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Control Yourself (Part2)
How we finish is just as important as how we begin.
Text: Philemon 1:24
How many times have we seen this truth at work in our churches? A person will come to the altar, pray a prayer, stand up tell the church they have been saved, and they take off like a shot from a cannon. But, a few months later, or a couple of years later, they are nowhere to be found! What happened? They have forgotten, or perhaps were never taught that how we finish is just as important as how we begin!
Recently we have heard Jesus talk about this kind of person in the Parable of the Sower, Luke 8:13, “They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.” He is talking about that person who hears the Word gets all excited about it and starts out to go with the Lord, but when trials, temptations and troubles come, they fall away. They are kind of like a bottle rocket. A lot of sizzle, a lot of flash, a lot of noise, and then they are gone! We might call them a flash in the pan.
Jesus even had this kind of person among His Disciples. I am certain that all of the other disciples thought Judas Iscariot was a saved man. They must have trusted him; after all, they let him carry the money for the group. But, Jesus knew something about Judas that the rest of them did not know. Here is what Jesus said about him, “Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve,” John 6:70-71.
So, what can we learn from this part of the life of Demas? Here are a couple of things you can take to the bank.
1. Be absolutely sure you come to Jesus the right way in the beginning. That is, be sure you are saved. How do we accomplish this?
Acts 16:31- They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”
John 6:37-40 – All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
Rom. 10:9 – If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Rom. 10:13 – for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
You can’t meet Jesus just by joining the church or by being baptized. You don’t come to know Him only by doing good things or by becoming a better person. You must be born again, John 3:3, 7.
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 2. Understand that the Christian race is a marathon and not a sprint. God did not save us for a life of ease, or so that we can lazily float off to heaven after a few days. There will be some trials and troubles along the way. What I am trying to say is that we need to settle in for the long haul and run this race with patient endurance,
Heb. 12:1-2 – Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb. 3:12 – See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
3. Take the time to encourage others in their own race. There are some people around us today that are struggling. How do I know? Well, their church attendance isn’t what it should be. If they aren’t coming to worship, then they probably aren’t praying or studying their Bibles like used to. They are y likely having a difficult time making it. Those who are running the race well should be taking the time to be an encouragement to them, Gal. 6:1-2. ” Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill thew of Christ.”
Others may be young in the Lord. They too need an encouraging word. Listen to Hebrews 3:13 and do it!
“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”
4. Remember that even if you did start out right, you can always fall along the way!
1 Cor. 10:12 – “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!”
Pro. 16:18 – “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Matt. 26:40-41 – Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
It can happen to any of us, and has probably already happened in all of our lives….
[more tomorrow…]
Control Yourself (Part 1)
Text: Philemon 1:24
Today, I want to introduce you to a man named Demas. He is a man mentioned only three times in the whole New Testament, but the three short verses that mention his name reveal a man who wandered far away from the Lord he once loved and served. It is interesting to note that the name Demas means “The governor of the people.” He is one among many in the Bible, who did not live up to their name, for he was a man who could not even govern, or control, himself.
As we get to know Demas a little better, we will see ourselves as well. That is a good thing, because there are many of us who have wandered away from that place of closeness and intimacy with God. Through exploration of Demas’ life, I would like to share three simple principles that will help us keep from ending up like him. Why do we need to review this? We need to be reminded because we are human, and it is all too easy to slip back into our baser nature. We are all prone to wander away from God. The principles gleaned from the life of Demas can help us to keep from doing that!
Point #1: A PERFECT START DOES NOT PROMISE A PERFECT ENDING
Illustration: In 1936, the Olympic Games were held in Berlin, Germany. Hitler thought that this would be the perfect showcase for his “Aryan Race.” However, Hitler was surprised by the performance of Jesse Owens, an African-American athlete, along with several and others. Among the true surprises of that Olympics was the defeat of the heavily favored German Women’s 400 meter relay team by the underdog Americans. When the starting gun sounded, the Germans quickly went ahead of the Americans and held first place until the baton was passed to the last runner. The Germans had a seven yard lead, but the anchor runner dropped the baton and the Germans were disqualified. The German team had executed a perfect start and had run a good race, but, in the end, they learned the terrible truth that a perfect start does not always promise a perfect ending.
