AN EVANGELISTIC CHURCH

“Great things are done by the Holy Spirit when a whole church is aroused to sacred energy: then there are hundreds of testimonies instead of one, and these strengthen each other; then advocates for Christ succeed each other and work into each other's hands, while supplication ascends to heaven with the force of united importunity; thus sinners are encompassed with a cordon of earnest entreaties, and heaven itself is called into the field. It would seem hard in some congregations for a sinner to be saved, for whatever good he may receive from the pulpit its frozen out of him by the arctic atmosphere with which he is surrounded: and on the other hand some churches make it hard for men to remain unconverted, for with holy zeal they persecute the careless into anxiety. It should be our ambition, in the power of the Holy Ghost, to work the entire church into a fine missionary condition, to make it like a Leyden jar charged to the full with divine electricity, so that whatever comes into contact with it shall feel its power. What can one man do alone? What can he not do with an army of enthusiasts around him? Contemplate at the outset the possibility of having a church of soul-winners. Do not succumb to the usual idea that we can only gather a few useful workers, and that the rest of the community must inevitably be a dead weight: it may possibly so happen, but do not set out with that notion or it will be verified. The usual need not be the universal; better things are possible than anything yet attained; set your aim high and spare no effort to reach it.. Labor to gather a church alive for Jesus, every member energetic to the full, and the whole in incessant activity for the salvation of men. To this end there must be the best of preaching to feed the host into strength, continual prayer to bring down the power from on high, and the most heroic example on your own part to fire their zeal: then under the divine blessing a common-sense management of the entire force cannot fail to produce the most desirable issues. Who among you can grasp this idea and embody it in actual fact?” (Lectures to My Students, Charles Spurgeon, pp. 346-347, Kindle Version).

THE DUTY OF DISCIPLINE

 

As concerning church discipline, when all is said and done, there is often more said than done. We may be hearers of the Word, but not doers of the Word—and that is self-deception. Too often we use grace as a license to tolerate the intolerable. That is what had occurred in the Corinthian church as we hear Paul forcefully confronting a matter of egregious promiscuity in 1 Corinthians 5. 

Paul underscores the duty of THE ASSEMBLY, “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit,” (v. 4a). The saints assemble in the name of the Lord to proclaim the glory of His name. All that occurs in that assembly is to honor Him. If we tolerate that which He would never endorse, then we defame His name. Notice that Paul calls on the church to take action. He does not act on his own, nor tell the pastor to excommunicate the unrepentant member. The sin was public and so the correction was to be public also. 

Church discipline does not begin here. There is a process as our Lord declared in Matt. 18:15-20. But if one on one confrontation does not bring repentance, then there must be two or three to communicate the seriousness of the sin, and should that fail it is the duty of the assembly to demand repentance, or else the member is to be removed.

This action rests in THE AUTHORITY, “with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (v. 4b).  When the church assembles, the Living Lord Jesus Christ is present with the congregation. It is not human authority, but heavenly authority that is foundational to such a grave action. In Revelation, we see Jesus walking among His churches, (cf. Rev. 1-3), and over and over He calls out to them, “Repent, or else!”  

The church is not the pastor’s church.  It is not the people’s church. It is the Lord’s church—and He carries absolute authority. So, the body of Christ can act with authority in directing and disciplining the membership as those who are under His authority. The body cannot be healthy unless its immune system defends against the infection of iniquity. Failure to do so brings the eventual death of that congregation.

The seriousness of church discipline is seen in THE ACTIVITY, “deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus,” (v. 5‬‬). When a member is excommunicated from the body, they are moved from the church’s spiritual protection and thrust into the domain of Satan. They will suffer physically in order to be saved spiritually. 

The activity of discipline is not ultimately punitive, but restorative. The church’s responsibility is not ended when the wayward member is removed. Through intercession and compassion, they may be led back to the fold as they confess their sin. The act of discipline reveals whether they are a straying saint or a stubborn sinner—the difference seen in Peter’s repentance after denying Jesus and Judas’ recalcitrance after betraying Jesus.

THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD

 

We are to be a living church in a dying world. This is because we have a Living God and we are His church, and this dying world needs to hear the offer of eternal life we have to proclaim.

He shares THE OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH, (v. 1-13). There are two primary officers—overseers and deacons. 

