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“He Is Before All Things”
Colossians 1:15-20 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. Throughout everything he writes, Paul intends to show that Christ is preeminent (Surpassing all others, having a paramount rank) Being first and foremost in everything and that the Christian life should reflect that priority. Putting Jesus first! Now, when it comes to relationships, it’s dangerous to expect one person to meet all your needs. That’s just not going to happen. But what if all of our spiritual needs could be met in One person? Actually…a God-person, Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul was writing to a young church in Colossae that had a lot of confusion over what it meant to follow God. And Paul set the record straight. He said, it’s all about Jesus. The word “Christian” means “little Christ.” If you want to be a Christian, you’re going to follow Jesus Christ. And Paul told these believers--and us today--that Jesus is pre-eminent… that is, Jesus comes first. Colossians chapter 1 mentions six specific characteristics of Christ. First… Jesus is... 1. The image of the invisible God - I can get to know God through Him. Colossians 1:15 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. Paul writes in verse 15, “The Son is the image of the invisible God...” The Greek word here for "image" is "icon." I was raised to think that icons were evil, that they only referred to pictures or statues that people worshipped as idols. Yet, here Jesus is called an icon. An icon is an exact replication, or a perfect copy. Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God. Hebrews 1:3 puts it like this… Hebrews 1:3a (NIV) 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being. And also… John 1:18 (NIV) 18 No one has ever seen God, but the One and only Son, who is Himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made Him known. Here’s what it all means… All the fulness of God dwells in Jesus. Paul was trying to clear up some false doctrine from a group called the “Gnostics.” They used the word “fulness” to refer to a combination of all supernatural influences. But Paul borrowed their own word to elevate Christ above all religious ideas. As one child put it, “Jesus is God with skin on.” The implication is clear, if you want to get to know God, get to know the Jesus of scripture. Read through the gospels. You can easily read through the story of Mark’s gospel in one sitting. See what Jesus cared about, how He looked after the children, the sick, the oppressed, how He talked down to people who claimed to be religious but were really living a lie, how He consistently rooted for the underdog, how He loved everyone. When you see Jesus, you see the heart of God. Jesus is also... 2. The voice of all creation - I can trust any problem to Him. The last part of verse 15 describes Christ as “the Firstborn over all creation.” The word “firstborn” here doesn’t mean that Jesus was created. No, He’s God. That was the first point. God creates, and everything else is creation. Jesus--God in the flesh--is highest over-all. “Firstborn” then referred to a place of honor more than an order of birth. For instance, Jacob was given the status of “firstborn” over his older brother Esau. Here Jesus has the place of honor in ALL creation. Psalm 89:27 Also, I will make Him My firstborn, The highest of the kings of the earth. That’s Jesus…church!!! Moving on… Colossians 1:16 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. The voice at creation is the voice of Jesus. As the Son of God—God, in the flesh--He has always been in coexistence with God. We call His Old Testament pre-birth experiences the pre-incarnate Christ. Pretty crazy to think about, I know. But who do you think that was who walked in the coolness of the day with Adam or Eve? Who was that fourth Person in the fiery furnace with Daniel’s three friends Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego? Here’s the point… If Jesus is over all creation, that means nothing is too big for Him to handle! Nothing. You can trust any problem to Jesus, and He can handle it. All of creation is His… He can handle your relationship problem. He knows your medical condition. He knows what you’re worried about. Trust it to Jesus. And Jesus is, #3... 3. The Source of my existence - I can give my worries to Him… Colossians 1:17 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. Jesus not only spoke the creation into being. He also maintains the universe. He is Creator and Sustainer. He holds it all together. I think of Him as “the source of my existence.” Jesus brings a singular focus to my life. Because He holds all things together, I can give Him my worries. You can too, if you believe! 