The Gift of Choice

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This is a message based on Josh. 24:15 and it discusses the matter of choosing to serve the Lord as a personal decision each one must make.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction

In the passage of Scripture that was read earlier (Josh. 24:1-15), Joshua briefly reviewed the highlights of Israel’s history from the call of Abraham to the present time.

He recalls many of the things that God had done to bring the nation of Israel to their present position and status.

He is basically reminding them of all these blessings and privileges because he has reached the end of his life and he is giving final admonitions and challenges to the people in whom he has invested so much of his personal strength and devotion.

Joshua wants to impress upon them the absolute importance for them to follow the Lord and obey His commands in order to continue receiving God’s blessings.

Verse 15 contains a well-known phrase that probably most of us have heard many times before – “…choose you this day whom you will serve… But for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

This charge by Joshua highlights a truth that has been repeatedly implied throughout the entire Bible. That truth is this: God has blessed all human creatures with the gift of willful choice.

God has not made us like mechanical robots or even like animals, but He has blessed us with the ability to reason, calculate, compare, and choose by an action of our will.

With the help of God’s Spirit, I want to speak to you today about the gift of choice, particularly as it relates to spiritual and eternal life.

I. Choice is rooted in the concept of free-will.

Before we look at some of the specific implications in this passage of Scripture, I want to discuss some concepts that are related to the matter of choice.

A. Word Meanings

Hebrew scholars (Harris, Archer, Waltke, in Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament) tell us that the word used by Joshua here in 24:15 is a word that…

·        Has a root meaning of "to take a keen look at" (KB), thus accounting for the connotation of "testing or examining" found in Isaiah 48:10 (Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.) and … in Proverbs (e.g. Proverbs 10:20 "choice silver")….

·        “…the word is used to express that choosing which has ultimate and eternal significance. On the one hand God chooses a people (Psalm 135:4), certain tribes (Psalm 78:68), specific individuals (1 Kings 8:16; 1 Chron. 28:5; 1 Samuel 10:24; 2 Samuel 6:21), and a place for his name (Deut. 12:5; etc.).

·        In all of these cases serviceability rather than simple arbitrariness is at the heart of the choosing. Thus Yahweh chose Israel to be holy and thereby to serve as his witness among the nations (Deut. 14:6). But her election is not based on her own greatness but on the greatness of the Lord's love (Deut. 7:7f.).

·        The scriptural doctrine of divine capacity for choice demonstrates that purpose and personality, not blind mechanism, are at the heart of the universe. Since God carefully chooses certain ones for a specific task, he can also reject them if they deviate from that purpose (1 Samuel 2:27ff.).

 Most of these comments have to do with passages that speak of God’s choices and the exercise of divine free-will. Yet, it relates to our subject of human free-will because most scholars agree that when we speak of men being created in the image of God, it includes the capacity for free moral choices.

B. Humans do make choices with eternal consequences.

There has been theological debates for centuries regarding the issue of free-will.

There are extremes in understanding all the way from a “severe fatalism and predestination position” on one end of the spectrum to almost a “human sovereignty position” at the other end of the spectrum.

I believe the Bible denies either of these extremes, but we do admit that there exists a dynamic tension between scriptures that imply man’s inability to make moral choices and other scriptures that imply free-will.

For many people the idea of being held accountable for one’s choice implies that the choice must be free and personal.

Therefore, we affirm that all men (generic) have the ability to reason, calculate short-term and long-term consequences, compare options and ultimately make choices that may or may not have moral and eternal consequences.

II. Choosing whom we will serve.

In the Joshua text today, we read an example of people being challenged to make one of the most fundamental choices all humans must make – “Whom will you serve?” “Who is going to be your Master?” “Who’s going to be the sovereign authority in your life?”

Historically, God had called His people out of Egypt where during the 400 years of captivity, they had become surrounded and totally familiar with the pagan gods of the Egyptians. God was calling them out of that environment to re-affirm and re-establish His exclusive right to their worship and their service.

Joshua has reminded the people of Israel of God’s deliverance from Egypt and Egypt’s “gods.” He has also spelled out how the nations they passed through on the way to the promised land, and the nations within the promised land were also filled with pagan worship of many false gods.

Now Joshua presents them with a choice: “You can choose to serve the gods that our ancestors served prior to Abraham, or you can choose to serve the gods of the people in the land into which you have come, or you can choose to serve the Lord, Who has called you out to be His own special, chosen people.”

Then Joshua boldly proclaims his choice for himself and his family: “For me and my house we will serve the Lord.”

This is only one of many Scriptures that call people to choose whom they will worship and dedicate themselves to in service.

A. It is a personal choice.

“You choose this day”

“As for me and my house, we”

The Bible is very clear about the fact that God loves every person in the world and He has made every necessary provision so that everyone can be saved from sin and darkness and they can walk in a relationship with Him that ultimately brings them to eternal life in His presence forever.

