Last night I had the privilege to attend the Pregnancy Care Center of Union County fundraising banquet. What an amazing group of people who truly care about the sacredness of life. The director of the care center here in Union County is a tremendous leader and has such a wonderful heart for this ministry.
I won't take time to share the whole story but we heard the story of what prayer and God can do in the life of a young lady. She not only decided to keep the child but decided to raise the child with the help of her family. Those that helped her come to that decision as well as leading her to Christ are definitely worthy of acknowledgement.
Clearly, God was in control of the situation, and yet, I am reminded once again of the servant heart of those individuals who took of their time and energy to help this young lady and her family out.
We serve an amazing God! And with what I have been preaching on the last two weeks, I must say that you will never know the amazing God we have unless you step out in obedience and follow Him with ALL that you are!
God, thank you for being so amazing, loving, kind, gentle, merciful and gracious! May we never tire of praising You for You are most worthy of our praise!
Friday, November 5, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
What Kind of Church Will We Be?
Can you imagine 3,000 people being saved in one day, in one place, in one service?
That’s what revival can do to a people. That’s what a group of Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, and Spirit-powered people can do when used by God to accomplish His will for His glory!
Do you want to experience something like that?
Does your heart ache to see lives changed and people saved?
My heart aches for a glimpse, for a taste of what that day of Pentecost was all about. And you know what, I have hope that we will experience it, here, in our church, in our town, in our families, with our friends, with our neighbors. I have hope because I know what God can do.
This morning, I want you to know that it wasn’t by chance that those people were saved. It wasn’t a case of being at the right place at the right time. The reason it happened was because God’s people were doing what God wanted them to do. They were praying.
What were they praying for? They were praying for the promised Comforter that Jesus had said He would send. They were praying for the Holy Spirit.
Jesus knew that the 120 or so disciples and followers did not have the ability, they didn’t have knowledge, they didn’t have the courage, they didn’t have anything within their own power to accomplish God’s will in the world. They may have been devoted followers, but they would be lost without the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
Can I tell you something this morning?
That hasn’t changed in the last 2000 years. If you don’t have the power, if you are living life without the power of the Holy Spirit, you will not live a satisfying or successful Christian life.
Let me explain. God’s plan for our lives is not to just be a lump on a log. God has not called us to a life of vegetation – a life of just using up space and oxygen.
His plan for you as a Christian is a plan of action, it’s a plan of a person who loves God and people so much that you can do nothing but act. His plan for us as Christians is: Make An Impact, using our God-given abilities, working together as a team, forcing the light of God into the darkness all around us.
I want you to understand that what God did on the Day of Pentecost does not have to be a onetime deal. I believe God wants to pour out His Spirit today into us and use us the same way he used the early church. The truth is we have to believe it can still happen.
I want to ask you a question – it’s a simple one, but your answer is so important to our future. What kind of church will we be?
This early church, this group of people at some point decided that they were going to be obedient to what Jesus had asked of them, which was to wait on Him to send His gift, and then to carry out His Great Commission.
At some point, everyone that was in that room decided that what Jesus stood for, what He had taught them was the most important thing in their life. They made a choice of what they were going to value in their life.
They chose to be obedient to God, and that was the one constant value or belief that was holding this group together when God poured out His Spirit upon them.
When they came down from that upper room, they were the same people, but they were being led by the very Spirit of God and they continued to be true to their belief that this cause that Jesus had died for was real, and that Jesus was worth living for, in fact He was worth dying for.
They became so convinced of this belief that it colored everything else in life. Everything in their life fell under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. They were committed. They were sold out for Jesus.
Peter, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, spoke with passion to those that were there. He told them about Jesus, and how they had crucified an innocent man who was the Son of God. He told them that Jesus didn’t stay in the grave though, and that now they could be forgiven of their sins if they would repent and accept Him as their Savior.
What happened? 3000 people were added to the church that day. 3000 people. Is your faith big enough for 3000 people? How big is your belief in Jesus? What kind of church will we be?
The answer to that is all wrapped up in the size of your belief in Jesus.
If Jesus isn’t everything, then it’s not enough. If your faith in Him is only good when things are going your way, then it’s not good enough.
This early church was committed to some core values that they believed in, and they practiced. We find them right in our Scripture this morning. Look at verse 42.
READ: v. 42
There were 4 areas here in this verse that they were devoted to. They were committed to them, these took priority over everything else. “Continued steadfastly” uses a Greek verb communicating “a steadfast and single-minded fidelity to a certain course of action.” What were they?
#1. They were Devoted to the Apostle’s Teaching
What were they teaching? They were teaching the Bible, the Old Testament, plus they were also teaching what Christ had taught them while He was with them.
I asked you what kind of church will we be? I don’t know about you but I want to follow the example of the church god blessed with 3000 new converts on the first day, and then continued to add to their numbers daily.
God was blessing them because they were following His plan.
We must be devoted to God’s Word. As individuals we need to read God’s Word, allow the Holy Spirit to teach us and encourage us as we read.
READ: 2 Peter 3:14-18
#2. They were Devoted to Fellowship
The early church met in each other’s homes every day the Bible says. They met for discipleship and fellowship.
The Greek word koinonia has the idea of association, communion, fellowship, and participation; it means to share in something.
As Christians, we share the same Lord Jesus, we share the same guide for life, we share the same love for God, we share the same desire to worship Him, we share the same struggles, we share the same victories, we share the same job of living for Him, we share the same joy of communicating that gospel to others.
This fellowship had to do with sitting around a living room and sharing what God had done for them that week. It involved accountability to one another, it involved praying for one another. This was a fellowship centered on talking about Jesus, not the weather, sports or personal things. This fellowship involved a bond between this small group of people that could not be broken. True fellowship is the uniting of souls through Christ.
The word “fellowship” literally means “partnership” or “sharing.” Because Christians become partners with Jesus Christ and all other believers, it is our spiritual duty to stimulate one another to righteousness and obedience.
Romans 15:5-7 “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.”
Hebrews 3:13 “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today.’ That none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”
Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
#3. They were Devoted to the Breaking of Bread
Some say this refers to taking communion together while others say it simply means eating a meal together. The truth is it doesn’t matter which one of these is meant, the idea is the same.
In Eastern culture, when you have someone into your home for a meal, the relationship takes on a whole new level of intimacy. They become part of your household, they are under your protection, you become responsible for their safety.
They devoted themselves to breaking bread together because they loved being with each other, and they also realized that Christ wants us to have this relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
#4. They were Devoted to Prayer
This is self-explanatory for the Christian, prayer is our number one option. To know God is to talk to Him.
Whenever God’s work is done, God’s people are praying.
CONCLUSION:
For this early church, these were some of their core values, the things that they devoted themselves to do, everyday. It wasn’t a job to do, this was their life, it became who they were.
Your core values are what determine what you do, how you behave, what you say, how you act.
Are you devoted to God’s Word?
~ Reading daily
~ Bible on CD
~ Devotionals on Resource table
Are you devoted to fellowship?
~ Prayer group on Wed. @ 11:30 @ Westlake’s
~ Encourage group on Wed. @ 7 @ McComas’
~ Sunday school – fellowship before
Are you devoted to breaking bread?
~ Do you get together with other church members/attenders?
~ When was the last time you had somebody in this sanctuary in your house for a meal?
Are you devoted to prayer?
~ Do you know who is on our prayer list?
~ Do you know what prayers have been answered?
The only way we will be the church that God wants us to be, the only way revival will sweep through this church is if we are devoted to God’s Word, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer!
Which of these areas do you need to improve in? Come today and commit to God to work on them starting today!
That’s what revival can do to a people. That’s what a group of Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, and Spirit-powered people can do when used by God to accomplish His will for His glory!
Do you want to experience something like that?
Does your heart ache to see lives changed and people saved?
