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2/23/14 EQUIPPING TO SERVE
God’s Character
God sees the needs of the world. He sees the REAL needs of the world. There are times when a person has a pain and goes to a doctor. They think they know what is wrong. “Doc, it’s my _______________.” The doc checks that out and finds nothing wrong. Then he finds something else wrong that gives the same symptoms. He discovers the real issue.
What are the real issues of life people face today? If you listen to the politicians and news people, you would think that the only issue people face today is financial. Take care of that and all the world’s problems would be solved. People just need more money.
Let me share a story with you about needs.
Girl Carves the Word “EMPTY” into Her Skin
Psychologist Madeline Levine has been counseling teenagers for over 25 years, but recently Levine has begun to see a new breed of unhappy teenagers—smart, successful, and privileged kids who feel utterly lost and empty. For Levine, one client in particular typified this kind of unhappy teenager. Levine saw a 15-year-old girl who was “bright, personable, highly pressured by her adoring, but frequently preoccupied … parents.” The girl was also “very angry”.
Levine quickly recognized the girl’s “cutter disguise”—a long-sleeve t-shirt pulled halfway over her hand, with an opening torn in the cuff for her thumb. Such t-shirts are used to hide self-mutilating behaviors: cutting with sharp instruments, piercing with safety pins, or burning with matches. When the young girl pulled back her sleeve, Levine was startled to find that the girl had used a razor to carve the following word onto her forearm—“EMPTY”.
Levine commented: I tried to imagine how intensely unhappy my young patient must have felt to cut her distress into her flesh …. The most common thing I hear in my office from the kids is, “I’m fake”. The surface of [their family life] always looks good …. The lawns are always perfectly manicured, the houses always look beautiful. But when you get to what’s going on beneath these kids’ T-shirts, there’s not much happening inside.
sources: Madeline Levine, The Price of Privilege (Harper Perennial, 2008), pp. 3-5; Joy Lanzendorfer, “All and Nothing”, Metro Active, (1-3-07)
The truth is that many people are really hurting. The pain is real. The trials destructive.
As we continue to look at God’s character, today we want to look at a characteristic that is the answer, the solution for this kind of pain.
God is compassionate. Out of this compassion we also see that God is the Savior.
A few passages to read as we start that tell us that God is compassionate.
II Kings 13:22-23 NIV
22 Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz. 23 But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence.
Psalm 86:11-15 NIV
11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.
12 I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.
14 The arrogant are attacking me, O God; a band of ruthless men seeks my life-- men without regard for you.
15 But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
Psalm 111:4 NIV
4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate.
One who is compassionate feels sorrow for someone else’s suffering. This sorrow includes a desire to help. Genuine compassion requires action. Because God knows the real needs of people, He went in to action. He provided what we really need.
It was out of His genuine compassion for people, God provided the only real means of forgiveness and salvation. It took Jesus to come to earth, live as a man and then die on the cross. When Jesus resurrected from the grave salvation was completely paid for. Jesus, the perfect son of God come in the flesh was the ONLY way to overcome sin.
Jesus showed compassion for the masses when he shared the good news with the poor. He healed the brokenhearted and pronounced freedom for prisoners. Jesus gave sight to the blind and delivered people from spiritual oppression.
Luke 4:16-19 NIV
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Mark 6:34 NIV
34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
Real compassion is deep and heartfelt. It is sorrow for the suffering and trials someone is facing. Beyond simply a feeling, compassion identifies with the distressed. Compassion takes action to help the person in need.
Because this is a characteristic of God, and we are to be like Him, God expects an attitude of compassion to be in the hearts of believers as well.
At the beginning, we talked about the real needs people have. What is the foundational need of the world? Where do we start?
What the world needs is Jesus. The world needs Jesus as Savior and Lord.
1 John 5:4-5 NIV
4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
The only way anyone can overcome the world is through faith in Jesus, through receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior. Jesus is the ONLY way to overcome the passions and destruction of sin.
Review two well known passages.
Romans 6:23 NIV
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 10:9-10 NIV
9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
The earliest creed or confession in the church was not “Jesus is Savior,” but “Jesus is Lord”. He is called “Savior” 16 times in the New Testament and “Lord” more than 450 times.
Some people teach that Jesus can be your Savior, forgive you of your sins, without actually being your Lord. This is not biblical. If you receive Jesus as your Savior, He must be your Lord.
When He is your Lord, then God’s power will give you His victory. We overcome through what God will do in our lives.
A true story from Missionary H. B. Garlock. Liberia in the 1920s. Sacrifice and Triumph. P 49 ff.
God’s compassion, His gift of eternal life offered to hurting people, IS the answer this area needs. I shared this story to show us that God’s power can overcome ANY obstacle.
LIFE APPLICATION: The Next Step
What are the key points of this message?
How can we apply this message?
Prayer
We need to specifically pray now together.
Prayer for the hurting people of this community.
Drugs, heroin is making a negative impact.
Second armed robbery at the cash store.
Salvation.
2/16/2014 EQUIPPING TO SERVE
God’s Character - Part Two
Judgment for a Crime Measured by the One Against Whom It Is Committed
Colin Smith addresses people who object to God’s judgment of sin:
You may say, “Wait a minute. How can any sin deserve everlasting destruction? If God is just, how can he punish like this?”
The best answer I ever heard to that question was given by a friend of mine who is a middle school pastor. He outlined the stages of the following scenario:
Suppose a middle school student punches another student in class. What happens? The student is given a detention.
Suppose during the detention, this boy punches the teacher. What happens? The student gets suspended from school.
Suppose on the way home, the same boy punches a police officer on the nose. What happens? He finds himself in jail.
Suppose some years later, the very same boy is in a crowd waiting to see the President of the United States. As the President passes by, the boy lunges forward to punch the President. What happens? He is shot dead by the secret service.
In every case the crime is precisely the same, but the severity of the crime is measured by the one against whom it is committed. What comes from sinning against God? Answer: Everlasting destruction.
Colin S. Smith, from the sermon “God Will Bring Justice for You,” www.UnlockingtheBible.com
Who is God and what is He like? He is pure, righteous and holy, the eternal Creator. We are looking to give some answers in this study of God’s Character.