Yet, in spite of the fact that God has done all that He has done, He still leaves the choice up to each of us individually. We must choose whom we will serve.

If you haven’t already made the choice whom you will serve, you must make it someday.

And, by the way, procrastinating your decision is in itself a choice.

Felix responded to Paul’s exhortation by saying, “Go your way this time, when I have a convenient season I will call for you.” That was his choice that day, and we don’t have any record that he ever revised his choice.

B. It is a radical choice.

By this point, we simply mean that it is simple, clear cut, and has infinite consequences.

The options offered by Joshua were “either serve the gods of this world, or serve the God of heaven.” There weren’t any other options or any middle ground.

v.14 – “put away the gods which your fathers served…”

There was no suggestion of a half-hearted, “wishy-washy” indecision that might be adequate.

v.14 – “Serve Him in sincerity and in truth”

Today, the devil “packages” the options in such appealing ways, that it often seems that we have more than just two choices, but the reality is still true today – we must either serve Jesus Christ, or we are serving a false god.

I need to ask you today, Have you chosen the Lord? Have you counted the cost and calculated the consequences and made up your mind to follow Christ in complete trust and obedience?

That is the choice He offers each of us.

III. Choosing a deeper calling.

The Bible is not only very clear about the need to choose whom we will worship and serve as portrayed in this passage in Joshua, but there are various Scripture passages that also emphasize the need for a deeper, more thorough consecration to Christ until He is the only One who rules on the throne of our hearts.

Romans 12:1 “…present your bodies a living sacrifice…”

1 Thess. 5:23 “the very God of peace sanctify you entirely…”

There is a point when we must decide if we are going to continue trying to live the Christian life as a “double-minded” person or as a “single-minded,” sold-out, committed disciple.

A “double-minded” person is “unstable in all his ways” the Apostle James says. (We talked about that last week.) It is a person that is divided in allegiance and in affection (betw. God and self).

A double-minded person is one who wants to be a Christian and has made a decision to accept Christ, but hasn’t let go of his/her right to be the final authority.

God offers a remedy for that condition – it is a sanctified heart; a pure heart of love; a heart that only wants God and God’s way.

This experience, that is sometimes referred to as “being filled with the Spirit,” or “holiness,” is offered to every believer but it must be received and experienced by choice.

You and I have the choice to either receive the cleansing fire of the Holy Spirit, or we can reject it.

For the life of me I can’t understand how or why a truly born-again believer wouldn’t want to receive all the grace available from God.

IV. Learning to choose wisely.

The 3^rd way in which choices impact our lives is through the multitude of daily choices we make in all kind of circumstances. We make hundreds and thousands of choices concerning all manner of life issues.

Some of our choices have little or no moral or spiritual consequence, while others have huge consequences for time and eternity.

Some choices are not evil or wrong in and of themselves, but they lead a certain direction and if repeated enough, they can develop habits.

Once a habit is formed, the choices continue on almost automatically until the end of the path could be disastrous even though it started with an innocent choice.

So, my point is this: even though many of our choices seem innocent enough, we must stop and seriously consider where that choice would lead me if I kept repeating it. I need to calculate not only whether the choice itself is right or wrong; good or evil, but I must try to evaluate what values and priorities that choice will promote because those values and priorities will ultimately shape my character and determine my destiny.

I want to avoid some of the extreme positions that some churches and Christians have taken when they observe how some activities or actions can lead to undesirable ends, then they condemn all those activities or actions as evil because of “where they lead.”

However, I do acknowledge and caution each of us today that choices do have consequences, and a pattern of choices certainly can form habits that have consequences.

So, I say all that to emphasize that we need the wisdom and fullness of the Holy Spirit to help us make choices wisely that will promote spiritual growth rather than destroy it.

We need His Spirit to make choices that will promote godliness rather than worldliness.

We need God’s help to make intentional choices that will take us off a harmful path once we realize it is leading us to an undesirable destination.

Conclusion:

As we sing the closing song I have selected I want to urge each of us to evaluate our own lives and the choices we have made.

Have you decided to serve the Lord and give Him control of your life?

Have you decided to let Him be Lord and Master to the extent that He sits on the throne of your heart?

Are you willing to be led by the Holy Spirit in making choices that will promote spiritual health and growth?

If God’s Spirit is revealing to you that you lack in any of these areas, I would urge you to come forward today and spend time praying.

A Biblical Prescription

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This is a sermon based on James 4:7-8 and speaks about steps the Apostle gives for his readers to succeed against temptations.

Written Excerpts:

James 4:7-8 (NKJV) ⁷  Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ⁸  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Introduction:

I suppose that most of us here today have had experiences with being sick and visiting a doctor for a diagnosis and treatment of the problem that troubles us.

The doctor usually checks us over, asks a lot of questions and once he has made his diagnosis and proposes treatment, he sends us home with a bill that usually ruins the weekly budget! He also usually sends us away with a small piece of paper to be taken to a pharmacy, which also ruins the budget even more!