4. The leader of the church - I can commit The Fil-Am Baptist Mission church to Him. After all this is His church! Colossians 1:18 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. Paul’s favorite allegory for the church is the human body. He uses it several times in scripture. The point here is that Jesus is the brains of the church. He is the head. He is in charge. Now you and I have been in some churches where Jesus is not the head. That’s a sad picture indeed, it’s a sick, dysfunctional church or maybe not a church at all! Since Christ is the head of the church, then I can commit this church to Him. It’s not really my church, or yours… it’s His church. The church is the spiritual body of Christ. We are all different, yet one in and through Christ Jesus, the brains of the operation. As we commit this church to Him, Jesus will bring the growth however He wants. And #5, Jesus is... 5. The standard for eternal life - I can trust Him for life forever. The second half of verse 18 says, “He… the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence”. The Bible calls Jesus the second Adam. The first Adam sinned and led the human race toward destruction. The second Adam lived without sin and led the human race toward redemption. Jesus died a physical death, yet His spirit lived on. God raised Him from the dead and gave Him a resurrection body. He walked around the earth for about 40 days, showing up here and there, recognizable most of the time, sometimes not, eating fish along with the rest, to prove He wasn’t a ghost. Then He departed for heaven, His permanent home. And--get this…Jesus became the first human body to enter heaven. Lots of souls there who will get new bodies later, but Jesus is the first to have a body there now. Lastly, Jesus is... Lastly: 6. The payment for our sins - I can be right with God through Him. (Jesus) Colossians 1:19-20 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. “For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” That is, you and I church!!! God reconciles us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This reconciliation is available to every human being, though only some will accept it. Sadly…many will not! And it was accomplished as Jesus hung on the cross, taking on your punishment and mine. Through Jesus’ blood came forgiveness. Pastor and author Tim Keller says, “Our real problem is that every one of us is building our identity on something besides Jesus.” I hope you see today that Jesus is not just part of our life, He IS our life! Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the very essence of God in the flesh, constant companion and guide, and atonement for our sins. We can be right with God through Him. As we exchange our sins for Jesus’ forgiveness, we enter God’s family.
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When God Hears A Prayer
Luke 18:9-14 9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Today, in our passage in the Bible, Jesus makes a point. He really points to the very crux of our salvation. The more you believe you deserve heaven, the less chance you’re ever going to see it. Because the truth of the matter is, no one deserves heaven. No one deserves salvation. No one deserves a relationship with a holy God who knows no sin. We have all rebelled and fallen short of the glory of God, all of us. The Apostle John reminds us that if we say we have no sin, we’re just lying… 1 John 1:8 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. And how could a holy and righteous God ever tolerate sin in His presence? That’s why we need a Savior, a power outside of ourselves. To show us an answer, Jesus introduces two characters: a Pharisee and a tax collector. A Pharisee in Jesus’ time would be like a famous pastor or seminary professor today: we would look at that person as very holy, very righteous, really smart about the Bible. And the tax collector? A Jewish listener would consider such a person a traitor and a crook. Because Jewish tax collectors collected for the conquering Roman Empire and cushioned their collections against their own countrymen to make more money. Jesus’ story contrasts two different prayer styles, but also two different heart styles. It shows us two things NOT to do and two things TO do. First, in your prayer life... Guard against: 1. Comparisons When it comes to your prayer life, guard against comparing yourself to someone else. Listen to this guy in verse 11: Luke 18:10-11 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayer thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. You can feel this Pharisee looking down his nose at the tax collector standing near him. “God, I’m glad I’m not as bad as that guy. Aren’t you?” It’s like, he thinks God should be grateful that the Pharisee is on His team! The problem with comparisons is you can always find someone who is doing worse than you—which can lead to pride—and you can always find someone who is doing better than you—which can lead to depression. Neither is helpful. If you want to compare yourself to someone, compare yourself to Jesus. He is the only human to ever live, who never sinned. When you compare yourself to Jesus, you will know you need a Savior. So… guard against comparisons, and guard against.... 