The Apostle begins with the qualifications of the overseers, (v. 1-7). These are the shepherds of the flock. We are speaking of the elders or pastors, as we often call them.  An overseer watches over the church as the name suggests. He is a sentry to safeguard the people from the enemies of their souls. 

There are imperatives for such a leader. The words, “must,” and, “must not,” are used four times. These traits are not negotiable. There are some nineteen qualities listed. Most of these have to do with character instead of competence. It is not that competence is not to be sought in a pastor, but that a lack of character is a fatal flaw. 

The call to pastor begins with aspiration. “If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task,” (v. 1). God puts a compulsion in the heart of those He calls. We aspire to it because God inspires it. 

This would lead to the church’s affirmation, as they investigate the candidate as to his qualifications. He is to be “above reproach.”  His life is free from glaring moral flaws. He is a model of godliness. He is, “the husband of one wife,” that is “a one woman man,” as the Greek word means. If married, he is faithful to his wife. His marriage is marked by fidelity. He is “sober-minded,” being serious about spiritual matters. He thinks straight. Further, he is “self-controlled,” with the Holy Spirit and not carnal passions directing his actions. There is restraint in his lifestyle and on his lips. He is “respectable,” with a solid testimony among men. This pastor will be “hospitable.”  He opens his home as a mission station for the sinners, a discipleship classroom for the saved, and a counseling chamber for the struggling. The open door to his house is from an open heart and open arms of love. He is “able to teach.”  He is a capable communicator of God’s Word. If a man cannot preach and teach, then he will not likely succeed in his ministry.  The pastor cannot be “a drunkard.”  Alcohol makes you see double and think half—neither of which is a good trait for the preacher. This man must not be “violent but gentle.” He is not pugilistic. Rather he is gentle like Jesus. The pastor is not “quarrelsome.”  He is not out to win an argument, but to win souls. “Not a lover of money,” demands that greed not drive the man of God. He will effectively lead his family that he may fruitfully lead the church family, (v. 4-5). There is a level of spiritual maturity he has reached, (v. 6) and his reputation in the world attests to his credibility, (v. 7). 

Then, Paul presents the qualifications of the deacons, (v. 8-13). These are the servants of the fellowship. These who serve alongside the man of God free him to pursue his ministry to the full. 

The word, “likewise,” in verse 8 connects with the prior verses concerning pastors. The deacon.s role and responsibilities differ from the pastor, but the character qualities are just as essential, (v. 8). They must safeguard the church from false teaching and shore up the members’ faith. They understand “the mystery of the faith,” (v. 9). They become watchdogs to assure that sound doctrine is taught. Unlike the pastor, they are not required to teach (though they may, if gifted) but must make sure that any teaching done is Biblical.  These men are also to be examined as to their character which is to be “blameless,” (v. 10).  

The character of their wives is mentioned, should the deacon happen to be married, (v. 11). A deacon’s wife is a vital partner with him in ministry. She will either be the wind in his sails or the anchor to his ship—for good or bad, she will have an impact. Thus, her character is to be examined as well. The deacon’s family is to be exemplary, (v. 12). 

Stress is placed on them serving well, (v. 13). The very name, “deacon,” (lit. “through the dust,” showing them kicking up dust as they are busy serving) and their origin in Acts 6 shows that this is their primary role. Deacons are not meant to be a board of directors overseeing policy, but servants of the church offering ministry. The rewards are recognition of their faithfulness by the church here and eternal reward for their service by the Lord hereafter!  I thank God for the memory of so many good deacons who served alongside me as I pastored churches. Their support made such a difference as they prayed for me and partnered with me!

Then, Paul speaks to THE ORDER OF THE CHURCH, (v. 14-16). God has a proper order for His church and we are to “know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth,” (v. 15).  This is why Paul wrote the letter, (v. 14). This verse is the key to understanding his purpose in writing Timothy. The young pastor needed this guidance so he could lead the church properly. 

Church is a big deal!  The church belongs to the living God, to whom we will give account for our ministry someday. The church is the repository of truth, (v. 15). We are the means of proclaiming the Gospel, (v 16). 

We explain the “mystery of godliness,” in the majesty of Jesus. 

There is His incarnation in that, “He was manifested in the flesh.”  Jesus is fully God and fully man—what a mystery of godliness!  