Quick review: Character. Starting with some definition.
Character:
**The combination of qualities or features that distinguishes one person, group, or thing from another.
**Moral or ethical strength, quality that make up the inner nature of a person. Integrity.
**Qualities that make a person unique
If we are going to look at God’s character, we must ask the question: What is God like? Continuing that answer from last week.
God is love.
1 John 4:8 NKJV
8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
True love is outward, it is selfless. It focuses on the needs of others. God’s love reaches out to the whole world, even though it is populated with sinful people. Romans 5:8 tells us that even though we were still on the side against God, Jesus died for us.
Think about the message of John 3. God sent Jesus to this world to die for us. This was necessary because we had no other way to restore the broken relationship with God that controls the human race. God’s righteous nature requires punishment for sin. Jesus took that punishment for us.
1 John 4:9-10 NKJV
9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:9-10 NLT
9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
Jesus was the sacrifice. This amazing gift gives us the entrance in to God’s family. We can honestly go to God, our heavenly Father. He is the Father all need to follow.
Love is outward. Love is giving, focusing on the needs of others. This is the nature of God.
Let me read you a story: What Are Human Beings Made For? By John Stott.
Take a fish as an obvious example. God created fish to live and thrive in water. Gills are adapted to absorb oxygen from water, so water is the element in which a fish finds its identity, its “fishness,” its freedom. It finds itself in the element for which it was created: water. It’s limited to water, but in that limitation is liberty.
Suppose you had a little fish in one of those old-fashioned goldfish bowls. Suppose the little fish swam round and round his blessed bowl until its frustration became unbearable. The fish decided to make a bid for freedom and leap out of the bowl. If it landed in a pond in your backyard, it would increase its freedom because there would be more water to swim in. But if it landed on the carpet, then its bid for freedom would spell death.
If fish were meant for water, what are human beings made for? It would be interesting if we had time to sit down alongside one another and share our answers to that question. If fish were made for water, what are human beings made for? What is the element in which human beings find themselves, as water is the element in which a fish finds itself?
I don’t hesitate to say that according to Scripture the answer is love. Human beings are made for love because God is love. When he created us in his own image, he gave us the capacity to love and to be loved. So human beings find their destiny in loving God and in loving their neighbors.
John Stott, “Freedom”, Preaching Today, Tape No. 102.
We thrive in genuine love. Without it we don’t want to live. We find our destiny is growing to be more and more like Jesus. Thomas Chisholm (1866-1960) was an American songwriter who wrote several Christian hymns. He wrote over 1,200 sacred poems which appeared in many Christian periodicals. He served as an editor of the Pentecostal Herald in Louisville for a time. Let me share 2 of the 4 verses
I have one deep, supreme desire, that I may be like Jesus.
To this I fervently aspire, that I may be like Jesus.
I want my heart His throne to be, so that a watching world may see
His likeness shining forth in me. I want to be like Jesus.
He spent His life in doing good; I want to be like Jesus.
In lowly paths of service trod; I want to be like Jesus.
He sympathised with hearts distressed, He spoke the words that cheered and blessed,
He welcomed sinners to His breast. I want to be like Jesus.
What an awesome theme and longing of our heart - I want to be like Jesus. I want to live in His amazing love. We can all do this as we give Him our hearts.
God is merciful and gracious.
Exodus 34:6-7 NKJV
6 And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, 7 keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation.”
God gives us understanding on what His name reveals about his character. He is Lord!!! His compassion, kindness and forgiveness combine with His truth, holiness and justice. He is gracious and compassionate. He will not punish any person unless they reject His long-suffering love, spitefully and continually rejecting His patient love and mercy.
Speaking to the nation of Israel:
Deuteronomy 4:25 NKJV
25 When you beget children and grandchildren and have grown old in the land, and act corruptly and make a carved image in the form of anything, and do evil in the sight of the LORD your God to provoke Him to anger,
When the time comes that they walk away from God and reject His Word -
Deuteronomy 4:30-31 NKJV
30 When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice 31 (for the LORD your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.
God is so merciful, He forgives, He restores. He helps those who need Him.
Joel 2:12-13 NKJV
12 “Now, therefore,” says the LORD, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” 13 So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.
A history lesson: The act of rending, tearing a garment was an act of grief, sorrow or despair. The prophet was calling for broken and contrite hearts, not an outward display of sorrow or regret. God longed for hearts that were truly broken and filled with sorrow over sin. The result would be true repentance—a change of heart toward God. A broken heart is ready to turn from selfish ways to follow God. This opens the door for God’s mercy. It is God’s character to show mercy and compassion to His people. Look at Joel 2 again.
Grace can be pictured as God’s giving us the blessings of salvation that we don’t deserve. Mercy can be defined as God’s saving us from the punishment deserve because of sin. God offers forgiveness as a free gift that we receive by faith in Jesus.
A few more passages that tell us of God’s mercy and grace. What do they say to us?
Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Titus 2:11-12 NKJV
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
Titus 3:4-5 NKJV
4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
How can we apply mercy and grace?
Wooden Won’t Trash Knight
John Wooden, former basketball coach at UCLA, was the antithesis of many of today’s coaches. He seldom left his seat on the Bruins bench during a UCLA game. “I tried to teach players that if they lose their temper or get out of control, they will get beat,” he says. “Modeling was better than words. I liked the rule that we used to have that a coach couldn’t leave the bench. I’m sorry they did away with that.”
Wooden set amazing records in college basketball. From 1948 to 1975, he had a win-loss record of 885-203—a phenomenal career winning percentage of .813. He had an 88-game winning streak at UCLA.
Pressed in an interview to be critical of former Indiana University coach Bobby Knight, Wooden would only say, “I think Bob Knight is an outstanding teacher of the game of basketball, but I don’t approve of his methods. But I’m not a judge, and I’m not judging Bob Knight.”
Abilene Reporter-News (5-18-00)
A thought on resentment, we can say it is the opposite of mercy.
How Resentment Takes Hold, a thought by Max Lucado.
