectations. Those who expects “well done, good and faithful servant,” heard Jesus say, depart from me, I never knew you.”

Discipleship is serious business. If we are not true disciples, then Jesus cannot build the tower and fight the war. Oswald Chambers wrote, “There is always an if in connection with discipleship, and it implies that we need not [be disciples] unless we embrace this. There is never any compulsion; Jesus does not coerce us. There is only one way of being a disciple, and that is by being devoted to Jesus.”

IF we tell Jesus that we want to take up our cross and follow Him as His disciples, THEN He wants us to know exactly what we are getting into. He wants no false expectancy, no illusions, no bargains. He wants to use us as STONES for building His church, SOLDIERS for battling His enemies, and SALT for bettering His world; and He is looking for quality more than quality.

Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem when He spoke these words, and look what happened to Him there! He does not ask us to do anything for Him that He has not already done for us.

To some people, Jesus says, “You cannot be My disciples!” Why? Because they will not forsake everything for Christ, bearing shame and reproach for Him, and letting their love for Him control them.

Will you be His disciple?

Next Steps:

  • How possible are this conditions for you?
  • What has it cost you to follow Jesus?
  • What cost of following Jesus seems too high for you?
  • What relationships of other loyalties do you need to pray about to strengthen your loyalty to Jesus?
  • In what area of your life can you have a deliberate effect for Christ this week?

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New Testament Discipleship

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This message called, New Testament Discipleship, comes from 2 Timothy 1:3-12.

Christianity is not a solitary sport, it is a team effort. When we come to faith in Christ, we join a global and a local community, in essence, this community is a timeless spiritual family. When you join a family, you are not alone. People look out for one another. So, how are lives connected in corporate worship? In this room we are all pretty much spectators. It is in a small group that we become participants.

I love small groups and I always encourage people to get involved and join one. It is easy to shop around here at King’s Grant because we have so many groups from which to choose. If you want to explore a group in which to get involved, let me know.

I can talk a whole lot about why small groups are important, but time is limited and I want to go through this text. While Skip used this text two weeks ago, I plan to go in a total different direction. We can talk about timothy and his family, but I prefer to talk about Timothy’s and Paul’s connection through being a part of a faith community. Let’s get started…

1. Reassurance (2 Timothy 1:3) – I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day.

The text tells us that Paul was praying for Timothy, and that he likely had confidence in him. The first thing you notice is the relational aspect of these to followers of Christ. Those who are connected to Jesus pray for one another. In a small group, we are pilgrims on the same journey, giving support, encouragement, and challenge to those in the group. It is a blessing to be involved with fellow believers on a similar journey.

Speaking of blessing, we have the potential to bring out the best in those whom we bless. From the very beginning, God intends for his people to bless others (Genesis 12:1-3, Galatians 3:8). (Smalley and Trent, The Blessing, 1986). What does a blessing entail? How do we bless others? Imagine doing all of the following in a small group…

  1. Expressing Unconditional Love: agape is God’s kind of love, you cannot earn it nor can you lose it. It is not a love that says, “I love you because…” or “I will love you if…” – it is a love that says, “I love you anyway.” There is security in this sort of relationship.
  2. Uttering Spoken Words: a blessing is only a blessing when it is spoken. It matters not how much you care about someone if you never let them know about it. When you invest into other people, you cannot keep silent.
  3. Articulating High Value: Perhaps you saw the movie called, “The Help.” The main character is a black maid who worked for this 1960’s white southern household. This strong woman had a great statement that she repeated in the film, and the little white girl was able to quote it back to her, “you is kind, you is smart, you is important.”
    1. It is like a family reunion, people are usually speaking to each other and talking all over the place but in that final hour people preparing for their goodbyes and are expressing the most important things that need to be said.
    2. Picture the undeveloped traits or habits or qualities in other people that can grow in their heart. Our desire is for them to be the best they can be for the kingdom’s sake.
    3. When we value others, we bring out their best.
  4. Picturing a Special Future: You can do this and thereby bring joy to people. You will make an impact on the kingdom of God and will be encouraging them to make a difference as well.
    1. Picturing a special future is like how Jesus encourages us by mentioning a wonderful statement at the end of time, “well done good and faithful servant,” which bring out the best in our lives, a desire for transformation into godly men and women.
    2. Kim is a hospice chaplain and I often remind her, usually when she leaves the house in the morning, or after a long and difficult day or week, that she is making a difference in the lives of people, especially at this critical stage in their lives, and the lives of their family members and staff.
  5. Disciplining When Needed: You may be thinking that I am just talking about parents and children, but discipline is greater than just a family because as followers of Jesus, we will fail many times in our lives. We need God’s discipline, and often that will come through fellow believers whom we trust and we know they have our back. We are to balance praise and correction. God deals with us rather than ignoring the wrong behavior; the same is true for our brothers in Christ. We cannot ignore behavior that goes against the teachings of the Bible. Ok, let’s move on to…

2. Reminiscence (2 Timothy 1:4-5) longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy. 5 For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.

Two things are noticed here…

  1. Tears (2 Timothy 1:4) What Paul desired, (he longed to see Timothy again).
  2. Testimony (2 Timothy 1:5) What Paul described…
    1. The Reality of Timothy’s faith (2 Timothy 1:5a) (mindful of the sincere faith he had).
    2. The Roots of Timothy’s faith (2 Timothy 1:5b) (which came through his mother and grandmother)
    3. The Reinforcement of Timothy’s faith (2 Timothy 1:5c) (I am sure it is in you as well). It is important to think about from where we have come, and how faith entered our lives. It is very good to share with others in your small group about how you came to faith in Christ, and reaffirm the faith we see in others.

3. Refocus (2 Timothy 1:6-7a) For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity…

  1. Stir up the Gift of God (2 Timothy 1:6) (Kindle afresh the gift of God) Small groups are training ground for living life on purpose, being on mission, and living a missional life.
  2. Suppress the Fear (2 Timothy 1:7a) (we don’t have a spirit of timidity or fear). There is strength in numbers, so your small group will give you the encouragement you need to stand strong in the face of the struggles of life. Finally, we are to