There was His attestation. He was “vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels,” as testimony was given by the Spirit who descended as a Dove on Him at the baptism that launched His ministry and the angels that testified of Him at the conclusion of His ministry at the time of His resurrection and ascension. What a mystery of godliness!

Now, we are given to His proclamation, “proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world.”  That Gospel went throughout the Roman world in Paul’s day and is still the church’s assignment to declare this mystery of godliness!

Ultimately, there is promised His exaltation, “taken up in glory.”  He ascended in clouds of glory, where He abides in glory interceding for us, someday to return in power and glory to reign forever and ever. We will be filled with awe and wonder at the mystery or godliness while the ages roll on!

WHEN A LITTLE MEANS A LOT

 “Little is much when God is in it.”  That was a line from a Gospel song they used to sing in the small church I attended as a lad.  It is the truth we observe in Acts 23:11-22.

But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.” And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. Now there were more than forty who had formed this conspiracy. They came to the chief priests and elders, and said, “We have bound ourselves under a great oath that we will eat nothing until we have killed Paul. Now you, therefore, together with the council, suggest to the commander that he be brought down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to make further inquiries concerning him; but we are ready to kill him before he comes near.” So when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their ambush, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him.” So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to say to you.” Then the commander took him by the hand, went aside, and asked privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?” And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more fully about him. But do not yield to them, for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, men who have bound themselves by an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you.” So the commander let the young man depart, and commanded him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.” (Acts‬ ‭23‬:‭11‬-‭22‬ ‭NKJV‬‬, emphasis added)

Here is when a little meant a lot.

There was A NAMELESS PERSON, “Paul’s sister’s son,” (v. 16a). We know he was Paul’s nephew, but we do not even know his name. Yet, God would use this lad in a large way. The Apostle’s ministry would have been terminated and his impact truncated had it not been for this nameless person. 

There are preachers’ names we know. Like Paul, their impact is huge. But, for all of those, there are many whose names will never make headlines. Maybe you feel that way. But, God knows your name. He has written it down in His Book. One of the strangest things is that the Lord may summon you to the front of the crowd to receive your crown in that eternal day! 

I love Hebrews 11–“Faith’s Hall of Fame.”  Household names like Noah, Abraham, and Moses are prominent. Then, there is this encouraging word:

Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. (Heb.‬ ‭11‬:‭35‬b-‭40‬‬)

“Others,” not even named; no miracles noted. Yet, God sets them up as a shining standard of faith and summons us to join their ranks.  The fulfillment of the promise of God’s ultimate triumph requires both the heroes and the zeroes. We fit in there somewhere!

There was AN OBSCURE PLACE, “Paul’s sister’s son heard of their ambush,” (v. 16b). Where was he when he heard?  The location is as unknown as the young man’s name. But, he was in the most strategic spot for a service that was spiritually significant.

So, we may labor for the Lord in obscure places. We serve a small church back in the holler. It may be a name associated with a little creek or a grove of trees. There are prime places in large cities with prominent pulpits. Where we serve, maybe not so much. We walk outside on the porch in front of the small country church and do not hear cars going by, but the sound of the creek flowing along. There are more birds singing in the trees than people singing in the congregation. Far from having a worldwide broadcast, we are so deep in the woods we don’t even have the internet.

Take comfort in the fact that though the denominational executives do not know where you are, God does. We may discover on the Judgment Day that a mini-church had a mega-impact. It may be that a young farm boy will get saved in that little chapel, and grow up to be called into ministry.  That man’s service might then have a worldwide impact!  It happens. But, it would not happen without that “Little Brown Church in the Wildwood,” as the song goes.

I will never forget one of my mentors, Dale Fisher, telling me as a 21 year old called to Gospel ministry, “God knows where you are and He can get you where He wants you to be.”  So, I have served Cane River, Oak Grove, Centerview, Sugarfork, and Pole Creek. None of those are household names in the church world. But, I was where God wanted me, and that is good enough. Someone needs to pastor, “Suck Creek Baptist Church,” (yes, that is a real place).  

Here is the crucial part: there was A DIVINE PROVIDENCE, “he went and entered the barracks and told Paul,” (v. 16c). The Sovereign God was directing a nameless person to an obscure place to the fulfillment of His Divine providence. 

The Lord Jesus had the night before showed up in Paul’s prison cell and made a promise, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome,” (v. 11). 