Resentment is when you let your hurt become hate. Resentment is when you allow what is eating you to eat you up. Resentment is when you poke, stoke, feed, and fan the fire, stirring the flames and reliving the pain.
Resentment is the deliberate decision to nurse the offense until it becomes a black, furry, growling grudge.
Max Lucado, The Applause of Heaven (Word, 1996), p.100;
Instead of resentment, learn God’s mercy and grace.
DISCUSSION
Review question from last week: This first question is more for you to reflect than to specifically respond. Do you often think about your character? Do you think about the impact it makes in your life?
What should a Christian do to develop the Christ-like character of real love?
How do you define love?
How do mercy and grace impact the world?
What is the impact when believers all show love, mercy and grace to each other?
Why is it easier to receive love, mercy and grace than to give it?
Prayer
2/9/2014 EQUIPPING TO SERVE
God’s Character
A Case Study: Imitate Jesus or Machiavelli? From: J.P. Moreland & Tim Muehlhoff, God Conversation.
Your dream job becomes available. The night before the crucial interview, you sit down to polish your résumé. You remember reading on the Web that seven out of ten people embellish or lie on their résumés. Should you? What ethical standard should guide you in your decision?
As you sit in front of your computer; you look over at two wristbands you’ve recently bought. Each has four letters imprinted on it. The first reads, “WWJD”. This band reminds you that when writing your résumé you should ask the question “What would Jesus do?” The answer is obvious: Jesus would strongly advise you not to lie on the résumé.
The second wristband …. reads “WWMD”—or “What would Machiavelli do?” Machiavelli was a 16th century political strategist who advocated deceit and manipulation in order to get ahead. He was ruthless in his pursuit of power and his name is synonymous with the phrase “The ends justify the means”.
In his bestselling book What Would Machiavelli Do? The Ends Justify the Meanness, Stanley Bing uses Machiavelli’s insight to advise up-and-coming business leaders. Bing’s chapter headings reflect how Machiavelli would move up the corporate ladder.
He would fire his own mother if necessary.
He would be proud of his cruelty and see it as a strength.
He would make you fear for your life.
He would feast on other people’s discord.
Machiavelli’s view of lying is particularly helpful in writing your résumé: Those who do not lie do not succeed, and therefore remain unknown. Machiavelli’s advice concerning your résumé is clear: lie, lie, lie!
It’s getting late and your résumé still isn’t finished. How do you decide? Is it WWJD or WWMD?
J.P. Moreland & Tim Muehlhoff, God Conversation (IVP Books, 2007), pp.104-105
We all continually have to make decisions. Some don’t have a large impact - do I want this flavor or that flavor? Other decisions impact eternity. What we base our decisions on is what is inside us.
We are going to take some time to talk about God’s character. What is God like?
Important question: Why talk about this topic?
As we work through the theme of Equipping To Serve, we won’t be fully equipped to serve God if we don’t grasp what He is like. In the story of the person trying to decide if he should cheat on his resume, some might wonder why it makes a difference. If “everyone” is cheating, he will be left behind if he doesn’t cheat as well. Why does God care about the business world?
God’s character shows us who He is. We must emulate His character if we are going to be Christ-like. That’s a basic definition of Christian.
Acts 11:25-26 NKJV
25 Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. 26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
Antioch was the largest and possibly the most important city in the eastern part of the Roman Empire. Because of persecution, the believers were scattered. The gospel message came to Antioch and a strong church grew. Paul and Barnabas spent a long time there teaching and training the church.
Up to that time, those in the church called themselves
believers
disciples
The Way
saints
It was at Antioch that the term Christians was first used. It was probably people outside the church who coined the term. At first, it likely was to insult believers. But the church considered this name as a mark of honor because it directly identified them with Christ.
Because we must learn to be like Jesus and live according to the Bible, we must be like the early church and not be afraid to separate ourselves from the ungodliness, corruption and wickedness in our society so we can identify with Jesus. Sadly, the term Christian has become so generic that it often doesn’t mean anything. We should present a picture of our Savior and reflect a deep relationship and devotion to Him.
Let’s dig in to this theme of Character. Starting with some definition.
Character:
**The combination of qualities or features that distinguishes one person, group, or thing from another.
**A distinguishing feature or attribute, as of an individual, group, or category.
**Moral or ethical strength, quality that make up the inner nature of a person.
**A description of a person’s attributes, traits, or abilities, integrity.
**Qualities that make a person unique
**Public estimation of someone; reputation.
**In character: Consistent with someone’s general character or behavior.
**Character assassination: a vicious personal verbal attack, especially one intended to destroy or damage a public figure’s reputation.
If we are going to look at God’s character, we must ask the question: What is God like? A few thoughts from a Psalm.
Psalm 103 NKJV
A Psalm of David.
Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 6 The LORD executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. 8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children, 18 To such as keep His covenant, And to those who remember His commandments to do them. 19 The LORD has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all.
We can understand characteristics of the one true God as we see similarities to human qualities. This does not mean that we have divinity in us, for God’s character is far above anything we can achieve as humans. God is love. We can love. We cannot love anywhere close to the point that God loves.
God created us in His image. We have the ability to submit to Him and see Him change us to be more like Him.
Let’s look at some of the things that God IS. His characteristics.
God is good.
Psalm 106:1 NKJV
1 Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
Mark 10:18 NKJV
18 So Jesus said to him, Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.
When you read the creation story in Genesis, you find often that it says God made _________ and it was good. It is an extension of his own nature.
Because He is good He provides for all of us. He feeds the animals in the wild. He provides for our needs. He is so good that He takes care of those who don’t serve Him.
Matthew 5:45 NKJV
45 . . . for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
We see God’s goodness to people who earnestly depend on him.
Psalm 145:18-20 NKJV
18 The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. 19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them. 20 The LORD preserves all who love Him, But all the wicked He will destroy.
DISCUSSION
This first question is more for you to reflect than to specifically respond. Do you often think about your character? Do you think about the impact it makes in your life?
What should a Christian do to develop a Christ-like character?
How does a Christ-like character impact the world?
