Crucified With Christ

This is a sermon that was given during a service in which the Lord's Supper was served.

Galatians 2:15-20

Introduction:

A few years ago I gave a sermon to describe the meaning of the word “communion.” It was given on a Sunday in which we were celebrating communion and the purpose of the message was to explain the word “communion” and why the word is used in conjunction with the Lord’s Table.

The message I want to share today is somewhat related to that previous message on the meaning of communion.

I want to focus our thoughts for a while on the words found in v. 20 (KJV) I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Before we share the emblems of communion this morning I want to take a little time to talk about how the celebration of the Lord’s Supper together can be a reminder of our participation in His crucifixion.

I.    The Meaning of “Communion”

First of all, let’s do a little review of the ideas that are included with the word “communion.”

Some of the words that are used to define “communion” include: fellowship; participation; partaking; and communicating.

Paul’s discussion on eating food offered to idols (1 Cor. 10), for example, reminds us that doing so makes one a participant and partaker of the “devils” to whom the sacrifice was made.

He goes on to say, “We cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table and the table of devils at the same time.”

The idea of fellowship, communion, and participation is a mystical and spiritual union with another. For the Christian, that union is with Jesus Christ by faith.

II.     Participating in His Death

The second point I want to express today is this:

I am participating in the crucifixion of Christ in the sense that His death was a vicarious one. He was my substitute…

When Paul says, “I am crucified with Christ,” he is probably not explicitly talking about Christ’s substitution for him, but we may apply his words to the fact that we appropriate His death as our own, through faith.

Jesus did not die for His own sins, He died for the sins of the whole world. He died in my place and in your place. His death is credited to me.

When anyone places his/her faith in Jesus Christ and the “work” of atonement He did on the cross, then His death and bloodshed is credited to our account.

So, in a practical and spiritual sense, we are “crucified with Christ.”

III.     Extending His Death to My Self

The next point of this lesson today is this:

I am participating in the crucifixion of Christ in the sense that my self-centered life is put to death. This point actually appears to be the primary emphasis that Paul is intending to present to the Galatians.

If you read the context, he is reviewing an incident that happened some time earlier at the city of Antioch when Peter stopped eating with Gentiles after some of the Jewish Christian leaders arrived from Jerusalem.

Paul reminded Peter at the time, and he’s reminding the Galatians through this writing, that Christian believers died to the law so they could live through faith in Christ.

This “death to the law” was effectively carried out by his participation in the death of Christ.

One writer (Lenski), says Paul is not using symbolic language here (i.e. “crucified with Christ”), but this is factually true in a spiritual and mystical sense. Through faith, Paul has died with Christ.

Now, rather than trying to achieve righteousness by his own efforts of goodness and righteousness, he is relying on the work of Christ.

He is no longer striving to accomplish it his own way, but he has submitted to Christ’s way.

So, in a very real sense, he has died to his self-centered, ego-promoting life (a life that can boast about how well he has kept the law and obeyed the law) and, instead, he has submitted to a humble acceptance of Christ’s atonement in his behalf.

This principle of death to our typical self-exalting and self-boasting ways can have implications in every area of life. Because we are “crucified with Christ” we humbly submit our will to His will and our ways to His ways.

Why? Because we understand that He receives all the glory; not us. It’s not about us at all, it’s all about Him!

IV.      Living My Life in Connection with His Life

I am participating in the life of Christ in the sense that He lives His life through me.

Notice this phrase, “it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…”

The blessing and benefit of being crucified with Christ is that from now on, I can experience the resurrected Christ living in me and through me in a way that I’ve never experienced before.

Oh, dear friends, I confess that I can’t fully comprehend what it must mean and what it must involve to say, “Christ lives in me!”

It certainly may mean more, but it seems like it would at least include this much: “When anyone looks at my life it reminds them of what they know of Jesus.”

If Christ is living in me, then others should be able to see Christ in me.

If Christ is living in me, then others around me should always be reminded of Him when they watch my life.

Conclusion:

Are You Jesus?

By Brett Denman, community blogger

on May 11, 2012 at 4:00 AM

How do you reflect the character of Jesus in your life?

I received an email that I would like to share with you. It is probably a story of fiction but the moral of the story is very real.

A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner.

In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly-missed boarding...

ALL BUT ONE!!! He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned.

He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor.

He was glad he did.

The 16-year-old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her; no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.

The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.

When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?"

She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly."

As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, "Mister...." He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes.

She continued, "Are you Jesus?"

He stopped in mid-stride ... and he wondered. He gently went back and said, "No, I am nothing like Jesus - He is good, kind, caring, loving, and would never have bumped into your display in the first place."

The girl gently nodded: "I only asked because I prayed for Jesus to help me gather the apples. He sent you to help me, so you are like Him - only He knows who will do His will. Thank you for hearing His call, Mister."

Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: "Are you Jesus?"

Do people mistake you for Jesus?....

© 2015 OregonLive.com. All rights reserved.

The Southern Gospel group, The Neilons, have recorded a song that seems to be based on this story, and it is titled, “Excuse Me, Are You Jesus?”

When I am crucified with Christ, it is no longer I that lives. It is no longer I that is in control. It is no longer I having my own way; but Christ lives in me.