My heart aches for a glimpse, for a taste of what that day of Pentecost was all about. And you know what, I have hope that we will experience it, here, in our church, in our town, in our families, with our friends, with our neighbors. I have hope because I know what God can do.
This morning, I want you to know that it wasn’t by chance that those people were saved. It wasn’t a case of being at the right place at the right time. The reason it happened was because God’s people were doing what God wanted them to do. They were praying.
What were they praying for? They were praying for the promised Comforter that Jesus had said He would send. They were praying for the Holy Spirit.
Jesus knew that the 120 or so disciples and followers did not have the ability, they didn’t have knowledge, they didn’t have the courage, they didn’t have anything within their own power to accomplish God’s will in the world. They may have been devoted followers, but they would be lost without the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
Can I tell you something this morning?
That hasn’t changed in the last 2000 years. If you don’t have the power, if you are living life without the power of the Holy Spirit, you will not live a satisfying or successful Christian life.
Let me explain. God’s plan for our lives is not to just be a lump on a log. God has not called us to a life of vegetation – a life of just using up space and oxygen.
His plan for you as a Christian is a plan of action, it’s a plan of a person who loves God and people so much that you can do nothing but act. His plan for us as Christians is: Make An Impact, using our God-given abilities, working together as a team, forcing the light of God into the darkness all around us.
I want you to understand that what God did on the Day of Pentecost does not have to be a onetime deal. I believe God wants to pour out His Spirit today into us and use us the same way he used the early church. The truth is we have to believe it can still happen.
I want to ask you a question – it’s a simple one, but your answer is so important to our future. What kind of church will we be?
This early church, this group of people at some point decided that they were going to be obedient to what Jesus had asked of them, which was to wait on Him to send His gift, and then to carry out His Great Commission.
At some point, everyone that was in that room decided that what Jesus stood for, what He had taught them was the most important thing in their life. They made a choice of what they were going to value in their life.
They chose to be obedient to God, and that was the one constant value or belief that was holding this group together when God poured out His Spirit upon them.
When they came down from that upper room, they were the same people, but they were being led by the very Spirit of God and they continued to be true to their belief that this cause that Jesus had died for was real, and that Jesus was worth living for, in fact He was worth dying for.
They became so convinced of this belief that it colored everything else in life. Everything in their life fell under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. They were committed. They were sold out for Jesus.
Peter, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, spoke with passion to those that were there. He told them about Jesus, and how they had crucified an innocent man who was the Son of God. He told them that Jesus didn’t stay in the grave though, and that now they could be forgiven of their sins if they would repent and accept Him as their Savior.
What happened? 3000 people were added to the church that day. 3000 people. Is your faith big enough for 3000 people? How big is your belief in Jesus? What kind of church will we be?
The answer to that is all wrapped up in the size of your belief in Jesus.
If Jesus isn’t everything, then it’s not enough. If your faith in Him is only good when things are going your way, then it’s not good enough.
This early church was committed to some core values that they believed in, and they practiced. We find them right in our Scripture this morning. Look at verse 42.
READ: v. 42
There were 4 areas here in this verse that they were devoted to. They were committed to them, these took priority over everything else. “Continued steadfastly” uses a Greek verb communicating “a steadfast and single-minded fidelity to a certain course of action.” What were they?
#1. They were Devoted to the Apostle’s Teaching
What were they teaching? They were teaching the Bible, the Old Testament, plus they were also teaching what Christ had taught them while He was with them.
I asked you what kind of church will we be? I don’t know about you but I want to follow the example of the church god blessed with 3000 new converts on the first day, and then continued to add to their numbers daily.
God was blessing them because they were following His plan.
We must be devoted to God’s Word. As individuals we need to read God’s Word, allow the Holy Spirit to teach us and encourage us as we read.
READ: 2 Peter 3:14-18
#2. They were Devoted to Fellowship
The early church met in each other’s homes every day the Bible says. They met for discipleship and fellowship.
The Greek word koinonia has the idea of association, communion, fellowship, and participation; it means to share in something.
As Christians, we share the same Lord Jesus, we share the same guide for life, we share the same love for God, we share the same desire to worship Him, we share the same struggles, we share the same victories, we share the same job of living for Him, we share the same joy of communicating that gospel to others.
This fellowship had to do with sitting around a living room and sharing what God had done for them that week. It involved accountability to one another, it involved praying for one another. This was a fellowship centered on talking about Jesus, not the weather, sports or personal things. This fellowship involved a bond between this small group of people that could not be broken. True fellowship is the uniting of souls through Christ.
The word “fellowship” literally means “partnership” or “sharing.” Because Christians become partners with Jesus Christ and all other believers, it is our spiritual duty to stimulate one another to righteousness and obedience.
Romans 15:5-7 “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.”
Hebrews 3:13 “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today.’ That none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”
Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
#3. They were Devoted to the Breaking of Bread
Some say this refers to taking communion together while others say it simply means eating a meal together. The truth is it doesn’t matter which one of these is meant, the idea is the same.
In Eastern culture, when you have someone into your home for a meal, the relationship takes on a whole new level of intimacy. They become part of your household, they are under your protection, you become responsible for their safety.
They devoted themselves to breaking bread together because they loved being with each other, and they also realized that Christ wants us to have this relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
#4. They were Devoted to Prayer
This is self-explanatory for the Christian, prayer is our number one option. To know God is to talk to Him.
Whenever God’s work is done, God’s people are praying.
CONCLUSION:
For this early church, these were some of their core values, the things that they devoted themselves to do, everyday. It wasn’t a job to do, this was their life, it became who they were.
Your core values are what determine what you do, how you behave, what you say, how you act.
Are you devoted to God’s Word?
~ Reading daily
~ Bible on CD
~ Devotionals on Resource table
Are you devoted to fellowship?
~ Prayer group on Wed. @ 11:30 @ Westlake’s
~ Encourage group on Wed. @ 7 @ McComas’
~ Sunday school – fellowship before
Are you devoted to breaking bread?
~ Do you get together with other church members/attenders?
~ When was the last time you had somebody in this sanctuary in your house for a meal?
Are you devoted to prayer?
~ Do you know who is on our prayer list?
~ Do you know what prayers have been answered?
The only way we will be the church that God wants us to be, the only way revival will sweep through this church is if we are devoted to God’s Word, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer!
Which of these areas do you need to improve in? Come today and commit to God to work on them starting today!
Friday, October 15, 2010
Hope in Dry Times
God had called His people, the Jews, out of captivity in Egypt. For over 100 years, they had been in Egyptian captivity. God brought them into the Promised Land, and gave them a land and a king, and made them a nation. But – they turned against God, and God allowed them to go into captivity once again.
Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian army invaded Israel. They had reduced Solomon’s Temple to ashes, and had taken many of the Jewish people back to Babylon as captives. This is the condition Ezekiel is in. The nation of Israel is dead. The exiled captives have last all spirit and energy. But with the restoration will come a restored energy to the people.
This anointed man, with God’s Spirit on him, was given a vision and in that vision he was taken to a valley. In the valley he saw a heart-breaking sight. The valley was covered with bones. God led him all around and had him look at the valley and at the bones from several angles and several viewpoints. Everywhere he looked there were bones.
As Ezekiel looks at the bones he notices several important truths about the bones.
#1. The Condition of the People
#A. God’s People were Dry – v. 2
For years Ezekiel had tried to encourage the captives living in Babylon. For years he had tried to remind them of the power, and the might, and the faithfulness of God. Every time he tried to encourage them, he was met with skepticism.
“ . . . the bones are very dry and crumbling into dust."