Satan sought to stop that mission. He moved the conspirators to plot Paul’s assassination. Yet, the Lord’s purposes cannot be thwarted. This instead set a series of events in motion that instead of stopping Paul from reaching Rome, brought him there. The Devil did not halt the Gospel, but instead took the Apostle to a worldwide platform!

Man of God, you are in the Lord’s hands. His providence will lift you up and bear you along to places you did not anticipate. I would have never thought it possible that an unknown young preacher speaking to a small group of about 60 (on a good day) of mostly senior citizens would one day regularly preach to 400 on Sunday morning in a place called Pole Creek, located between Milk Sick Cove and Hookers Gap, not quite to Jugtown. When I attended Fruitland as a young ministerial student, I would have laughed had you told me I would someday be a professor at Fruitland Baptist Bible College. After seeking counsel from our Missions Director as I faced a crisis from conflict in the church where a bunch were trying to fire me, I would not have believed that I would one day be in that position dispensing counsel to other pastors. Sitting in the back of an NC Baptist Convention Meeting, where no one knew my name, it would have been the most unlikely scenario that I would one day be on the platform, giving the report as Chairman of the Nominating Committee, and also nominating the man who would ultimately. become President of the Convention.

I never tried to climb the ladder. I just tried to be faithful where I was. Give the Lord the five loaves and two fish and he can multiply them miraculously. Pass on the news you overheard and the Lord can use that to make an enormous difference and save a preacher. He knows your name. He knows where you serve. His providence will direct you. In heaven, you will discover:

In the harvest field now ripened
There’s a work for all to do;
Hark! the Master’s voice is calling,
To the harvest calling you.

        Refrain:

        Little is much when God is in it!
Labor not for wealth or fame;
There’s a crown, and you can win it,
If you go in Jesus’ name.

        In the mad rush of the broad way,
In the hurry and the strife,
Tell of Jesus’ love and mercy,
Give to them the Word of Life.

        Does the place you’re called to labor
Seem so small and little known?
It is great if God is in it,
And He’ll not forsake His own.

        Are you laid aside from service,
Body worn from toil and care?
You can still be in the battle,
In the sacred place of prayer.

        When the conflict here is ended
And our race on earth is run,
He will say, if we are faithful,
“Welcome home, My child—well done!”    (Kittie L. Suffield)

(The photo is of Young’s Chapel Baptist Church, where I preached my first revival as a Fruitland student, and the chairman of the pulpit committee from Cane River heard me, leading to my call to serve Cane River in my first pastorate.)

SAYING GOODBYE

Every pastor will come to the end of his tour of duty at the church he serves.  I am currently interim pastor at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, but have already told a them that in four weeks it will be my final Sunday with them in that capacity. Like Paul “we [will] come to the end of those days.”

I recall the first time this happened, on my final night in the first church I pastored—Cane River Baptist Church. I sat in my car—just the Lord and me—and wept my eyes out. It was hard to say goodbye. For three and one half years, I had been with them and come to love them. They were family. These mostly senior saints had taken a young twenty-something and allowed him to “cut his teeth” in ministry. They had been so patient and kind.

Each church brought a similar experience. Saying farewell is tough. Yet, it is a reality. Some men are even forced out. That is a different and and even more difficult departure. But, none of them are easy. 

Yet, sooner or later it will happen. If we are not taken away in a moving van, then we will be removed in a casket—or perhaps the rapture. But the final sermon will be preached by us in that pulpit eventually. 

This precious scene of Paul gathered with these member of his spiritual family, getting ready to board the ship and sail into the unknown, touches us at the deepest level. The Apostle was sailing into a storm of suffering. 

    And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not  knowing the things that will happen to me             there, except that  the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and  tribulations await me.         But none of these things move me; nor  do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race          with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord  Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of         God.” (Acts‬ ‭ 20‬:‭22‬-‭24‬‬)  

May we have the same spirit—coming or going or abiding—pouring out our lives for Christ and His church. Let us run to the finish line and cross with victory. Brush away the tears and rejoice that we have been privileged to be called by God’s grace, sustained by it, and able to testify of it!

THE CONGREGATION OF THE COMMON

 

There were a relative handful of those who held the reins of power and abundance of possessions who followed Jesus. One thinks of Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, and a few women of Herod’s household. Matthew and Zaccheus had been wealthy, but surrendered their status and substance to follow Jesus. There was an occasional ruler of a synagogue and Roman centurion, but that is about it.