Have you experienced the spiritual and mystical communion with Christ to the extent that you know you’ve been crucified with Christ? Is your connection and communion with Him so real that your self-centered life is crucified and you are completely surrendered to His will? Is your connection so real that Christ lives in you?

As we share together today in the emblems of the Lord’s Supper, let us meditate on the connection we have in His crucifixion along with how it has affected our lives already, and how it will continue to affect us more and more each day we live in that communion.

We’re going to sing a communion hymn in the red hymnals: “Here at Thy Table, Lord”

 

To Whom Are You Listening?

This is a sermon that is based on the narrative of the Israelites camped at Sinai waiting on Moses who was on the mountain getting the Law from God. It emphasizes the importance of discriminating the sources from which we get our information and inspiration.

Scripture: Exodus 19:1-8; Exodus 24:1-12; Exodus 32:1-6

Introduction: I have a sermon I have preached in the past titled, “The Way of Life and the Way of Death.” The message is about choices, and I talk about how choices have consequences and those choices determine our destiny.

I briefly mentioned the fact that one’s choices will be determined by his or her heart affections and value system.

This message is somewhat related to the topic, because it speaks of the influences which shape our affections and values, which will ultimately affect our choices and decisions.

I’m sure that most of us are aware of this already, but it is a fact that our affections, values and principles for making choices will largely come from what we feed into our minds. Thus, the question of this message, “To whom are you listening?”

Perhaps more than any other time in history, there are more and more “voices” clamoring for our attention. We have an abundance of input available today.

We are told over and over that we are living in the “information age.” We’ve all learned about the “Stone Age;” “Agricultural Age;” and “Industrial Age”. Now, we are living in the era of information.

Through the massive amount of information that is available, we all have more and more sources of influence than ever before. If I am not “tuned in” to the right information, then it is highly probable that I will not make the right kind of choices.

Our Scripture lesson today is a contrast between two individuals (Moses and Aaron), and two kinds of people (Israelites when they were listening to God, and then when they were listening to other people). The passages describe the choices they made based upon the information they received. It all boiled down to whom they were listening.

I want to give some observations about these two men and two groups and make spiritual applications for us today.

I.    The Contrast between Moses and Aaron

A. Moses had been listening to God, while Aaron had been listening to the people.

Look at all the times between chapter 19 and 32 where it says “The Lord spake unto Moses.” (Exodus 25:1; 30:11, 17, 22; 31:1, 12) There are plenty of other phrases or words used in these chapters that also mean that God was speaking to Moses and he was listening to the Lord.

On the other hand, observe who Aaron had been listening to…

Ex. 24:14 “And he [i.e. Moses] said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.”

Ex. 32:1 “And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we [know] not what is become of him.”

Ex. 32:22-23 [Aaron said to Moses] “…thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief. For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we [know] not what is become of him.”

B. Moses had been listening to God’s revelation of righteousness, holiness and morality, while Aaron had been listening to the people’s doubts, complaints and demands.

Moses had been getting a revelation of the Divine Majesty. Aaron had been “wallowing” in the common and mundane.

Moses had been receiving all the instructions about the proper ways to worship God and offer sacrifices, while Aaron had been dealing with the everyday affairs of the people.

I’m not saying that Aaron had no business doing what he was doing. The everyday affairs of life are clearly necessary to address. What I am saying is that while a person is preoccupied with the mundane affairs of life and fulfilling all of his responsibilities, there must be time allotted to get away from the mundane and feed our minds on the eternal and the divine.

The end result was:

C. Moses was able to take a stand without compromise for the standards of a holy God, while Aaron caved in to the whims and desires of a degenerate people.

You and I need to have connections to the Divine in order to escape the errors and values of this world. We need to have frequent visitations from on high in order to avoid the pitfalls and traps of a godless society around us.

These connections and visitations must be more than mere emotional experiences, but they must be divinely anointed revelations of God’s holy truth. That is, principles and values that are firmly rooted in the His Word.

What was true with Moses and Aaron was also true with the people.

II.  The Contrast between Those Who Obeyed and Those Who Strayed

The people themselves were making different choices when they were listening to God rather than listening to one another.

Here are a couple of examples in Scripture when the people were listening to the word of God through his servant Moses.

Ex. 19:8 “And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.”

Ex. 20:19 “And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.”

While they were listening to God, they were committed to following and obeying His commands.

I think we could compare that with our experience of hearing a sermon at church or on the radio or TV and finding ourselves convinced by the message and making some promises or commitments to make some changes in our lives, but when we get away from the godly input and began to think about or discuss it from a more humanistic point of view, we tend to reject our earlier promises and continue on with the status quo.

Ex. 32:1 “…as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we [know] not what is become of him.”

I don’t think I’m doing any injustice to the meaning of this passage by suggesting that the verse implies the people had been discussing among themselves what might have happened to Moses. Their imaginations had run wild and they had drawn their own conclusions based on their earthly, worldly reasoning.

As a result, they make some decisions that they would have never made just a short time earlier when Moses was communicating God’s commands to them.