Though not actually buried, they are slowly burying themselves in their progressive decay. The evidence of death is complete. It is beyond the power of any known physical law to breathe the ghastly fragments into life. A nation, or an individual, so utterly defunct seems beyond the possibility of recovery.” – (The Preacher’s Homiletic Commentary)
I believe there are several reasons that can lead to a dryness in your life, to dryness in your spiritual life. These will sap the joy from your life and leave you just trying to make it from day to day.
#1. Disobedience
Disobedience, unconfessed and undealt with will leave your life dry.
Psalm 51:8 “Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.”
This verse is from the Psalm David wrote describing his condition and praying for God’s forgiveness after he sinned with Bathsheba and had her husband killed. David said, “Lord, since I have sinned, You’ve crushed my bones. The joy is gone. The energy is gone from my life. My excitement and enthusiasm is gone. I’m just hanging on. God, my sin has done this.”
Unconfessed sin will leave you dry.
#2. Discouragement
Continual difficulties, setbacks, and just plain old discouragement will leave you dry.
For 10 years the Israelites had been captive. At first they thought God was going to work in a great way. At first they thought He was going to rescue them. They thought things were going to be okay. Now the bondage continued day after day. The captivity continued. They saw no hope in sight.
Do you ever feel like that? You try to get ahead, you work on your finances, but it seems like just about the time you are about to get your head above water, an unexpected bill comes your way.
Have you ever give up hope on a friend or family member? You’ve prayed for that person again and again. You cannot count the nights you’ve shed a tear. You’ve prayed and yet it seems that nothing ever improves.
Are you dry today?
Ezekiel looked around and he saw the bones, the people were dry. He also noticed a second characteristic about the bones and that is that they were scattered.
#B. God’s People were Disjointed – v. 7
v. 7 “. . . the bones came together”
Most of the time when we see skeletons on TV and such, regardless of how old they are or how dry they are, those skeletons are usually together for the most part. They may not be in perfect shape, but at least the bones are together.
Not here. The bones, God’s people, were disjointed. The people, when they had gotten dry, when they fell into disobedience, when they got discouraged, they became disjointed. They had so many things going on in their lives, that when they became dry and lost the purpose for their lives, they started going everywhere and doing everything. They had looked for more hours in the day so they could do more things and it just didn’t work. They forgot what was supposed to be central in their lives and they came apart.
Are you ever like that? Do you ever ask yourself – am I going or coming? We have to remember we were created by God, for God. When you get dry, when you are disobedient, when you are discouraged, it is easy to become disjointed.
God’s people were dry, disjointed and thirdly. . .
#C. God’s People were Distracted – v.2
As Ezekiel looked in the valley, he noticed that there were bones all over the place. There was no rhyme or reason to where they were.
Sometimes that happens with us as Christians today. We get discouraged and become dry. We take our eyes off of God and in our individual lives we find ourselves running around this way and that. Then, we get distracted and after a while we forget we’re fighting an enemy. We can forget there’s a battle going on.
Have you ever found yourself so busy you found yourself taking your spouse or your kids for granted? You didn’t mean anything by it. You got busy and distracted.
The same thing can happen in church. Sometimes we get so busy that we begin to take one another for granted. We quit taking care of each other. We quit praying for each other. We figure someone else will teach that class or give financially or help out with that ministry. We get so busy doing stuff we forget we’re called to work together.
God doesn’t want us to get disjointed. He has the cure for dryness. He has the cure for disjointed lives and families. He has the cure for distractions.
#2. The Cure for the Problem
#A. Hear and Apply God’s Word – v. 4
READ: v. 4
I am reminded of the prayer of David in Psalm 119:25, “Quicken Thou me according to Thy word;” and the Lord Jesus has told us, “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63).
So when the life-giving Word goes forth in the energy of the Holy Spirit even dry bones will be revived and will know that God has spoken.
Notice that Ezekiel doesn’t proclaim his own message, but that of the Lord’s. He spoke the words of God.
Look with me at the results of the bones hearing and applying the proclaimed message – READ: vv. 7-10
What I want you to see is that in verses 5-6, God told Ezekiel exactly what He would do. In verses 7-10 we see it come to be.
“The people could not be truly restored unless they were reformed and renewed in heart and character. . . What happened to ancient Israel happens to all the people of God. They are restored to true life and prosperity by means of a spiritual resurrection. Souls are dead in sin. The world is like a valley of dry bones – ugly in its wickedness, helpless in its confusion, utterly unable to save itself. But Christ has come to give new life to the souls of men. . . The gospel is thus supremely a message of life. It comes to us in our most degraded, desolate, despairing condition. It brings life and incorruptibility to light.” – (The Pulpit Commentary)
When God tells us in His Word what he will do, we must trust Him. However, don’t miss the part that Ezekiel had to do his part – the preaching – before God would do His.
#B. Pray that God will Work – vv. 8-10
They became an army again. They became a nation. They became what God wanted them to be.
READ: James 5:16-18
CONCLUSION:
A short while before Dr. J.B. Chapman passed away, he was addressing a gathering of preachers, when he said, “We have reached the place where one plays a handsaw and another gives a ‘life story’, gathering a big crowd and we call that revival. No! That is not a revival; that is a farce. Tears, sweat, and blood are the price of revival, and some of us are not willing to pay the price.”
Can dry, dead bones live? With God, nothing is impossible. Sometimes we look around us, and all we see is a valley of dry, dead bones. It looks pretty hopeless . . . it looks pretty devastating . . . it looks pretty grim.
But God’s got a plan. Get into His Word and He’ll speak to you. Yield to the Holy Spirit, purge the sin in your life and God will give you a new life.
Can dead, dry bones live? With God, nothing is impossible. If you have never trusted Jesus to save you, you are still living in the graveyard of dead, dry bones. Believe His Word when it says that Jesus paid your sin-debt on the cross. Trust Him to save you and He will give you a new life.
Can dead, dry bones live? That’s up to you!
Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian army invaded Israel. They had reduced Solomon’s Temple to ashes, and had taken many of the Jewish people back to Babylon as captives. This is the condition Ezekiel is in. The nation of Israel is dead. The exiled captives have last all spirit and energy. But with the restoration will come a restored energy to the people.
This anointed man, with God’s Spirit on him, was given a vision and in that vision he was taken to a valley. In the valley he saw a heart-breaking sight. The valley was covered with bones. God led him all around and had him look at the valley and at the bones from several angles and several viewpoints. Everywhere he looked there were bones.
As Ezekiel looks at the bones he notices several important truths about the bones.
#1. The Condition of the People
#A. God’s People were Dry – v. 2
For years Ezekiel had tried to encourage the captives living in Babylon. For years he had tried to remind them of the power, and the might, and the faithfulness of God. Every time he tried to encourage them, he was met with skepticism.
“ . . . the bones are very dry and crumbling into dust."
Though not actually buried, they are slowly burying themselves in their progressive decay. The evidence of death is complete. It is beyond the power of any known physical law to breathe the ghastly fragments into life. A nation, or an individual, so utterly defunct seems beyond the possibility of recovery.” – (The Preacher’s Homiletic Commentary)
I believe there are several reasons that can lead to a dryness in your life, to dryness in your spiritual life. These will sap the joy from your life and leave you just trying to make it from day to day.
#1. Disobedience
Disobedience, unconfessed and undealt with will leave your life dry.
Psalm 51:8 “Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.”
This verse is from the Psalm David wrote describing his condition and praying for God’s forgiveness after he sinned with Bathsheba and had her husband killed. David said, “Lord, since I have sinned, You’ve crushed my bones. The joy is gone. The energy is gone from my life. My excitement and enthusiasm is gone. I’m just hanging on. God, my sin has done this.”
Unconfessed sin will leave you dry.
#2. Discouragement
Continual difficulties, setbacks, and just plain old discouragement will leave you dry.
For 10 years the Israelites had been captive. At first they thought God was going to work in a great way. At first they thought He was going to rescue them. They thought things were going to be okay. Now the bondage continued day after day. The captivity continued. They saw no hope in sight.