2. Citations By citations, I’m talking about a long list of all your accomplishments. Luke tells us in verse 9 that Jesus was addressing some folks who were “confident of their own righteousness.” How did they know they were such sharp cookies? Because they frequently told themselves so! They like to run through their citations. Listen to this guy in verse 12… Luke 18:12 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ Did you know in verses 11 and 12, this guy uses the personal pronoun “I” four times? “I do this, I do that.” The Jewish Bible only required fasting one day a year, on Yom Kippur. Jewish people might fast on other occasions, but this guy proudly stated that he fasted twice a week. And not only that, he tithed on EVERYTHING. Most Jews would tithe on their income. If they gained ten new sheep in the herd, they would give one to the Temple. But Pharisees...they would tithe even on things they bought in the market and the herbs they grew in their garden, because they didn’t want to miss a thing! And here’s the thing: at some point they began to forget why they did good things like tithing and fasting. They got to the point where they didn’t do these things to honor God; they did them to bring attention to themselves. Putting down others and bragging about their own accomplishments made them feel better about themselves. We can understand that. But that kind of behavior doesn’t impress God, who sees our hearts. It doesn’t just matter WHAT you do, it also matters WHY you do it. God sees the inner motivation. So... In our prayers, do two things. First… 1. Approach God with reverence. (A Deep respect for someone) Look at the tax collector in the story. Verse 13 says… Luke 18:13 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ His stature, his very posture communicated humility instead of arrogance. While the Pharisee probably gazed upward to a heaven he would never reach, the tax collector gazed downward to a hell he would never reach. He was saved through his humility. When we approach God, approach God humbly. He is not the heavenly slot machine you hope will win you the jackpot. He’s not even Santa in the sky, overlooking the naughty and rewarding the nice. Because we said there’s no one who is nice all the time. Approach God with reverence. God is God and we’re not. God is great, and we’re not. God is good all the time, and we’re not, at least not all the time. Approach God with awe. And then… 2. Approach God with great need… When we really get to know God well, we know we bring nothing to the table. He doesn’t need our reputation, or our money, or our good looks. God can build his kingdom just fine without you or me. He can accomplish his will just fine without us. But he wants us just the same. And we need God. Oh, how we need God! Sometimes we just don’t realize it. Or we forget about it. This tax collector didn’t forget. He probably had his fellow Jews remind him every day what a lousy guy he was. The rest of verse 13 says... “but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ This prayer has become popular and is known as the “Jesus prayer.” Some people have modified it to, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Those are nine powerful words! They’re a way of remembering who God is and who we are. This tax collector had no illusions of his own grandeur, unlike his neighbor. This tax collector knew that if God didn’t come through for him, he was toast. He knew he didn’t stand a chance without mercy, without grace. Mercy means not getting what you deserve, and grace means getting what you don’t deserve. They are the flip side of the same coin. And we need both to make it into God’s family, to make it into heaven. That’s the only way a perfect God is going to allow an imperfect people like you and me come into His Kingdom, through the grace and mercy provided by Jesus’ death on a cross. Through that one act, God allows those who are humble to become His children. Old Testament believers understood mercy and grace, too. They just didn’t yet know the name of their Savior. The prophet Jeremiah quoted God as saying,… Jeremiah 29:13 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. And the writer of Hebrews tells us… Hebrews 11:6 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. God rewards our earnest faith in Him with eternal life. That is the greatest reward of all. We get to enter His forever family. Not by anything we’ve done: not by tithing, not by getting our Sunday School 30-year perfect attendance pin, not by reading our Bible daily, not by walking little old ladies across the street, not by refraining from smoking or swearing or chewing, not by any of these behaviors. But only by the grace and mercy and forgiveness made available through Jesus’ blood. This parable not only shows us how to pray; it also shows us how to live: totally dependent upon God’s grace and mercy. We have to have it to get saved, and we have to have it to live the way God wants us to live, every single day of your life. When we live in God’s grace, we give that grace to others. We become more tolerant of others, more loving, more understanding, more