The vast majority of those who received Christ’s words were common people. The peasant Prophet had a receptive audience in the poor, needy, outcasts, and such. Jesus had a message of hope to those who were the dregs in the bottom of society’s cup. The common people not only heard Him, but “heard Him gladly”!

One is reminded of Paul’s words:

“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.”  (I Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭26‬-‭29‬‬)

There is an uncommonly great message for the common people.  

Notice it does not say “not ANY wise…not ANY mighty, not ANY noble,” but “not many,” so we need not abandon all hope of reaching those who are scholars, successful business leaders, and in positions of power. Yet, only a handful of the “upper crust,” will respond to the Gospel. It is a sad reality.

Yet, the preacher need not despair, for he will often have a listening ear among those who are struggling to survive from day to day. In almost a half century of preaching the Gospel my experience attests to this. I have embraced it and seen people lifted from the depths of depravity and despair to the glory of being children of God!

So, stop complaining if this is the makeup of your congregation. Jesus was not “too good” to preach to such a flock, though He was the King of Glory, and only perfect Man. I can be like Jesus in serving the congregation of the common. May I be found preaching in the nursing home, the prison, the homeless shelter, and in the little brown church in the wildwood.  I do not have to speak from an elevated pulpit in a massive cathedral or on a spot-lit stage in a high-tech mega church facility.  If God calls me to such, then it is grace, but wherever—it is for His glory.

Matthew West put it this way in song lyrics:

Why You ever chose me
Has always been a mystery
All my life I've been told I belong at the end of the line
With all the other Not-Quites
With all the Never-Get-It-Rights
But it turns out they're the ones You've been looking for all this time

'Cause I'm just a nobody
Trying to tell everybody
All about Somebody who saved my soul
Ever since You rescued me
You gave my heart a song to sing
I'm living for the world to see
Nobody but Jesus
I'm living for the world to see
Nobody but Jesus

Moses had stage fright
And David brought a rock to a sword fight
You picked 12 outsiders nobody would've chosen
And You changed the world
Well, the moral of the story is
Everybody's got a purpose
So when I hear that devil start talking to me, saying
"Who do you think you are"
I say...

I'm just a nobody
Trying to tell everybody
All about Somebody who saved my soul
Ever since You rescued me
You gave my heart a song to sing
I'm living for the world to see
Nobody but Jesus
I'm living for the world to see
Nobody but Jesus

To this I say, “Soli Deo gloria!”

READY FOR THE WEDDING

 

The church is the Bride of Christ. There is coming a day when the Bridegroom claims His Beloved and we are joined with Him forever!  Until that day, the Bride is to be getting ready.  The wedding garment is “fine linen, clean and bright…the righteous acts of the saints.”

It is the pastor’s task as part of the Bride to prepare himself. It is easier to preach it than to practice it, but sanctification to God and service to Him is paramount, if we are to help lead the church to get ready for Christ’s return. 

In this sense, the pastor has a specific role beyond his own preparation—to help the local congregation dress up with righteous deeds. His practice is to exemplify the standard, and his preaching is to expound the standard.  

How do we do this in our preaching?  That is the thrust of Revelation 19:7-10.

Observe, THE SUBJECT OF PREACHING, “the testimony of Jesus,” twice mentioned here. Our preaching that prepares the church to meet Jesus is rooted first, not in the principles of action, but in the Person of adoration. The why precedes the what.  Wherever we take our text, we are to make a beeline to Jesus. He is the subject of the Scriptures. The more we know Him, the more we love Him, and the more we love Him, the more we serve Him, and the more we serve Him, the more we know Him, and the cycle expands and deepens. 

A Christ-centered message produces a burning heart of devotion.  Recall the Bible lesson the risen Christ gave to two disciples on the Emmaus road, “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” This was the result, “And they said to one another, ‘Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?’” (Luke‬ ‭24:27, 32)‬‬. 

Next, consider THE SPIRIT OF PREACHING, “the spirit of prophecy.”  We can preach with accuracy—and we must—yet also preach with anointing!  Paul put it this way, “who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”  (2 Corinthians‬ ‭3:6‬‬). 