4. Remember (2 Timothy 1:7b-12) Remember what, you ask?

  1. Spirit (2 Timothy 1:7b) (not a spirit of fear, but of power and love and discipline). The Spirit is the one whom Jesus promised to send that would fill us with the power to change the world (Acts 1:8). We must remember that in a small group, we do not depend upon our own power, creativity, teaching, or anything, but we allow the power of the Spirit to flow through us.
  2. Son (2 Timothy 1:8) Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God,
    1. Don’t be Ashamed (2 Timothy 1:8a) – of the testimony of Jesus. We know what Jesus did to secure our salvation, so never be ashamed of the gospel story. We don’t need to apologize to unchurched people about what we believe, especially when it goes against what the intolerant left mainstream culture promotes.
    2. Don’t be Afraid (2 Timothy 1:8b) – of Paul or Prison. When our society labels us intolerant and narrow-minded, and they come after the church and Christians, don’t be afraid to join with Paul in the suffering for the gospel. We stand stronger with a small group to help us navigate through the dark waters of modern culture.
  3. Salvation (2 Timothy 1:9a-b) who has saved us and called us with a holy calling,
    1. Our Conversion (2 Timothy 1:9a) It is important to understand that the purpose of a small group is to know Christ and make him known. The goal is not just a place to study the Bible, but to share life together, on purpose, with an intentional missional mindset. How can we get one more person to be a part of our group? One we get to a certain size, when will we birth another group where we can both continue reaching and teaching people? It is all about life transformation, and conversion is a great target. After conversion, we embrace our calling…
    2. Our Calling (2 Timothy 1:9b) Paul wrote about a holy calling. What does God want from you? What mission or purpose has he planted in your heart that only you can achieve? How will you walk in a manner worthy of the calling of Christ, and therefore make an eternal impact on the kingdom of God? BUT, our calling leads to service…
  4. Service (2 Timothy 1:9c-10) not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, 10 but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
    1. Our Commission (2 Timothy 1:9c). We don’t do any of this in our own strength or according to our own works, but according to the power of Christ. Remember that the body of Christ works together to accomplish the will of God. Each small group has the potential to embrace the commission and seek ways to be on mission together, and encouraging each of us to make an eternal impact.
    2. Our Commander (2 Timothy 1:10). We recognize that the Great Commission comes from our Great Commander. Jesus is the Savior, who abolished death and brought life and immortality through the gospel. Jesus causes our service to make sense. Non-Christians serve in order to give back (it is ME focused), but we “give back” with a purpose (because is it God focused). Serving can lead to…
  5. Servants (2 Timothy 1:11) for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. This verse reminds us that Paul was a Preacher and Apostle.
    1. What is a Preacher? It is not just someone who stands up here and delivers a sermon. The preacher (kay’-roox) really means, “a herald or messenger” or God’s ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20). THAT is something that we all can do. We have a story to tell.
    2. What is an Apostle? The apostle (a-po’-sto-los) means, “a delegate, a messenger, one sent forth with orders.” The church is made up of believers, and we are literally “sent-out-ones.” Understanding this fact awaken us to the great possibilities of impacting the kingdom of God. Don’t limit God in what he can do in your life. Be open to go in whatever direction he has set before you!
  6. Suffering (2 Timothy 1:12) For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
    1. Confidence (2 Timothy 1:12a) “For this reason” expresses Paul confidence. All that he has gone through makes sense when he had the proper perspective. Remember this letter was written at the very end of Paul’s earthly life. He was expecting execution any day. In the midst of this uncertainty, Paul expresses solid confidence.
    2. Conviction (2 Timothy 1:12b) Paul is convinced, and knows for certain that he is in the hands of Jesus. What has Paul entrusted to Jesus until THAT DAY?Perhaps it is either the day of Christ’s glorious return or maybe the day of Paul’s execution. His life. Jesus is able to guard his life, so what have we to fear?

All throughout this passage I see the blueprints for small groups. The purpose of today is to discover what it takes to encourage sticky faith in our kids and in the lives of other people. Small groups encourage stick faith, and the family is God’s original small group. Get involved in one and live life in the community of faith.

The next steps at the bottom of your outline will help you to remember what community has been in your life in the past, and perhaps you will recognize the need to have a more connected community in your current situation.

Next Steps: Make it practical…

1. For whom do you pray on a regular basis? (2 Timothy 1:3)
2. Who has had the biggest role in your spiritual development? (2 Timothy 1:3)
3. What gift has God given to you? (2 Timothy 1:6)
4. How is the Spirit’s power, love, & self-discipline shown in your life? (2 Timothy 1:7)
5. Why has God called you to a holy life? (2 Timothy 1:9)
6. In what ways are you called to be a preacher and apostle? (2 Timothy 1:11)
7. When was there a time that you suffered for the gospel? (2 Timothy 1:12)

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Imitation Christianity

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Imitation Christianity comes from Hebrews 13:1-7 and is a part of our Sticky Faith series.

At the start I need to encourage you to read and study the Scripture passage for today, and not tune me out if you are not a parent. Although this series is called Stick Faith, taken from a book to which Skip referred last week, my message this week and next week are all about living out Christianity and our faith in real life, whether you’re a parent or not.

How many of you remember the 1967 anti-smoking commercial, “Like father, like son?” It was about a father and 4-year-old son doing things together, and the little boy imitated the father’s actions: painting the house, hand signals while driving in the car, washing the car with a sponge and hose, throwing a stone on a country road, resting at the base of a tree together, and then dad lights up a cigarette, only to see the little boy pick up the pack, too. “Like father, like son?”

As a kid, I remember hearing the phrase, “Do as I say, not as I do.” Well, that is really not an option.

The lesson is that our children are constantly watching us, and they learn from us. The challenge is to always act as if our kids are always watching, because you know, they really are watching. As they get older, they will see whether our actions match our words.

The same goes for any follower of Jesus, people who are unchurched and lost look at YOU to discover if Christianity is real or fake. As believers, this is an awesome responsibility. Remember that witnessing is not so much what we go out and DO, a witness is who we ARE. Our choice then is to be a GOOD witness or a BAD witness. It depends on who we are imitating.

In other situations, people say that “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” People can see someone they admire and seek to imitate them in there humor, golf swing, their attire, or some other preference or attribute. Think about sports icons, movie stars, and other famous people… that is why celebrity endorsements are so important. When the celebrity uses that product, we are more willing to take a risk and purchase that product.

The word imitation usually has a negative connotation because it would appear to be fake. “That handbag is an imitation.” “That jacket is imitation leather.” Or “My Bible cover is imitation leather, not real leather.”

Have you ever heard the compliment, “He’s a model citizen” or “She’s a model Christian?” I’ve had some concern over the term “model” because what does that phrase really mean? Especially when the definition of model, is basically, “an imitation of the real thing.” We want to be an authentic Christian, not an imitation or model Christian.

Today I’m going to talk about imitation Christianity. Not the fake stuff that people can use as evidence to prove that we are hypocritical in our behaviors related to our beliefs, but that fact that we are to imitate Christ, and the fact that others, like our children and unchurched people, will judge our authenticity by how we live out our faith in real life.

Take a look at 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.”

I suppose there are none of us who will stand up and confidently say to anyone else, “Imitate me” or “if you want to know what a Christian looks like, look at me.” I am convinced that the longer we walk with Christ, the more we realize that we have so much farther to go in order to conform into the image of Christ.