Now I’m not suggesting that you and I wouldn’t have drawn the same conclusions they did. When you read the descriptions of the events taking place up on the mountain, we would also probably draw the conclusion that Moses was history. So it truly emphasizes the fact that sometimes things are not as they appear to be.

And, if we remain true to the Word of God regardless of how things appear, we’ll be a whole lot better off in the end.

III.   Principles that summarize this lesson.

A. Those who listen to God have purpose and direction.

There are people who don’t care about God who still have a purpose for life and they have direction. But their purpose and direction are completely and solely invested in this world and this earthly life.

They have no hope for the next life because they haven’t lived for that purpose.

Those who are living with a purpose and a direction toward the afterlife in heaven are people who actively seek God’s guidance and the listen to His Word.

B. Those who listen to God have resolve and commitment.

In order to have the resolve and commitment to keep doing what is right in spite of what everyone else does, we must listen to God. We must understand the basic principles of salvation and how it affects our choices and daily actions, and then be committed to living them out every day.

C. Those who listen to God have strength to keep going on.

There were many times that Moses felt like giving up. But through his direct communication with God and understanding of God’s will and God’s promises, he was able to keep going on.

Conclusion:    Imagine the difference between Moses and Aaron and the inspiration they each received from their respective sources of input.

Moses had primarily seen the glory, majesty and awesome splendor of God.

Aaron had primarily seen criticism, fault-finding, complaining, etc., etc.

My challenge to each of us is to take whatever measures are necessary to receive godly, wholesome, and righteous input into our minds in order to shape our principles and values.

We need more than a daily Scripture promise to offset the influences of the world. There are plenty of good godly influences that we can participate in such as: prayer meetings, Bible studies, reading good spiritual books that challenge our status quo, and even making an effort to attend revival services and other special services that promote godliness and spiritual life.

We cannot feed our minds on a steady diet from Hollywood or the Washington beltway and then expect to have the kind of righteous and godly lives like Moses demonstrated in contrast to his brother Aaron.

We cannot fill our minds and hearts with the temporal trash of this world, no matter what form of media is used, and then expect to live above the norm of our culture and society.

The more we read and watch situations where righteousness and holiness are ridiculed and misrepresented, the more likely we are to develop a critical and skeptical view of morals and principles that the Bible clearly promotes.

The more we consume entertainment in music and movies that promote promiscuity and loose morals, the more likely it is that our own standards of righteousness and holiness will be compromised.

Let’s purpose to be selective and disciplined regarding the kind of information we are feeding into our minds so that we can be people of God who are faithfully committed to Him regardless of the conditions around us.

Let’s close the service this morning with a song that is a prayer for God to open our eyes, our ears, and heart to serve Him appropriately.

Closing Song: Open My Eyes that I May See 

A Holy Wind

This is a sermon used for Pentecost Sunday and is based on Acts 2, as well as Ezekiel 37.

Acts 2:1-17

Ezekiel 37:1-14

Introduction:

It was noted in the worship bulletin this morning that today is recognized as Pentecost Sunday throughout the worldwide Christian church. This is a day to celebrate and commemorate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples following the ascension of Jesus.

The scripture reading earlier in the service provided the account recorded by Luke in the book of Acts concerning the event that took place in Jerusalem on that historic day.

The passage that I just read from the prophet Ezekiel relates a vision that God gave the prophet concerning the reviving of dead corpses.

In both of the scripture readings (Acts and Ezekiel), wind played a significant role in the stories.

In the OT, the words “breath”, “wind” and “spirit” are all represented by one Hebrew word (ruaḥ).

In the NT there is also a close association between the words spirit, wind and breath. There are different words used in different contexts, but some of them are clearly related.

In the prophet’s vision, the “spirit” that led him out into the valley of dry bones is from the same Hebrew word as the “wind” (KJV) that he prays for to come from the four winds (i.e. four directions/four corners of the earth).

On the day of Pentecost, the “wind” they heard is from the same word as “breath” in Acts 17:25 “…He gives to all life and breath and all things.”

Consider these words of Jesus: John 3:8 (NKJV) The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

In both the prophet’s vision and the Pentecostal event, there is a reference to wind, but in these and many other similar instances in Scripture, the true emphasis is not on the literal, physical phenomena of wind, but on the dynamic presence and power of the Holy Spirit of God.

With God’s help, I would like to direct our attention for a while to the Pentecostal event in order to learn some lessons regarding the importance of having the “holy wind” of God blowing into our hearts and our lives.

There is much to be said and much to be learned from Scripture regarding the Holy Spirit’s role in the lives of believers. Today I want to focus our thoughts on three lessons that we can discover from the Pentecostal event.

I.    The Spirit was promised by Christ.

II.  The Spirit was provided for all.

III. The Spirit produced dynamic disciples.

I.    The Spirit was promised by Christ.

On the day of Pentecost, when the crowds of people had witnessed the phenomena and heard the disciples, they immediately assumed that they were drunk.

Peter stands up and proclaims that these are not drunk, but they are exhibiting what had been prophesied by the prophet Joel: “‘And it shall come to pass in the last days,’ says God, ‘That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh…’”

Yes, this day and this event was predicted by a prophet hundreds of years earlier, but it was also predicted by the Lord Jesus Christ.

