Weekly Sermon

Acts 20:17-21 reads, “And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.  And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: and how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

In this passage of Scripture, we pick up the life of the apostle Paul at the end of His third missionary journey.  While going about the areas of Galatia, Asia, and Macedonia, establishing and confirming churches in the faith, Paul collected money for the financially destitute church of Jerusalem.  Here we find Paul in Miletus for a few days, as the ship on which he had booked passage is resupplied and outfitted for the journey.  The apostle Paul, never one to waste time, takes this opportunity to send for the elders of the church at Ephesus, (Ephesus being approximately thirty miles distant).  Now, as the New Testament Scriptures often use the term “elder” as a reference for the official leadership of churches, we recognize these men in our common terminology as the pastors of the church at Ephesus. 

Unto these pastors the apostle Paul spends the whole of Acts 20:18-35 in a farewell address.  Contextually, this address can be divided into four parts.  First, in verses 18-21 there is Paul’s recollection of His past ministry with these men.  Second, in verses 22-24 there is Paul’s intention to follow the Spirit’s leading.  Third, in verses 25-31 there is Paul’s exhortation to these pastors concerning their ministry.  Fourth, in verses 32-35 there is Paul’s commendation of these pastors unto God.  In this message we shall consider the first of these matters – Paul’s recollection of His past ministry with these men.  Apparently there were those in Ephesus, as was so often the case at other places in the apostle’s ministry, who were slandering His character and ministry.  Thus the apostle Paul began this farewell address with a reminder to these pastors concerning their personal knowledge of and experience with his godly character and behavior.  In so doing the apostle Paul, by the example of his own life and ministry, reveals to us the reputation of a man of God.  Even so, if we desire to be men and women of God, then we must seek these same characteristics as a part of our reputation.  So then, from Acts 20:18-21 let us consider five characteristics for the reputation of a man of God.

 Weekly Sermon

Psalm 119:9-16 reads, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?  By taking heed thereto according to thy word.  With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.  Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.  Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.  With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.  I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.  I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.”

In the opening portion of verse 9, the psalmist expressed the spiritual concern and burden of his heart with the question, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?” He desired to know how he himself, as a young man of God, might have his way cleansed and might continue in the cleansed way.  In the closing portion of verse 9, the answer of God’s Word is delivered – “By taking heed thereto according to thy [God’s] word.”  Through this principle we lean that we may have our way cleansed and may continue in the cleansed way by taking heed to conform our way in accord with the standard of God’s Word.  We must give our attention and our obedience to the Word of God.  Certainly this will require commitment on our part.  It will not just happen.  We must specifically prepare ourselves and commit ourselves every day to the task.  

So then, what is involved in the commitment to take heed unto our way in accord with God’s Word? Throughout Psalm 119:10-16 the psalmist, this young man of God, presented eight points of commitment that he had made in this matter.  Through his example we learn what is involved in the commitment to take heed according to God’s Word.  Now, the eight points of commitment that the psalmist made may be divided grammatically into two parts.  The psalmist’s first four commitments he presented in the past tense as those commitments that he had already done.  In them we find our responsibility to apply ourselves unto God’s Word.  We must apply ourselves to make our Lord and His Word the governing priority and principle of our hearts.  The psalmist’s second four commitments he presented in the future tense as those commitments that he intended to do.  In them we find our responsibility to apply God’s Word unto ourselves.  We must apply the truth of God’s Word to our daily living so that our daily purposes and pursuits are conformed thereto.

In this first part of the message, let us consider the first four commitments of the psalmist and our responsibility to apply ourselves unto God’s Word.

Thought for Meditation
(This meditation is a companion to a previous meditation:  Expect No Light from the Darkness)

By nature the system of this world is completely characterized by spiritual darkness.
In contrast, we believers are called to be the spiritual light of this spiritually dark world,
ever reflecting and shining forth the light of our Lord, His gospel, and His righteouness.
Yet if we fail to reflect and shine forth this spiritual light by covering it up
through ungodliness, unrighteousness, carnality, and worldliness,
there will be no other spiritual light available for the darkness of this present evil world.

Weekly Sermon

This sermon is a companion to three previous sermons:  Consider Your Priorities - Haggai 1:5    
                                                                                         Consider the Lord's Pleasure - Haggai 1:8      
                                                                                         Consider Our Lord's Purpose - Haggai 2:10-19    

Haggai 2:10 gives the report, “In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying.”  Then in Haggai 2:18-19 we come to the conclusion of that message where our Lord declared through His prophet, “Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD’S temple was laid, consider it.  Is the seed yet in the barn?  Yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.”  Finally, in Haggai 2:20-23 our Lord delivered a second message on the same day through His prophet Haggai.  There we read, “And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying, Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; and I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.  In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.”