How can we all work on this challenge together?
Prayer
2/2/14 EQUIPPING TO SERVE
A Faithful and Growing Steward
We are continuing to talk about Christian stewardship as a foundation for serving the Lord.
Whatever you think of Warren Buffett, one of the richest men in the world, he has an interesting insight that I want to share: Warren Buffett’s “Jerk Doctrine” of Riches
A Harvard Business Review blog calls it Warren Buffet’s “jerk doctrine”. Buffett, one of the wealthiest people in the world, once said, “Of the billionaires I have known, money just brings out the basic traits in them. If they were jerks before they had money, they are simply jerks with a billion dollars.”
Michael Schrage, “Is Technology Making You More (or Less) of a Jerk?” HBR Blog Network (11-7-12)
That’s an interesting insight. It’s not how much money a person as, it is what is in their heart. As we talk about Christian stewardship, we are talking about obedience to God and applying what the Bible teaches. These are principles that are cross-cultural that cross economic lines. God expects a poor person to be a faithful steward as well as a rich person.
Last week we started out with a question: What about the concept of “living within your means”, even if it will determine that you don’t have all the fun stuff others have? Does that sound unamerican? Learning to live within our means is important.
In this series we have looked at:
Do EVERYTHING for the Lord. Do it all the Lord’s way.
A Steward – a trustee, control or manager, but not an owner. A steward manages for the benefit of someone else.
A definition of stewardship: “The Sum total of all my attitudes toward God”.
A true steward must have a good attitude, or he/she won’t be able to be faithful to the responsibilities of stewardship.
The Bible teaches us about tithing. This is a central part of stewardship, of recognizing ownership and rightly handling the money we have in our control.
God has amazing blessings and benefits for His children as they obey Him.
Ownership: God is the owner of everything.
Define the tithe – 2 Identifying Marks:
1. Always first.
2. Always 10% of increase (before deductions).
The tithe is the acknowledgment that all we have belongs to God. He is God and is in control, sovereign. The tithe is a means by which God’s ownership is established.
Law of the First Things
God always gets the first. Tithe paid first before other things.
Exodus 23:19 NIV
Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God.
Proverbs 3:9-10 NIV
9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
Last week we were not able to fully cover everything, so I will pick up what we missed and then complete our study.
The Storehouse Principle of the Tithe
Malachi 3:8-12 NIV
8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the LORD Almighty. 12 “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the LORD Almighty.
This passage includes blessings as well as curses.
What are the blessings? Provision in God’s house. This is God’s divine way to provide for the local church. The needs will be met and we won’t have to resort to guilt, pressure, gimmicks, manipulation, raffles, candy sales, etc. to provide for the local church. God says that He will make it enough. It will work because it is God’s way. God promises blessings as well as rebuking the devourer.
The storehouse: The local church – where you regularly attend. Tithe where you are fed, have fellowship and receive ministry. This is where you turn to in times of trouble and blessing. Tithe to your storehouse (God’s clearing house) – undesignated, it belongs to God.
These verses include some challenging and frightening statements. They are also some statements of blessing.
“Will a man rob God?” Who of us would think of sticking a gun in God’s face and stealing from Him? Yet, that’s what God says happens.
Important fact about tithe: while it is not primarily a money making project, it IS God’s revealed way to support the church. When all of God’s people tithe, the church is relieved of all the gimmicks used to coax money in to the treasury. Tithe, not gimmick, is God’s way.
A GENEROUS LIFE AND LIFESTYLE
Remember that “attitude” is an important part of the definition of stewardship that we are using.
II Corinthians 9:6-7 NIV
Sowing Generously
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
From The Message
God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.
I’m sure that some people look at the title of E. M. Clark’s book, How To Be Happy Giving Your Money Away and think that it must have been written by a lunatic. But, the more we grasp the Biblical principles of stewardship and God’s blessings the more we are cheerful givers. I would rather spend time around a generous person than a stingy one. Their whole outlook on life is different.
God loves a cheerful giver. Your attitude is an important part of the process. Let me tell you, it is fun to be able to give.
Let me give you a simple way you can join the cheerful givers, looking for a way to help with special needs. Many say that would love to give to help out in various needs, but they simply don’t have the money for it. Let me show you how you can plan for it.
In your budget, put some cash away every week to have to give it away when a need arises. You can give to a friend or stranger, maybe a cause like a family that has a house fire, etc.
“But, you don’t understand, I don’t have any extra money to give.”
If you put 50 cents a week away, at the end of the year you would have about $25.00. I believe that most of us can do more. Wouldn’t it be fun to give someone in need $25.00 at Christmas time? Andrea and I have an agreement that if one feels we really should give someone something, we will do it. One time we I said that I felt we should give $100 to a specific family in need. She said, good, I have been thinking the same thing. Just do it quietly so you don’t embarrass the person receiving your gift. This is another way to have a divine appointment.
While none of us can meet every need we hear about, there are times when we can do something and it is FUN TO GIVE and see someone blessed. So, plan for it.
Question: Considering that the 90% left in your pocket belongs to God, what does that say about how you spend it? Use it wisely. Provide for your family, etc.
We already talked about sovereignty. God is sovereign. Sovereignty is acknowledged only when the terms laid down by the sovereign are met. Paying the tithe is obeying the expectations of our Sovereign. IE. You don’t just call Buckingham Palace and say you’ll talk to the queen, or that you’ll be showing up for lunch and expect the queen to be ready to greet you. Many royal watchers were horrified when a lady in Washington DC hugged the queen when she visited in her home.
Question: Think about how you respond to the person who says, “I can’t afford to tithe”?
God chastened Israel for giving Him second best. That is what is done when we try to give to God the way we design, and not His way.
Malachi 1:6-8 NIV
Blemished Sacrifices
6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the LORD Almighty. “It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name. But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’
7 “You place defiled food on my altar. But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’ “By saying that the LORD’S table is contemptible. 8 When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the LORD Almighty.
They were offering sick, blind animals to God. He told them to offer that to the governor and see if he would be pleased. God is to receive the first and best.
There are so many more things we could talk about on this subject, but we will stop here for the time.