Today we are looking at Hebrews 13:1-7, a passage that William Barclay calls the “Marks of the Christian Life…” To see this in the context of imitation, we have to take a look at the previous chapters to see the progression of Hebrews concerning living by faith:

  1. Examples of faith – Hebrews 11 – the power of Faith in Christ
  2. Encouragements to faith – Hebrews 12 – the power of Hope in Christ
  3. Evidences of faith – Hebrews 13 – the power of Love in Christ

So, faith, hope, and love, then it All Comes Down to LOVE…

Remember that LOVE is an action word, more than just that warm fuzzy feeling you get when that special someone walks into the room. If love is what defines us a Christians (John 13:35), then how does that love manifest itself in everyday life. Let me quickly suggest 6 ways we can demonstrate love, right out of this Hebrews 13 passage, and those around us can watch and imitate.

1. Community (Hebrews 13:1) – Literally (brotherly love, let it remain)

  1. Deep fellowship is not based on race or relationship, or nationality alone, but on the spiritual life we share together in Christ. Koinonia is all about sharing this common life in Christ.
  2. Fellowship based on anything else but the love of Christ will not last.
  3. When we “let love of the brethren continue,” (meno) it means that love must remain, abide, last, endure.

2. Callers (Hebrews 13:2) – I use the word callers (for someone who makes a short visit), basically, the command is to NOT neglect to show hospitality for strangers.

  1. Where there is love, there is hospitality; a great biblical example is the found in the times of the NT, travelers, no inn, dispersion (sent away from Jerusalem), itinerant preachers.
  2. An OT example of entertaining angels is in the story of Abraham (Genesis 18) where he welcomed the strangers who were said to be angels (meaning messengers).
  3. The command here is the word neglect. This word indicates the subject does the action to itself. So, you all remind yourselves to show hospitality. (There is the same use of remember in Hebrews 13:3).

3. Convicts (Hebrews 13:3) – We are to show compassion and concern for prisoners.

  1. Back in the day, Christians were arrested and imprisoned for their faith, so while identifying with prisoners may be dangerous, Christ’s love demands that we minister to them (Matthew 25:36, 40).
  2. “Remember” is the command in the sentence (you all).
  3. While we are not jailed for our faith, there are many parts of the world where Christianity is outlawed; so pray for the body of Christ around the world.

4. Companion (Hebrews 13:4) – Purity for spouse and other relationships

  1. The home is the first place where Christian love should be practiced.
  2. This text tells us to hold marriage in honor, but our nation has taken a path that does just the opposite.
    1. The first point is that marriage must be in the will of God; so, not to be unequally yoked, and that fornication and adulterous relationships have no part in marriage.
    2. Secondly, children watch mom and dad to learn how marriage works, and they will watch how you treat each other. While no one is perfect, and no marriage is perfect, in general, your daughter will grow up seeking a man like her father, and your son will grow up to be like his father.
  3. Beware of other sexual sins that kill relationships; we live in a culture of tolerance and acceptance of all types of behavior that cannot be described as pure or undefiled.

5. Contentment (Hebrews 13:5-6) – Our character must be free from the love of money; be content with what you have.

  1. When we love God and others as we should, then we will have a right relationship with material possessions.
  2. Covetousness actually means the love of money, or a love for MORE of anything, whether we need it or not. What does it take for a person to be satisfied? Usually the answer is, “little bit more.” We are able to earn money, but we are not to love it (Hebrews 13:5b-6).
  3. God promises not to leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5b). Contentment cannot come from material things that can never satisfy the heart, but God…
  4. God promises to be our helper (Hebrews 13:6). This verse comes from Psalm 118:6, a messianic psalm that is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, which is a source of great peace to the early believers. During persecution, what can they do to me?

6. Conduct (Hebrews 13:7) – Imitate their faith, those who led you, the result of their conduct. The point is that we have the potential to impact others for the kingdom’s sake.

Ok, now let’s look at some OBSERVATION that is Practical; notice the acrostic W.A.T.C.H…

W – Worship

Corporate Worship: Kids are watching to see if you are involved in the…

  • Singing – are you singing or just standing there?
  • Reading – do you open up the Bible to follow along?
  • Praying – are you engaged, with head bowed, or checking your watch and smartphone?
  • Listening – How do you actively listen, taking notes to make comments later during the week, perhaps at dinnertime?
  • Giving – Parents, do your kids see you giving during the offering time, or is it always just passing the plate? Do they have something to put in the plate so they can practice giving?
  • Opening up to the Holy Spirit – How does the message move you, or the worship experience? Are you open to the movement of the Holy Spirit? Are you sensitive to the Spirit moving in your children? Are you able to guide them in spiritual matters?

Personal Worship: The times at home, in private.

  • Do they know about your person devotional habits?
  • Do they see you reading, praying, listening, pouring out your heart to God, seeking him, seeking his direction in your life, confessing, cleansing, adoring God, and thanksgiving?
  • Or perhaps your faith is just for Sunday mornings at 11:00. When our faith is not that big a deal to us, how can we expect the faith of our children be any stronger?

A – Actions

  • Do people see in your life the evidence of the Holy Spirit? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
  • What about in service to other people? Inasmuch as you have done it to the least of these, you have done it to me.
  • I believe that our world is seeking authenticity in what we say we believe and how it affects our behavior and attitudes.

T – Testimony

  • How did you come to know the Lord? Do your kids or friends know how you came to faith in Christ? What you did to get saved? When it happened? Why it happened?
  • How did you know that God was speaking to you? How do you know when God is speaking to you NOW? How can your kids know that God is speaking to them? How can you encourage it?
  • How can you challenge others when they move in a direction that is contrary to the Bible?
  • How did your kids come to faith in Christ? How can you know for sure that they understand the gospel and what it means to be saved?

C – Church

  • Your attitude toward the church (worshipping, loving, giving, attending, praying)
  • Your activities in the church (serving, teaching, helping, supporting)

H – Holiness

  • How are you becoming more and more like Jesus Christ? We are made into the likeness and image of God, so how does God’s holiness flow out of you?
  • Are you honest with your kids or close friends about your struggles in life? Your disappointments? Fears? Hopes for yourself, for your family, for your children?
  • Are there sins over which you have victory? What about things with which you still struggle (sharing within reason)?

Sticky Faith and Next Steps:

  1. We get what we are – modeling sticky faith, we are the primary guides in our kids lives; they generally become that which we are, including faith, religion, prejudices, preferences, habits. How about anyone you are discipling? Are they imitating you because you imitate Christ? Or are you replicating yourself? Remember that water cannot rise above its source.
  2. We will get what our kids think we are – more important than what parents believe is what teenagers perceive their parents believe.
    1. Right or wrong, this is quite subjective because we can be totally sincere and authentic lovers of God and followers of Jesus and our kids can still think we are judgmental, bigoted, hypocritical, fakers.
    2. We must strive to life with integrity and live above reproach.
    3. If we don’t live in integrity, and we really are not living with authenticity, then student leaders “can’t out-teach what you teach at home (David Fraze). A positive guide can be, “If you were on trial for being a Christian, what evidence would there be to convict you?” Let the evidence speak for itself, the Holy Spirit will convict your kids of the truth.
  3. There are many ways to model and build sticky faith in front of your kids or other people – each parent has to find their own channel to stay in tune with Jesus, utilizing quiet times (in the morning, while jogging, driving to work), and devotional times, and reading.
  4. Who does God want you to invest in and impact?
  5. Why is it so difficult to be content? Honest self-evaluation.
  6. In what ways are you a Christian worth imitating?
  7. In what ways will you encourage a fellow believer this week?