forgiving. And others see the love of Jesus in you and i. It’s an amazing thing. So… let us NOT be all stiff-necked, full of pride like the Pharisee. Bow our head, recognize we need help, and humble ourselves before the King of kings and Lord of lords, as you realize the truth of our last verse today… Lastly: Luke 18:14 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Justified - Accepted or approved of God. The word “justify” means to declare or treat as righteous. In this case it means that in their prayers the one was approved and the other not; the one went down with the favor of God in answer to his petitions, the other not. You see…the Pharisee relies on his own merits thinking that, by his works, he is deserving heaven. Not having discovered that no human righteousness is sufficient before a God who demands perfection. The tax collector, the one who humbly admitted that he is sinner and in need of help, relies on Gods mercy and finds it. When God Hears A Prayer
Luke 18:9-14 9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Today, in our passage in the Bible, Jesus makes a point. He really points to the very crux of our salvation. The more you believe you deserve heaven, the less chance you’re ever going to see it. Because the truth of the matter is, no one deserves heaven. No one deserves salvation. No one deserves a relationship with a holy God who knows no sin. We have all rebelled and fallen short of the glory of God, all of us. The Apostle John reminds us that if we say we have no sin, we’re just lying… 1 John 1:8 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. And how could a holy and righteous God ever tolerate sin in His presence? That’s why we need a Savior, a power outside of ourselves. To show us an answer, Jesus introduces two characters: a Pharisee and a tax collector. A Pharisee in Jesus’ time would be like a famous pastor or seminary professor today: we would look at that person as very holy, very righteous, really smart about the Bible. And the tax collector? A Jewish listener would consider such a person a traitor and a crook. Because Jewish tax collectors collected for the conquering Roman Empire and cushioned their collections against their own countrymen to make more money. Jesus’ story contrasts two different prayer styles, but also two different heart styles. It shows us two things NOT to do and two things TO do. First, in your prayer life... Guard against: 1. Comparisons When it comes to your prayer life, guard against comparing yourself to someone else. Listen to this guy in verse 11: Luke 18:10-11 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayer thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. You can feel this Pharisee looking down his nose at the tax collector standing near him. “God, I’m glad I’m not as bad as that guy. Aren’t you?” It’s like, he thinks God should be grateful that the Pharisee is on His team! The problem with comparisons is you can always find someone who is doing worse than you—which can lead to pride—and you can always find someone who is doing better than you—which can lead to depression. Neither is helpful. If you want to compare yourself to someone, compare yourself to Jesus. He is the only human to ever live, who never sinned. When you compare yourself to Jesus, you will know you need a Savior. So… guard against comparisons, and guard against.... 2. Citations By citations, I’m talking about a long list of all your accomplishments. Luke tells us in verse 9 that Jesus was addressing some folks who were “confident of their own righteousness.” How did they know they were such sharp cookies? Because they frequently told themselves so! They like to run through their citations. Listen to this guy in verse 12… Luke 18:12 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ Did you know in verses 11 and 12, this guy uses the personal pronoun “I” four times? “I do this, I do that.” The Jewish Bible only required fasting one day a year, on Yom Kippur. Jewish people might fast on other occasions, but this guy proudly stated that he fasted twice a week. And not only that, he tithed on EVERYTHING. Most Jews would tithe on their income. If they gained ten new sheep in the herd, they would give one to the Temple. But Pharisees...they would tithe even on things they bought in the market and the herbs they grew in their garden, because they didn’t want to miss a thing! And here’s the thing: at some point they began to forget why they did good things like tithing and fasting. They got to the point where they didn’t do these things to honor God; they did them to bring attention to themselves. Putting down others and bragging about their own accomplishments made them feel better about themselves. We can understand that. But that kind of behavior doesn’t impress God, who sees our hearts. It doesn’t just matter WHAT you do, it also matters WHY you do it. God sees the inner motivation. So... In our prayers, do two things. First… 1. Approach God with reverence. (A Deep respect for someone) Look at the tax collector in the story. Verse 