This paper for the pharmacy is called a prescription and with it we can obtain the proper medication along with specific instructions on how it is to be used or applied. Many times, when the medicine and the instructions are followed, they produce positive results.

In our Scripture lesson today, I believe that we find a biblical prescription that, if followed, will produce spiritual health and victory.

Let’s look at the words of the Apostle James to learn a four-step prescription for spiritual health.

I. Submit yourself to God (v. 7a)

The word submit implies voluntary subordination or placing one’s self under the authority of another.

Becoming a Christian and living as a Christian is often characterized as a “surrender” to God. We willingly stop insisting on having our own way or being our own authority and we voluntarily submit ourselves to God’s authority and His ways.

There are at least two reasons we need to submit to God.

A. We need to submit because God’s grace is more than adequate.

v. 6a – “He giveth more grace.”

The word “therefore” at the beginning of verse 7 refers back to the previous verse for its meaning. When James says, “therefore submit to God” it is based on what came before in verse 6.

So, we need to submit because it the logical thing to do based on the amount of grace God has available – “MORE!”

Obviously, verse 6 should be understood in its context as well. So, what is God giving more grace for? So believers can overcome the attractions of the world (vv. 1-4).

That’s why we’re calling this a prescription for spiritual health and victory (victory over the love of the world).

B. We need to submit because God resists the proud.

Prov. 3:34 (NKJV) Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble.

Can you imagine what it’s like to have God fight against you?

The word “resist” in v. 6 is a little different word than the one that is translated “resist” in verse v. 7 (re: the devil).

Here the word means to “order, arrange, draw up against.” It is a word that gives the idea “to range in battle against.”

James is reminding us that God draws up in battle against the person that is “arrogant,” “haughty,” or defiantly says, “I can handle it myself.”

But, if we submit (admit our need and surrender to God’s will and ways) then He will give us all the grace we need to win and more.

Isaiah 57:15 (KJV) ¹⁵  For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit…

Not only does God resist the proud, but God says that He will dwell with the one that is contrite and humble. If we stay humble, God will stay with us.

II. Resist the Devil.

Submitting to God is only the first step. It is an important step of surrendering our will and our authority to the will and authority of God.

But, we can’t stop there. We must resist the devil.

Here, the word “resist” carries the idea of “standing against.” (i.e. we resolve and purpose that we are going to take a stand against him no matter what.)

A. How do we stand against the devil?

We must do it in the name and in the strength of the Lord. We’re no match for the devil.

Jude 1:9 (NKJV) Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"

Without taking time to digress and analyze this passage, it is enough to point out that the Apostle declares that an archangel did not attempt to bring a charge of blasphemy against the devil, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

We must choose to stand against the temptations and suggestions of the Devil, but we must do so in the name of Jesus and let the Lord rebuke him.

I would also make this observation: our resistance or standing against the Devil must be quick and immediate. The longer we wait and ponder his ideas and schemes, the easier it is to yield.

B. If we resist he will flee.

The promised result is that the Devil will flee if we steadfastly resist or stand against him.

III. Draw near to God.

Not only should we submit to God and resist the Devil, but we must also make a willful choice to draw close to the Lord.

I am amazed sometimes at how many people I meet who are discouraged by the way the Devil has been attacking them and defeating them. They often talk about how much effort they have expended trying to resist the Devil and withstand his attacks.

But, in all the efforts to fight off the devil and do what was right, they failed to take this next step of taking specific action to draw near to God.

A. To draw near means to worship Him.

“draw near” – word translated for OT word that means to draw near for the purpose of worship.

Lev. 19:22 – “Let the priests who come near the Lord consecrate themselves…”

To worship means focusing on who He is and not who I am.

To worship means focusing on what He has done, not what I want.

To worship means focusing on giving adoration and praise.

To give adoration and praise doesn’t mean that we add anything to His glory, we merely reflect it.

The tendency we often have is to shrink back and withdraw from personal worship or corporate worship when we’ve been feeling defeated or feeling discouraged, because we feel ashamed. But we need to do the very opposite.

We need to worship and praise Him on principle. We need to join with His people and praise Him together.

I can’t tell you how many times I have felt discouraged and defeated until I went to the house of God with His people and began to sing and pray and hear the Word. I tell you I always felt many times better than when I first came.

B. When we draw near, He draws near as well.

Just like the previous verse, which promises that the devil will flee if we resist him, so this verse promises that God will draw near to us if we will draw near to Him.

Psalm 22:3 (KJV) But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. (sit, remain, dwell)

When we worship God (corporately or individually), then He responds with His divine presence and revives and refreshes our hearts.

IV. Deal with the problem of sin in us.

The fourth step involves taking care of the sin problem in our hearts and lives.

By placing this verse in this context the Apostle seems to be telling us that we cannot have spiritual health or have victory over the attractions of the world until we adequately deal with the sin problem in our lives.