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Life On Purpose

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Life on Purpose, from Matthew 28:16-20

Why in the world am I here, today, on this planet, at this point in time? That is a question that people spend a lifetime trying to answer. For many, they discover their gifts, talents, and passions early in life and spend their lives pursuing their dreams. For others, they constantly drift from one cause to the next, which spills over into their work life, their marriage, degrees to seek, new relationships… where does it end? They question the point of life.

After all, it IS a very good question. Why we human being spend some 70-80 years on this planet, struggling through hurts and difficulties, enduring suffering and injustice and poverty, and health issues? What is the point of life?

The writer of Ecclesiastes had the same observation, that life is pointless, all vanity, chasing the wind. There is nothing new under the sun; and just when you think you see something new, like a vapor, it’s is gone.

That, in fact, is my testimony.

While in high school I thought about the purpose of life and I came to the conclusion that THIS temporary life was preparation for the everlasting NEXT life. If there is no heaven at the end of this life, then there is actually no purpose for our existence other than to eat, breathe, sleep, and procreate. Life is then no better than a dog, a flea, a monkey, or an amoeba. If preparation for everlasting life is the purpose of our lives, basically, God’s original intent, then it is extremely important to tell other people about how they can prepare for heaven.

Enter the Great Commission.

These famous words are not just for pastors and missionaries, they are for every follower of Jesus Christ. The question then becomes, will I accidentally carry out the Great Commission or will I approach it with intentionality? By accidentally, I mean going through life and reacting to others around, putting in a good word for Jesus only if someone asks us a question. By intentionality, I mean walking through life with an agenda, no matter what our vocation or position in life, seeking ways to get involved in spiritual conversations with unchurched people.

One clear fact in the early days of the Christian movement is that disciples shared the story of Jesus with other people.

The passage at the end of Matthew’s gospel can be divided into three sections:

  1. The Mountain (Matthew 28:16)
  2. The Mixed Reaction (Matthew 28:17)
  3. The Mandate (Matthew 28:18-20)

MOUNTAIN: One of the last meetings that Jesus had with his disciples was this mountaintop meeting in Galilee. The angel told the women at the tomb on that first resurrection morning to go tell his disciples that he had risen from the dead and that he was going ahead of them into Galilee where he would meet them. Some people interpret this event to be the appearance of Jesus to more than 500 of his followers (1 Corinthians 15:6). But from the mountain in Galilee we get a mixed reaction.

MIXED REACTION: The text says that when they saw him, they worshiped, but some doubted. The fact that Matthew 28:16 says that, “some doubted” is evidence to me that this gathering was probably with more than his eleven closest men. The text mentions the 11 present, but it does not exclude the possibility of more being present. It doesn’t say ONLY the eleven. But the phrase jumps off the page at me because these guys spent so much time with Jesus, had seen the miracles, heard the teaching, failed to understand the predictions, but witnessed the crucifixion and resurrection appearances…

HOW COULD SOME DOUBT? I suppose for the same reasons that many of US doubt today. It’s an incredible story. It’s hard to believe someone is actually raised from the dead. I choose to deny the reality of what I see in front of me. I think I could come up with a better plan to connect with God than this resurrection and faith thing. But the point of the passage is that we have in our possession, GOOD NEWS, so this leads me to the mandate of Jesus.

MANDATE: Have you ever considered why this passage is called the Great Commission? Is this information any greater than the other stuff Jesus taught? Like the Sermon on the Mount? The parables of the kingdom? His prophetic words to his disciples that he was going to be mistreated, abused, and killed by the religious leaders in Jerusalem?

Perhaps it is because this is the last statement of Jesus before the ascension? It is so true that his last command needs to be our first concern. This declaration applies directly to believers, sort of giving us marching orders, explaining the reason and purpose, and the procedure for the task before the church. By the church, I mean those who are born again and who make up the body of Christ. The task is given to each of us, not just to a select few who are deemed to be professional ministers or exhibit a special call of God in their lives. The Great Commission is for ALL of us, but what is the key information that Jesus leaves for us to understand and obey?

In this mandate, we have three sections to chew on…

We have Jesus’ Authority (Matthew 28:18)

The word POWER actually means authority, the right to use the power. Some people actually leave this part out of the Great Commission, choosing to quote only Matthew 28:19-20, but the authority of Jesus cannot be left out.

The entire gospel of Matthew stresses the authority of Jesus to the primarily Jewish audience of Matthew’s gospel.

  1. There was authority in Jesus’ teaching (Matthew 7:29) for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
  2. There was authority in Jesus’ healing (Matthew 8:1-13) There is the story of the Centurion who was under authority, just say the word and my servant will be healed.
  3. There was authority in Jesus’ forgiving (Matthew 9:6) But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then He *said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.”
  4. There was authority in Jesus’ dealing with Satan (Matthew 10:1) Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.
  5. Here Jesus declares that he has ALL authority (Matthew 28:18)

What is a good reason to emphasize the authority of Jesus?

  1. If he has all authority and power, what do we have to fear?
  2. Wherever he leads, we really can go. No matter the circumstance, we know that we are covered by his authority.

Christianity is a missionary faith, and his last command must not be taken lightly.

  1. He does not desire for ANY to perish but ALL to come to him in faith.
  2. We have a message that the whole world needs to hear, even those who live on our streets, in our neighborhoods, offices, community centers, co-workers, classmates, and friends.
  3. We really have the “good news” that a lost world needs to hear. They may not accept it, but they need to hear it.

In the early church we see that they operated on the basis of Jesus possessing authority.

  1. They ministered in his name.
  2. They depended on his power and his guidance.
  3. They did NOT engage a lost world in their own power.

We have Jesus’ Assignment (Matthew 28:19-20a) the activity in which we must become involved.

GOING – this is actually NOT the command in the sentence, but a present participle (going). The only command in the Great Commission is to “make disciples.”

  1. “While you are going, make disciples of all nations.” The definition of a disciple – a learner, not an expert.
  2. No matter where you are, we are to seek ways to witness for Jesus and lead others to him (Acts 11:19-21)

BAPTIZING – Baptize them, in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.