When we first meet Demas, he is called a “fellowlabourer” by the Apostle Paul. This phrase literally means, “A companion in the work.” We find Demas mentioned along with Luke, Mark and Aristarchus. All three of these men were well know in the early church. Mark wrote a Gospel that bears his name, as did Luke. Luke also is the author of the book of Acts. Aristarchus served time in prison with Paul (Col. 4:10). All of them were traveling companions of the great Apostle. From this it would appear that Demas was well known, well respected and well liked during this portion of his life and work. But, as close as Demas was to Paul and as much as he grew in the Lord, apparently it did not last. For in 2 Timothy we read these words, “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world,” 2 Tim. 4:10.
This happens to many of us, and it happens all the time. We are caught up in the zeal and enthusiasm of the moment. As we encounter frustrations and setbacks, we lose some of that enthusiasm, some of that shine gets knocked off the “perfect” plan we had at the beginning. We begin to question ourselves, our faith, and God…
We have no record of how Demas came to know the Lord Jesus as his Savior. But, it would appear that all those around him thought he was the real deal as well. But, the time came when Demas fizzled out as a servant of the Lord. He was going along well, but he burned out and fell out. His life illustrates a principle that many of us would rather not have to live by: How we finish is just as important as how we begin.
[ more tomorrow…]
Sermon Notes 5-8-11
Text: 2 Corinthians 6:14
Paul is trying to right the “ship,” get the church at Corinth back on course.
He wants them to reclaim what they previously had.
The Corinthian church had fallen from grace.
This same church had flourished while Paul was their presence, but faded when he was away.
The church which had been growing and vibrant, was falling into disrepair during Paul’s absence.
They had been a wealthy and warn church, moving in the Spirit in the midst of a bustling hub of commerce.
Plutarch says that Corinth was one of three economic centers in the Hellenic world.
The congregation was made up of well-off people.
So, in the midst of a thriving community, we see a hurting church; a church that is failing.
Several weeks ago, we spoke about favor,
Favor falls on the folk that God wants to partner with.
Favor means you have the focused attention of God in your life because He wants to use you.
Favor is focused on a few.
The church in Rome had been walking in favor because they became willing workers for God.
The Corinthians, we are told in the text have yoked themselves to unbelievers. This is the reason they had fallen from favor.
Church work is not hard work, it is right work.
The church should be a place of joy, happiness, moving in one accord; but too often the work is hard, stressful and frustrating.
It should be a place of faith, not frustration.
Paul is trying to help them get back to right work ethic- ethos.
Yoking with unbelievers will cause favor to leave your life.
Paul’s metaphor is usually attributed to marriage, but that is not what he is talking about.
Paul is referring to church relationship, community relations.
The Corinthian church had allowed their worldly workers to mix with the holy workers.
They had yoked with people of affluence and influence; people who had agendas other than to glorify God. They worked for other things.
Be careful who you align yourself with.
The Corinthian church had become a faith-sick church.
Paul was explaining to the church, and us, that we must allow Jesus to be yoked with us. He is the one person who must be yoked with us, so that He can lead us “all the way.”
Stop trying to worship and work with the weight of the world on us.
A yoke is a harness which is attached to a plow for the purpose of doing work.
When you’re trying to get your work done, you need to be hooked up with someone who is moving forward.
Plow the good ground that God has laid before you in your life.
Get out of those rocking chairs and loungers and do something for the Lord.
A yoke is not built for one person, but for two.
Who have you yoked yourself up with today?
Separate from those who are dragging you down.
Matthew 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Yoke with someone who will walk with you, work with you.
Jesus will be in the yoke with you, so you can work, walk and move together.
When you fall, He will lift you up.
He will lead you along the path.
“Yoke of life is not made for one, it is made for Jesus and you.”
We, as the church in Corinth need to get back to faith of trusting in Jesus.
Many of us have too many rocks in our wagon. We drag these rocks with us as we try to do the work of the Lord. Jesus (yoked to you) came to lift and lead.
Personal commentary: Unlike the church at Corinth, we don’t have the Apostle Paul to come rushing in to help us right our ship, the church. We need to take a step back and see who and what we have yoked ourselves to. We must continually remind ourselves about Who our ship truly belongs to, and get back to the work we have been sent to do. Ultimately what happens is in God’s hands, but we need to be serious about doing our part to get back on the path.
The fact that we are to be yoked to the Lord does not mean that He is going to drag us along.
So…stand up, speak up, take your responsibility, and help right the ship!
[This week’s lesson starts tomorrow]
Happy Mother’s Day!
The G.O.S.P.E.L.