John 14:16-18, 23, 26 (KJV) ¹⁶ And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; ¹⁷ Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. ²³ Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. ²⁶ But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 16:7-8 (KJV) ⁷ Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. ⁸ And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

Luke 24:49 (KJV) ⁴⁹ And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

Dr. John Oswalt, in his book, Called to Be Holy, referred to this verse in Luke 24 and pointed out that when Jesus gave them this order to tarry in Jerusalem until endued with power, the disciples did not ask Him any questions about what He meant.

This was unusual because the disciples were often asking Jesus to explain the meaning of things He had said. Oswalt concludes that this command regarding the coming of the Holy Spirit was apparently one thing that the disciples expected the Messiah to say.

Oswalt continues, “With the exception of Isaiah 53, the connection between the Messiah and the giving of the Holy Spirit is considerably clearer in the OT than the references to His atoning death and resurrection.”

The Pentecostal experience which the disciples received that day in Jerusalem was an event that was predicted and promised by the Lord.

Jesus predicted His own sacrificial death and His own resurrection, then He fulfilled everything He predicted.

Jesus promised the giving of the Holy Spirit whom He would send from the Father, and He fulfilled His promise and poured out the Spirit upon the disciples.

Jesus is still able to fulfill His promise to each and every believer today in the 21^st century, just as much as He did then!

II.        The Spirit was provided for all.

When Peter declared that the Spirit’s descent on the disciples was the fulfillment of a prophecy made by the prophet Joel, he says this…

Acts 2:16-18 (KJV) ¹⁶  But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; ¹⁷  And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: ¹⁸  And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

The point that stands out so vividly to me is the fact that this blessing of the Holy Spirit is not reserved for a few significant people, but it is promised for all flesh.

Theologians have often distinguished between the work of the Spirit in the OT and in the NT by pointing out that in the OT the Spirit is primarily giving special power and gifts or graces to select individuals for the mission or calling they had received from God.

On the other hand, the emphasis in the NT is that the Spirit is available for all people. No one is left out.

Just as salvation through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ extends to all people, whosoever will, so the promise of being filled with the Holy Spirit is available for every person that has trusted in Christ and completely surrendered to the power of the Spirit.

Friends, His power and His presence is not just for me or just for you, but it is for everyone who seeks.

III.  The Spirit produced dynamic disciples.

You can’t read the account of Pentecost and the subsequent activities throughout the book of Acts without being confronted with the changes that took place in the disciples.

Some people take this 2^nd chapter of Acts and they focus on the unusual phenomena – the sound of rushing wind, the cloven tongues like fire, and the speaking in tongues.

God often used various phenomena like wind, fire, lightening, etc. whenever He instituted something new or performed some great miracle. For example, we read of thunder, lightning, cloud, fire, smoke, and quaking all accompanying the giving of the Law at Sinai.

Many try to use one or more of the extraordinary phenomena mentioned here in Acts as the proof(s) of the Holy Spirit’s filling. The unusual wonders may be proof that God is doing something new and something great, but not necessarily the proof of the disciples being filled with the HS.

But, I would propose to you that the proof of the Holy Spirit filling their hearts was how it changed them and empowered them to carry out the mission of Christ in their world.

Samuel Chadwick – To the church, Pentecost brought light, power, joy. There came to each illumination of mind, assurance of heart, intensity of love, fullness of power, exuberance of joy. No one needed to ask if they had received the Holy Ghost. Fire is self-evident. So is power! (Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World.)

Jesus said, John 15:26 (KJV) ²⁶  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

The disciples didn’t emphasize the wind and the fire and the tongues everywhere they preached. No, they kept preaching and emphasizing Christ!

Oswald Chambers once said, “If the Holy Ghost is indwelling a man or woman, no matter how sweet, how beautiful, how Christlike they are, the lasting thought you go away with is—what a wonderful being the Lord Jesus Christ is.”  (Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World.)

But in the process of testifying and preaching Christ, the Holy Spirit empowered them and gave them whatever gifts were necessary for the performance and accomplishment of their mission.

The HS gave them boldness where before they had been timid and afraid.

The HS gave them personal victory where before they were prone to unbelief and failure.

The HS cleansed their hearts from every unholy affection that would turn them away from loving God with all their hearts.

The disciples took their world by storm and were described by their enemies as those who “turned the world upside down!”

Conclusion:

In closing this message today, I want to emphasize that this Pentecostal blessing is still available to every honest and sincere seeker today.

There is so much more that can be said about this experience, but we don’t have the time. But let me challenge you to seek the fullness of the Spirit if you do not have it.

Paul emphasized to the Ephesian Christians that they should “keep on being filled with the Spirit.” It is important to have frequent, fresh infillings of His Spirit in our souls. But, we can’t have more fillings if we haven’t had the first filling! God wants to do for each of us what He did for those disciples in Jerusalem.

Let’s let Him do it.

