THE PASTOR’S POINTS
sermon ministry of
CEDAR LODGE BAPTIST CHURCH
Thomasville, NC
Part Two ¡V A Strong Man
May 25, 2003
16All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable
for teaching, for reproof, for correction,
for training in righteousness;
2 Timothy 3:16 (NASB)
As we continue with our Growing Strong series it will pay to remind ourselves periodically that we are studying those things which are very important to us as believers, and also as members of this local body called Cedar Lodge Baptist Church.
These are the basics taught in our new member¡¦s orientation class, and central to what we have agreed in our Covenant of Faith, Practice and Fellowship. These are elemental and fundamental promises we have made to God and each other.
We, the members of Cedar Lodge Baptist Church, do pledge to affirm and uphold to the best of our ability the Church Covenant as our faith pledge to God, this church, and all mankind. (Cedar Lodge Covenant of Faith, Practice and Fellowship.)
Last week¡¦s first message in this series dealt with becoming a new person in Christ through the new birth. This week we progress to what it is like to live the new life once new birth has occurred. Our beginning point is a definition.
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST.
A disciple is one who Commits All to Jesus.
25Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, 26¡§If anyone comes to Me, and does not „Thate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. 27¡§Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28¡§For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? 29¡§Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, Lu 14.25-29
Some have called it ¡§the surrendered life¡¨ because there is that sense of counting everything as expendable for the sake of being a good servant to Jesus Christ. Jesus raised the issue here of ¡§counting the cost¡¨ of following Him because it is difficult. Being a Christian is joyful, and there is the power of Christ to overcome even the greatest mountains ¡V but we must never make the mistake of thinking it is a cakewalk. Being a disciple often means hardship and heartache.
It is important to have this mindset of complete devotion because a disciple¡¦s purpose is to follow Jesus. In the long run, you won¡¦t do that unless you have committed all to Him. In America there is a lot to commit. We are so affluent compared to other parts of the world. ¡§Committing all¡¨ means just that ¡V all my time, talents and treasure is put at the disposal of Jesus; He then directs my life. Even more accurately, committing all means that He lives His life through me.
In Jesus¡¦ day the word ¡§disciple¡¨ meant being a learner. Typically a student would learn by following his Master, watching and listening. It is still that way with a doctoral student who is assigned to be a fellow to an older professor. By working for and with the professor the student gains valuable insights within his field of study.
That is the whole issue about growing strong as a disciple of Jesus. We follow after Him, learn of Him, and become more like Him. We become more useable in kingdom work.
Among the many ways that growth happens are two intentional disciplines that Christ has established for us, about which we are to be faithfully devoted.
I. HOW A DISCIPLE GROWS IN PERSONAL BIBLE STUDY, FELLOWSHIP AND PRAYER
There are two things that are invaluable when it comes to growing through personal study and prayer ¡V a devoted time and a devoted mind. The bottom line is, unless you put aside a definite time, where everything else has to be blocked out, you will not have a devoted mind¡Keverything else will take the place of study and prayer. I prefer an empty room, with just a Bible. There have been times when I try to study and pray in bed or at a library, or even my back porch. Places like that offer too many opportunities to think about projects to be done, or naps to be grabbed. If you¡¦re going to grow as a disciple, it isn¡¦t any different than hitting the exercise machine¡Kyou devote the time and mind to it ¡V or you don¡¦t! The result will show.
The devoted mind is simply a mind which is open to the truth of God¡¦s Word. There is a struggle going on today ¡V not just ¡§in the world¡¨ ¡V as we are prone to say as an excuse from paying attention. Rather the struggle is everywhere. U.S. News and World Report cited a survey that wanted to know what people believed about the Bible. Among the results:
a. Percentage of Americans who believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God: 80.
b. Percentage who believe there is no one set of values that is right: 48.
(¡§To Verify¡¨, U.S. News & World Report, 4/4/94)
Ladies and gentlemen, if the Bible is God¡¦s Word, it is the only set of values that can possibly be right. He is God!
We have had that struggle in our own church, which is why affirming the Bible as God¡¦s final authority for all the decisions in church life, family and social life and business is so important. This is a Bible-believing church, which makes it a Bible-behaving church!