Do you ever feel like that? You try to get ahead, you work on your finances, but it seems like just about the time you are about to get your head above water, an unexpected bill comes your way.
Have you ever give up hope on a friend or family member? You’ve prayed for that person again and again. You cannot count the nights you’ve shed a tear. You’ve prayed and yet it seems that nothing ever improves.
Are you dry today?
Ezekiel looked around and he saw the bones, the people were dry. He also noticed a second characteristic about the bones and that is that they were scattered.
#B. God’s People were Disjointed – v. 7
v. 7 “. . . the bones came together”
Most of the time when we see skeletons on TV and such, regardless of how old they are or how dry they are, those skeletons are usually together for the most part. They may not be in perfect shape, but at least the bones are together.
Not here. The bones, God’s people, were disjointed. The people, when they had gotten dry, when they fell into disobedience, when they got discouraged, they became disjointed. They had so many things going on in their lives, that when they became dry and lost the purpose for their lives, they started going everywhere and doing everything. They had looked for more hours in the day so they could do more things and it just didn’t work. They forgot what was supposed to be central in their lives and they came apart.
Are you ever like that? Do you ever ask yourself – am I going or coming? We have to remember we were created by God, for God. When you get dry, when you are disobedient, when you are discouraged, it is easy to become disjointed.
God’s people were dry, disjointed and thirdly. . .
#C. God’s People were Distracted – v.2
As Ezekiel looked in the valley, he noticed that there were bones all over the place. There was no rhyme or reason to where they were.
Sometimes that happens with us as Christians today. We get discouraged and become dry. We take our eyes off of God and in our individual lives we find ourselves running around this way and that. Then, we get distracted and after a while we forget we’re fighting an enemy. We can forget there’s a battle going on.
Have you ever found yourself so busy you found yourself taking your spouse or your kids for granted? You didn’t mean anything by it. You got busy and distracted.
The same thing can happen in church. Sometimes we get so busy that we begin to take one another for granted. We quit taking care of each other. We quit praying for each other. We figure someone else will teach that class or give financially or help out with that ministry. We get so busy doing stuff we forget we’re called to work together.
God doesn’t want us to get disjointed. He has the cure for dryness. He has the cure for disjointed lives and families. He has the cure for distractions.
#2. The Cure for the Problem
#A. Hear and Apply God’s Word – v. 4
READ: v. 4
I am reminded of the prayer of David in Psalm 119:25, “Quicken Thou me according to Thy word;” and the Lord Jesus has told us, “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63).
So when the life-giving Word goes forth in the energy of the Holy Spirit even dry bones will be revived and will know that God has spoken.
Notice that Ezekiel doesn’t proclaim his own message, but that of the Lord’s. He spoke the words of God.
Look with me at the results of the bones hearing and applying the proclaimed message – READ: vv. 7-10
What I want you to see is that in verses 5-6, God told Ezekiel exactly what He would do. In verses 7-10 we see it come to be.
“The people could not be truly restored unless they were reformed and renewed in heart and character. . . What happened to ancient Israel happens to all the people of God. They are restored to true life and prosperity by means of a spiritual resurrection. Souls are dead in sin. The world is like a valley of dry bones – ugly in its wickedness, helpless in its confusion, utterly unable to save itself. But Christ has come to give new life to the souls of men. . . The gospel is thus supremely a message of life. It comes to us in our most degraded, desolate, despairing condition. It brings life and incorruptibility to light.” – (The Pulpit Commentary)
When God tells us in His Word what he will do, we must trust Him. However, don’t miss the part that Ezekiel had to do his part – the preaching – before God would do His.
#B. Pray that God will Work – vv. 8-10
They became an army again. They became a nation. They became what God wanted them to be.
READ: James 5:16-18
CONCLUSION:
A short while before Dr. J.B. Chapman passed away, he was addressing a gathering of preachers, when he said, “We have reached the place where one plays a handsaw and another gives a ‘life story’, gathering a big crowd and we call that revival. No! That is not a revival; that is a farce. Tears, sweat, and blood are the price of revival, and some of us are not willing to pay the price.”
Can dry, dead bones live? With God, nothing is impossible. Sometimes we look around us, and all we see is a valley of dry, dead bones. It looks pretty hopeless . . . it looks pretty devastating . . . it looks pretty grim.
But God’s got a plan. Get into His Word and He’ll speak to you. Yield to the Holy Spirit, purge the sin in your life and God will give you a new life.
Can dead, dry bones live? With God, nothing is impossible. If you have never trusted Jesus to save you, you are still living in the graveyard of dead, dry bones. Believe His Word when it says that Jesus paid your sin-debt on the cross. Trust Him to save you and He will give you a new life.
Can dead, dry bones live? That’s up to you!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Rekindle Our Passion - Pt. 3
Almost Revival
In June of 1995, after years of planning, research and billions of dollars, the space shuttle Discovery was scheduled to launch for the first of seven missions which would rendezvous with the Russian space station Mir, in preparation for the launch of the international space station in 1997.
The date had been carefully chosen, weather conditions were favorable but strange noises were coming from Launch Pad 39-B. Upon investigation technicians found six dozen holes in the insulated covering of the main external fuel tanks.
All of the complex planning and high-priced preparation were useless as the mission grounded to a halt because a family of woodpeckers decided that the space shuttle looked like a great place to live.
The story of Joash is a fascinating one, his reign was filled with promise. After a steady decline in the kingdom from the time of David a bloody coup had taken place, upon the death of her son the king, Joash’s grandmother had killed all of the royal family and set herself upon the throne. But Joash’s great aunt had snuck the infant Joash out with a nurse and they hid for six years in a secret place at the Temple of God. When Joash was seven years of age, the priest, Jehoida, staged an uprising against the wicked and idolatrous grandmother, placing the boy Joash upon his rightful throne.
The temple of Baal in the city was destroyed, the priest of Baal was put to death, the covenant was re-established as well as proper temple worship.
It looked as if another golden age was coming to the kingdom of Judah. It looked like revival was coming. The plans had been laid, the process had begun but then something went wrong. You could say that woodpeckers were discovered in the fuel tank of the revival.
The question for us this morning is why. Why did such a perfect opportunity for revival slip away? What kept God from pouring out His blessing? What did Joash do wrong?
The reason that these three questions are important to me this morning is that I believe we are in a time that in many ways is similar to the beginning of Joash’s reign. A time that looks as if we could be on the brink of revival.
Yes, society has experienced moral decline. Yes, terrible things have happened but there are positive signs, signs that people are growing discontent with the status quo.
So I think it’s important for us to look at the lesson of Joash – of almost, but not quite revival, so that we might see the traps to avoid, the things that quench revival. In the story of Joash, 4 roadblocks are visible to revival. The first is . . .
#1. “Follow the Leader” Faith – v. 2
READ: v. 2
READ: 2 Chronicles 23:16
READ: 2 Chronicles 24:17-18
As long as Jehoida was around to guide him, Joash did, Ok. Not perfect, but ok. But it seems as if there’s little conviction in him. It wasn’t possible for Jehoida to make a covenant on behalf of the king. The king needed to dedicate himself to the Lord, but I don’t believe he ever really did that, and then, as soon as Jehoida is gone, Joash is easily led astray by those who wanted him to turn against the Lord, to reinstate idol worship, and mix it with the worship of the One true God.
Joash was a follower, and that can be ok as long as you’re a follower with conviction, but Joash seemed to be a follower primarily because he had no conviction.
The same danger exists for us today. It’s tempting to follow the crowd or even to follow a charismatic leader. But that’s dangerous even when the leader is a good one because you need to have a personal relationship with the Lord, and if your commitment is leader based it’s easy to be led astray or be turned around by some other leader. And it’s also dangerous because people will let you down.