(Arthur, New Cyclopaedia of Prose Illustrations) Suppose we saw an army setting down before a granite fort, and they told us that they intended to batter it down, we might ask them, "How?" They point to a cannon-ball. "Well, but there is no power in that: it is heavy... If all the men in the army hurled it against the fort, they would make no impression." They say, "No; but look at the cannon."—"Well, but there is no power in that: a child may ride upon it, a bird may perch in its mouth: it is a machine, and nothing more."—"But look at the powder."—"Well, there is no power in that: a child may spill it, a sparrow may peck it." Yet [when] this powerless powder and powerless ball are put in the powerless cannon: one spark of fire enters it; and then, in the twinkling of an eye, that powder [becomes] a flash of lightning, and that cannon-ball is a thunderbolt, which smites as if it had been sent from heaven. So it is with our church-machinery of this day: we have all the instruments necessary for pulling down strongholds; [but] oh for the baptism of fire!  

I don’t know about you, but my heart and soul yearns for this kind of fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon each one of us today!

Let us close by singing the song listed in the bulletin:

Come, Everyone Who Is Thirsty

An Exemplary Church

This is a sermon that is based on 1 Thess. 1:2-7 and it speaks about the qualities in this church that caused the Apostle Paul to say that they had become examples to all who live in the entire region of Asia Minor.

1 Thessalonians 1:2-7 (NKJV) ² We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, ³ remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, ⁷ so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.

Background Reading: Acts 17:1-12

These verses in Acts 17 help provide some background information for our study in the Epistle that Paul wrote to the Christians in Thessalonica.

Introduction:

Probably most of us here today have already learned the value of having a model or an example to watch and follow. In nearly every subject one can imagine, it is so much easier to understand verbal or written descriptions when we have an example to watch.

On a website called sermonillustrations.com, I recently found some stories or comments that illustrate the importance of being a good example:

Years ago the communist government in China commissioned an author to write a biography of Hudson Taylor with the purpose of distorting the facts and presenting him in a bad light. They wanted to discredit the name of this consecrated missionary of the gospel. As the author was doing his research, he was increasingly impressed by Taylor's saintly character and godly life, and he found it extremely difficult to carry out his assigned task with a clear conscience. Eventually, at the risk of losing his life, he laid aside his pen, renounced his atheism, and received Jesus as his personal Savior. Whether we realize it or not, our example leaves an impression on others.

I would not give much for your religion unless it can be seen. Lamps do not talk, but they do shine.

(And finally, another illustration apparently written by someone who was exasperated for lack of a good “role model” for his veggie plants.) I'm not much of a gardener. Once I took a seed catalog and started out the door. "Where are you going with that?" my wife asked. "I'm going to show it to my tomatoes!" I exclaimed. (Illustrations taken from: http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/e/example.htm)

For the message today I felt impressed to take a look at the passage in First Thessalonians, chapter 1, which was read earlier in the service.

In verse 7 of that chapter, the Apostle Paul wrote that this congregation in the city of Thessalonica was an example to all the believers in the regions of Macedonia and Achaia.

These regions would include nearly all of the mainland area of Greece except for the area that extends across the northeastern shore of the Aegean Sea.

Paul is telling them in this letter that they have been examples to all the believers throughout this whole region.

What a tremendous compliment to give! They weren’t perfect. But they had demonstrated a positive image of what the Christian should be so others could follow.

Interrogative: What were the specific areas in which these Christians had been examples for others?

Transition: The areas they had shown such a positive example for other Christians included their “work of faith,” their “labor of love,” and their “patience of hope.”

Proposition: I want to examine this passage for a little while this morning in order to challenge each one of us to learn from their example and demonstrate our own faith, love and hope to the world that is watching us.

I.    Their Work of Faith

The first area in which the Christians in Thessalonica had become examples to others was their “work of faith.”

Before we go any further I want to explain some of the grammatical structure here that also applies to the other two phrases that follow.

Language scholars tell us that the prepositional phrases, “of faith” “of love” and “of hope,” are all known as genitives of description in Greek grammar. So what Paul is actually referring to is “faith that is working,” “love that is laboring,” and “hope that is enduring.”

He is not describing faith that is worked up by human effort, or love that is a chore to live out, etc.

No, Paul is affirming that their faith is working or active, and it has become known throughout the region as a model for others to follow.

This is a point that I have tried to stress at various times in my preaching. I believe that no one can honestly read the Scriptures and conclude that the only thing that is required to be saved is to “believe” a few facts about Jesus.

Genuine faith produces some evidences in our lives that wouldn’t have shown up if there was no faith. Evidence includes things such as obeying God’s Word like Abraham did, or resisting the king’s orders like Daniel and the three Hebrew young men did, etc.

For example, Hebrews 11, is a chapter that is full of examples of people who performed various kinds of works because of their faith. (Abraham moved from Ur to Canaan, Noah built an ark, Abraham offered his son Isaac, Rahab hid the spies, etc.)

I’m amazed at the number of people I meet that would likely be insulted if anyone questioned their Christianity, or their “faith in God.” Yet, their “faith” doesn’t seem to produce any actions that confirms they are really trusting God for salvation.

I remember reading quite some time ago a quote from someone who said, “Many people think their faith is strong enough to get them to heaven, but it apparently isn’t even strong enough to get them to church.” (The pastor we had in Ohio told a story about a family that missed church and the following week they reported to their pastor, “We would have been here last Sunday, Pastor, but we had to go to the circus!”)