How does that work? (Glad you asked). A Wycliffe missionary in a remote village of Papua New Guinea was translating the Bible into the native language for folks who had only recently begun hearing the Gospel. When the first chapters of Genesis were completed the attitude toward women changed dramatically, and overnight. Previously women were treated as possessions. They had not realized that the woman had been specially formed out of the side of the man. Without even hearing this concept developed these people immediately grasped the ideas of equality between the sexes and began adjusting their behavior. The people heard, believed and obeyed. They changed; just like that! (Steve Arterburn and Jack Felton, More Jesus, Less Religion, (Sisters, Oregon: Waterbrook Press, 2000), 116. [adapted])
Now, once you¡¦ve settled the ¡§believer¡¨ issue, how do you put the Word of God to work in your own life? How do you develop spiritual maturity in personal Bible study and prayer? Paul¡¦s very familiar sentence written to a young pastor by the name of Timothy contains the definition and road map for Godly living and development¡K
16All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; 2 Timothy 3:16 (KJV)
The word ¡§inspired¡¨ means God-breathed. Bishop Warren A. Candler was preaching to a large audience using as his text the story of Annanias and Sapphira, who lied to God and were struck dead. The old bishop roared: ¡§God doesn¡¦t strike people dead for lying like he used to. If he did, where would I be?¡¨ This got a laugh from his audience, then he retorted, ¡§I tell you where I would be. I would be right here, preaching to an empty house.¡¨ [John Gullick, What To Do With God¡¦s Word, SermonCentral.com]
There are four words used to show us the pathway of growth:
a. DOCTRINE
Doctrine is that which we hold as the truth about God. I read an article this week about a Danish pastor who has been suspended from the church because he does not believe in resurrection or eternal salvation. [http://christianitytoday.aol.com/global/pf.cgi?/ct/2003/122/31.0.html Danish Pastor Suspended After Denying God¡K]
These are doctrines ¡V what we believe is the truth about God.
b. REPROOF
Reproof literally means ¡§to tell a fault¡¨; it is what happened when that Danish pastor rejected basic Christian doctrine ¡V he was told by the church he is wrong.
c. CORRECTION
Is what the Danish church is attempting to do ¡V get the pastor back on track.
d. INSTRUCTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS
This last word is the preventive step; it tells the believer how to stay on course so you don¡¦t err again.
Now, it should be very elementary to put these back together to demonstrate how spiritual maturity comes about in personal Bible study and prayer. In my ¡§quiet time¡¨ I have put aside everything else and devoted my time and mind to hearing God. I begin reading the Word systematically, with the idea of devoting my life to what I receive from God in this ¡§reporting for orders¡¨ time.
Over the course of time ¡V a lifetime and shorter times of growth ¡V God speaks to my heart the truth (doctrine) about Him. I come to know Him. There are times I make mistakes, and even willful times when I sin. During this quiet time each day God speaks words of rebuke or reproof (telling me my faults). Sometimes he whispers it and I am attentive and close to Him, so I hear it; other times he has to use someone in the church, or worse, an unbeliever, to speak words of reproof to convict me. As I search His Word I find principles that turn me around (repentance, correction). These words also speak volumes to my heart as to how to stay out of that ditch (instruction in righteousness). These build strength against temptation, and build the believer into a disciple/servant of Jesus¡¦
The more I stay sensitive and obedient to the voice of God¡¦s Spirit teaching and training me, the more I grow as a believer. That is the life of a disciple, one who is daily taking up his cross to follow the Master.
Now, there is a corresponding part which takes place in the corporate setting, as a cooperation with the private and personal Bible Study¡K.
II. HOW A DISCIPLE GROWS IN CORPORATE BIBLE STUDY, FELLOWSHIP AND PRAYER
a. THE FOUNDATION
The foundation for the corporate growth is also found in one of Paul¡¦s letters¡K
25not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:25 (NASB)
This is so foundational it is almost embarrassing to say it in public, but it is necessary ¡V YOU CANNOT GROW IF YOU DON¡¦T EAT! We¡¦re not talking about the green beans your Mama wanted you to finish. Paul made the point to the Hebrews that gathering together for worship, study and fellowship were critically vital to the growth of the body of Christ. What makes it important for a 21st century pastor to say it to his congregation is that many Christians have not gotten it! They don¡¦t get that attending regularly plays a large part in whether they will live a Christlike life, or accomplish anything for Him in the long run.
How can we say that? Only about one-third of the members in this church attended Sunday School last week. That¡¦s an average week. It is also a weak average! If only one-third of the ball team showed, or one-third of the flight crew, or one-third of the Armed Forces, there would be a congressional inquiry. Yet, week after week, in clear violation of Scripture, Christians sit at home, or find something more important to do.