In this five-minute video rap artist Propoganda unpacks the gospel in a simple six letter acrostic that spells out the word “GOSPEL.”
Share…
Lessons From A Storm (part 3 / conclusion)
Principle number five, verse 29: We Succeed When We Move Toward Jesus.
Text: Matthew 14:22-31
I have seen a lot of people go through storms and I have had an abundance of them myself. One common factor is that in most cases people believe that they are doing what is right when the storms comes. Peter moved toward Jesus in the midst of contrary winds and waves and things seemed fine.
Observe carefully, there are two things here, while in the presence of the storm, that do not keep Peter from moving toward Jesus. It’s all about what direction we move in when the storm comes. Look closely, there are eleven (11) others who did nothing, and that is what most of us do. Some of us pull away, while some others will move toward Jesus. What do you do when the storms come? Run and hide, blame and shout ! What is your response to your storm?
2011 seems like a good time to begin to discipline ourselves to draw nigh to God. Relationships and fellowship are lifelines in any storm. We are not designed to go it alone. No man or woman is island, and all that church-speak about “I have Jesus and that is enough” is inadequate. We shortchange ourselves and others. We need others to talk with, cry with and share our pain with. Peter was on the water, but Jesus was with him. We need others that have Jesus in them to be with us.
Principle number six, verse 30: Lapses of Focus (faith) are Recipes for Spiritual Failure.
Peter is torn by the forces around him, now his focus and his faith are distracted. he is paying attention to the wind and the waves rather than the great “I AM”. This lesson highlights the importance of focused faith. Lapses are too expensive. Lapses happen when we take our focus off of Jesus. It happens when we get preoccupied with the wind and waves, and it is a set up for disaster. Some of the people, problems and events of our lives are just our wind are waves, designed to get our focus-faith off of Jesus.
Peter provides us with a great example of what to do when we have our lapses. Peter cried out. Wait, he didn’t just cry; no, the text said he cried out to Jesus. Our problem is that we cry. We cry in the problem, and we cry about the problem, but we don’t cry out of the problem to Jesus. “Lord, save me,” is the right response to lapses of faith and sinking situations. Can you think of some things caused you to lose your focus?
Principle number seven, verse 31: Storms are Measuring Devices that Reveal our Faith Level.
The final verse of our text is quite revealing, Jesus, in the nick of time reaches out and saves Peter the same way HE does so many times with us. It is about the closeness of Jesus. Yes, we will contend with wind and water forces, but Jesus is always available and accessible for those of us whom call on him. What a glorious fact, that no matter how strong the forces push against me, Jesus is available and accessible. Additionally HE educates us as HE eradicates us from our predicament. Jesus tells Peter that the core of the problem is an faith problem. Jesus tells Peter that this storm has revealed his faith level. It is not how much we shout, or how loud we sing, or how eloquent we preach or pray that speaks about our faith level, but rather what we do when the storm comes. We are encouraged to review our responses each time we come through a storm and strive to do better with our focus-faith.
There is a song that says “the storm is passing over, and that there is a blessing in the storm.” We must remember that no matter how dark the night, and no matter how rough the way may seem, we need to be encouraged to keep on keeping-on. When the storms of life are raging and we find ourselves struggling and straining with the winds and waves of life, will we be willing to get out of our boats? The boat of tradition. The boat of low expectations. Whatever your boat is, I want to encourage you get out of the boat. Not only do I want to encourage you to get out of the boat, but also want you to remember that whatever happens move toward Jesus. When you have problems in your home, and problems on your job, go to Jesus. We must keep our focus on Jesus and not allow ourselves to lapse and collapse. We must remember that storms that the reveal our faith level.
Amen…
Just a thought: Bible study
I am considering trying to facilitate a Bible study. I would like to find a way to do live (in or at church) as well as blog, if anyone is interested. For those who are physically close, we can meet-up, probably at my church or some other “neutral” ground. For those further away, questions and comments can be posted.
One of my concerns about Bible studies in general is that sometimes we focus too much on a particular characteristic (like pride) or “3 ways to …,” or a particular book. All of these methods are fine and have their place. But, I am not certain that enough of us have actually read the all, or even most of Bible for ourselves.
This does not preclude using any of these methods, but I have just been thinking…
What I am proposing is setting up a schedule to work our way through the Bible itself. This will likely entail some daily reading and questions to consider and answer. That means that it will require additional work and commitment for me and for you.