James tells us that believing certain facts is not enough; even the devils believe in God and tremble.

Paul told the Ephesians (2:8-10) that we are “saved by grace, through faith… unto good works.”

According to 1 Thess. 1:6, the faith of these Christians in Thessalonica was based on the Word of God that was received in “much affliction” or accompanied by persecution. (I read a little about that in Acts 17.)

It was a faith that had remained true in spite of suffering and tribulation.

See 1 Thessalonians 3:2-7 

I want God to help me and all of us to trust Him so much that it shows up in our words and our actions to the point that others will know about it and the message will spread.

II.   Their Labor of Love

The second area of commendation the Apostle gives to these Christians is their “labor of love,” or their toil and labor that is done with love or characterized by love.

Interestingly, the word used for “labor” here is a different word than the word “work” used with faith. This word has been defined as: to cut, to lash, to beat the bread, to toil.

The same two words used in this verse (work, labor) are used in Rev. 14:13 and a distinction is drawn between kopou (toil) from which the saints rest and erga (works, activities) which follow with them into heaven. So here it is the labor that love prompts, assuming gladly the toil.
(Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament.)

It is possible sometimes to identify work that is just being done out of obligation or duty, while some is clearly done because of the love people have in their hearts.

I forget where I first heard this stated, but someone said, “Love is a verb.”

Many people think of love principally as a feeling that might be described as romantic and idealistic. However, love goes a lot deeper than that.

Genuine love and compassion for someone will lead to labors of love that go far beyond any so-called “warm, fuzzy feelings.”

Ask any mother how many romantic or fuzzy feelings she has when it’s time to clean up after a sick child.

When we truly love someone it shows in the kind of toil we are willing to go through for their benefit.

Even though they were commended for their love, Paul prays for them to abound even more in love. (3:12)

It isn’t really mentioned here in this context, but I imagine that one of the reason their love characterized by toil was such an example to the whole region could be that they were practicing the commands of Jesus Himself, “Love your enemies, do good to those who despitefully use you.”

That isn’t normal human behavior – that is divinely motivated behavior!

III.  Their Patience of Hope

Finally, they were commended because of their “patience of hope.”

Their patience was a courageous endurance that was exhibited in the face of obstacles, trials, and persecution.

It was an endurance that was characterized by hope.

One author wrote that the phrase “in our Lord Jesus Christ,” was a descriptive phrase that applied to all three of these areas – faith, love and hope.

In other words, their faith was founded in “our Lord Jesus Christ;” their love was founded in “our Lord Jesus Christ;” and their hope was as well.

While I agree that this view makes sense, I’m more inclined to think that this phrase particularly describes their hope.

I think we all agree that faith and love cannot have genuine meaning apart from Jesus Christ, but it is especially true about our hope.

“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.”

“On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

Conclusion:

I want to close by quoting one author that I believe summarizes this passage very well.

(Lenski New Testament Commentary) The faith is manifested in work: in confessing its trust in the Lord in a thousand ways. As one looks at all this work, the faith that is back of it is seen. This is not self-chosen work but the work that the Lord wants and that the Father approves. It is work full of toil, and this toil reveals the love that prompts it, love for the Lord, love and toil that he inspires and that please the Father. Hope looks forward to the last great day and to eternity. It is full of perseverance, remaining under any load the Lord imposes, ever looking with brave endurance to the day of fulfillment promised by the Lord, always holding out as in the Father's presence. 

As we think about the example and role model that was provided by the Christians in Thessalonica, I trust that the Lord will inspire our hearts to seek to be true examples of faith, love and hope in our society and our realm of influence.

We often talk about how desperately the church needs revival.

Sometimes I think when we talk about revival, we have some romantic idea of God’s Spirit sweeping us off our feet in spiritual ecstasy that lifts us above all our troubles.

After reading this passage, I’m a little more inclined to think that it might have more to do with God’s Spirit igniting a holy fire in our hearts that produces a faith that is demonstrated by works that glorify God; and produces a love that is expressed by toil and labor in God’s kingdom, even labor directed to our enemies; and produces a hope that never gives up because it is rooted in the life and promises of Jesus Christ, Who said He is coming back again someday to receive and reward those who are faithful.

I think we all can agree that the church certainly needs that kind of revival.

Let us close our time of worship by singing: Revive Us Again

SUPER MOM

This is a sermon that was given for Mother's Day 2015.

Introduction:

Before I begin my sermon today, I want to share some general thoughts about mothers that I have collected from various sources. Some are humorous, and others are just observations or insights offered by various authors.

Mother’s Day Thoughts and Quotes

• The advice your children rejected is now being given by them to your grandchildren.
• Working mothers are guinea pigs in a scientific experiment to show that sleep is not necessary to human life.
• Parents often talk about the younger generations as if they didn't have anything to do with it.

