A message preached at Hebron Baptist Church, Denham Springs, Louisiana on October 25, 2009 by Pastor Joe Alain.
Scripture Passages: Acts 6:1-7; 1 Timothy 3:8-13
Introduction
The story that surrounds the choosing of the first deacons illustrates how the early church handled two things: (1) growth (Acts 6:1), and (2) conflict (6:1). Acts 6 is the church at her best doing the one thing that seems to be the hardest for us to do – change, adapt, be flexible. The ability to resolve conflict in a healthy way is an important characteristic of a healthy church. The early church recognized that as needs arise, new ministries would need to be raised up to meet the needs. Baptists as well as many other Christians have recognized the continuing need of deacons.
As we begin the process of selecting men to serve at Hebron on our “Deacon Ministry Committee,” it would be good to look at just what the ministry of the deacon actually is. In this way, you and I will be able to prayerfully select men for this important ministry of
the church.
I. THE MINISTRY OF THE DEACON
The word Deacon literally renders the word “servant” from the Greek word, “diakonos.” A deacon is one who renders service to another – he is a minister.
His ministry is one of . . .
1. Serving God’s People
The ministry of a deacon is not so much a position of power and privilege as it is a trust, a responsibility. Above all else, the deacon is to be a minister, a servant. As a servant, the deacon performs many of the same functions as the ministerial staff. The deacons serve alongside the ministerial staff of the church and they are ultimately responsible to the church. Deacons are truly biblical deacons when they serve God’s people.
His ministry is one of . . .
2. Meeting Practical Needs
The first deacons served the widows and others in the church who had needs. Their ministry was both spiritual and administrative as they handled the benevolent needs in the church. This meeting of practical needs extended to taking care of matters that would have taken the apostles away from their main task, that of ministering the word and prayer (6:2, 4). They were to be a help to the apostles. The overwhelming needs in ministry, then and now, make a practical deacon ministry all the more needed.
His ministry is one of . . .
3. Protecting the Unity of the Church
Because godly and wise men were first selected to serve the church body, the early church prospered in unity. The potential rift between the Hebrew-speaking and the Greek-speaking Jews was avoided. Aside from providing for the needy, protecting church harmony is one of the chief duties of a deacon. As a deacon serves in a godly manner, he preserves and promotes unity.
His ministry is one of . . .
4. Reaching Out with the Gospel
The early deacons (e.g., Stephen and Philip) had a heart to see the Gospel extended beyond the bounds of the church into all the world. Deacons who are truly deacons are men who desire to see God’s kingdom grow and flourish. They are missionary-minded men who desire to see others reconciled to God.
I. THE MINISTRY OF THE DEACON
II. THE MAN WHO WOULD BE A DEACON
What kind of men are needed?
1. He Should Be Called
Believers are to “Walk worthy of the calling” (Eph. 4:1). A man who serves as a deacon should sense the call to serve as a deacon. He should have a true desire for the ministry. Men are called to serve as deacons just as men are called to serve as pastors and ministers of music and youth pastors. My suggestion to you as you nominate men is to pray about people that God places on your heart and then approach those people. Ask them to pray about this matter, ask them to consider what God might be doing with them.
2. He Should Be Committed
Faithfulness in service cannot be overstated. A man does not become a deacon in order to become a committed Christian, he is already a committed Christian. He’s faithful in attending worship, Bible study, and involved in the ministries of the church. The men who were selected in the early church were men who immediately rose to the top as outstanding men because they were already serving faithfully.
3. He Should Be Qualified
Aside from the qualifications mentioned in Acts 6:3, the specific qualifications of a deacon are found in 1 Timothy 3:8-13.
What are the qualifications of a deacon?
(1) Good Reputation (3:8)
The word “reverent” means worthy of respect. He’s respected because he is godly, committed, mature, and wise.
(2) Man of His Word (3:8)
Not “double-tongued” (3:8). He can be trusted, he can keep a matter in confidence. He doesn’t say one thing at church and another outside church. This is crucial to the deacon’s ministry especially since he is often counseling people and dealing with sensitive personal matters.
(3) Does Not Cause Others to Stumble (3:8)
Not “given to much wine” (3:8). “Addicted” NASB. In general his life will not cause others to stumble.
(4) Generous Giver (3:8)
“Not greedy for money” (3:8). He handles his finances in a biblical way. He will be a tither and a supporter of the church.
(5) Solid in God’s Word (3:10)
He must have a good grip on God’s word . “Holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.” This means he has a clear understanding of basic biblical teachings. For example, teachings such as salvation by grace through faith, who Jesus is, teachings about the church, and many others. He is sound in the faith and he knows the faith.
Think of how important this is to preserving godliness and harmony in the church. Many problems have occurred in the church because of spiritual immaturity. Godly people handle their business in a godly way. It’s just that simple. The worse thing a church can do is put a spiritual infant in a place of leadership. The fellowship of many good churches has been destroyed by unspiritual men.
(6) Proven (3:10)
“Tested.” That is, he will be a proven man, a man that shows evidence in his life that he not only knows God but He is walking with God as well. No man should be elected to serve as a deacon if he has established a pattern of unfaithfulness in areas such as church attendance, tithing, sharing his faith, prayer, and Bible study. Instead, he should be proven in these areas.
(7) Blameless (3:10)
“Blameless.” Not perfect but above reproach. To be blameless means that there are no valid accusations being circulated that might indicate or point to problems with his character or conduct.