This means both the deeds of sin and the nature of sin.

A. We need clean hands.

“clean hands” – refers to purity of conduct or actions, as “hands” relate to what we do.

We absolutely cannot hang onto the “favorite sins” or “pleasant sins” in our lives and then expect God to deliver us from the “bad ones.”

Sin is sin, and God abhors it all. So we need to let Him deal with all of it.

B. We need pure hearts.

In this specific verse, the idea of a pure heart means one that is not divided.

It is a heart that is wholly and completely united in love for God with no competing allegiances to the world or self.

There is a whole lot more that can be said on this point, but when we allow God to cleanse our hearts and solve the problem of a divided affection, then it certainly helps us remain victorious in our spiritual walk.

1 Peter 1:22 (NKJV) Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

Conclusion:

I don’t believe I know of any sincere Christian who does not desire a life of constant victory over temptation and a life of spiritual growth and spiritual health.

I’m glad I can confidently say to you today that it is possible to experience consistent victory and maintain a vibrant relationship with Christ.

These steps we’ve talked about today provide important counsel for that victory to be a reality in all our lives.

Let’s close our worship by singing a song about victory.

# 353 – Victory in Jesus

Partners in Suffering

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This is a message that was given on the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.

Written Excerpts:

Romans 12:15 (NKJV) ¹⁵  Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

Romans 15:30 (NKJV) ³⁰  Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me,

1 Corinthians 12:26 (KJV) ²⁶  And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.

2 Timothy 1:8 (NKJV) ⁸  Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,

2 Timothy 3:10-12 (NKJV) ¹⁰  But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, ¹¹  persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra--what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. ¹²  Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

Philippians 1:29 (NKJV) ²⁹  For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

1 Thessalonians 3:3 (NKJV) ³  that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.

Introduction:

I felt compelled to speak to you today regarding the issue of persecution. Jesus never promised His followers and disciples that they would have an easy life without opposition. In fact, He usually indicated that His disciples were to expect persecution and opposition.

The last couple of weeks we have had services that emphasized missionary outreach and the overall work of God in the world to bring more and more people into the Kingdom of God.

Today, we are giving special recognition to the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. This theme also coincides with the messages we’ve heard the last two weeks.

I believe that God wants us to be aware of what our fellow Christians face in other parts of the world and that He wants us to support them in our prayers as well as other ways.

There are two primary facts about persecution that I feel compelled to share today.

1. Persecution is assumed to be a normal part of Christian life.

See passages above in green highlight.

In these few verses, it seems clear that the Apostle Paul viewed persecution as a normal part of the Christian life experience.

Jesus also made statements to prepare his disciples for the likelihood of persecution they would experience when they chose to follow Him.

Matthew 24:9 (NKJV) ⁹  Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.

Several weeks ago, I spoke about suffering in general (not necessarily due to persecution) and I was speaking about the fact that Christians in developing nations think of suffering as a normal part of life, while Christians in the West (particularly America) tend to think that God should keep His children from pain and suffering.

The same principle also seems to be true regarding persecution. From what I’ve been reading, it seems that Christians around the world (particularly in many developing nations) accept persecution as a normal experience for all Christians.

Why? Partly because the claims of Christ and the core message of the gospel goes completely cross-grain with the rest of the religions of the world, and partly because that is all some of them have ever known.

Many people don’t have a problem if Christians simply promote Jesus as one of many great religious leaders and one of many ways to heaven (God). But when we proclaim that Jesus is the only way to God and that He is the only way, truth and life, then all other religions have a major problem with that.

There’s simply no other way to say it than, “Persecution is one of the ways God uses to spread the gospel to people and places that may otherwise never hear about Jesus.”

2. Christians are expected to share and support those being persecuted.

See passages above in yellow highlight.

These verses directly imply that Christians have a duty and an obligation to remember those who are being persecuted and to do what we can to share their burden.

There are various ways that Christians can share the load of pain that others are facing such as: assisting with material and physical needs; petitioning their country’s government for relief of persecution; and through prayer.

From what I have heard and read, it seems that most Christians that are being persecuted most often request the prayers from other Christians around the world.

Most often, rather than praying for God to deliver them from persecution, they want us to pray that God will grant them the strength to endure it. They want us to pray that they will be faithful witnesses for Jesus and their suffering will produce eternal fruit for the Kingdom of God.

Based on the teaching of Scripture, I believe we all have a Christian responsibility and a Christian privilege to partner with those who are suffering for Jesus by first of all, praying for them, and then doing any other things we can to help them endure their circumstances.

Conclusion:

Today, I want to share with you a slide presentation that I put together from stories and pictures in some of the magazines published by Voice of the Martyrs.

Following the slide presentation, we will spend time praying.

What Does God Get?