May I say something personal? (Don¡¦t worry, I¡¦m not going to break into song and regale you with my version of ¡§Excuses¡¨ ¡V I¡¦ll leave that to the Master¡¦s Touch!) What I want to make certain you understand is, I am not your mother! As Pastor, I will tell you the truth, HERE, every Sunday and Wednesday. I will not badger you to come here. I will not take away your bicycle or ice cream privileges if you don¡¦t come. But someone much more authoritative will speak and cripple your Christian walk if you listen to his or her whining about needing time to rest on Sunday morning, or cooking for the relatives, or (fill in the blank)¡K That person is you. You are the one who makes up your own mind about serving Christ, and growing in His Word. And when you are absent, YOU ¡V not anyone else has spoken.
b. THE LIFESTYLE
There are ¡§alternatives¡¨ it seems for everything in life, including alternative lifestyles. For the Christian disciple of Jesus Christ, there is only one possible lifestyle of obedience. For that pattern we return to the beginning of the church.
After the crucifixion and the resurrection, Jesus told the disciples to wait until they received power from on high. That may have seemed like a strange order, as Jesus left in the clouds for heaven. But the disciples were obedient. On the day known as Pentecost, there were a lot of people gathered in Jerusalem. God chose that day to birth the church. The Spirit of God descended upon the waiting group of disciples, and they moved out to tell everyone about the resurrected Jesus. They spoke to thousands on that day.
They spoke to thousands obediently. And the result was what Luke recorded for us in his Acts of the Apostles¡K
41Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 42And they continued stedfastly in the apostles¡¦ doctrine and fellowship,
and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. Acts 2:41-47 (KJV)
In verse 41 we see what we studied in the first message, the ¡§new man¡¨ ¡V those who received Christ and were baptized. In verses 43-47 we see the product of how the disciples led their lives¡Kmiracles, unselfishness, praise and growth of the fledgling church. Now all of that had its beginning in the spiritual growth caused by corporate study, worship and prayer. It is laid out in the one verse (42).
42And they continued stedfastly in the apostles¡¦ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
We don¡¦t have to elaborate too much on these, because God has made it abundantly simple (not easy) to be the church, to be obedient. We can understand this and be like this.
1. DOCTRINE
The apostles spent much time in personal study and prayer, so that when they taught, God¡¦s message would be clear, and easy to understand. I would like to be that clear. The reason we are studying this is four-fold
a. Those of you who are believers haven¡¦t thought about it in a while should be reminded periodically of those important issues we need to keep as priority.
b. Those who need to be instructed because you¡¦ve never understood the basics can know what¡¦s important and what¡¦s secondary.
c. Those who don¡¦t know Jesus can be pointed to Him for salvation.
d. Those who are erring can be brought back from sin.
2. FELLOWSHIP
Now, this is going to hurt a little as a Baptist. Fellowship is not ¡§meeting to eat¡¨. It isn¡¦t a party, per se. Fellowship grows out of the word which teaches us that we are part of one another. It has to do much more with who or what we are, than what we do. But it is connected. Mom and Dad used to say as a last reminder before I went somewhere, remember who you are. It was a reminder of the strength of a good family name and reputation, and the shame that can so easily be brought on the entire family by the inappropriate actions of one.
We are a fellowship with the best name¡KJesus. We are part of one another. We do not exist in a vacuum or solely for our own individual purposes. We are part of the Kingdom of God, and the fellowship of the body of Christ means we look out for one another.
Golf isn¡¦t much of my ¡§thing¡¨ any more. When I swing the club my shoulders and hips ache, and the mind says, Man, don¡¦t you love the body here? The fact is, when one part of your body hurts, the entire group gets notified. It¡¦s like that in Christ. We are so connected, when anything happens, good or bad, we need to be concerned with each other ¡V that¡¦s fellowship.
3. BREAD
Now, this is a little closer to cholesterol-laden, artery-narrowed Baptist hearts; eating! Actually, once again it deals less with calories than the cloister. Breaking bread together is a matter of intimacy. You never invite folks to your house for dinner if you don¡¦t like them. These people chose to be together because they wanted to huddle.
Some of you come to worship regularly, but do you feel a part of this group? Maybe there is something missing besides JUST the worship service. Some of you make the meals and special events, but you could connect more in the family if you involve yourself in Bible Study and Worship.
4. PRAYER
Prayer is what happens in the hearts of folks who are connected. God knows before we speak, because we¡¦re on the same page in concern for each other and our community.
Personal and corporate ¡§Growing Strong¡¨ is a matter of choice. There is a sign on an Alaskan wilderness highway formed only by two sets of wheel ruts¡KChoose your rut carefully, you¡¦re going to be in it for the next two hundred miles! Life is like that!