  1. Evangelism – sharing the gospel, the gospel cannot be mimed, it must be spoken.
  2. What is the gospel? (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
    1. The Gospel is Missional: we must not keep this good news to ourselves. We are under direct orders from the head of the church to share the gospel with every created being (Mark 16:15). “I PREACHED to you” (1 Corinthians 15:1-2, said twice).
    2. The Gospel is Christological: It is about Jesus – HE died, HE was buried, HE was raised, HE appeared, HE appeared, HE appeared.
    3. The Gospel is Historical: The gospel is an undeniable fact of history, even referenced in non-biblical sources (Josephus and Tacitus) (note the verbs) – he died, he was buried, he was raised, he appeared…
    4. The Gospel is Theological: Theology is the study or talk about God. The gospel is theological because it addresses the offensive nature of man’s sin toward a holy God (Habakkuk 1:13)
    5. The Gospel is Scriptural: The good news about the death and resurrection of Christ was predicted in the Old Testament, two times in this text it says, “according to the Scriptures” (Romans 1:1-2, Isaiah 53:5, 10-12, Psalm 16:10)
    6. The Gospel is Personal: Christ’s death was for “OUR sins.” Jesus died for my sins and your sins, that is why it is good news… it must be personally appropriated: “I preached to YOU, which YOU also received, in which also YOU stand, by which also YOU are saved, if YOU hold fast the word which I preached to YOU, unless YOU believed in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:1-2)

TEACHING – TEACH all that I have commanded you…

There are scriptural models.

  1. The example of the early church (Acts 2:41-47)
  2. The example of Paul (2 Timothy 2:1-2)

It is fine to have a systematic discipleship program, but let’s face it, many people in the church are educated far beyond their obedience.

  1. We make it to all these Bible studies and small groups, but we have made them an end unto themselves.
  2. The goal of any believer and any small group is to be missional. That simply means that we embrace the Great Commission and seek to advance his kingdom with intentionality.
  3. How can we get involved with lost people around us? Or impact those in our circles of influence? There is no impact without contact.

Teach what Jesus has commanded – faithful teaching from the Scriptures. Why teach the commands of Jesus?

  1. John 15:14 – to be Jesus’ friend
  2. John 15:10 – to enjoy God’s love
  3. 1 John 3:22 – to see your prayers answered
  4. John 14:15 – to prove your love for God
  5. 1 John 2:3 – to experience security of salvation
  6. John 14:21 – to know Jesus more deeply
  7. John 14:23 – to have close fellowship with God
  8. 1 John 5:2 – to genuinely love others
  9. 1 John 5:3 – to avoid many of the burdens of life
  10. John 13:34-35 – to be known as a disciple of Jesus Christ

Teach what Jesus has commanded YOU – this makes it personal. We are able to teach only that which Jesus has taught us. How are you growing individually? Personal devotion time? Personal Bible study and worship? How do you talk with other people about the things God is teaching you?

Perhaps a tool can help: The Bible App Initiative… you can find it in the Information Center and online, notice the web address in your outline (www.tiny.cc/groupquestions). Here is a quick list of what you can do with the Bible App Initiative this week:

  1. Attend worship and take notes on the pastor’s message.
  2. Sunday afternoon or evening, go to this webpage and select the proper page of questions (choose by book, then chapter or section of chapter).
  3. Print the questions to have handy throughout the week, perhaps leaving the page near the family dinner table.
  4. At a meal (for example) intentionally read the Bible passage, and then ask several questions to have a discussion with your spouse or family.
  5. You might have a question in mind to ask someone during the day (perhaps at school, at work, or in the neighborhood).
  6. Bible knowledge is one thing, but strive to discover the “take away” of this weekend’s passage, asking, “How can I apply this truth to my life?”

We have Jesus’ Assurance (Matthew 28:20b) which gives us an ability to get the job done.

  1. Jesus is not only in our midst when we get together, but he is with us when we scatter all over the world.
  2. Had Jesus stayed on earth, he could not have fulfilled his promise of sending the helper, the Holy Spirit to guide and remind us of all that Jesus said and did.

Biblical examples of Jesus being with his followers:

  1. While obeying this Great Commission, Paul came to Corinth (Acts 18:1) and won many and baptized them (Acts 18:8) and taught God’s word (Acts 18:11). When it got tough, Paul got a special visit from the Lord (Acts 18:9-10) “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.”
  2. The end of the age: this indicates that the Lord has a plan, he is the Lord of history.

One way to be able to TEACH others is to be a LEARNER ourselves.

  1. Who are your favorite Christian authors?
  2. What are you reading in order to grow spiritually?
  3. Leaders are readers…

All this is designed to lead us into making disciples of all nations, to help others to know God and to love God; to be intentional witnesses and disciple-makers. We will not win the world by accident, we will not make disciples by simply inviting them to church. In our society today, we often equate evangelism with an invitation to church; but in reality, the Christian faith is more caught than taught.

Right now, as we think about the significance of the gospel message and our part in the Great Commission, we are moving into a time of reflection before taking the Lord’s Supper. This is a time of confession of times that we have fallen short, times when we have failed to be all that God desires for us to be, times when we have served ourselves before considering the needs of others.

As we partake of these elements, they represent the body and blood of Jesus. It is a meal that reminds us of the sacrifice of Jesus during that special Passover celebration, and that Jesus had now become the sacrificial lamb who would take away the sins of the world. No longer would our sins be covered, our sins would now be cleansed.

These elements, and our participation in this ordinance, proclaims the death and resurrection of Jesus until he comes back. This is the first step toward our proclamation of the gospel to a lost and dying world.

Lead through the Lord’s Supper…

Now that we have experienced communion together as the body of Christ, may we make the commitment to continue the proclamation of the gospel until the second coming. The times are urgent, and short, may God challenge us to make a difference in the lives of those around us, for his kingdom sake. Let this be a purpose for existence, to know Christ, and make him known.

Next Steps:

  1. Get involved in the Bible App Initiative – www.tiny.cc/groupquestions
  2. How is it that we continue to doubt, (which keeps us from being missional)?
  3. In what ways are you making disciples, and fulfilling his last command?
  4. What specific teaching of Jesus do you need to obey more consistently?
  5. How might you become more bold at putting in a good word for Jesus?
  6. In what ways are you a continual learner, yet living out your faith in practical ways, passing on faith to others?

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The Keys to the Kingdom

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Perhaps you have asked yourself questions like these: What does God want from me? How does he want me to live? I remember my early days as a believer, and I would often ask God to show me his will, reveal what he wanted from me. I remember finding verses like Micah 6:8, “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” or 1 Thessalonians 4:3, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification;” or Romans 8:29, “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son…” The goal back then was to be the best Christian I could be, walking in faith, walking in the light, walking in purity, but notice that the emphasis was always on ME.

