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Ephesians 4:1-6
This is my last sermon summary because on Thursday I am retiring from full time pastoral ministry. I am not sure what new ministry opportunities God will show me, but I am sure He will reveal it to me in His own perfect time. I would like to thank those of you who have been so encouraging to Linda and me throughout the last 13 years and 9 months. We also thank all those who blessed us with your presence, kind words, and well wishes this past Sunday at our reception. I also thank the Royal Center Record for publishing these sermon summaries. It is God and God alone Who has so blessed His ministry at Baptist Christian. I am humbled and privileged to have been only the tool He used to accomplish His work! To God be the glory forever and ever. Here is the summary of what I shared this past Sunday.
There are many farewells in Scripture. Abraham said farewell to his family and followed God. After the death of Naomi’s husband and her 2 sons, Orpah said good-bye, but Ruth stayed with Naomi. You remember when Jesus was teaching about the cost of following Him, one man He called told Him, I’ll follow You, but 1st let me say good-bye to my family. Paul said farewell to Aquila and Priscilla when he left Corinth to go to Ephesus. After Paul had been in Ephesus for at least several years, he said good-bye and left for Jerusalem. Farewells and good-byes are part of our lives today, as they have been in everyone’s life since Eden! I don’t want to focus on farewell this morning, I want to focus on staying; more specifically, your staying! I want to talk to you this morning about a strategy that will result in sound Biblical doctrine, sound Biblical wisdom and understanding, and sound Biblical ministry for BCC! 1st and most important:
I. STAY IN THE WORD. You know when Moses died Joshua was commissioned by God to lead Israel into Canaan. God told Josh exactly what to do to insure God’s continued guidance and protection for Israel. Read Josh. 1:1-9. V. 8 is the focal verse of this passage. When God says, “this Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth…” He is telling Israel, that there must never be a time when Scripture is not at the forefront of their mind. Scripture is the filter of the soul through which all life flows! The doctrine of staying in the Word is taught in both O/NT; and is how a person, a family, a local NT church, a nation – stays in a position where God can and will bless them, protect them, grow them, and prosper them. God tells us every facet of our life is to be determined in the light of Scripture. Jesus teaches this same doctrine in the Sermon on the Mount in Matt. 5-7. Beloved, in all that you do as individuals, as families, and especially as a fundamental, local NT church I implore you – stay in the Word, for in it you find the deep truths and secrets of God that bring to your heart more than all you can imagine or ask! Next:
II. STAY ON YOUR KNEES. How important is prayer to a Christian? A true Christian will tell you, it is as important as oxygen is to life! I said a few weeks ago prayer is the breath of life from a Christian to The God Who called and redeemed and is now sanctifying for His own use. Yes, prayer is that important! King David said, “Look to the Lord and His strength, seek His face always; 1 Chron. 16:11; Luke 18:1 records Jesus teaching us “to pray always, and never give up.” Again He teaches us, “Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” Jn. 16:24 Paul teaches “keep on praying for all the saints.” Eph. 6:18 You know he told the Thessalonians to “pray without ceasing.” 1 Thess. 5:17. If you stay in the Word, it will teach you to stay on your knees! A Christian life without prayer is very simply not a Christian life! A Christian cannot live – as a Christian – without constant and consistent prayer. Both private and public prayer is taught throughout Scripture. The Savior Himself is our best example of both private and public prayers. Any student of the Word will tell you if Jesus thought both kinds of prayer were important, any Christian who is walking with the Lord will also think both kinds of prayer is important. The point is corporate prayer is taught as a necessary and normal part of a Christian’s life. Then finally I encourage you to:
III. STAY IN THE PEW. When God gave Moses the 10 Commandments, God made it clear in the first 4 commandments we are to worship no one, nor anything other than God Himself. In both the Old and New Testament, worship to God is the expected norm for God’s people. Worship to God is a way of life for Christians. Just as Quiet Time/Bible study and memorization; and prayer are to be a normal part of every Christian’s life, both private and public, so is worship. Here is a news flash for you! Worship is never about you, Worship is always about God! A true Christian comes to Sunday morning worship to bow down, humble themselves, submit to, and sit quietly before The Lord God Almighty! If you haven’t come to meet and worship with God as the Sovereign, Holy God He is, you came for the wrong reason!! God always fills a heart that comes to worship having been deliberately emptied of self. Worship is a heart attitude and activity! It only happens in a heart redeemed by the blood! If worship is not changing your life, you 1st need to change your heart, by emptying it of you, and let God fill it with His Holy Spirit. My Beloved, I implore you to stand fast! Stay in the Word and fill your heart with its truths; Stay on your knees and let the power of Almighty God lift you to the realms of glory; and stay in the pew praising and thanking God that He called you to a life of worship! And do all those things until the Lord Himself comes down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God and we are all caught up together to meet the Lord in the air, and we will be with Him forever! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all! Amen!