Though we often think of revivals in terms of their leaders – Jonathan Edwards, D.L. Moody and others, I don’t believe revival has ever come because a leader desired it, but only because the people desired it enough to repent of their sin and seek God in prayer with changed hearts and lives.
A leader may play some part in imparting a vision under God’s anointing of what He wants to do which results in inspired people who make those changes. However, I don’t believe revival will ever happen where people seek to ride the coattails of a leader into revival. For that reason I believe that “follow the leader” faith is a roadblock to revival. The second roadblock is . . .
#2. Neglecting the Strongholds – v. 3
READ: v. 3
The high places were centers of idol worship on mountains and hilltops, often poles to the goddess Asherah were erected. Altars, similar to the ones in the temple used for animal sacrifices, were found there.
But they weren’t in the cities, and the pagan priests who operated them were often very politically powerful. It sounds as if Joash, once he got to the age where he could have done something about it, simply wasn’t willing to make the effort.
We have to remember that idol worship had become more prevalent than genuine worship. The stories in Kings and Chronicles make it clear that many kings like to play both sides of the fence – keeping a pagan god on the side just in case the God of Israel didn’t come through in a tight spot.
Well, what does this have to do with us? We don’t have high places, we don’t worship idols. Maybe not, but we do have places hidden in the hills of our lives, places where God is not sovereign, those habits and sins, inappropriate relationships, temptations we indulge. What about your dignity and your reputation? Are you willing for those to be brought low? Are you ready to surrender every corner of your life to God’s sovereignty or are you hanging on to the high places?
The next roadblock to revival is that which should never be surrendered . . .
#3. Surrender of the Sacred – vv. 17-18
READ: vv. 17-18
When face with a crisis, Joash doesn’t turn to the Lord, he doesn’t call upon the nation to fast and pray, instead, he surrenders the sacred objects, the things dedicated to the Lord. He uses them as a bribe to get his enemy and the enemy of God to leave him alone.
What about us? When push comes to shove in your life what gives way? Is it those things that are sacred to the Lord? When the budget is tight, what gets cut? When something exciting is happening on Sunday morning, where do you find yourself? When your daily schedule is tight, does the laundry wait or does the Lord?
Now, please don’t hear this as some kind of legalism that says you have to “do your time” to be right with the Lord. But if we are earnestly seeking a deeper walk with the Lord, if we’re hungry for revival, then all of our resources: time, talent and treasure must belong first of all to God and if we surrender the sacred for the sake of convenience we should not expect revival or even personal blessing!
The last roadblock comes from 2 Chronicles!
#4. Ignoring the Call to Repentance – 2 Chron. 24:19-22
READ: 2 Chronicles 24:19-22
Even after Joash had strayed far from the path that the Lord had marked out for him, God in His mercy sent messengers to warn him, to invite him back, to offer revival, restoration. But Joash didn’t want to hear what he was doing was wrong, so he killed the messengers.
I believe it is God’s will for us to experience revival – I believe that’s always God’s will. But I also believe that unless we as individuals and as a community of believers heed the call to repentance, we will never experience all that God wants for us. And it won’t be because God has established a system that says: you act right and I’ll bless you, but simply because the blessing of God and intimacy with Him are simply incompatible with an unrepentant life.
READ: 2 Chronicles 7:14
CONCLUSION:
I believe the Holy Spirit has been working powerfully in people’s lives here this morning, convicting those with high places that need to come down, of sacred things that you have surrendered that need to be reclaimed for the Lord. You can choose to ignore God’s call to repentance and continue with life as usual, or you can choose to surrender.
I believe with all my heart that the Lord is willing and anxious to move in revival power in this church. His plans are made, the shuttle is on the launching pad. But there are some woodpeckers we need to deal with. The way we deal with them is repentance – genuine sorrow for sin and a turning back to God – a sorrow that leads to a change of behavior.
In June of 1995, after years of planning, research and billions of dollars, the space shuttle Discovery was scheduled to launch for the first of seven missions which would rendezvous with the Russian space station Mir, in preparation for the launch of the international space station in 1997.
The date had been carefully chosen, weather conditions were favorable but strange noises were coming from Launch Pad 39-B. Upon investigation technicians found six dozen holes in the insulated covering of the main external fuel tanks.
All of the complex planning and high-priced preparation were useless as the mission grounded to a halt because a family of woodpeckers decided that the space shuttle looked like a great place to live.
The story of Joash is a fascinating one, his reign was filled with promise. After a steady decline in the kingdom from the time of David a bloody coup had taken place, upon the death of her son the king, Joash’s grandmother had killed all of the royal family and set herself upon the throne. But Joash’s great aunt had snuck the infant Joash out with a nurse and they hid for six years in a secret place at the Temple of God. When Joash was seven years of age, the priest, Jehoida, staged an uprising against the wicked and idolatrous grandmother, placing the boy Joash upon his rightful throne.
The temple of Baal in the city was destroyed, the priest of Baal was put to death, the covenant was re-established as well as proper temple worship.
It looked as if another golden age was coming to the kingdom of Judah. It looked like revival was coming. The plans had been laid, the process had begun but then something went wrong. You could say that woodpeckers were discovered in the fuel tank of the revival.
The question for us this morning is why. Why did such a perfect opportunity for revival slip away? What kept God from pouring out His blessing? What did Joash do wrong?
The reason that these three questions are important to me this morning is that I believe we are in a time that in many ways is similar to the beginning of Joash’s reign. A time that looks as if we could be on the brink of revival.
Yes, society has experienced moral decline. Yes, terrible things have happened but there are positive signs, signs that people are growing discontent with the status quo.
So I think it’s important for us to look at the lesson of Joash – of almost, but not quite revival, so that we might see the traps to avoid, the things that quench revival. In the story of Joash, 4 roadblocks are visible to revival. The first is . . .
#1. “Follow the Leader” Faith – v. 2
READ: v. 2
READ: 2 Chronicles 23:16
READ: 2 Chronicles 24:17-18
As long as Jehoida was around to guide him, Joash did, Ok. Not perfect, but ok. But it seems as if there’s little conviction in him. It wasn’t possible for Jehoida to make a covenant on behalf of the king. The king needed to dedicate himself to the Lord, but I don’t believe he ever really did that, and then, as soon as Jehoida is gone, Joash is easily led astray by those who wanted him to turn against the Lord, to reinstate idol worship, and mix it with the worship of the One true God.
Joash was a follower, and that can be ok as long as you’re a follower with conviction, but Joash seemed to be a follower primarily because he had no conviction.
The same danger exists for us today. It’s tempting to follow the crowd or even to follow a charismatic leader. But that’s dangerous even when the leader is a good one because you need to have a personal relationship with the Lord, and if your commitment is leader based it’s easy to be led astray or be turned around by some other leader. And it’s also dangerous because people will let you down.
Though we often think of revivals in terms of their leaders – Jonathan Edwards, D.L. Moody and others, I don’t believe revival has ever come because a leader desired it, but only because the people desired it enough to repent of their sin and seek God in prayer with changed hearts and lives.
A leader may play some part in imparting a vision under God’s anointing of what He wants to do which results in inspired people who make those changes. However, I don’t believe revival will ever happen where people seek to ride the coattails of a leader into revival. For that reason I believe that “follow the leader” faith is a roadblock to revival. The second roadblock is . . .
#2. Neglecting the Strongholds – v. 3
READ: v. 3
The high places were centers of idol worship on mountains and hilltops, often poles to the goddess Asherah were erected. Altars, similar to the ones in the temple used for animal sacrifices, were found there.
But they weren’t in the cities, and the pagan priests who operated them were often very politically powerful. It sounds as if Joash, once he got to the age where he could have done something about it, simply wasn’t willing to make the effort.