But there are much bigger questions that believers must wrestle with. What is God’s global purpose and how do I fit into that? How does God expect me to do the work of evangelism? How am I making disciples? The preacher is always talking about the Great Commission and the need and responsibility that we believers have to be an intentional witness for the risen Savior Jesus Christ. I’m no Peter or Paul or Timothy; I’m just an average Joe who believes the story of Jesus, his work on the cross, and have put my trust in him alone for my salvation. I’m not ambitious enough to think that I can change the world, nor clever enough that God would use a person like me to make a difference. So, where do I fit in the Kingdom of God? How will I find my place in the Kingdom, which is our theme for 2015?

Perhaps you have been watching the NBC series on Sunday night called AD, the Bible Continues. While there are some portions embellished for story sake, the main story of the early days of the Christian church is great to watch. Those people had to stand up for what they believed in while the threats of imprisonment and death were constantly on their minds. God can’t expect us to live that way in this modern society.

Today, we seek out every possible way to be free from discomfort, and when we sense the need to go deeper with God, we use phrases like, “getting out of our comfort zone” or “if you want to walk on water, you’ve got to get out of the boat” or we read books like “radical.” In actuality, we are NOT called to be RADICAL, but rather “radical” is a term that should describe the NORMAL Christian life. When we are not radically sold out to Jesus, we are living out some other gospel, not one that we read about in the New Testament.

Let’s get into First Thessalonians:

The first thing I want you to see in this passage is that Paul brought to the church a message with kingdom authority.

  1. Kingdom Authority:

For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain, 2 but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition. 3 For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit; 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.

The first thing I want you to see in these verses is…

The Manner of Paul’s Ministry (1 Thessalonians 2:1-2, 4)

  1. Paul was not a quitter (1 Thessalonians 2:1-2) He spoke with boldness, he suffered, he was mistreated, but he was dedicated to God, he continued to preach with a lot of opposition or contention.
  • He was jailed in Philippi (Acts 16:16-40) so he was a man with a police record, an ex-con, a jail-bird.
  • He was accused of being a man on the run from justice, and who would listen to such a man? There were people who twisted his message, his motives, and his methods.
  1. Paul was a steward (1 Thessalonians 2:4) he was entrusted with the gospel.
  • A steward owns nothing, but possesses and uses everything that belongs to his master.
  • A steward possesses faithfulness to his Master (1 Corinthians 4:1-2), we are not to aim for pleasing men, but pleasing God.

The people had no less than three charges against Paul. Let’s take a look at…

The Message of Paul’s Ministry (1 Thessalonians 2:3a). Paul’s message did not come from error; it was true and contained no deceit. This message came directly from God. People would accuse him of being mad, a crazy man, like…

  • Early in Jesus’ ministry (Mark 3:21), “When His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “He has lost His senses.”
  • Later in Paul’s life when Festus thought has was insane (Acts 26:24), “While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.”

We need to have the same burning passion of constantly talking about Jesus, what he has done for us, and sharing what we know and have experienced.

The Motive of Paul’s Ministry (1 Thessalonians 2:3b). Another accusation came that Paul was preaching with impure motives. It is possible to preach the right message with the wrong motives. The early church had a practice of what is called “agape meals” which had been called “love Feasts” according to Jude 1:12. You can imagine how critics could take that term and reduce it toward something immoral, but Paul’s motivation was clean; it was pure.

The Method of Paul’s Ministry (1 Thessalonians 2:3c). There was no guile or trickery to win converts to faith in Jesus. The word has an image of “baiting a hook;” yet Paul did not trap people with cleaver salesmanship. Salvation does not come at the end of some cleaver argument or subtle presentation, salvation is the result of God’s Word connecting with the power of the Holy Spirit … for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. (1 Thessalonians 1:5). In this passage, we see there was no deceit in Paul’s method.

His message of kingdom authority came out of his kingdom authenticity.

  1. Kingdom Authenticity:

5 For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness— 6 nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority.

First Thessalonians tells us that Paul invested his life into this community, and made a difference. People knew the truth of his word and his words. He was not a cheap peddler of elixir, or a feel-good gospel, or a prosperity gospel. People accused him of flattery speech and being greedy, but Paul’s readers knew that he told the truth, just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you (1 Thessalonians 1:5).

Paul also appealed to the witness of God (1 Thessalonians 2:5, 10) and to their witness as well (1 Thessalonians 2:11). A person with flattery speech will manipulate rather than communicate. In America, we are getting used to being manipulated and lied to, especially during an election year. We see this regularly happening today in the mainstream media, if you repeat a lie often enough, and loudly enough, it will be accepted as the truth.

Authenticity means being who you claim to be as well as being who you ought to be. This is a challenge for all of us. There has to be authenticity in our pulpit ministry, corporate worship life, and in our individual and family lives, too.

Paul had kingdom authority and lived his life with kingdom authenticity; which could only happened while possessing a kingdom attitude.

  1. Kingdom Attitude:

7 But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. 8 Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us. 9 For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; 11 just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children,

This section begins and ends with two great illustrations: he behaved as a mother with her child and a father with his children. This reveals the care and concern that parents have for their kids, and as kingdom people, we should have toward those inside and outside of the faith. A kingdom attitude understands that we do not live only for ourselves. The church does not exist for itself. The church is probably the only organization that exists solely for the benefit of those who are not members.

Think about how Jesus treated his disciples. He lived among them, coached them, taught them, challenged them, encouraged them, all these things are done in close proximity, as the body of faith. Babies are not birthed only to let them fend for themselves; neither are we to do the same with the children of God.

Believers in Jesus Christ must invest their lives into the next generation; it is imperative for human families, it is essential with our spiritual family. We must be of the same attitude, to work day and night, proclaiming the good news of Christ (1 Thessalonians 2:9). This type of investment of life and involvement in the lives of other people is different than church business as usual.

Paul had kingdom authority and lived his life with kingdom authenticity; which could only happened while possessing a kingdom attitude; so to make this happen, we need a kingdom approach.

  1. Kingdom Approach:

12 so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

This verse tells us that the way in which we walk (meaning, the way we live our lives) must be in a manner worthy of God. The old approach is that we simply believe in the facts about Jesus whether we end up living according to that standard or not. It was all about right belief and praying a prayer of salvation. This approach has led us to the point we find the church today.

Think about the evangelism of the past, we were taught to go to strangers, knock on doors, or go to the unchurched people you know to make sure they hear a clear presentation of the gospel. We want them saved, to believe in the resurrected Jesus, the only way to the Father (John 14:6). That may be well and good, but I question the effectiveness of this approach. A kingdom approach involves living our lives in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into his kingdom.

I’m not talking about lifestyle evangelism, which is generally translated as, “I won’t speak up and say anything about Jesus, I just let my life speak for me; after all, my actions will speak louder than my words.” The problem is that no one is perfect and lost people will be disappointed in other human beings in the long run.

While it is true that Jesus said to let your light shine before me so they will glorify the Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16), Paul said in Romans 10:17, that faith comes from hearing. People need to hear you putting in a good word for Jesus. Lifestyle alone is not sufficient.