The message of the Old Covenant was one of the letter—commandments of God, engraved, as it were, in stone by the finger of God. There was no problem with the accuracy of the message. The problem was in the people who would not obey it and were thus condemned by it. The message says,”Do this and live,” but we do not, and are sentenced to death. Sadly, this characterizes a lot of preaching that tells people what to do and what not to do (and mostly the latter), yet has no power to equip them and so they leave the sermon with condemnation weighing them down. This breeds hypocrites who are legalists and wear a mask of religion or dropouts who are discouraged and carry the burden of failure. Vance Havner put it this way, “You can be as straight as a gun barrel theologically, but as empty as one spiritually.”

Our ministry is one of the New Covenant. It is one of the Spirit—the Spirit of prophecy—who imparts life. It does not call for reformation that is superficial, but for regeneration that is supernatural!  The Spirit of God calls the elect into real life, as He changes us from the inside out. Our dress is not one of the filthy rags of self-righteousness, but the wedding garment is the beauty of Christ—the righteousness that comes by faith.  This preaching, anointed with the Spirit is one of life and liberty. It yields joy!  The Apostle Paul confronted legalism in Romans 14, “For the kingdom of God is…righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,” (v.17).  Four times, “Alleluia” rings out in Revelation 19. The shout of praise will accompany the Spirit of prophecy!

In conclusion, note THE SWORD OF PREACHING, It is said of Jesus, “out of His mouth goes a sharp sword,” (Rev.19:15a). When Paul uses this analogy, he says we are to wield this “sword of the Spirit which is the word of God,” (Eph.6:17b).

When Jesus is the focus of our preaching and the Spirit gives the force to our preaching, then change will be the fruit of our preaching. Someone may ask the pastor in a Monday morning ministers’ meeting, “Was there any response to your preaching yesterday?”  The faithful messenger may say, “Yes!  100%!  Some responded in repentance and some in rebellion. Some said yes to God and left better, but some said no and left worse.”  This is the two-edged sword of the Word of God. We see the element of judgment here when Christ returns (Rev.19:11-21).

This is the promise, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”  (Isa.‭55:11‬‬). There are those who sit under our preaching whose hearts will be tender and they will respond in obedience and become even more sensitive to truth. Others will have hearts that are toughened and they will respond in callousness, exiting even more dull toward truth.  

The preaching of the Word will separate the wheat from the chaff.  In the end, those who are truly the Bride will be dressed in white, yet others: “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” (Matt.22:11-13‬‬).

THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH

Who runs the church?  Is it a pastor, or maybe the elders, or perhaps the deacons, or some combination—who is in charge?

It better be Jesus!  He is “the head of His body, the church.”  Now, many local congregations may not behave accordingly, but in so doing they are in rebellion against God!

There would be no church without Him. His resurrection as “the firstborn from the dead,” birthed the church in His atoning work through the crucifixion and resurrection. Now, He claims absolute authority, “that in everything he might be preeminent.”

I heard the story of an old African chieftain.  He sat before his hut, bent over, weariness on his face, skin wrinkled from advanced age.  One of the strong young warriors came up to him and challenged him, “It is time for you to step aside. We need a man of strength to lead  this tribe. What gives you the right to rule over us?”  The elderly man answered, “There was a time you do not remember, for your father was a child. A lion came into the village. He would have killed many, including your father. I thrust my arms into the lion’s mouth, broke his jaws, and killed it with my bare hands. Then raising himself up, his voice resounding with authority, he lifted his arms to reveal many scars from battling the beast, and said, “By my wounds I demand the right to rule over you!”

So, Jesus lifts His hands, shows the scars from His battle on Calvary, and says, “By my wounds I demand the right to rule over you!”  Surely as a preacher, and as a church of the Lord Jesus Christ, we will submit to Him who saved us by His sacrifice!

CHURCH ADMINISTRATION: ITS MANNER AND METHOD

Church administration is not exciting to talk about, but it is essential to the task of ministry. Here is a word about the manner and method of organizing for effective service from Stephen Olford:

“Let all things be done decently and in order.”– 1 Corinthians 14:40 

The literal translation of this verse is “Let all things be done becomingly and according to arrangement.” What an exhortation to all who seek to run or organize the concerns of God!

 First, all things must be done as “becoming” the Lord, worthy of the Lord, and His glory. How careful one ought to be then to see that nothing in any way casts dishonor on what is done for Him.