We have to remember that idol worship had become more prevalent than genuine worship. The stories in Kings and Chronicles make it clear that many kings like to play both sides of the fence – keeping a pagan god on the side just in case the God of Israel didn’t come through in a tight spot.
Well, what does this have to do with us? We don’t have high places, we don’t worship idols. Maybe not, but we do have places hidden in the hills of our lives, places where God is not sovereign, those habits and sins, inappropriate relationships, temptations we indulge. What about your dignity and your reputation? Are you willing for those to be brought low? Are you ready to surrender every corner of your life to God’s sovereignty or are you hanging on to the high places?
The next roadblock to revival is that which should never be surrendered . . .
#3. Surrender of the Sacred – vv. 17-18
READ: vv. 17-18
When face with a crisis, Joash doesn’t turn to the Lord, he doesn’t call upon the nation to fast and pray, instead, he surrenders the sacred objects, the things dedicated to the Lord. He uses them as a bribe to get his enemy and the enemy of God to leave him alone.
What about us? When push comes to shove in your life what gives way? Is it those things that are sacred to the Lord? When the budget is tight, what gets cut? When something exciting is happening on Sunday morning, where do you find yourself? When your daily schedule is tight, does the laundry wait or does the Lord?
Now, please don’t hear this as some kind of legalism that says you have to “do your time” to be right with the Lord. But if we are earnestly seeking a deeper walk with the Lord, if we’re hungry for revival, then all of our resources: time, talent and treasure must belong first of all to God and if we surrender the sacred for the sake of convenience we should not expect revival or even personal blessing!
The last roadblock comes from 2 Chronicles!
#4. Ignoring the Call to Repentance – 2 Chron. 24:19-22
READ: 2 Chronicles 24:19-22
Even after Joash had strayed far from the path that the Lord had marked out for him, God in His mercy sent messengers to warn him, to invite him back, to offer revival, restoration. But Joash didn’t want to hear what he was doing was wrong, so he killed the messengers.
I believe it is God’s will for us to experience revival – I believe that’s always God’s will. But I also believe that unless we as individuals and as a community of believers heed the call to repentance, we will never experience all that God wants for us. And it won’t be because God has established a system that says: you act right and I’ll bless you, but simply because the blessing of God and intimacy with Him are simply incompatible with an unrepentant life.
READ: 2 Chronicles 7:14
CONCLUSION:
I believe the Holy Spirit has been working powerfully in people’s lives here this morning, convicting those with high places that need to come down, of sacred things that you have surrendered that need to be reclaimed for the Lord. You can choose to ignore God’s call to repentance and continue with life as usual, or you can choose to surrender.
I believe with all my heart that the Lord is willing and anxious to move in revival power in this church. His plans are made, the shuttle is on the launching pad. But there are some woodpeckers we need to deal with. The way we deal with them is repentance – genuine sorrow for sin and a turning back to God – a sorrow that leads to a change of behavior.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Recapturing Our First Love
This is the first message in the series entitled, "Rekindle Our Passion."
The first time we hear Jesus mention the church is in Matthew 16. He says, “. . . on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (v. 18). Why is that, you may ask? Well, He continues in v. 19: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
It is in Acts 2 that we see the workings of the Holy Spirit in the church. Now remember, this group of some 120 believers included those who were witness to Jesus’ leaving earth. They return to Jerusalem with the promise that God was going to do something. This is key because they were not sure of exactly what He would do. But they knew He always gives good and perfect gifts and that they could trust Him. So they were willing, ready, and open to whatever God would do.
READ: Acts 2:1-4
Knowing that on a regular basis we don’t have this kind of movement of God, have you wondered what the hold-up is? Is it that no longer does God care to grace His children with His presence in this way? No! Has the Holy Spirit lost the ability to show up in power? No! Or might it be that we are not ready, willing, or open to His manifest presence?
The result of the Holy Spirit’s presence was that 3,000 people were saved that day. It is as if the Holy Spirit said, “When I show up, something wonderful happens.”
Here is my dilemma: If Jesus Himself is building the church and if the Holy Spirit empowers the church, why is the church so anemic today? Where is the fire? The power? The passion? The purpose?
These are questions that I have asked myself over the last several weeks. And to be honest, I don’t have all the answers. However, I do believe that God wants to change that in our lives here at Calvary. So, starting today, we are going on a journey to “Rekindle Our Passion.” It is time to, as Paul said to the church in Corinth: “Awake to righteousness, do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame” (1 Cor. 15:34).
Our journey to “Rekindle Our Passion” begins here: ‘Recapturing our First Love.’ Take your Bibles and the outline in the bulletin and let’s see how we can ‘Recapture our First Love.’
#1. Christ’s Compliments for the Church – vv. 1-3, 6
The book of Revelations is a record of a vision that the Apostle John saw while on the island of Patmos, a vision of what was to take place in the future.
At the beginning of this book, Christ dictates some letters to the seven churches, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.
The first letter is the one we want to investigate this morning, the letter to the church in Ephesus.
In the first three verses, Christ commends the church.
First, He commends them for their deeds (works). Christ knew their hard work. But I must point out that works save neither them or us.
READ: Ephesians 2:8-9
We are saved by grace, not by works; not by good deeds. But works follow salvation. The next verse says: (READ: Eph. 2:10).
After we receive His grace, we allow Him to mold us into what He wants us to be. We become His workmanship. And as His workmanship, this verse says we are created to do good works. He makes us into a servant to do good deeds.
Then He complimented them for remaining steadfast. They had stayed the course. They had displayed patience. They had endured over a period of time.
Then in verse 3, Christ said, (READ: v. 3).
Christ commends them for persevering and enduring hardship for doing what God wanted them to do. They were commended for doing the right thing when it wasn’t always easy to do.
They were complimented for remaining steadfast.
They were also commended for opposing evil in vv. 2 & 6.
READ: vv. 2 & 6
They were commended for hating the evil practices that God hates. But notice that neither they nor God hated the Nicolaitians; they hated the practices of the Nicolaitians.
Listen closely: they didn’t give in when people cried for “tolerance” of people with “alternative lifestyles,” but they hated the practices of those people and God commended them for it.
We are called to love the person and hate evil practices. Christ commended the church for opposing evil – the church in Ephesus did not tolerate wicked men.
They also exposed false teachers (READ: v. 2). This church was able to discern whether their teachers were from God or not. They knew the Bible well enough not to be misled by false teachers. And God commended them for it.
Christ certainly complimented the church, but notice . . .
#2. Christ’s Criticism of the Church – v. 4
READ: v. 4
One commentator translates the verse this way: “You no longer love me as you once did.”
“I compliment you for your deeds, for remaining steadfast, for exposing evil, and for exposing false teachers, but there is one thing I hold against you – you no longer love me as you once did.”
What happens when you love Christ?
~ You love to think about Him.
~ You love to hear about Him.
~ You love to read about Him.
~ You love to talk about Him.
~ You love to talk to Him.
~ You love to walk with Him.
It’s worth asking, “How do I know if I’ve lost my first love?” I found this and believe it’s worth hearing:
1. When my delight in the Lord is no longer as great as my delight in someone else, I have lost my first love.
2. When my soul does not long for times of rich fellowship in God’s Word or in prayer, I have lost my first love.
3. When I claim to be "only human" and easily give in to those things I know displease the Lord, I have lost my first love.
4. When I do not willingly and cheerfully give to God’s work or to the needs of others, I have lost my first love.
5. When I view the commands of Christ as restrictions to my happiness rather than expressions of His love, I have lost my first love.
6. When I inwardly strive for the acclaim of this world rather than the approval of the Lord, I have lost my first love.
7. When I fail to make Christ or His words known because I fear rejection, I have lost my first love.
So this puts us all on the chopping block! Be honest: Haven’t there been times when you’ve loved the things of this world more than you’ve loved the Lord? Haven’t you had times when you didn’t feel like praying? Or you didn’t feel like coming to church? Haven’t you had times when you’ve strived more for the acclaim of this world rather than the acclaim of Christ? If you’re human, you have!