SO, WHAT DO WE DO AT THIS POINT IN TIME?
For many of us, you are already living in the blessings of faithfully tithing. We can REJOICE IN THE BLESSINGS that we are tithing. We can live expecting God’s continual provision. We can trust God to continue to provide for us as a church fellowship.
How about the ones who don’t tithe? I want to strongly emphasize this point: This is not a money-making issue, but obedience to God. It’s a matter of giving God the opportunity to open up the windows of heaven and pour out His blessings.
It is the blessing of LIVING OBEDIENTLY & GENEROUSLY.
Picking up our discussion from last week:
DISCUSSION
What if everyone who claims Christianity brought the tithe to their local church regularly?
Where do offerings come in? Missions, giving to special needs, etc.
Is there a specific income level a person has to reach before God expects the tithe? Giving to help others?
Good money management, good budgeting is an important ingredient in this whole topic. We have not talked about that.
Can you identify specific struggles people have that keep them from tithing?
Is this whole topic of stewardship and tithing simply a money raising scheme?
If you have not been tithing, not been giving regularly, how do you start?
If Americans who identify with the historically Christian church had given 10% to their churches in 2008, rather than the 2.43% given, there would have been an additional $172 billion available for work through the church.
http://emptytomb.com/potential.html
1/26/14 EQUIPPING TO SERVE
A Faithful and Growing Steward
As we continue to talk about Christian stewardship, let me start out with a question. What about the concept of “living within your means”, even if it will determine that you don’t have all the fun stuff others have? Does that sound unamerican? After all, we live in a prosperous nation and credit is very easy to get.
Do you think you could survive financially if in the past nine years you had earned $300,000,000? You say, are you crazy? Of course I could make it. I would be amazingly wealthy. But, boxer Mike Tyson made that much, and yet he had to file for bankruptcy. This points out an important part of stewardship: It’s not how much you make, it’s how you manage it for God.
I like the Swiss watchmaker’s slogan I heard. Known for their luxury watches, Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe has also become well-known for its clever advertising slogan: “You never actually own a Patek Philippe; you merely take care of it for the next generation.” That is a great picture of stewardship. We don’t own things, we are taking care of them for God.
Colossians 3:17, 23 NKJV
17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
23And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
Do EVERYTHING for the Lord. Do it all the Lord’s way.
Review: A Steward – a trustee, control or manager, but not an owner. A steward manages for the benefit of someone else.
From Biblical times: A steward was in charge of a household and was accountable to the owner, who made final decisions. The steward was expected to be faithful in working and overseeing the household, all that had been entrusted to him.
Some background to the word: Steward, From oikos, “house,” and nemo, “to arrange”.
The importance of using the gifts given by the Lord for the strengthening and encouragement of fellow believers.
1 Peter 4:10 NKJV
As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
A definition of stewardship to use for study: “The Sum total of all my attitudes toward God”.
A true steward must have a good attitude, or he/she won’t be able to be faithful to the responsibilities of stewardship.
***Total: add up all the parts of your life, and attitudes.
***My Attitudes: Dictionary says, attitude: A bodily posture showing or meant to show a mental state, emotion, or mood. A manner of acting, feeling, or thinking that shows one’s disposition, opinion, etc. This is how you really feel on the inside. How you think, feel about things.
***Towards God: He receives of our attitudes. God sees your heart. Is it open, receptive, tender to Him? or hard, rebellious?
Stewardship is the Christian way of life, the Christian law of living. God has given us all so much: Talents, abilities, intelligence, capabilities, ability to create wealth and there is so much that we all can accomplish. All the things we claim as assets, are really God’s investments in us.
Regarding our abilities – People confuse assets and liabilities. IE, put $100 in a bank saving account, it is a liability to the bank. We expect a return with interest. God’s investment in us is a liability for us towards God. We expect a return from the bank, God expects a return from us. WE must USE what He has given, develop our skills, productivity.
-----WHAT GOD EXPECTS!!
A quick review from last week, we read this passage.
1 Corinthians 4:2 NIV
2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
A steward is required to be faithful, reliable & dependable. Don’t be a quitter. We can all be faithful.
One of the big investments God makes in us is giving us material resources. We must handle them well. Stewardship includes what we think of and how we handle material wealth.
Keys to Handling Money
Being a Godly steward of material wealth comes from a Godly perspective regarding money. Money is a servant to utilize, not a god to serve. Your motives in acquiring and using money are key factors.
Let’s read and review a few passages from Ecclesiastes.
Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 NIV
10 Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. 11 As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?
Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 NIV
18 Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot. 19 Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. 20 He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.
Last week we talked about the concept of what we should do, and yet we wonder if we really can do it. Will we make it if we obey? We recognized that those who obey God will make it.
The Bible teaches us about tithing. This is a central part of stewardship, of recognizing ownership and rightly handling the money we have in our control.
One of the authors that many of us read during the time of our capital campaign was E. M. Clark. He has passed away now. I knew him as a president of North Central.
From: The Key To Blessing by E.M. Clark
THE PROMISED BLESSINGS
In the beginning I paid the tithe first because it belonged to God, a debt I owed to Him. I could not pay Him for all He has done for me. But I could at least try to show my appreciation for what He has done for me by obeying Him in paying what He says I owe Him and paying it where He says to pay it.
It’s also important to examine one specific part of our obligation. God said to bring “all the tithe into the storehouse”. As I look back at this now I notice the promises and benefits God made to him who brought “all the tithe”. Some people pay part of the tithe or say, “I’ll start paying my tithe when I can afford it”. That’s not what God is telling us to do. Our blessings start by being obedient.
As saints we have too often been focused only on our tithing duty, which is very important, and yet we have not been taught that we are also supposed to claim His promised blessings. That was exactly where I found myself as a early Christian. They said very little about what God did for the tither for paying his tithe where it was supposed to be paid.
But fortunately for all of us, God sees things differently. His plan works differently. Our offerings are investments in the kingdom of God and have always been treated as such. God is responsive when we obey Him. And He has a plan which is designed to pour out His blessings upon us. This is the part too few of us appreciate and claim.