 Second, “according to arrangement” does away with all the well-worn ideas about no pre-arranged plans necessary. The teaching here is clear that order and arrangement must characterize all that is done for God.

 In my life and ministry, Lord, let all things be done “decently and in order.”

Olford, Stephen F.. According to Your Word (p. 147). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. 

FOR THE SAKE OF THE CHURCH

“I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1:24-29‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The church will not rise above the level of commitment expressed by her leaders.  Paul was passionate and productive, “for the sake of His body, which is the church” (Col.1:24).  I want to challenge every leader—myself included—to elevate their effort for the sake of Christ’s body, the church.  I want to challenge those who are not in positions of leadership to pray for and encourage those who are—and to consider getting busy yourself!

There are several imperatives for us to follow in Colossians 1:24-29.

1. SUFFERING FOR THE CAUSE (v.24)   Why did Paul joyfully suffer?  It was for the cause of Christ; for “you,” he says—meaning the church.  We are familiar with the physical fitness mantra, “No pain; no gain.”  That is true spiritually, as well.  Every leader God uses has been forged in the fire of difficulty.  This wasn’t theoretical to Paul.  Note the word, “now,” and be reminded that as he was writing it was from a prison.  He was suffering in jail—his only crime being faithfulness to Christ.  But, he rejoiced!

2. STEWARDSHIP OF THE CAUSE (v.25-27)   Mark the word, “stewardship.”  It’s about more than money.  Paul was called to be a “minister.”  That word has to do with service.  Each of us has a work to do for God.  A steward was a household manager who took care of his master’s assets.  That’s what we do in the House of God.  Paul was a minister of the Word—a mystery he was unveiling.  The Apostle was part of a great movement to spread the Gospel around the world.

3. SUCCESS IN THE CAUSE (v.28)   Paul was a man of focus!  Benjamin Disraeli said, “The secret of success is constancy of purpose.”  D.L. Moody stated, “Give me a man that says, ‘This one thing I do,’ not ‘these fifty things I dabble in.’”  Paul had a laser-like intensity in his mission—to proclaim Jesus!  This is the church’s mission and is to be the leaders’ passion.  We cannot allow anything to distract us.

4. STRENGTH FOR THE CAUSE (v.29) Spiritual responsibilities demand supernatural resources. We are not smart enough to lead the church properly. We are not strong enough to lead the church productively. God wants to work in us and through us. This work is the work of God and He alone can do it, but remember this lesson I heard from John Maxwell years ago, “Apart from God, we cannot, and apart from us, God will not.”

MAKING A DIFFERENCE BY BEING DIFFERENT: The Church Confronting the Culture or Compromising with It

“Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”  (1 Corinthians 1:1-3)

When Jesus described what His Kingdom people were to be, He used the metaphors of salt and light—both of which have a disproportionate impact on their environment due to their distinctive qualities.  A little salt can season a lot, and a small light can illumine a room.  There is no question we live in a society that is rotting and needs the preservative nature of salt, and that we are in a time of spiritual darkness which desperately calls for the light of the Gospel.  That is our assignment as a church.  It is the duty of church leadership to direct the church to fulfill that holy calling.

Paul understood this.  That is why we find him writing the church at Corinth.  Three times in the first three verses, he mentions our call—that we are sanctified, set apart—for a sacred responsibility. The church will never be the church until she is confronted with her calling, and that is the calling of the preacher.  I do not do what I do because of a vocational choice I made, but because of the will of God thrust upon me.  I am not an apostle, but when I speak their words I am communicating with apostolic authority.

The church at Corinth was facing a daunting task.  They were to grow and bear fruit in a hostile environment.  It would be far easier to cave to the pressure to compromise with the pagans around them, than to convert them to faith.  It might even seem reasonable to “adapt” the message to better suit the culture with a view of reaching the culture.  Yet, the reality is that the church is always most effective when it is being different and thus making a difference.

The good news is that the seeming impossibility of the assignment is made possible by the supernatural resources God gives: grace and peace.  They are always in that sequence.  You can’t have peace with God until you experience the grace of God.  Grace means that God gives us all the tools to do what He wants in this world.  There is a peace in knowing I don’t have to accomplish anything on my own.  The God who called me will equip me!