When love cools all these are less important.
1. Thinking about Christ is no longer as important as it once was.
2. Hearing about Christ is no longer as important as it once was.
3. When your love for Christ cools, reading about Him is not as important as it once was.
4. Talking about Christ is no longer as important as it once was.
5. Talking to Him is no longer as important as it once was.
6. Church services are only a habit.
7. The Bible is neglected. Prayer becomes but a form.
8. Service is mechanical.
9. Witnessing ceases.
10. When you lose your first love for Christ, He becomes less important than He once was.
Christ complimented the church for their good deeds, but He criticized them for doing so with no true love for Christ. So now, notice. . .
#3. Christ’s Cure for the Church – v. 5
READ: v. 5
Remember the height from which you have fallen!
Remember how you felt when you were first saved, when you baptized. Remember how grateful you were for your eternal life. How grateful you were for the forgiveness of your sins. How grateful you were for peace in your life.
Remember who you were when Christ found you. Remember what kind of person you were. Remember the direction your life was headed. Consider where you would be today if you had not been saved.
Not only does He tell us to remember, but He also tells us to repent – turn around your behavior and thinking.
The word ‘repent’ is the Greek word: ‘metanoeo’ – which means to “rethink, or reconsider.”
Remember your first love, rethink your current love; and then change your current love to reflect your first love. REPENT!
We get that love back by remembering, repenting and then returning.
Return to your first love of Jesus! Return to the way that you served Him when you first came to Him! Serve the Lord with joy and gladness.
CONCLUSION:
Jesus taught that love for God is the greatest commandment. We are to love Him with all (not some) of our heart and with all of our soul (not some) and with all of our mind (not some). Do we love God with every ounce of our heart, soul and mind? How often do you think of God in one day? We should be in constant communication with God. We should seek His will in everything that we do, every second of the day. He should be in our thoughts constantly. Our soul and spirit should be praising Him constantly. This is the true first love. We are also to love everyone. Do we show this love to everyone? Sometimes we don’t even show it to others in our own church.
We need to get out of the business of religion and return to our first love. We need to really start praising God in our churches. We go through the motions, but our hearts are not in it, because we are afraid we might go against traditions. We don’t come to church for traditions. We should be coming to church to praise and worship our Lord with all of our soul and spirit. We need to let the Holy Spirit lead us in worship. People, let’s get out of the religion business and return to our first love and really praise and worship our Lord and Savior.
If you are here today and you have forsaken your first love, come to the altar and humble yourself on your knees before God and repent.
If you are here today and you don’t know Jesus has your savior, then you are missing out on eternal life in heaven. You do have eternal life without Him, but it will be in Hell where you will be in torment constantly for eternity. The choice is yours. Jesus loves you and He suffered and died on the cross for your sins because He loves you. He arose on the third day where He sits at the right hand of God the Father, waiting for you to call upon His name. Come now and accept Christ as you Savior and Lord. Ask Him to forgive you of your sins and repent of those sins. He will help you to change your life and to turn away from whatever sins you are involved in. You haven’t done anything that Jesus won’t forgive. Come now and have assurance that you will spend eternity in Heaven. Your life here on earth will change too. It will be full with the first love that we have been talking about tonight. It is a love for Christ that will change your life for the best. Come now.
The first time we hear Jesus mention the church is in Matthew 16. He says, “. . . on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (v. 18). Why is that, you may ask? Well, He continues in v. 19: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
It is in Acts 2 that we see the workings of the Holy Spirit in the church. Now remember, this group of some 120 believers included those who were witness to Jesus’ leaving earth. They return to Jerusalem with the promise that God was going to do something. This is key because they were not sure of exactly what He would do. But they knew He always gives good and perfect gifts and that they could trust Him. So they were willing, ready, and open to whatever God would do.
READ: Acts 2:1-4
Knowing that on a regular basis we don’t have this kind of movement of God, have you wondered what the hold-up is? Is it that no longer does God care to grace His children with His presence in this way? No! Has the Holy Spirit lost the ability to show up in power? No! Or might it be that we are not ready, willing, or open to His manifest presence?
The result of the Holy Spirit’s presence was that 3,000 people were saved that day. It is as if the Holy Spirit said, “When I show up, something wonderful happens.”
Here is my dilemma: If Jesus Himself is building the church and if the Holy Spirit empowers the church, why is the church so anemic today? Where is the fire? The power? The passion? The purpose?
These are questions that I have asked myself over the last several weeks. And to be honest, I don’t have all the answers. However, I do believe that God wants to change that in our lives here at Calvary. So, starting today, we are going on a journey to “Rekindle Our Passion.” It is time to, as Paul said to the church in Corinth: “Awake to righteousness, do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame” (1 Cor. 15:34).
Our journey to “Rekindle Our Passion” begins here: ‘Recapturing our First Love.’ Take your Bibles and the outline in the bulletin and let’s see how we can ‘Recapture our First Love.’
#1. Christ’s Compliments for the Church – vv. 1-3, 6
The book of Revelations is a record of a vision that the Apostle John saw while on the island of Patmos, a vision of what was to take place in the future.
At the beginning of this book, Christ dictates some letters to the seven churches, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.
The first letter is the one we want to investigate this morning, the letter to the church in Ephesus.
In the first three verses, Christ commends the church.
First, He commends them for their deeds (works). Christ knew their hard work. But I must point out that works save neither them or us.
READ: Ephesians 2:8-9
We are saved by grace, not by works; not by good deeds. But works follow salvation. The next verse says: (READ: Eph. 2:10).
After we receive His grace, we allow Him to mold us into what He wants us to be. We become His workmanship. And as His workmanship, this verse says we are created to do good works. He makes us into a servant to do good deeds.
Then He complimented them for remaining steadfast. They had stayed the course. They had displayed patience. They had endured over a period of time.
Then in verse 3, Christ said, (READ: v. 3).
Christ commends them for persevering and enduring hardship for doing what God wanted them to do. They were commended for doing the right thing when it wasn’t always easy to do.
They were complimented for remaining steadfast.
They were also commended for opposing evil in vv. 2 & 6.
READ: vv. 2 & 6
They were commended for hating the evil practices that God hates. But notice that neither they nor God hated the Nicolaitians; they hated the practices of the Nicolaitians.
Listen closely: they didn’t give in when people cried for “tolerance” of people with “alternative lifestyles,” but they hated the practices of those people and God commended them for it.
We are called to love the person and hate evil practices. Christ commended the church for opposing evil – the church in Ephesus did not tolerate wicked men.
They also exposed false teachers (READ: v. 2). This church was able to discern whether their teachers were from God or not. They knew the Bible well enough not to be misled by false teachers. And God commended them for it.
Christ certainly complimented the church, but notice . . .
#2. Christ’s Criticism of the Church – v. 4
READ: v. 4
One commentator translates the verse this way: “You no longer love me as you once did.”
“I compliment you for your deeds, for remaining steadfast, for exposing evil, and for exposing false teachers, but there is one thing I hold against you – you no longer love me as you once did.”
What happens when you love Christ?
~ You love to think about Him.
~ You love to hear about Him.
~ You love to read about Him.
~ You love to talk about Him.
~ You love to talk to Him.
~ You love to walk with Him.
It’s worth asking, “How do I know if I’ve lost my first love?” I found this and believe it’s worth hearing:
1. When my delight in the Lord is no longer as great as my delight in someone else, I have lost my first love.
2. When my soul does not long for times of rich fellowship in God’s Word or in prayer, I have lost my first love.
3. When I claim to be "only human" and easily give in to those things I know displease the Lord, I have lost my first love.