(P. 11-12)
God has amazing blessings and benefits for His children as they obey Him. Remember what Isaiah said (Isaiah 55:8-11). God’s thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways God’s ways.
Let’s build on understanding stewardship: ownership.
*****OWNERSHIP is often a heathen game people play. I own it, and the big issue is that you can’t use it. The proper Christian attitude is that God owns everything I have. Think: CONTROL. If you want to use it, you have to ask me.
*****Understand that God is sovereign.
Sovereign: above or superior to all others, chief, greatest, supreme. Supreme in power, rank, or authority, holding the position of ruler, reigning.
The sovereign looks to no other source for authority or determining what is right or wrong.
*****We live in God’s world and need to learn to do everything His way.
That leads us to a very basic problem we regularly deal with: We live in a pagan society. I’m not talking pagan in that people burn animal sacrifices to some god. Pagan philosophy impacts our whole society.
*****The pagan idea of property is that it belongs to us. The name of the game is ownership, posses, control, dominate, exploit. In this pagan concept people act like pseudo-gods.
*****So, what does Pseudo mean?
Pseudo: Sham, false, spurious, pretend, counterfeit. Our world rejects God’s ways. If I own it, you have to ask ME to use it. I control you.
*****These definitions, this foundation leads us to the issue of the tithe and the Law of First Things.
Define the tithe – 2 Identifying Marks:
1. Always first.
2. Always 10% of increase (before deductions).
The tithe is the acknowledgment that all we have belongs to God. He is God and He is in control. It acknowledges the sovereignty of God. The tithe is a means by which God’s ownership is established. Unrestricted use clouds ownership. IE. Friends or roommates who are always borrowing things. Soon it feels like yours.
Law of the First Things
God always gets the first. Tithe paid first before other things.
Exodus 23:19 NIV
Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God.
Proverbs 3:9-10 NIV
9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
The city of Jericho was the first city conquered by Israel in the promised land, It belonged to God.
Joshua 6:17 NIV
The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent.
They were specifically warned not to take anything from the city, it belonged to God. They got in trouble when one man disobeyed.
The Storehouse Principle of the Tithe
Malachi 3:8-12 NIV
8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the LORD Almighty. 12 “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the LORD Almighty.
This passage includes blessings as well as curses.
What are the blessings? Provision in God’s house. This is God’s divine way to provide for the local church. The needs will be met and we won’t have to resort to guilt, pressure, gimmicks, manipulation, raffles, candy sales, etc. to provide for the local church. God says that He will make it enough. It will work because it is God’s way. God promises blessings as well as rebuking the devourer.
The storehouse: The local church – where you regularly attend. Tithe where you are fed, have fellowship and receive ministry. This is where you turn to in times of trouble and blessing. Tithe to your storehouse (God’s clearing house) – undesignated, it belongs to God.
These verses include some challenging and frightening statements. They are also some statements of blessing.
“Will a man rob God?” Who of us would think of sticking a gun in God’s face and stealing from Him? Yet, that’s what God says happens.
Important fact about tithe: while it is not primarily a money making project, it IS God’s revealed way to support the church. When all of God’s people tithe, the church is relieved of all the gimmicks used to coax money in to the treasury. Tithe, not gimmick, is God’s way.
DISCUSSION
What if everyone who claims Christianity brought the tithe to their local church regularly?
Where do offerings come in? Missions, etc.
Is there a specific income level a person has to reach before God expects the tithe?
Can you identify specific struggles people have that keep them from tithing?
Is this whole topic of stewardship and tithing simply a money raising scheme?
If Americans who identify with the historically Christian church had given 10% to their churches in 2008, rather than the 2.43% given, there would have been an additional $172 billion available for work through the church.
http://emptytomb.com/potential.html
1/19/14 EQUIPPING TO SERVE - We are God’s Stewards
As we enter in to this season focusing on Equipping To Serve, I want to give some foundational material. The challenge I have faced on where to lay the foundation is that there are multiple topics I could use for the start.
Let’s start with this statement: God has given us great resources (don’t just think money with the word resources). We must use those resources for His honor. Use them well.
This may be a poor illustration for starting, but it has a good point. First of all, even though this illustration talks about the lottery, please don’t waste God’s money on the lottery. God will take care of you when you are faithful.
Lottery Winners Who File for Bankruptcy
If you happened to win the lottery, your financial situation would improve, right? Actually, according to a recent study, the answer is maybe not. Three economics professors wrote a paper titled “The Ticket to Easy Street? The Financial Consequences of Winning the Lottery.” Their research tried to address the following questions: Does a lottery windfall have a permanent impact or does it merely postpone financial pain? Does getting a “boatload of money” solve people’s financial problems or just push those problems down the road?
The professors obtained a list of winners for a Florida lotto game called Fantasy Five. Then they compared those names to Florida bankruptcy records to see how many winners filed for bankruptcy and when. In the first couple of years after winning a jackpot, people who won small amounts were more likely to file bankruptcy than people who won larger amounts. That makes sense. Someone with a large amount of money can initially weather a bad time or keep creditors at bay.
But after three years, large lottery winners were more likely to file for bankruptcy than small winners. The people who won larger sums did not use their new wealth to pay down debt. Financial consultant Don McNay concludes, “Winning the lottery did not help people increase their net worth. They needed to have set goals and an understanding of finance to make their lives better. It appears that [the lottery winners] did not have those fundamental tools.”
Adapted from Don McNay, “Bailouts Don’t Work: The Lotto Winners Study,” The Huffington Post (9-7-10)
So, what’s the point? It is not the amount of money a person has, it is what they do with it. Many famous entertainers who have made millions have to file bankruptcy. And, for the Christian, the point is also identifying ownership of our resources.
Our resources go beyond money. It is not the abilities and talents we have, it is what we do with them.
And the point is that God is our source. We will see this truth develop.
With this in mind, we want to take a few weeks on the topic of biblical stewardship. What is it and how do we apply it in daily life? As we all apply these biblical principles, we will take our church fellowship far down the road God wants to take us.
1 Corinthians 4:1-21 NKJV
1 Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.