PENTECOST: THE BIRTHRIGHT OF BLESSING

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.  (Acts 2:1-4)

Pentecost marked the birth of the church.  Should it not also be seen as establishing God’s blessing as the church’s birthright, as well?  We might debate how many of the supernatural signs of that original event are meant to be replicated today.  There are those who insist on ecstatic utterance as a valid gift still.  Do we then demand a rushing mighty wind and tongues of fire over our heads also?  My purpose, however, is not to degenerate into a debate on those matters, but to focus on where we all ought to agree—that it is certain that there are elements of the first century Pentecost that every pastor should seek for the church in the twenty first century.  I am not a Pentecostal in terms of denomination, but I ought to be in terms of dynamic!

The church’s birthright today, as then, is one of PENTECOSTAL PRAYER (v.1).  This is where the blessing began.  They didn’t work something up with a program, but they called something down in prayer.  Until the church recovers fervency and faithfulness in our prayer meetings, we will never see the blessing God desires for us.

The church’s birthright also includes PENTECOSTAL POWER (v.2-13).  We have come to a time Paul warned us about when churches have, “a form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Tim.3:5a).  Old evangelist Vance Havner used to say, “You can be straight as a gun-barrel theologically, and empty as one spiritually.”  While we dare not abandon doctrinal purity, we must insist on divine power to accompany it!

Furthermore, the church’s birthright features PENTECOSTAL PREACHING (v.14-40).  Peter set the pattern that Spurgeon would later imitate, “Wherever I take a text, I make a beeline to the cross.”  Preaching that God honors is that which is founded on the Scripture and focused on the Savior.  There is exposition, application and invitation.

Another aspect of the church’s birthright is PENTECOSTAL PRODUCTIVITY (v.41-45, 47b).  Sinners were evangelized and saints were edified.  The church grew outward in its Gospel witness, grew upward in its glad worship, grew deeper in its grounding in the Word and grew stronger in their unity and support of one another.  Is that how it is at the church you and I lead?

Finally, the church’s birthright leads to PENTECOSTAL PRAISE (v.46-47a).  Joy was pervasive.  Celebration marked their gatherings.  They were swept away in love for Jesus and what He had done for them!  Nobody dreaded going to a gloomy church service, but were drawn to a glad worship expression.

I pray that our churches will experience a taste of Pentecostal wine this Sunday!

BIBLE BLUEPRINT

According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.  For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.  If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.  If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.  (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)

The architect draws up the design—putting into the blueprint the form and function of the building.  We have a blueprint for the church.  Of course, we are not talking about a building of concrete and steel, but a spiritual building of believers in Jesus Christ.

God set the Apostles of the New Testament as the architects, to convey His grand vision of what the church is to be.  Paul takes this title of architect (we get our English word from the Greek architekton) used here in the third chapter of First Corinthians translated “master builder.”  Now, we who lead local churches might be thought of as contractors who are called to carry out the plan.  The Bible is our blueprint to follow.

The Foundation of the church is solid—and any local church without this Foundation might be many things, but it is not a church—a civic group, a community activism organization, a social club, maybe, but nothing more.  That Foundation is a Person—Jesus Christ.  The church rests in a personal connection with Jesus, grounded on our faith in Him.

Beyond the Foundation, those who work in the construction, are tasked with using the quality of building materials that will endure the test of time—and eternity.  That is what Paul is stressing here to a Corinthian church that was taking the wondrous Foundation that was meant for a glorious temple and instead they were cobbling together a shack fit only for a shanty town.

The fire of Christ’s judgment will test the quality of the work we have done.  No one is more significant in this construction effort than the local project manager who is entrusted with overseeing the work.  The pastor holds the Bible blueprint in his hand.  The apostolic architects have given us a clear design.  That Day of accounting is drawing near.  We have an inescapable deadline for doing our portion of the work and then the inspection that follows cannot be avoided.

This reality should drive us to our knees before an open Bible.  We should pray until the picture is clear—the architect’s design unmistakable and the resources needed to accomplish the task are provided.  The ultimate Resource is a Person—the Holy Spirit.  Thank God we are not left to our own wisdom and ability to do this monumental task!

Dear brother, examine your heart, as I do mine.  Look at the work you are doing.  What do you think the Lord Jesus will say about what we are building on top of His Foundation that was set in place at such a cost—His own blood?

The Inspector is coming.