13 says… Luke 18:13 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ His stature, his very posture communicated humility instead of arrogance. While the Pharisee probably gazed upward to a heaven he would never reach, the tax collector gazed downward to a hell he would never reach. He was saved through his humility. When we approach God, approach God humbly. He is not the heavenly slot machine you hope will win you the jackpot. He’s not even Santa in the sky, overlooking the naughty and rewarding the nice. Because we said there’s no one who is nice all the time. Approach God with reverence. God is God and we’re not. God is great, and we’re not. God is good all the time, and we’re not, at least not all the time. Approach God with awe. And then… 2. Approach God with great need… When we really get to know God well, we know we bring nothing to the table. He doesn’t need our reputation, or our money, or our good looks. God can build his kingdom just fine without you or me. He can accomplish his will just fine without us. But he wants us just the same. And we need God. Oh, how we need God! Sometimes we just don’t realize it. Or we forget about it. This tax collector didn’t forget. He probably had his fellow Jews remind him every day what a lousy guy he was. The rest of verse 13 says... “but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ This prayer has become popular and is known as the “Jesus prayer.” Some people have modified it to, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Those are nine powerful words! They’re a way of remembering who God is and who we are. This tax collector had no illusions of his own grandeur, unlike his neighbor. This tax collector knew that if God didn’t come through for him, he was toast. He knew he didn’t stand a chance without mercy, without grace. Mercy means not getting what you deserve, and grace means getting what you don’t deserve. They are the flip side of the same coin. And we need both to make it into God’s family, to make it into heaven. That’s the only way a perfect God is going to allow an imperfect people like you and me come into His Kingdom, through the grace and mercy provided by Jesus’ death on a cross. Through that one act, God allows those who are humble to become His children. Old Testament believers understood mercy and grace, too. They just didn’t yet know the name of their Savior. The prophet Jeremiah quoted God as saying,… Jeremiah 29:13 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. And the writer of Hebrews tells us… Hebrews 11:6 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. God rewards our earnest faith in Him with eternal life. That is the greatest reward of all. We get to enter His forever family. Not by anything we’ve done: not by tithing, not by getting our Sunday School 30-year perfect attendance pin, not by reading our Bible daily, not by walking little old ladies across the street, not by refraining from smoking or swearing or chewing, not by any of these behaviors. But only by the grace and mercy and forgiveness made available through Jesus’ blood. This parable not only shows us how to pray; it also shows us how to live: totally dependent upon God’s grace and mercy. We have to have it to get saved, and we have to have it to live the way God wants us to live, every single day of your life. When we live in God’s grace, we give that grace to others. We become more tolerant of others, more loving, more understanding, more forgiving. And others see the love of Jesus in you and i. It’s an amazing thing. So… let us NOT be all stiff-necked, full of pride like the Pharisee. Bow our head, recognize we need help, and humble ourselves before the King of kings and Lord of lords, as you realize the truth of our last verse today… Lastly: Luke 18:14 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Justified - Accepted or approved of God. The word “justify” means to declare or treat as righteous. In this case it means that in their prayers the one was approved and the other not; the one went down with the favor of God in answer to his petitions, the other not. You see…the Pharisee relies on his own merits thinking that, by his works, he is deserving heaven. Not having discovered that no human righteousness is sufficient before a God who demands perfection. The tax collector, the one who humbly admitted that he is sinner and in need of help, relies on Gods mercy and finds it. The Fellowship Of The Believers