When your mother asks, "Do you want a piece of advice?" it is a mere formality. It doesn't matter if you answer yes or no. You're going to get it anyway.  – Erma Bombeck

Neurotics build castles in the air, psychotics live in them. My mother cleans them.  – Rita Rudner

Any mother could perform the jobs of several air traffic controllers with ease.  – Lisa Alther

Everybody wants to save the earth; nobody wants to help Mom do the dishes. - P. J. O'Rourke

If you feel tense and end up with a headache, follow all the instructions on the bottle of aspirin: Take two tablets and keep away from children. http://www.funny-jokes-quotes-sayings.com/mothers-day-jokes.html

More serious note….   No gift to your mother can ever equal her gift to you—life. (Abraham Lincoln, Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World.)

Let your home be your parish, your little brood your congregation, your living room a sanctuary, and your knee a sacred altar. (Billy Graham - Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World.)

The title I have chosen for my message today is “Super Mom.”

I’m sure that most of us already have some visual idea in our minds about what that title must mean. The concept of “Supermom” in today’s world is usually meant to describe the woman that “does it all.”

She pursues her career in the work world, nurtures and trains her children and maintains a home; juggling all her responsibilities beautifully and accomplishing wonderful success in all areas.

Well, I want to take a different view this morning, and use two or three different texts from the Bible to tell you what I think a “Supermom” is.

First of all, for those who are familiar enough with the Proverbs, our minds probably go immediately to Prov. 31 and think that “Supermom” is the woman that is described in all those verses there. (See vv. 10-31)

Certainly these verses describe an unusually great woman, but most of us probably know few women who fit all the qualities that are listed in these verses.

For today, I want to propose that there are a lot of great “supermoms” even if they do not match all of the qualities listed here.

I think that there are two main qualities that make a “Super Mom.”

1.  The first one is found in Prov. 31.

Proverbs 31:28 (NKJV) Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her:

In my mind, a mother can be considered a “super mom” when, after she has raised her children, they “stand up and bless her.”

The word “bless” used in this verse is a word that can include the idea of “being envied with desire.” It also includes the idea of congratulations, more so than a “benediction.”

It is a word that is only used by humans for humans. There is a completely different word for “bless” when it pertains to God’s blessing upon man, or man “blessing” God.

We all understand, I think, that when a mother is in the process of raising her children, there may be times especially during the teenage years when the children don’t exactly stand up and bless her!

But often when the kids grow up and start raising children of their own, they gain a whole new perspective.

There is a reading called, “My Mean Mom” that has been around for many years. I remember reading it when I was a teen! It helps describe the difference between how our moms are perceived when we’re young versus when we get older and have kids of our own.

Was your Mom mean? I know mine was. We had the meanest mother in the whole world! While other kids ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, eggs, and toast. When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches. And you can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was different from what other kids had, too.

Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were convicts in a prison. She had to know who our friends were, and what we were doing with them. She insisted that if we said we would be gone for an hour, we would be gone for an hour or less...

We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve to break the Child Labor Laws by making us work. We had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, empty the trash, and all sorts of cruel jobs. I think she would lie awake at night thinking of more things for us to do.

She always insisted on us telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. By the time we were teenagers, she could read our minds and had eyes in the back of her head. Then, life was really tough!

Mother wouldn't let our friends just honk the horn when they drove up. They had to come up to the door so she could meet them. While everyone else could date when they were 12 or 13, we had to wait until we were 16.

Because of our mother, we missed out on lots of things other kids experienced. None of us have ever been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other's property, or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her fault!

Now that we have left home, we are all educated, honest adults. We are doing our best to be mean parents just like Mom was.

I think that is what's wrong with the world today. It just doesn't have enough mean moms!

I believe a true “super mom” is one whose children look back at all she invested in their lives and they rise up and bless her; congratulate her; and long to be like her.

2.  There is a second quality referred to in the Bible that I believe helps define a “super mom.”
 

2 Timothy 1:5 (NKJV) when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.

2 Timothy 3:14-15 (NKJV) But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵  and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

I’ve referred to this passage a few times in the past, but I often think of it as an example of what is vitally important in the rearing of children.

Paul affirms that Timothy gained a knowledge of the Holy Scriptures from his childhood days, which can only mean that one or both of his parents taught them to him.

He also asserts that the genuine faith within Timothy’s heart was found first of all in his mother and grandmother. There is a clear indication that they successfully passed on to Timothy a love for God and a commitment to serve God.

There are a myriad of lessons that a child needs to learn when he/she is growing up and parents (especially moms) have the task of teaching those lessons until they are permanently instilled in the minds and hearts.

But the most important lesson of all is the lesson of faith that is founded and formulated through a diligent teaching of the Scriptures. Any child that grows up with a knowledge of the Bible accompanied with a love for God, in my opinion, has a “super mom” for a mother.

Mothers, if your children are still young and living at home, there is no greater gift you can pass on to them than a knowledge of God’s Word and a desire to practice its principles in everyday life. If your children are already grown, then you can practice your “super mom” skills on your grandchildren and great grandchildren!

As I finish today I want to read to you a short essay that one of our sons wrote about his mother a number of years ago.

Conclusion:

We’re going to close the service today by providing a small gift to all of the mothers that are present.

 

Out of the Pit

This is a sermon based on the passage below from Ps. 40 and it emphasizes the deliverance the author experienced through God's intervention, which provides an analogy for our spiritual deliverance from sin.  

Psalm 40:1-3 (NKJV)
¹  I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. ²  He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. ³  He has put a new song in my mouth-- Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the LORD.