We are ALL called to be God’s servants, His helpers. This is a subordinate role, not the big cheese. We are God’s stewards. We are responsible to manage the large investment God has in us.
□ The steward is accountable to his/her master and must prove trustworthy and faithful.
□ He/she must be reliable.
□ The steward doesn’t own what is managed, it is managed for another. Yet, he must treat it as if it were his/her own. The steward is entrusted with the owner’s resources.
Jesus said: Luke 12:42-44 NLT
42 And the Lord replied, A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. 43 If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. 44 I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns.
God gives us the responsibility of managing for the Master. The better we do in managing what God gives us, the more He will trust us with.
This passage helps understand the concept of ownership. The Master still owns it all, the servant, the steward manages it. ***Understanding ownership is a key to biblical stewardship.
We are called to be God’s managers of what He entrusts to us. We are to manage our resources in a way that pleases God and follows His commands. I know of a church that received a large six-figure offering from an individual. It eventually destroyed the church because people fought over how to use it. Some tried to control it for what they wanted. Those folks forgot whose money it was. It was given to God and belonged to Him.
I read an expression someone wrote: “the treadmill of accumulation”. That’s a good expression. A treadmill has a purpose, but you aren’t going to get any where while you are on it. The more you accumulate, the more it controls you unless you are using your accumulation as God wants you to use it.
Here’s an example from the secular world of some people who forgot whose money they were managing.
How Debt Ballooned for the Meadowlands Sports Complex
Going into debt is such a tempting way to get what we want or supposedly solve our problems. Too often, it only leads to snowballing debt and interest.
Consider the state of New Jersey, which built the home of the NFL’s New York Giants, the Meadowlands sports complex, in East Rutherford in the early 1970s. The Wall Street Journal reports:
Nearly 40 years ago the Garden State borrowed $302 million to begin constructing the Meadowlands. The goal was to pay off the bonds in 25 years. Although the project initially went according to plan, politicians couldn’t resist continually refinancing the bonds, siphoning revenues from the complex into the state budget, and using the good credit rating of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition authority to borrow for other unsuccessful building schemes.
Today, the authority that runs the Meadowlands is in hock for $830 million, which it can’t pay back. The state, facing its own cavernous budget deficits, has had to assume interest payments—about $100 million this year on bonds that still stretch for decades.
Steven Malanga, “America’s Municipal Debt Racket,” The Wall Street Journal (6-14-10), A17
A big help in understanding biblical stewardship: Think Eternal. Look far beyond today to see the long term impact.
The deeper that people get in to learning about biblical stewardship, the more some people say it doesn’t make sense. Know this: God’s ways are higher, and they are always better.
Isaiah 55:8-11 NIV 8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
1. God’s ways higher, better, more beneficial. So, do things God’s way.
2. God’s purpose will be accomplished. A crop will come, results will come when we obey the Word of God.
So, let’s learn and then follow God’s ways.
One of the great challenges of the Christian life comes when we see something in the Bible that we should do, and yet we wonder if we really can do it.
□ Will we make it in life if we obey?
□ Will we survive doing it God’s way?
□ Is God really going to take care of us if we obey?
Chew on these thoughts for a bit. Let’s discuss them.
Right in the middle of some laws that God gave Israel, right in the middle of a section that we struggle to get through as we read, we find an example of God’s blessing on obedience.
God told Israel that every seven years they were to give the land a rest. They were NOT to plant a crop. Now, the obvious question is: how could they survive? They didn’t have all the modern sources of supply, long term storage, freezing, etc. that we have today. Well, the answer is simple. God said HE would take care of it.
Leviticus 25:18-22 NKJV
18 ‘So you shall observe My statutes and keep My judgments, and perform them; and you will dwell in the land in safety. 19 Then the land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill, and dwell there in safety. 20 ‘And if you say, “What shall we eat in the seventh year, since we shall not sow nor gather in our produce?” 21 Then I will command My blessing on you in the sixth year, and it will bring forth produce enough for three years. 22 And you shall sow in the eighth year, and eat old produce until the ninth year; until its produce comes in, you shall eat of the old harvest.
God said to Israel: if you obey Me I will take care of you. He says that to us today, as well.
The miracles: a bumper crop, no spoilage, they had food when they rested the land.
Vital principal: when God says to do something, trust HIM to make it work.
Keep this in mind as we continue to work through this topic of stewardship. God’s ways are higher and He expects us to obey.
Stewardship is the Christian way of life and managing resources. This is not optional for Christians. It encompasses every aspect of our lives.
It is common to look at the big mountain before us instead of the powerful vehicle we have to drive over it. It is common for us to look at the challenges and needs of the world and our fellowship instead of looking to God Who is bigger than anything we face.
We must keep this focus in mind, not only as we cover this topic, but as we do all the work God has called us to do. I wish we had more time right now to go deeper, we will continue next week.
DISCUSSION
What is a steward?
How do we define the resources God has invested in us?
What are we to do with these resources?
PRAYER
1/12/14 PRAY! Jesus Is Our Lord
Get this: We must be people of prayer, people who really pray. Jesus is our Lord, we don’t just serve some higher power.
Have you noticed the attacks against Jesus? People in government are saying that people can’t pray in the name of Jesus at public events. People who quote the Bible are ridiculed. Scriptures are being carved up to take out what is not popular. We now have this thing called politically correct that supersedes the Bible.
Someone wrote an expression of politically correct thanks.
In today’s politically correct environment where you have to be so careful to keep from offending anyone, we might all have to give reports like this fourth grader who reported on the origins of the Thanksgiving holiday. “The pilgrims came here seeking freedom of you know what. When they landed, they gave thanks to you know who. Because of them, we can worship each Sunday, you know where.”
From the files of Leadership
It is obvious we are in a battle. But, what is this battle? It is a battle to take God out of daily life and replace Him with anything and everything anyone wants. It is a battle to bring confusion to the world and keep people from Jesus.
Here is an interesting challenge from history. I am going to read it to you.
