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Will Be Impossible for Them

Ministry is like herding cats to safety away from the cliff of culture that is crumbling beneath their paws.  In the Tower of Babel story in Genesis 11:1-9, God reveals a spiritual insight in verse 6 that can help the church move forward: “And the LORD said, ‘Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do.  And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.'”

I.  Luke 22:31-32.  Told to fill the earth, mankind stayed all together and wanted to make a name for themselves rather than glorify God’s name.  In this behind-the-scenes heavenly insight similar to Job 2:3-5 or 1 Kings 22:19-23, God tells us that we should not put limitations upon what we can do in His kingdom for His name.  Yet, beaten down by the world, the church keeps the gospel contained within the walls of our buildings.

II.  Ephesians 4:1-16.  It takes unity to do so.  If Christians today were united as one people of God and spoke the one language of His Word, then we could have the unity of the Spirit centered around the seven “ones” of this passage.  If we could “attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God” to “the fullness of Christ,” then what we’ve already done as the church would be the beginning of what we would do.

III.  John 14:12-14.  We believe that “with man it is impossible” (Mark 10:27) rather than “all things are possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23) and so shrink back (Hebrews 10:39).  We must believe that Jesus can with us and our churches and ask in His name so He can do it.  And then we must live the impossible with others by doing all, in word or deed, in His name (Colossians 3:17) every moment of every day of our lives.

What can we do together to make a name for God and not ourselves?  … if we were united in Christ with one direction, purpose, and goal?  … if we believed that God could do the impossible through us working together?

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Make All Grace Abound

When we say that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, we often haven’t counted our blessings.  We want God to give us further grace when we’re not really using what He’s already given us.

I. Matthew 25:27-29.  We must not abuse it or we will lose it.  Saul justified not totally wiping out Amalek per God’s command by believing he could devote some of the plunder to God.  God, however, called this rebellion and rejected Saul as king (1 Samuel 15:20-23).  Likewise are told to invest the grace that God has given us to bring about glory for Him.

II. John 4:23-24.  We must not misuse it or we will lose it.  The prophet Nathan made David aware of his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah and listed all the grace that God had given him, stating that if all that was too little that God would have given him more (2 Samuel 12:7-14).  Likewise we cease to be true worshipers if we stray from either that done in spirit or in truth.

III. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8.  If we do not use it, we will lose it.  As Christians Ananias and Sapphira were given much grace, but when they saw others selling properties and giving the money to the church, they lied about that which was at their disposal (Acts 5:1-4).  How are we using that which God has entrusted to us?  His grace abounds in our lives so we may abound in every good work.

We are participants not spectators in our Christian walks and together as the church in our service to God and others.  Count your blessings.  Are you using or losing what God has given you?

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God Be With You

Movies do this often.  The final words of a character are often very important.  Having spent three years in Ephesus, it was understandable that when Paul needed to go to certain imprisonment and persecution in Jerusalem, he wanted to speak to the church there.  But, not wanting to be held up long with people he loved, he had the elders trek about 40 miles to the coast to speak to him at Miletus (Acts 20:17-38).  What he said is important for all of us as part of a local body of Christ to minister to one another after a leader has left.

I.  1 Corinthians 12:18-26.  To minister to the flock, you must pay careful attention to the other parts of the body.  None of us is alone as a Christian but have a responsibility to serve, feed, and care for one another.  The first stanza of the hymn, “God Be With You,” explains this:

God be with you till we meet again; By His counsels guide, uphold you, With His sheep securely fold you; God be with you till we meet again.

God has a relationship with each of us, yes, but it is collectively as His bride that He sanctifies us (Ephesians 5:25-32).  We can study His Word and determine to live for him alone, yes, but it is together that are secure and have fellowship with believers who help us keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-25).

II.  Matthew 7:15-20.  To minister to the flock, you must watch for wolves from without and within.  Both might be hard to spot as they may appear as friends who tell you exactly what your itching ears delight to hear, so it is by the ‘fruit’ of their lives that you will know them.  The song continues:

God be with you till we meet again; ‘Neath His wings protecting hide you, Daily manna still provide you; God be with you till we meet again.

Satan is the biggest wolf without (1 Peter 5:8), but even he can masquerade as an angel of light.  When warned of the wolf within, Cain still killed his brother (Genesis 4:5-9).  We must protect and provide for each sheep just as Jesus would (Luke 15:4-5).

III.  John 10:2-5.  To minister to the flock, you must first be alert yourself.  Paul considered it his responsibility to minister to his brothers and sisters (2 Corinthians 11:28-29).  So, it is ours, who strive to follow Christ, to help others listen to the Good Shepherd’s voice.  The third verse says it this way:

God be with you till we meet again; Keep love’s banner floating o’er you, Smite death’s threatening wave before you; God be with you till we meet again.

We each have the responsibility of working out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12), yes, but we can lighten the loads that others carry by our instruction, encouragement, and concern for them (Galatians 6:1-5).  This is how the body works together.

Goodbye (from “God be w’ ye” or the name of the hymn) is so final, and indeed the elders wept knowing they would never see Paul’s face again … in this life.  You see, for Christians who are parting, even physical death is a temporary separation.  We will all see each other again in heaven for eternity.  Rather, it is ‘So long’ or ‘See you later.’  The song captures this sentiment in the refrain:

Till we meet, till we meet, Till we meet at Jesus’ feet; Till we meet, Till we meet again, God be with you till we meet again. 

 

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When Close to Eternal Lands

When comes the time to breathe my last,
To pillow my head and rest,
Make all my deeds and doings past
To have been the Kingdom’s best.

Upon a work let me look back
That glorifies the Lord,
In my resolve no fault or crack,
In heaven my treasures stored.

Give strength, O Lord, to heart and hands,
No cause to stumble or fall,
May I, when close to eternal lands,
Be ready to heed your call.

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The work of a preacher

By Ron Thomas, Highway congregation, Sullivan IL

1. The message of the preacher, 2 Timothy 4.1-5

2. The purpose of his preaching, Colossians 1.24-29

3. The exemplar of the preacher, Acts 18.1-6

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Not our own worst enemy

O God, my Savior, my hope is in you all the day long. Sustain me this day, until the last rays of the sun, until every task is done, until the head lies upon the pillow and the mind gives up its last waking thought.

Keep me from giving any occasion for taking offense in anything as we seek to reconcile everyone to you, to receive your saving grace. Let no fault be found in our service, no reason for rejection within us, no impurity of heart, no lack of love, no willfulness or stubbornness, no aversion to suffering for the kingdom, no selfishness or impatience in the task at hand.

Let our efforts not be destroyed by the enemy. Keep him far from us. Preserve us and through us produce fruit that remains. Work in us so that we are not our own worst enemy.

Keep us from entanglements with the world, partnerships with unbelievers, or any sort of fellowship with the darkness. Let us not be tempted to use the tools of unrighteousness to accomplish spiritual and heavenly goals. Help us refrain from bending biblical principles, sacrificing the truth of the gospel, or accepting less than holy practices.

Remind us that we are working with you and under your guidance, by your truth and power, expressing your love and mercy. Your goals are ours, your desires our motivation, your mission our task, your time our urgency.

Psa 25; 2 Cor 6

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Help us to help the helpless

Like you, heavenly Father, we want to care for those for whom society has no use: the elderly, the orphans, the unborn, the emotionally disturbed, the disabled. Help us to help the forgotten, the neglected, the discarded. For you, every soul is of equal value. Every person is made in your image. Let each individual be precious to us as well. Continue reading “Help us to help the helpless”