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This is the final message in a series of sermons on Romans. This message is based on Romans 16:21-27 and it emphasizes Paul's theme that God should receive all the glory for everything accomplished.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

Several years ago there was a craze among Christians for a popular acronym “WWJD” – What Would Jesus Do?

A few weeks ago in the class I am taking at the college, I learned a new acronym that ought to be one that we all learn and keep in the forefront of our minds… “WDGG” – What Does God Get?

I already shared with you a portion of the lecture when I mentioned the difference between “cat theology” and “dog theology.” (Comes from a book written by Bob Sjogren and Gerald Robison)

Dog says to his master: “You feed me, you pet me, you shelter me, you love me. You must be God.”

Cat says to master: “You feed me, you pet me, you shelter me, you love me. I must be God.”

Someone practicing “dog theology” focuses primarily on God and His glory.

“Cat theology” focuses primarily on self and what God can do for me.

There are a lot of contrasts that have been made between the two viewpoints, but let me share just a few.

Quiet Times: Both Cats and Dogs have quiet times. Dogs focus on God’s glory (they think, “How is God’s reputation being affected by my life?”) and Cats focus on themselves (how can [God make] their life [better]…?)

Prayer: Dogs pray to establish God’s kingdom. Cats pray to establish their own kingdom.

Worship: Dogs worship God primarily for who He is. Cats worship God primarily for what He’s done for them.

Obedience: Both Cats and Dogs want obedience in their lives. Dogs want to obey God. Cats want God to obey them. You usually see this reflected in their prayer lives.

While trying to get us to understand the two different perspectives and to realize the importance of truly worshiping God, the author challenges us to raise this question, “What does God get?”

What does God get out of my life and the experiences I face each day?

As we now come to the end of Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome, we notice that he concludes everything he has written by writing a very long sentence that can be condensed down to this, “Now to Him… be glory through Christ Jesus forever. Amen.” (vv. 25-27)

It’s as if Paul is reminding us that all he has written comes down to the one final point – that God should receive the glory due to Him for the great plan of redemption He has completed through Jesus Christ.

This reminds me of a scene portrayed in the book of Revelation.

Revelation 5:1-14 (KJV)
¹  And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. ²  And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? ³  And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. ⁴  And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. ⁵  And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. ⁶  And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. ⁷  And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. ⁸  And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. ⁹  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; ¹⁰  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. ¹¹  And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; ¹²  Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. ¹³  And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. ¹⁴  And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

Paul has masterfully expounded the message of redemption through Jesus Christ and now, after sharing greetings from those who are outside of Rome (21-24), he urges us to close with a doxology of praise to God for His wonderful grace. (vv. 25-27)

In this one very long closing sentence Paul provides a sequence of thoughts that provide the reasons for glorifying God.

Here are the thoughts expressed in this one long sentence:

1. God is able to establish His children.

2. He stabilizes them through the proclamation of the gospel.

3. The gospel was hidden, but has been revealed.

4. It has been revealed to all nations to lead them to obedience.

5. He alone deserves praise.

So, let’s quickly take them one by one and explore them a little more.

1. God is able to establish His children.

The word “able” is the Greek word “dunamis.” Emphasis is on dynamic ability or power.

“establish” – to fix, establish or strengthen against presupposed threats.

Is there any doubt in our minds that the same God who through His dynamic and infinite power created the worlds is powerful enough to fix you and me steadfastly in the faith so that we can stand firm against all threats?

2. He stabilizes them through the proclamation of the gospel.

The Apostle declares that God is able to establish them according to his gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ.

The word “gospel” means good news and it includes the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ and available to every one who believes in Him.

He affirms that the gospel consists of the preaching of Christ and that is what we need to get established in the faith. Jesus is the center core of our faith and the more we learn about Him, the stronger we will be as disciples and followers.

3. The gospel was hidden, but has been revealed.

This message being proclaimed was hidden for a while from the beginning of time.

It was a mystery. It was unknown. It was hidden by the darkness of sin which blinds the spiritual eye against the truth until the light of truth is shed upon our minds.

4. It has been revealed to all nations to lead them to obedience.

Paul has shown in earlier chapters how that God’s salvation through Jesus Christ is a fulfillment of what was revealed through the prophets.

As God progressively unfolded the messages through His servants and prophets, He clearly revealed that He intended for the message to be told to all the nations of the world.

God’s plan from the beginning was for all the nations to hear the truth and be led to faith and obedience as a result of hearing and receiving the truth.

Salvation was never intended to be only for one nation or one people, but for the entire world.

One of the reasons we believe so strongly in world missions and we make the effort to conduct missions conferences like we are next weekend is because of our conviction that God intends to save the world.

5. He alone deserves praise.

The final point of the sequence of thoughts goes back to the giving of glory and praise; not only because He is able to establish His people in the gospel, but because of His wisdom in devising such a grand scope and plan for redemption.

Conclusion:

All in all, Paul brings us to the realization that the salvation of Jews and Gentiles, even all the world, is for the glory of God.