I do not know if anyone is interested in this concept, so I need some feedback from my readers. This may prove to be to difficult a task for me to handle, but we won’t know unless we try. This is just a pressing thought right now. So, let me know what you think.
Keeping in mind that I don’t usually hear from anyone when I ask for comments, if I don’t get any feedback, I will be forced to conclude it a bad idea, at least for the moment.
National Day of Prayer….
Today is our National Day of Prayer…
Lessons From A Storm (part 2)
Our first principle is that storms will come even when we are obedient to the commands of Jesus.
Text: Matthew 14:22-31
The second principle is in verse 25: Our Blessings are Found at the Darkest Part of our Storms.
While the scenery of the text is rough and tough, it is comforting to know that there are some positive things happening even in the worst part of the storm. Our text informs us that it was the 4th watch of the night. The Romans divided the night into four watches. The fourth watch was between 3:00 A.M. and 6:00 A.M, which is believed to be the darkest part of the night.
This text reveals to us that it is during the darkest hour of our storm that Jesus draws nigh. We should find it encouraging that Jesus in the hour of desperation and frustration is drawing near. This verse also reveals to us one of the purposes of storms. I think that storms are allowed by God to show us what is within us.
Look at the text, Jesus is moving toward the disciples but they suffer from a case of mis-identification. Fears, runs wild in the disciples. They mistake Jesus for a Ghost, their fears and phobias surface like the rising of the tide.
This gets us to the third principle in verse 27: Storms Reveal the True Source of Our Strength (Courage).
When things were at the worst point for the disciples, when they were overwhelmed by the wind and the waves, Jesus shows up. The disciples had been rowing for a long time, and yet they were unable to get trough the storm. Storms reveal our own inability and the ability of God. We try to live large and in charge, but as great as our press clipping may be, when storms come they reveal all of our inadequacies. Yet Paul declares that when we are weak, we are strong. When Jesus shows up in our storm, we find that we gain strength. We gain strength to do the possible. When Jesus shows up He can help us make something useful out of our mistakes. When Jesus shows up he invigorates, restores and empowers us to reach the unreachable, to cross the uncrossable. Storms let us know that without Him, we can do nothing and without Him we are doomed to fail. Yet, when Jesus shows up, we gain the strength to join in with Paul and say in Christ I can do all things.
The storms of life are liken unto a grain sifters, it matters not what you start with it but rather it is all about what is left when the shaking stops. Many of us are going through a lot of stormy patches, and some of the people we thought would be left when the shaking ended, were gone. Some of the things we were counting on as stabilizing elements of our lives have disappeared. I want to share with you that what matters most is what is left when the shaking stops. We have to learn to thank God for what is left and stop complaining about what is lost.
Question: What do you do when the storms of life are raging? Pray, keep busy, isolation, evaluation, hesitation, rationalization, or just blame everyone else for your current circumstance?
Storms are designed to hinder our progress, impede our development, distract our focus, and halt our spiritual development. Think about it for a moment, when storms come don’t they keep us from going where we were trying to go, in fact a severe storms will sometimes cause us to forget what we were doing before the storm came.
But, I don’t want you to misunderstand what I mean by the word “storm.” A storm is any situation that hinders, halts, distracts, and attempts to destroy your peace, joy and the providential and plan God has for your life. Sometimes our storms are places of employment, sometimes they are people in our lives; our finances, friends and even family members can be storms.
Let’s press on…
Principle number four, from verse 28: We Must Be Willing To Get Out of The Boat.
Boats is being used a s a metaphor for our old patterns or life. Those predictable behaviors and tragic flaws that we have a tendency to repeat over and over again. We keep rowing, but we are not making any progress in our little, old boats. This boat represents the status-quo, the same-old same-old. Too often we are trapped by the status-quo. We get trapped in the expectations and fears of others who are more than happy to share with us what they would and would not do.
It is time to get out of that tired old boat and experience something new. If you don’t like what is happening, if you’re tired of the way things are going, get out of the boat. If you don’t like the way people treat you, change boats or if you don’t like the way things are going in your relationship get out of the boat.
But wait, get out does not mean leave, it also means try something different. Change the formula and the end result will also change. 2011 is an great time to get out of the old boats of failure and frustration. Can you think of some boats that are sinking (not working real well for you) that you need to get out of.
I also think that this lesson demonstrates how we shortchange God by staying in our crummy little going-nowhere boats. The point is it better on the water with Jesus that in the boat with others who are not going anywhere or doing anything.
[conclusion Friday…]