In Haggai 2:15-17 the Lord had instructed His people at that time to consider His hand of chastening against them and to consider His purpose in that chastening.  Yet in Haggai 2:18-19 the Lord instructed them to consider another matter.  In these two verses, the Lord gave promise to reverse their situation.  Until that time His hand of chastening had been against them, but from that time forward He promised to open His hand of blessing upon them.  At the end of verse 19, the Lord proclaimed, “From this day will I bless you.”  He had confronted them and chastened them for their sinful priorities and ways, and they had repented of those sinful priorities and ways.  Thus from that day of their repentance forward, the Lord promised to bless them.  Even so, the Lord instructed them to consider His promise.  In like manner, we ourselves also need to consider our Lord’s promise to those who will repent of their sinful ways and return unto the Lord.

Outlines in Psalms

1.  Let us highly praise our Lord with submission to Him as our Sovereign King.

     Psalm 145:1a – “I will extol thee, my God, O king.”

2.  Let us highly praise our Lord with commitment for our entire existence.

     Psalm 145:1b – “And I will bless thy name for ever and ever.”

3.  Let us highly praise our Lord with commitment for each and every day.

     Psalm 145:2 – “Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.”

4.  Let us highly praise our Lord because He is greatly worthy to be praised.

     Psalm 145:3 – “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.”

5.  Let us highly praise our Lord and His wondrous works unto the next generation.

     Psalm 145:4-7 – “One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.  I will
     speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.  And men shall speak of the might of
     thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.  They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great
     goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.”

6.  Let us highly praise our Lord and His wondrous works unto the lost world.

     Psalm 145:10-12 – “All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.  They shall speak
     of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the
     glorious majesty of his kingdom.”

Psalm 145:21 – “My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.”

Posted in Outines in Psalms, Praising Our Lord, Godly Witnessing

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Weekly Sermon

In 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 the apostle Paul revealed the foundational principle for stewardship, syaing, “Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.  Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

In its immediate context, the apostle was speaking concerning himself and those who served with him as ministers of God’s truth for Christ’s sake.  He revealed that such ministers are stewards of the truth of God’s Word, responsible to minister gospel truth unto the lost and edification truth unto the saved.  Then the apostle revealed God’s foundational principle for stewardship, saying, “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”  Brethren, in stewardship from the Lord our God, faithfulness is required.

Now, although the immediate context of this passage concerns ministers of God’s truth, it is important for us to understand that the foundational principle for stewardship in verse 2 has an application to each and every one of us as the servants of the Lord our God.  Whether or not we have been called as minister of God’s truth, as our Lord’s servants we all have been given some stewardship from the Lord.  Therefore, the foundational principle of stewardship stands for us all – Faithfulness is required.

Weekly Sermon

In Romans 1:14-16 the apostle Paul gave testimony, saying, “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.  So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

Brethren, how seriously do we take our Lord’s commission to preach the gospel of Christ to the lost world around us?  How ready and committed are we to preach the gospel at any given opportunity?  How much confidence do we have in the gospel to convict and save the lost?  How faithful are we in our gospel witness from day to day?  In Romans 1:14-16 the apostle Paul delivered a testimony under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit concerning his own faithful service in gospel witness.  Thereby the apostle is presented as an example for our faithfulness in gospel witness.  Even so, by that example we are taught three truths concerning this matter.

Weekly Sermon

This sermon is a companion to three previous sermons:  Be Not Conformed to This World (Part 1) - Romans 12:2
                                                                                          Be Not Conformed to This World (Part 2) - Romans 12:2
                                                                                          Be Not Conformed to This World (Part 3) - Romans 12:2

Romans 12:1-2 reads, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

In Romans 12:1 God the Holy Spirit pleads with us to present ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God.  Then in verse 2 God the Holy Spirit gives us two commands that we must obey if we are truly to present ourselves to live unto the Lord our God.  The first of these two commands is found in the opening portion of the verse – “And be not conformed to this world.”  The word “conformed” means “to be formed together,” that is – “to be made into the same form, or to be brought into agreement.”  Brethren, we are not to have the same form as this present evil world; and we are not to be in agreement with this present evil world.  We are not to think like this world thinks, feel like this world feels, behave like this world behaves, talk like this world talks, or look like this world looks.  We are not to have the same philosophy, the same priorities, the same purposes, the same desires, the same interests, the same habits, or the activities that this world has.  Brethren, we are not to make our decisions or have our mind set like this world does.  We are to “be not conformed to this world.”

Yet the question might be asked – Why are we not to be conformed to this world, and how important is it to our Christian lives that we not be conformed unto this world?  God’s holy Word reveals a great number of answers to this question.  Already in the first three parts of this message (see above), we have considered eight of these answers.  We are to “be not conformed to this world” (1) because this world stands opposed to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, (2) because this world stands opposed to true Christianity and the true followers of Christ, (3) because this world is willfully without God, (4) because this world is under Satan’s deception, (5) because this world is following Satan’s direction, (6) because this world is evil and wicked by nature, (7) because we have been delivered out of this world, and (8) because we are not of this world, but of the Lord our God.