Eph. 2:6-7 “and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

Worship Is A Part Of Life!

When Cats are so focused on themselves, they worship God during their quiet times, during Sunday morning services, and possibly while listening to worship music. Everything outside of those times is “everyday life.”

But “everyday life” was designed to be one big worship service. This can happen when we start to ask the simple question, “What Does God Get?”

·        What does God get when you hug a child?

·        What does God get when you see a sunset?

·        What does God get when you listen to music?

·        What does God get when you look at a flower?

·        What does God get when you see a butterfly?

·        What does God get when you taste a chocolate covered strawberry?

To relate this thought to our closing verses in Romans, let me ask, “What does God get when you think about being justified by faith?”

“What does God get when you meditate about sanctification?”

“What does God get for redeeming the heathen?”

 “Hallelujah, Praise the Lamb! Hallelujah, Praise the Lamb! My heart sings this song again. Hallelujah, Praise the Lamb!”

A Prayer To The Lord:

·        Lord, we do not live for ourselves, we live for Your greatest glory.

·        Bless us with all things or give us nothing.

·        Honor us before others or bring us low.

·        Put us to doing or appoint us to suffer.

·        Give us work or keep us unemployed.

·        Send us overseas or keep us home.

·        Shatter any dream that is not yours.

·        We freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to Your pleasure and disposal.

·        All we ask is that we delight in Your glory!

Family Matters

(To download an mp3 file of this message, click on the title above. To listen now online, click on the play button of the audio player shown.)

This message is part of a series of sermons on Romans. This message covers chapter 16:1-20 and emphasizes the importance of viewing church as a family.

Written Excerpts:

From 1989 until 1997 there was a TV sitcom series called “Family Matters.” I don’t know if I’ve ever seen even one entire episode, so I can’t really comment about the show. I couldn’t tell you whether it promoted traditional family values and morals or if it didn’t.

All I can say is, when I made my choice for a sermon title today I remembered that there used to be a TV show called “Family Matters”. Let me assure you, there will be no attempt in my message to draw any parallels between the TV show and our Scripture passage under consideration today.

To start off this morning, I am going to say the title of today’s sermon twice using two different styles of voice inflection and I’d like to have a volunteer to interpret the meaning according to the way I say it.

Family…. Matters     vs        family matters

In the first usage, the phrase emphasizes the fact that family is important; it has value; etc.

The second usage refers more to the idea that there are issues or concerns unique to the family that may or may not need to be addressed.

Both of these examples actually relate to the verses that we want to look at this morning.

There are two main thoughts expressed in verses 1-20 of Romans 16. They are: “Greet the saints,” and “Avoid the Unruly.”

Throughout the years of Paul’s ministry he has built relationships with scores of people. Even though he had never visited Rome before, there were obviously people there that he had known from previous places and occasions. He sends words of greeting to all of those because they are very much like family to him.

Paul’s tender greetings to these beloved members of the faith family reveal to us that family…. Matters!

On the other hand, Paul needs to address a family matter that is completely opposite in nature. He provides instruction on how to deal with “family members” who are unruly.

So, let us take a few moments today to get an overview of

B. Paul’s personal instructions for the Roman Christians. (16:1-20)

i.   Greet all the saints. (1-16)

The bulk of the section we are looking at today are used for Paul’s words of greetings that he wants to convey to various people who are connected with the church at Rome.

Some of the greetings are simple and basic: “Greet     (name)     .” (See vv. 14-15)

In some of the greetings Paul added additional comments. I want to point out some observations that came to me as I read them.

            a. I noticed that there seemed to be specific factors that promoted the bond of affection between them such as:

·        Some shared common labors (vv. 2c, 3, 6, 9a, 12)

·        Some risked their lives for him (v. 4)

·        Some were his spiritual offspring (v. 5b)

·        Some shared common persecution (v. 7)

            b. I noticed that he gave specific instructions for some of the friends.

·        Receive into fellowship (v. 2a)

·        Assist with personal and ministry affairs (v. 2b)

·        Show genuine affection (v. 16)

“greet one another with a holy kiss” – same instruction given to Thessalonians and to the Corinthians.

(Wuest's Word Studies) Regarding the holy kiss, Denney [Expositors’ Greek Testament] says, "The custom of combining greeting and kiss was oriental, and especially Jewish, and in this way became Christian . . . . By 'holy' the kiss is distinguished from an ordinary greeting of natural affection or friendship. It belongs to God and the new society of His children. It is specifically Christian." [A.T.] Robertson [Word Pictures in the NT] says, "The near-east mode of salutation as hand-shaking in the western . . . Men kissed men and women kissed women."

It appears that Paul is saying nothing more than this, “As you greet one another, you are to do so with the understanding that this is more than a common secular tradition, but you are sharing the love of Christ. And, make sure you keep your greetings sacred.” (i.e. nothing sensual about it)

After reviewing these greetings to the various people and the highlights of their special characteristics, I would restate the fact that Paul is showing us the importance of family and our relationships with each other.

ii.   Avoid the unruly. (17-20)

But, as with every family, there are some problems or potential problems that need to be addressed.