Introduction:

Have you ever experienced physical, emotional, or spiritual circumstances that you could only describe as devastating and overwhelming? If you are alive and breathing, I think you could probably answer “yes” to that question.

We have all probably experienced circumstances that seemed devastating to us. Perhaps our situation was not as bad as another person’s, but to us it was almost more than we could bear.

Our scripture today represents a similar circumstance in the life of King David.

Transition:

In the Psalm we are considering today we have a report of King David’s rescue from devastating circumstances and his subsequent testimony of God’s deliverance and divine qualities.

As we look at this Psalm I want to emphasize David’s plight; David’s prayer; and God’s response and David’s witness.

I.              David’s Plight

He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.

“pit” – grave, pit, or cistern

“horrible” – (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament.) Basically, the word depicts the noise caused by a great crowd of people. It is the loud rumbling, crashing din of a huge crowd…. A more vivid usage of the word is found in passages where the noise of the crowd is compared to the rushing, roaring, tumultuous noise of the sea of many waters (Isaiah 17:12-13; Jeremiah 51:55; Psalm 65:8; cf. IQH2:27)…. A most difficult passage is found in Psalm 40:3. The "horrible pit" …This could be a pit of rushing waters signifying danger in general or referring to the waters of the underworld. It could be simply "a pit of devastation or destruction."

“miry clay” – (Keil and Delitzsch Commentary) Another figure is "mire of the marsh" ... i.e., water, in the miry bottom of which one can find no firm footing….

These poetic pictures describe the Psalmist in circumstances that are overwhelmingly devastating.

What was going on? Don’t know for sure. I couldn’t find definite opinion about what time of David’s life this may have been referring to. Could clearly apply to days he was fleeing from Saul; fleeing from Absalom; or other enemies of the kingdom.

Could clearly apply spiritually to his sins, especially his adultery with Bathsheba. (See v. 12; 38:4; 39:8)

Ps. 40:12 (NKJV) For innumerable evils have surrounded me; My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; They are more than the hairs of my head; Therefore my heart fails me.

Ps. 38:4 (NKJV) For my iniquities have gone over my head; Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.

Ps. 39:8 (NKJV) Deliver me from all my transgressions; Do not make me the reproach of the foolish. 

I’m certain that many of us here today have been in situations that resemble the horrible pit and miry clay that David describes. Perhaps you’re still feeling like you’re in that situation now.

I want to think of it particularly in the spiritual sense. I don’t believe a person can ever discover genuine deliverance from sin until they come to perceive their sins and transgressions as “a horrible pit;” or “pit of destruction.”

It’s not hard to get some people to see themselves in that light because they are enslaved with terrible habits and addictions. Others, however, are so self-righteous that they don’t truly grasp the seriousness of their condition.

II.        David’s Prayer

As we consider David’s prayer, I want to mention that most scholars believe Ps. 40 is a direct follow-up to the two previous psalms.

There are prayers for deliverance in both Ps. 38 & Ps. 39

Ps. 38:21-22 (NKJV) Do not forsake me, O LORD; O my God, be not far from me! ²² Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!

Ps. 39:12-13 (NKJV) "Hear my prayer, O LORD, And give ear to my cry; Do not be silent at my tears; For I am a stranger with You, A sojourner, as all my fathers were. ¹³ Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength, Before I go away and am no more."

Now, in Ps. 40, David describes his prayer as:

“I waited patiently” – This literally reads, “waiting, I waited.”

I don’t know if this grammatically emphasizes the idea of calm patience or not, but it certainly emphasizes the thought of determination, persistence and hope.

David didn’t give up believing and trusting that God was the answer to his dilemma and God would eventually bring him out or through his plight.

If you happen to be struggling now, don’t give up trusting in God’s power and ability to deliver you.

III.  God’s Response

I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. ²  He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. ³  He has put a new song in my mouth-- Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the LORD.

There are several words that David uses to describe the response he received from the Lord.

·     God listened to his cry

·     God delivered from the pit

·     God imparted a new song

►   Others who sang new songs:

Moses, Miriam, and the children of Israel - after the miracle at the Red Sea (Exodus 15:1ff)

Hannah after the birth of Samuel (1 Samuel 2:1ff)

Mary after her visit with Elizabeth (Luke 1:46-55)

When God delivers us, He gives us a new song too!

IV.   David’s Witness

There are many other great truths that could be emphasized throughout this Psalm, but I want to finish up with a brief look at David’s witness.

Ps. 40:9-10 (NKJV) ⁹ I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness In the great assembly; Indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O LORD, You Yourself know. ¹⁰ I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth From the great assembly.

In these two verses, David declares two things he has done (red font) and three things he has NOT done (blue font).

When God does such a miraculous work in our lives by delivering us from the pit of sin or any other pit we’ve been in, we need to spread the word to everyone we can!

Conclusion:

I know that many of you here today have been delivered from horrible, destructive and devastating situations in your life.

Most of you have been delivered from the horrible pit of sin.

If you’re still in the mire and sloppy muck of sin, God is able to bring you out too!

Let us close the service by singing:

He Brought Me Out (Red Hymnal # 286)