Acts 2:42-43 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. To grow in faith and to fulfill the mission Jesus has given to us, we must regularly gather together for instruction, worship, encouragement and prayer. God never calls any Christian to a solitary life. No Christian is called to be alone. The word “devoted” has a rich meaning. It refers to “staying close, cleaving faithfully and continuing steadfastly.” This is in the imperfect tense, meaning it was ongoing, occurring over and over. The New American Standard captures it well: “they were continually devoting themselves.” One commentator says they “attended constantly upon.” The idea is to “to be steadfastly attentive unto.” Here’s how the idea of “devoted themselves” is further developed in other passages… Acts 1:14 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. Acts 11:23 23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose. Hebrews 10:39 helps us see the definition of devotion by showing us what it is not: Hebrews 10:39 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. Church… let’s be done with casual Christianity and half-hearted holiness. God longs for us to be completely committed. Notice this is an act of the will because it says they devoted “themselves.” It didn’t happen automatically, and no one could do it for them. These Christ-followers decided to become sold-out, to give their all to the one who gave His all for them. They knew the depth of their devotion would determine the impact on their life. There are 4 truths about a Christian church:
We are committed to teachings of prosperity gospel, gimmicky techniques, or motivational pep talks. Acts 6:7 says… Acts 6:7 7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. A healthy church must have devoted disciples committed to sound doctrine. Again, and again, Paul exhorts two younger pastors, Timothy and Titus, to preach the truth of the Scriptures. Listen to 2 Timothy 4:1-4: 2 Timothy 4:1-4 4 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. We get the Bible into our head by getting into it. The Word resides in our heart when we let it get into us. The Bible is demonstrated through our hands when we live it out obediently. Chuck Swindoll (Evangelical Pastor and radio preacher) says it like this: “It’s not how quickly you get through the Bible but how quickly the Bible gets through to you.” Because the depth of our devotion will determine our awe and our impact, let’s continually devote ourselves to hearing and heeding the preaching of God’s Word. The second truth about a Christian church is…
At its core it’s being committed to the common cause of gospel proclamation. We see this in Philippians 1:5-6: Philippians 1:5-6 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Note this is “the” fellowship, meaning it was a specific group of people they were partners with. Drop down to verse 44: “And all who believed were together and had all things in common.” Acts 2:44 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. Are you continuously devoted to the fellowship here? Has the preaching or the partnering/fellowship with one another gone stale? Have you gone tired of why you were called? The depth of our devotion will determine what lies in the heart. Do we still devote ourselves to preaching and to partnering? Third truth is…
Acts 27:35-36 5 And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it, he began to eat. 36 Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves. Not only did Paul partake of this meal, he shared it with others on the ship. Communion reminds us of our common union in Christ. We do it because Christ commanded it, because it reinforces the truth of the gospel and it preserves unity in the church. The church at Corinth was filled with conflict and division, so Paul writes these words in 1 Corinthians 10:16-17: 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. In the early church it was common for believers to eat an ordinary meal together and follow it up with communion. Commentators are divided on what this passage is referring to but I lean toward it being a simple shared meal. I get this from Acts 2:46: “…breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts.” The depth of our devotion will determine our awe and our impact. Let’s devote ourselves to preaching, to partnering, and to partaking… Lastly: The 4th truth of a Christian church…
Acts 3:1 3 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. Prayer took place privately and publicly, in homes and at the temple. Most of us don’t need more preaching on prayer, we need more ways to practice prayer. Here are some practical ways to incorporate prayer into your life. • Pray every day before reading the Bible, pray while you’re reading and pray when you’re finished. • Pray while you’re driving. • Pray for one another, friends and family members who are still lost. • Pray before and during sermons, that God will give you the understanding of His message. • Pray the Lord’s Prayer and use it as outline for prayer. Church…you alone can find your own time of prayer. And always remember that God will hear each and every prayer. The depth of our devotion will determine our awe and our impact. Let’s devote ourselves to preaching, to partnering, to partaking and to praying. When we continuously devote ourselves to these four truths of faithfulness, God will awaken our awe of Him. This was not accidental but came about because of their intentional devotion. When we do what God wants, we get to see Him do what He wants, which leads us to worship! |
AuthorPastor Richard Santos Archives
November 2019
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