There were either some people already in the church who were known for causing divisions and offenses or there was a possibility for them to arise as had happened in other places.

So, as I implied earlier, taking care of this potential threat to their unity and fellowship was a family matter that needed their attention.

            a. There are various types of unruly people.

“divisions and offenses” – two different words that seem to highlight different kinds of problems.

One source (Theo. Dict. of  NT) implies that the “divisions” referred to disunity and party strife, while “offenses” is the word for “scandal” or “stumbling block”.

“Divisions” refer more to what they do within the church, and “offenses” sort of refer more to what they cause outsiders to think about the church.

These Christians were to “mark” them (i.e. watch out for them) and “avoid” them.

People who stir up strife and cause division are just as bad, if not worse, for the health of the church than the threat of sin and compromising with evil.

We have a number of people in our congregation who have left other churches to attend Wayside. For most, if not all of those who have come since I have been here, you remember that I specifically spoke with you about whether you were coming with unresolved conflict with the place you left.

            b. Unruly people are self-serving and convincing.

These people serve their “own belly” (i.e. satisfaction of fleshly desires, or more generically, a reference to a self-serving attitude).

These people also generally use smooth and convincing talk to persuade others and lead them astray. (Wuest)

Even though Paul knows that the Roman believers have been faithful and obedient (v. 19), he still wants them to be prepared to deal with trouble if it arises.

            c. God will overrule the entire situation.

Paul closes his comments by reminding them that God is still in control and He will completely and finally destroy Satan.

It is not a debatable matter. It is as certain as God Himself.

Conclusion:

It is fitting that we should be talking about family matters on a Sunday that we celebrate communion.

Communion is one of the physical symbols that reminds us not only of our spiritual bond with Christ, but it also reminds us of our bond with each other in the body of Christ.

As we celebrate the Lord’s supper and remember His sacrifice, let us also reflect on the importance of keeping strong bonds of love with our brothers and sisters in the faith.

 To view the next sermon in this series, click here.

Sold Out for Jesus

(To download an mp3 file of this message, click on the title above. To listen now online, click on the play button of the audio player shown.)

This sermon is part of a series of messages on Romans and it is based on Romans 15:14-33 in which the Apostle Paul details his ministry in the past and his plans for continuing ministry in the future.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

Today we are looking at the second half of chapter 15 in Romans. We have now entered into the closing section of the letter in which the Apostle shares some final thoughts and greetings.

As I read through the verses that I wanted to cover today, I was contemplating what I could use for a title that would summarize the teaching in these verses. As you can see by what is printed in the bulletin, I came up with the title, “Sold Out for Jesus.”

In the remainder of chapter 15 Paul speaks about his ministry and I am sure that after reading these verses, we have to conclude that Paul was a person who was totally “sold out for Jesus!”

Let’s take a look at verses 14-33 to review some of Paul’s closing comments in which he recounts part of his ministry efforts in the kingdom of God.

If you are following the outline I’ve created, we will be covering “A” under “VII” near the bottom of the page.

A.   Paul's personal ministry for Christ. (15:14-33)

Paul reviews or summarizes his ministry to the Gentiles and his desire to include them in his life of service that has already produced much fruit. He also wants them to join with him in ministry as he continues to serve Christ.

 i.   He has faithfully preached to Gentiles. (14-20)

Even though he has never yet visited Rome, he commends them for the qualities they already possess, and he alludes to his ongoing role in their spiritual development by virtue of his letter in which he has written rather bluntly and boldly (see vv. 14-15).

There are three descriptions that Paul gives of his ministry to the Gentiles.

a.   His ministry was initiated by God’s grace.

vv. 15-16   Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God, ¹⁶  that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Paul’s perspective regarding his ministry was that God had chosen him and honored him to be the missionary to the Gentiles.

He had been especially selected to be a servant and representative of Jesus Christ by the grace of God.

“minister” – word that carried the idea of priestly ministry.

b.   His ministry was accompanied by God’s power.

vv. 17-19a - ¹⁷  Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God. ¹⁸  For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient-- ¹⁹  in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God,

If you read the historical record of Paul’s journeys for Jesus, you will understand that everywhere Paul went he manifested the dynamic power of the Holy Spirit in miracles and signs that attested to his message.

“signs and wonders” – this same description is used to describe the miracles performed by the “man of sin” in 1 Thess.

Miracles do not prove the messenger is of the truth, but they do cause people to take notice so that the truth has an opportunity to convince the hearers.

c.   His ministry was fulfilled with God’s vision.

vv. 19b-20  …so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. ²⁰  And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man's foundation,

Paul’s focus in ministry was to go as far as he could… i.e. God’s vision was a worldwide vision.