St. Francis of Assisi once said, “Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.” It sounds good on the surface but let’s think about this logically. Doing acts of kindness for others will not invite them to fall on their knees and repent, it takes our speaking up so they can HEAR the gospel and follow Jesus. As an example of the importance of action, consider this, “Feed the hungry at all times, and if necessary, use food.” Being an advocate for hunger issues is different from feeding hungry people. How will people taste of the Bread of Life if we don’t provide the necessary food?

So, this new approach is all about getting involved in our community and impacting our circles of influence, more than creating the next great event designed to attract people to our church in hopes they hear the gospel from a professional pastor. In this attractional model, evangelism has become synonymous with an invitation to church.

So finally, Paul had kingdom authority and lived his life with kingdom authenticity; which could only happened when possessing a kingdom attitude; employing a kingdom approach, and being involved in kingdom activity.

  1. Kingdom Activity:

13 For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe. 14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews,

Paul sums up this entire section by thanking God that the Thessalonians received his message and accepted the message for what it was, the Word of God, and not the word of men. The challenge he has in this section comes right out of verse 14, that they would become imitators of the churches in Judea (1 Thessalonians 2:14). So, what is the church supposed to be doing?

One of the best places in Scripture to read about the activities of the early church is in the book of Acts 2:42-47. Back in April I was able to preach about Praying for the Church’s MVPs (the church’s Mission, Vision, and Proclamation) so I won’t revisit that today, but the point is, we are to be on mission in this life. The church must be active and on the move, we have marching orders, and HIS last command needs to be OUR first concern.

We have been entrusted with the gospel, and we must be good stewards of that which the Father has given to us. We are gifted in various areas, different people are able to serve in different capacities. It is important to find a place to give back, make a difference, and impact the kingdom of God.

We have kingdom authority and are challenged to live with kingdom authenticity; which can only happened when we have a kingdom attitude, employing a kingdom approach, and being involved in kingdom activity. This is how we make a difference in the lives of others, for the kingdom’s sake. These five things really are the keys to the kingdom.

Next Steps:

In what ways can you BLESS your neighbors and co-workers each week? Remember this means to

  1. Begin with prayer, then
  2. Listen, or
  3. Eat a meal that week with an unchurched person, or
  4. Serve someone in Jesus’ name, or
  5. Share YOUR story or HIS story.

How can you make sure that you are trying to please God rather than trying to please yourself or other people?

Into whom, and how, are you imparting the gospel of God and your own life to others (1 Thessalonians 2:8-9)?

What is the difference between accepting a message as the Word of God and responding to it? (1 Thessalonians 2:13-14)

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Facing Our Spiritual Immaturity

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The writer to the Hebrews instructs the church to, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you” (Hebrew 13:17). This is an awesome charge, NOT to the leaders, but to the people. While the leaders have charge over the souls of God’s people (which is intimidatingly awesome to say the least) the writer tells the people that it is their responsibility to not cause grief to their spiritual leaders. Spiritual leaders teach, guide, instruct, challenge, protect, admonish, comfort, and yes, rebuke and discipline when it is needed. It is not an authority thing, or a superiority issue, but God says there are benefits in people cooperating with their leaders. As people catch vision, discover their places of service and ministry, live out their faith in a lost and dying world, leading people ought to be a joy, not full of grief.

So, this message is from a heart of love and compassion, to help us and to challenge us all to become the people of God that the Lord desires for us to be.

From the Hebrews 5 passage today, the consequences of not being all-in for God, is spiritual immaturity. And let’s admit it, we often desire to remain immature, probably so that we are not obligated to work, or to serve, or get connected, or talk about our faith, or lead people to Jesus, or teach preschoolers or children… just fill in the blank with whatever you fear that God would ask you to do for his kingdom.

How many of us would admit that we have told God, “Give me enough of Jesus to escape hell, but not so much that would move me toward actually BEING the hands and feet of Jesus in the church or the community.”

After a long discussion about the priesthood of Christ being superior to that of the earthly priests in the line of Aaron (Hebrews 5:1-10), we get to our focal passage today. Here the writer deviates from his theological presentation to address to the people of the church… and in addressing them, he addresses us.

This is a practical section on how to move away from spiritual immaturity and toward spiritual maturity (Hebrews 5:11-14), but first, everyone needs to take an inventory of their spiritual progress. If you recognize your spiritual immaturity, you may be have-way there. But let’s NOT stay there. Using this spiritual inventory, we will see that it is so important to know where you ARE before you can get where you want to GO.

What about the people reading this letter? They needed to face their spiritual immaturity… and so do we. The first thing I want to point out is that…

They had a MENTAL problem, they were dull of hearing. Dullness in hearing is definitely a sign of spiritual immaturity. Let’s read again Hebrews 5:11 – Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. Let’s recap through the book of Hebrews and discover their backward journey…

First, they were drifting from the Word (Hebrews 2:1-3a) – For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, 3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?

Next, they were doubting the Word (Hebrews 3:7-4:13) – 3:12 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end… 4:11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. How will anyone have an evil, unbelieving heart? They doubt the Word of God and embrace the deceitfulness of sin.

Now, they were dull of hearing the Word of God, which manifested itself by being unable to listen to God’s Word, receive the Word, or even act on the Word. They were not like the people in Thessalonica where Paul writes about them, “Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13)

Face it; one of the first steps backward toward spiritual immaturity and complacency is that we develop a dullness toward the Bible and the things of God.

  • The Sunday School class is dull.
  • The lesson is dull.
  • The preacher and his sermons are dull.
  • All this church stuff is always dull, or to use the word of the day, BORING.

But let me submit to you that it is not the Sunday School teacher, not the preacher, or anything else, but the problem resides within the attender himself, because when you encounter the living God, it is anything but dull.

The fact is, you get out of a service or a Bible study exactly what you expect from it or what you put into it. Worship becomes “all about me” when I tell myself or someone else about how the choir special didn’t speak to me, or that the preacher’s message was irrelevant to my life.

How often do we drive to church having LITTLE or NO preparation to encounter the living God? We hurriedly strut into God’s presence with an attitude of, “bless me, wow me, God must surely be happy that I’m here today, this service better not go past 12:00, I hope no one comes forward to get saved because that will delay my lunch, I’m not going to respond to the invitation and commitment time because THAT is for other people, because me and God are just fine.”

So, people were dull of hearing, which indicated they had a MENTAL problem. I also challenge you to see that…

They had a MORAL problem, they refused to be teachers. Face it, the inability to share God’s truth with other people is a sign of spiritual immaturity. Hebrews 5:12a says, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God.” The word, “ought” indicates an obligation, and since it was their DUTY to teach others, their failure to do so became a moral problem.