Armor of Integrity
During the time of the twelve Caesars, the Roman army would conduct morning inspections. As the inspecting Centurion would come in front of each legionnaire, the soldier would strike with his right fist the armor breastplate that covered his heart. The armor had to be strongest there in order to protect the heart from the sword thrusts and from arrow strikes. As the soldier struck his armor, he would shout “integritas” [in-teg-ri-tas], which in Latin means material wholeness, completeness, and entirety. The inspecting Centurion would listen closely for this affirmation and also for the ring that well kept armor would give off. Satisfied that the armor was sound and that the soldier beneath it was protected, he would then move on to the next man.
At about the same time, the Praetorians or imperial bodyguard were ascending into power and influence; drawn from the best “politically correct” soldiers of the legions, they received the finest equipment and armor. They no longer had to shout “integritas” to signify that their armor was sound. Instead, as they struck their breastplate, they would shout “Hail Caesar”, to signify that their heart belonged to the imperial personage, not to their unit, not to an institution, not to a code of ideals. They armored themselves to serve the cause of a single man.
A century passed and the rift between the legion and the imperial bodyguard and its excesses grew larger. To signify the difference between the two organizations, the legionnaire, upon striking his armor would no longer shout "integritas," but instead would shout “integer” [in-te-ger].
Integer means undiminished, complete, perfect. It not only indicated that the armor was sound, it also indicated that the soldier wearing the armor was sound of character. He was complete in his integrity, his heart was in the right place, his standards and morals were high. He was not associated with the immoral conduct that was rapidly becoming the signature of the Praetorian Guards.
The armor of integrity continued to serve the legion well. For over four centuries they held the line against the marauding Goths and Vandals, but by 383 A.D., the social decline that infected the republic and the Praetorian Guard had its effects upon the legion.
As a 4th century Roman general wrote, “When because of negligence and laziness, parade ground drills were abandoned, the customary armor began to feel heavy since the soldiers rarely, if ever, wore it. Therefore, they first asked the emperor to set aside the breastplates and mail and then the helmets. So our soldiers fought the Goths without any protection for the heart and head and were often beaten by archers. Although there were many disasters, which led to the loss of great cities, no one tried to restore the armor to the infantry. They took their armor off and when the armor came off, so too came their integrity.” It was only a matter of a few years until the legion rotted from within and was unable to hold the frontiers. The barbarians were at the gates.
John Di Frances, Reclaiming the Ethical High Ground (Reliance Books, 2002), pp.103-106
That which made them strong -- heavy armor, integrity of heart, disciplined training -- was neglected. It brought them to defeat.
As believers in Jesus, we are standing for Him. We are proclaiming the truths of the Bible. We recognize that we cannot try to make things easier by abandoning the armor that God has given us simply because it is heavy and the battle is hard. As believers in Jesus we will continue in the way God taught His church to go.
While this is not my main thrust of this message, let me remind you of the armor that God has given us.
Ephesians 6:10-18 NIV
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
God has given us some amazing equipment to win the battle. Use it.
What do we see from the early church? They faced this powerful and evil Roman government. What did they do when they were challenged?
The early church believed in Jesus and were not afraid to proclaim Him even when society rejected Him.
Peter and John were in trouble for boldly proclaiming the teachings of Jesus, for boldly proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus. They were hauled before the religious leaders and challenged.
Acts 4:8-12 NIV
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.
11 He is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone’.
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
Salvation is only from Jesus.
This is a vitally important passage of scripture. The footnote from the Fire Bible expresses it well.
Salvation... in no one else. Jesus’ disciples were convinced that the greatest need of every individual was to be rescued from the consequences of rebellion and opposition against God so they could enjoy a personal and eternal relationship with him. They preached that this need could be met by no one other than Jesus Christ. He is the only one whose perfect and sinless life (Heb 4:15) could have provided the perfect sacrifice to pay the penalty for sin once and for all (1Pe 3:18). This truth reveals the exclusive nature of spiritual salvation (i.e., the fact that it comes only one way—through faith in Jesus Christ; see Jn 14:6). It also highlights the church’s responsibility of communicating the message of Christ to every person. If there were other ways to be spiritually saved and to have a personal relationship with God, then the church would not have to face its mission with such urgency. But according to Christ himself (see Jn 14:6, note), there is no hope of salvation for anyone apart from Christ and faith in him (cf. 10:43; 1Ti 2:5-6). This fact is the basis for the church’s need to support missionary efforts (i.e., people and ministries that take Christ’s message to people in other places, nations and cultures).
Acts 4:12 is a critical verse. Jesus is the ONLY way to eternal life. He is not one of the ways, He is not a good way, He is the ONLY way. That truth needs to stir us. Peter and John did not compromise the message, even when they were brought before the religious leaders who could cause them much trouble.
Later on Peter was in trouble again. King Herod had James killed. He arrested Peter and was planning to kill him as well. What did the church do?
Acts 12:5 NIV
5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
The enemy brought the battle to the front door. The church took up the battle. They called an all night prayer meeting. They prayed, not because they couldn’t do anything else, but because it was the best thing to do.
What does it say the church was doing? Earnestly praying.
The early church responded to the battle by earnestly praying. The situation appeared hopeless. James had been killed. Herod arrested Peter and put him in maximum security. Because of their faith in Jesus and the power of prayer, they prayed earnestly for Peter without ceasing.
Acts 12:7-10 NIV
7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.
8 Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. 9 Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.
God had no problem answering their prayers. The solution to the spiritual battles we face is prayer. This is why it is so hard to pray because the enemy fights prayer.
Believers have employed prolonged times of prayer together. Prayer meetings have been a common form of spiritual battle. There is something powerful about praying together.
God is pleased when His people come together to pray. Powerful prayer is more than just a few minutes as a part of a service. God inhabits prayer meetings. Prayer is critical to bringing the genuine power and presence of the Holy Spirit.
As a result of prayer, Peter was released from jail. Prayer is what God is calling us to do.
APPLICATION
Why is it so hard to pray more than just a few minutes?
What can we do about this?
How is prayer going to impact OUR world? The world we live in here in Wisconsin?
What are we going to do so that our world is impacted?
Identify a place to start, then start.