4. When I do not willingly and cheerfully give to God’s work or to the needs of others, I have lost my first love.
5. When I view the commands of Christ as restrictions to my happiness rather than expressions of His love, I have lost my first love.
6. When I inwardly strive for the acclaim of this world rather than the approval of the Lord, I have lost my first love.
7. When I fail to make Christ or His words known because I fear rejection, I have lost my first love.
So this puts us all on the chopping block! Be honest: Haven’t there been times when you’ve loved the things of this world more than you’ve loved the Lord? Haven’t you had times when you didn’t feel like praying? Or you didn’t feel like coming to church? Haven’t you had times when you’ve strived more for the acclaim of this world rather than the acclaim of Christ? If you’re human, you have!
When love cools all these are less important.
1. Thinking about Christ is no longer as important as it once was.
2. Hearing about Christ is no longer as important as it once was.
3. When your love for Christ cools, reading about Him is not as important as it once was.
4. Talking about Christ is no longer as important as it once was.
5. Talking to Him is no longer as important as it once was.
6. Church services are only a habit.
7. The Bible is neglected. Prayer becomes but a form.
8. Service is mechanical.
9. Witnessing ceases.
10. When you lose your first love for Christ, He becomes less important than He once was.
Christ complimented the church for their good deeds, but He criticized them for doing so with no true love for Christ. So now, notice. . .
#3. Christ’s Cure for the Church – v. 5
READ: v. 5
Remember the height from which you have fallen!
Remember how you felt when you were first saved, when you baptized. Remember how grateful you were for your eternal life. How grateful you were for the forgiveness of your sins. How grateful you were for peace in your life.
Remember who you were when Christ found you. Remember what kind of person you were. Remember the direction your life was headed. Consider where you would be today if you had not been saved.
Not only does He tell us to remember, but He also tells us to repent – turn around your behavior and thinking.
The word ‘repent’ is the Greek word: ‘metanoeo’ – which means to “rethink, or reconsider.”
Remember your first love, rethink your current love; and then change your current love to reflect your first love. REPENT!
We get that love back by remembering, repenting and then returning.
Return to your first love of Jesus! Return to the way that you served Him when you first came to Him! Serve the Lord with joy and gladness.
CONCLUSION:
Jesus taught that love for God is the greatest commandment. We are to love Him with all (not some) of our heart and with all of our soul (not some) and with all of our mind (not some). Do we love God with every ounce of our heart, soul and mind? How often do you think of God in one day? We should be in constant communication with God. We should seek His will in everything that we do, every second of the day. He should be in our thoughts constantly. Our soul and spirit should be praising Him constantly. This is the true first love. We are also to love everyone. Do we show this love to everyone? Sometimes we don’t even show it to others in our own church.
We need to get out of the business of religion and return to our first love. We need to really start praising God in our churches. We go through the motions, but our hearts are not in it, because we are afraid we might go against traditions. We don’t come to church for traditions. We should be coming to church to praise and worship our Lord with all of our soul and spirit. We need to let the Holy Spirit lead us in worship. People, let’s get out of the religion business and return to our first love and really praise and worship our Lord and Savior.
If you are here today and you have forsaken your first love, come to the altar and humble yourself on your knees before God and repent.
If you are here today and you don’t know Jesus has your savior, then you are missing out on eternal life in heaven. You do have eternal life without Him, but it will be in Hell where you will be in torment constantly for eternity. The choice is yours. Jesus loves you and He suffered and died on the cross for your sins because He loves you. He arose on the third day where He sits at the right hand of God the Father, waiting for you to call upon His name. Come now and accept Christ as you Savior and Lord. Ask Him to forgive you of your sins and repent of those sins. He will help you to change your life and to turn away from whatever sins you are involved in. You haven’t done anything that Jesus won’t forgive. Come now and have assurance that you will spend eternity in Heaven. Your life here on earth will change too. It will be full with the first love that we have been talking about tonight. It is a love for Christ that will change your life for the best. Come now.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Why a Complacent Church?
Over the last several weeks, I have been burdened for the church. There seems to be a complacency that has found its way into the lives and hearts of many Christians in our country. The reasons are probably too numerous to share, as a result of everyone have their own opinion as to why. As I have prayed about this, I have been challenged in my own life about my "passion" for the Lord and all that He is.
As a result of this, I have decided to preach a series that I have entitled "Rekindling our Passion." It begins this coming Sunday, September 19th. For at least the next 5 weeks, I will be preaching from passages that will challenge our thinking and living in regards to our anemic Christianity. My plan is to post each message following each worship service. That way, if you miss it, or are unable to attend, you can review it for yourself.
Do I have all the answers? NO! Is this going to change the universal church? NO! Will it change our church? Only God knows. But I do know that it won't change any church until we, as individuals are changed first! It may be extremely simple and overstated but revIval doesn't start until it starts in "I"!
Talk to you again soon!
As a result of this, I have decided to preach a series that I have entitled "Rekindling our Passion." It begins this coming Sunday, September 19th. For at least the next 5 weeks, I will be preaching from passages that will challenge our thinking and living in regards to our anemic Christianity. My plan is to post each message following each worship service. That way, if you miss it, or are unable to attend, you can review it for yourself.
Do I have all the answers? NO! Is this going to change the universal church? NO! Will it change our church? Only God knows. But I do know that it won't change any church until we, as individuals are changed first! It may be extremely simple and overstated but revIval doesn't start until it starts in "I"!
Talk to you again soon!
Friday, September 10, 2010
Are You Willing to Lose to Gain?
In my devotions this morning I read 2 Corinthians 9:6-15. At this time of year we anticipate seeing farmers harvesting their crops, not planting their crops. However, I was reminded that it is only as we lose our lives in Him that we find true life (Matt. 10:39).
Jesus taught us to measure our lives by what we lose rather than what we gain, by what we sacrifice instead of self-preservation, by time spent doing things for others rather than time spend for ourselves, by love that is demonstrated rather than love selfishly held onto.
When a farmer sows seed, it seems like he is throwing it away. It may seem to be lost, but it's not really gone. Because in time, the farmer gets it back - with a lot more besides.
What we have to remember as God's children is that, just like a good father, God has so much to give us. The problem is not that He can't give it to us, He is just waiting for us to give to others so that He can give us more. The principle is: God blesses those who give of their lives, resources, time and talents (2 Corinthians 9:6).
As we give the truth we know, He will give us more to give away. As you give your resources and time, you will have more. If we do not set a limit on the love that we give, we will have more love for others than before.
Solomon said in Proverbs 11:24: "One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want." It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that God's design is that we are to give and He will respond in kind.
Someone has said: "When you grasp, you lose; when you give to God, you gain." What are you grasping onto that God wants you to give? Remember: "He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully" (2 Corinthians 9:6)!
Jesus taught us to measure our lives by what we lose rather than what we gain, by what we sacrifice instead of self-preservation, by time spent doing things for others rather than time spend for ourselves, by love that is demonstrated rather than love selfishly held onto.
When a farmer sows seed, it seems like he is throwing it away. It may seem to be lost, but it's not really gone. Because in time, the farmer gets it back - with a lot more besides.
What we have to remember as God's children is that, just like a good father, God has so much to give us. The problem is not that He can't give it to us, He is just waiting for us to give to others so that He can give us more. The principle is: God blesses those who give of their lives, resources, time and talents (2 Corinthians 9:6).
As we give the truth we know, He will give us more to give away. As you give your resources and time, you will have more. If we do not set a limit on the love that we give, we will have more love for others than before.
Solomon said in Proverbs 11:24: "One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want." It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that God's design is that we are to give and He will respond in kind.
Someone has said: "When you grasp, you lose; when you give to God, you gain." What are you grasping onto that God wants you to give? Remember: "He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully" (2 Corinthians 9:6)!
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