I understand that not all believers have the gift of teaching, but we ALL can tell someone else about what we learned in the Bible, or what God has taught us by reading the Bible.

I find it interesting that the very first real problem we discover in a child is the inability to share with other people? NOT sharing is certainly a sign of childishness and immaturity.

Those who were the recipients of this letter should have been teaching others by now. But instead of helping others to grow in their knowledge of and love for God, they were in need of going over and over again the elementary principles of the Christian life. They wanted to stay in the shallow end of the pool, never desiring to launch into the deep end of spiritual truth and understanding.

If you want to get out of the kiddie pool or out of your second childhood, then learn to teach others, learn to share the Word of God with other people. It takes a little practice to be good at it, but you have to get started and keep moving forward.

Teach in your own Sunday School class; ask for an opportunity to lead a lesson one week, be a substitute once a month.

Tell Connie or Karen that you want to invest your life into the next generation, leaving a legacy of faith to the children in our congregation. You can sign up for every other month in a 9:45 Sunday School class or even once a month working with preschoolers at 11:00.

Think about all the needs we have in our children’s and our preschool departments. If everyone would simply commit to helping out every once in a while, we will share the load, and those who have been serving faithfully for years won’t burn out. People can still be a part of an adult class on a regular basis.

I’ve heard a few stories from older members who founded and established this church, that “we have put in our time, and it’s time for the 30-somethings and 40-somethings to step up…” There IS something to be said for that.

I know that many people in this room have taught for years and faithfully served for so long, but is it EVER true that you can retire from teaching others the Word of God?

Some people may not be physically able to serve like they used to and that’s OK. Maybe your strength doesn’t allow you to securely hold babies anymore, or your knees won’t let you to get on the floor with toddlers.

But I challenge you all to look around the room and see all of the able-bodied believers who could step up to the meet needs of others and share what they have and what they know with others.

After looking around, make sure you also look in the mirror. What is holding YOU back? Knowledge? Apathy? Education? The fear of tough questions? Very few people attended seminary so you can’t simply leave it all to the pastor or staff. The CHURCH is charged with the gospel, that ALL of US, ordinary followers of Jesus allowing the Holy Spirit to use us as he sees fit.

Remember that the Word of God was translated into the vernacular (the common language) so that God’s Word would be in the hands of everyday common people. No longer would God’s Word be only for an elite few (like pastors and priests) who understood Latin, or New Testament Greek. The Bible is for the PEOPLE to read, and then people are unleashed to read, serve, teach, witness, and share about God and what he has done for us all.

Let me put in a good word about small groups and teaching: I would much rather have servant-leaders who have a heart for a small group of people, than those who just teach the Bible without exercising care and concern for their flock.

Fortunately, King’s Grant has a bunch of people serving in our discipleship ministry who do BOTH very well. But the fact is, we will not, and cannot grow to the next level without the body of Christ stepping up and doing what it takes to serve and teach others. We cannot let our faith or discipleship be a “one-hour-on-Sunday” experience.

So, not only did these people in the book of Hebrews have a MENTAL problem, (they were dull of hearing the Word of God); and have a MORAL problem, (they refused to do their duty and teach God’s word to others)…

They had a DEVELOPMENTAL problem: They preferred their “baby food” diet by continuing to feed on “milk” rather than “meat,” which is another sign of their spiritual immaturity. Hebrews 5:12b-13 says, “you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.” These people were still babies.

I believe that spiritual infancy is nurtured by religious ritual. I say this because the nation of Israel would be considered to be in the infancy stage of Christianity. The old covenant has passed away and the new covenant was brought through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. With the coming of Christ, the nursery is left behind. They made no spiritual progress because they were tied to the apron strings of a ritualistic religious system.

Perhaps the ritualistic system today is what I call “drive by church.” Many people say, “I’ll just attend, but have no plans on getting involved, or investing my life into others, or allowing others to invest their lives into me.” For many people, Christmas and Easter are all they desire of the things of God, and this may be the ultimate in a ritualistic mindset.

Let’s talk about the “milk” and “meat” for a moment:

  • “Milk” is considered to be the first or elementary principles of God, which would include the teachings about the earthly ministry of Jesus: his birth, life, teachings, miracles, death, burial, resurrection.
  • “Meat” would be the teachings about the ministry of Jesus RIGHT NOW in heaven as our high priest.

Even the most mature believer still drinks milk, we enjoy and are challenged by the teachings of Jesus while he was on earth. But we must not stop there. We must include what we call theology. How does all of this fit together? How is Jesus the fulfillment of the Old Testament? How can I apply this teaching in today’s world?

So, these people had a MENTAL problem, (they were dull of hearing the Word of God); and had a MORAL problem, (they refused to do their duty and teach God’s word to others); they also had a DEVELOPMENTAL problem (preferring spiritual milk rather than meat); and finally, we come to the last mark of spiritual immaturity…

They had a DISCERNMENT problem: They were unskilled in using God’s Word, because as we grow in spirituality and knowledge of God’s Word, we must learn to apply it in everyday life. Hebrews 5:14 tells us, “But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”

When we APPLY the Word of God, we develop our spiritual senses and exercise discernment. Little children lack such discernment; think about it, a baby will put anything in its mouth, food, bugs, dirt, rocks, moth balls, a soiled diaper.

So, what does that means for an immature believer? He or she will listen to ANY preacher on the TV, radio, or podcast and not be able to discern truth from error.

Discerning good and evil are a part of the Christian life, and those reading this letter to the Hebrews were in danger of making a terrible mistake. Just as Israel failed to discern God’s leadership, their failure caused them to go backwards and wander aimlessly through the wilderness. They were unable to enter into God’s rest.

Hebrew 4:11 says, “Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.”

Wow, it’s time to draw this to a close. How do we make this message practical? Let me tell you a story.

Imagine a football team, fired up, the cheering crowds, with pep rally fever pitch, and now the team is running out to the huddle. They gather to hear the play, break, and then run back to the bench. This happens several times, and the crowd begins to wonder what’s going on. This is a great picture of today’s American church. We run out on the field, huddle, hear the pastor’s plays, he tells us what we need to do, we all agree, then break, we run back to the sidelines. Imagine the church actually running the plays, and making a difference. (from Francis Chan, The Forgotten God)

It’s time to face your spiritual immaturity and you MUST conduct a proper evaluation of where you are before you look ahead to where you want to be. Check your bulletin outline and look at those questions at the bottom.

  1. How would you describe your level of spiritual maturity?
  2. How have you grown since you first came to faith in Christ?
  3. For what decisions do you need a little extra discernment?
  4. Of what does your spiritual diet consist?
  5. How can you become more useful to God and his kingdom?
  6. What will you plan to do to become more mature in your relationship with Christ?
  7. What will you change in your daily and weekly routine to combat spiritual immaturity and laziness?
  8. Where will you volunteer to make an impact on others? It’s time to get out of the huddle and run some plays!

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