He preached as much as he could (fully preached). i.e. God’s vision includes comprehensive knowledge of salvation. 

He pioneered new territory (not anywhere Christ was already named). i.e. God’s vision encompasses those who’ve never heard.

ii.   He will continue to preach as God leads. (21-33)

The quote from Isaiah 52:15 in v. 21 appears like it could be related to the comments before the verse as well as those verses following.

The Isaiah passage seems to support Paul’s ministry preference of going to those places where no other Christian missionary / preacher had gone. It also provides the foundation for his desire to come to Rome for the same reason.

As in the past, he wants to continue going into areas where no other minister of the gospel has gone.

This in no way is a criticism against those who do expand and build on the work that others have started. It is merely an explanation of Paul’s specific work and calling throughout his life’s ministry.

Paul was a pioneer missionary in many respects and it was something that inspired him and created a great deal of enthusiasm within him.

In these verses (14-33) Paul explains three ideas or thoughts regarding his future ministry.

a.   He feels compelled to go on to new territory.

Paul describes his intentions to go to Spain. (see verse 24 and 28)

There is no evidence in Scripture that Paul ever succeeded in going to Spain. Sources I studied indicated that some Bible scholars definitely believe that he didn’t go to Spain, while others believe he may have enjoyed a period of freedom between his first and second imprisonments that would have allowed ample time for a visit there.

The point however, is the fact that even as he is approaching the later years of his ministry he is still on fire for the Lord and is so “sold out for Jesus” that he continues to desire and anticipate “invading” new areas with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

b.   He plans to go back to home base.

Before Paul attempts any journey to Spain, he intends to go back to Jerusalem to minister to the believers there.

There are two points that Paul stresses regarding his visit back to Jerusalem.

First, his ministry to the believers (primarily Jewish Christians) will include delivering the collections he has been receiving from the Gentiles throughout Asia.

He explains that it is only right for the Gentiles to materially assist the poor Jewish believers back in the area around Jerusalem, since the benefits of the gospel has come from them in the first place.

Some writers (e.g. JFB Commentary) indicate that it was a common Jewish practice for the Jews that were scattered around the empire to send financial support back to Jerusalem for “temple tax” and other purposes.

Now the Gentiles can copy this practice for more practical Christian reasons.

Paul seems to be teaching a principle here that everyone who has been blessed needs to return the blessings. (Or pass them on to others.) e.g. God told Abraham, “I will bless thee….” And “You shall be a blessing.” Gen. 12

Every one of us has been the beneficiaries of someone else making the sacrifices and expended the effort needed in order to bring the gospel to us, so we ought to be willing to do the same.

In addition to the delivery of financial support, Paul explains that he also anticipates some opposition while he is back in Jerusalem.

Opposition is something that Paul was used to, and he took it in stride. Anyone who is “on fire for the Lord” and “sold out for Jesus” might as well get used to the fact that your enthusiasm for Jesus will not be appreciated by some people!

c.   He expects their partnership in his service.

The potential for partnership in his ministry will take two forms:

One, they will be able to provide valuable assistance if and when he gets to go to Spain. (vv. 24, 32) The implication here is that their assistance will be in the form of physical/material support and aid. When he comes, he will come “fired up” (see v. 29), but he will also appreciate and need their help.

Two, their prayer support will be extremely vital for him as he faces the opposition in Jerusalem, as he provides the offerings to the believers, and as he anticipates his subsequent visit to Rome.

In all of the letters that Paul has written in the NT, you will find a strong emphasis on prayer – his prayers for the believers and his solicitation of their prayers for him.

Prayer is presented in scripture as a means of communicating with God and expressing our praise and thanks to Him, BUT the Bible also expresses the necessity of doing spiritual warfare through prayer.

Here again Paul is urging the Roman Christians to engage the enemy by their prayers for him.

Conclusion:

When we read about Paul’s work for the Lord it is apparent that he was enthused, dedicated and sold out.  

Paul was not the type of person that looked at life with the attitude: “I’ll give Jesus this much time, and then I’ll be able to get back to doing what I like.” Or, “How much can I live for my own pleasures and desires and still have time for God’s work so I won’t feel too guilty?”

No, his life was consumed with living each day in order to tell the message of the gospel to as many people as possible, and to build them up in their faith as true followers of Jesus.

He obviously had time to rest, and I’m sure he lived a normal human life, but his passion and his goal in life was to live every day for Jesus.

But, what is “normal” for us I  believe is entirely different than what “normal” was for him.

His life I am sure was much less about himself and more about Christ, while for many Christians in America, it is the other way around; more about self and a little about Christ.

In one of his letters he wrote, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1 (KJV)

I want the Lord to help me to be more committed and more on fire for the Lord than ever! I want to be sold out for Jesus so much that, like Paul, I will be able to have an influence and an impact on other people for Jesus. Amen?

 

To view the next sermon in this series, click here.