(8) Faithful and Pure (3:12)
“Husbands of one wife” (3:12). He is faithful to his wife, not a flirt, an adulterer. He is a “one woman” kind of man. His moral integrity is unquestioned.
(9) A Good Father and Spiritual Leader (3:12)
He manages his home well (3:12). He’s a good husband and a good father. He loves his family and desires to set the spiritual example for them. He is a spiritual leader in the home.
(10) The Deacon’s Wife (3:11)
When a man is called to a ministry, his wife is too! Just as a pastor’s wife is in ministry, so a deacon’s wife is as well. A deacon’s wife is to be worthy of respect, she is not to participate in malicious talk (gossip), she is to be temperate and trustworthy.
Conclusion
This is the ministry of the deacon and a picture of what the men who will serve as deacons will look like. The charge to you as the church is the charge found in Acts 6:3, “Now look around among yourselves, brothers, and select . . . men who are well respected and are full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. We will put them in charge of this business” (Acts 6:3, NLT).
As you prayerfully seek out men to serve as deacons, keep in mind these four things about our deacon selection process:
1. It is not a popularity contest.
2. It is not wise to nominate someone that you know nothing about.
3. You do not have to vote for a certain number and you don’t have to even vote.
4. Vote prayerfully and deliberately. Please turn in your nominations no later than November 1st.
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
CAPTIVATED BY THE CALL 1 Timothy 6:12
A sermon preached at Hebron Baptist Church, Denham Springs, Louisiana, Sunday, October 11, 2009 by Pastor Joe Alain.
Focal Verse:1 Timothy 6:12
“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses”
Review of Our Building Project
I want to take a few moments to give a report of our last business meeting where we discussed our building project. The following comes from my thoughts published in our monthly newsletter, The Vision.
After providing a brief historical overview of our building campaign, Jerry Harris reported that (1) A topographical survey has been completed, (2) Soil boring tests have been performed, (3) Building plans are being finalized, and (4) The committee has met with Livingston Parish officials.
It was reported that “Estimate of Giving” cards have been received totaling – $736,000. Our Building Fund now stands at $248,101.42. The Steering Committee has met with a financial institution representative, and based on our current estimates of giving, we could borrow in the area of two (2) million dollars, approximately two (2) million dollars less than is needed to build our original project. The committee has met with Allen Construction to develop several cost-reducing options, one option came in at 3.5 million and the other at 2.5 million. Conceptual drawings of the two options were shown to the congregation at the recent business meeting.
After much discussion about the various options, their was unanimous support for continuing with our original plans, even if it might take a little longer to see them fulfilled. Several key areas came out of the comments presented at our meeting that we will be pursuing.
1. A renewed emphasis on securing “Estimate of Giving” cards.
Many people were not aware how important the “Estimate of Giving” cards are in securing funds from a financial institution. Because this is essential to our borrowing funds, more information about this needs to be shared with the church. Some people are giving to the building program but have not completed an “Estimate of Giving” card. We will be sending out a letter to the church explaining the importance of the “Estimate of Giving” cards to our campaign and asking for people to prayerfully considering completing one if they have not.
2. Increased communication of the work the project.
I will be asking the Steering Committee to make a brief report (3-5 min.) and offer a prayer for God’s blessing and direction once per month on a Sunday morning. In this way, the project will be kept before the congregation not only as a matter of information but also for prayer. Continued efforts will be made at publishing building program updates in the newsletter, bulletin, and online.
3. Using visuals to communicate our giving status and goals.
We will work on creating some type of visual that will easily communicate to the church each Sunday where we stand in reaching our various financial goals.
Based on where we are now, where do we go from here? What needs to be done? I believe our focus needs to be on our calling as God’s people. We must be Captivated by the Calling that God has placed on our lives! In 1 Timothy 6:12, Paul is reminding young Timothy of who he is. Timothy has been saved and called by God and he has confessed that faith and calling before others. Paul encouraged Timothy to not grow weary, to keep fighting the good fight of faith, to “take hold of the eternal life” to which he was called. God is giving us the same message. Be patient, endure, stay focused, fight the good fight of faith, stay on track, be Captivated By the Call because lives hang in the balance of how we live out our calling.
At this time in the life of the church, there are two things that we need. First, we need . . .
1. Patience
It is easy to become impatient in a project like the one that we are undertaking. One of Satan’s tactics to keep us from seeing our dreams fulfilled is that he gets us to doubt the dreams. One of his greatest allies is our impatience, along with fear, worry, anxiety, second-guessing, and frustration that usually accompany it. Remember, God’s timing usually differs from our expectations. Delay of a dream does not necessarily mean denial, it just means we keep working and waiting on God.
Even though we have been working in earnest for about two years, let me assure you that this really is not that long of a period of time, neither is this uncommon in a project of this scope. When I was in Port Allen it took probably a total of six years to go from dream to fulfillment. I’m not suggesting it will take anywhere near that time; however, I do not want you to get discouraged if we hit a few speed bumps along the way. After all, if it was easy, every church in Livingston Parish would be building new facilities! When you look at the big picture, we are progressing very well. Building plans are almost complete, survey work has been completed, and we have almost a third of our pledged amount in the bank.
Don’t grow weary, trust in the Lord! Patiently waiting has always been the standard operating procedure of God’s people. Abraham and Sarah waited and prayed for years before Isaac, the promised son was born. Hebrews 6:15 says, “And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.” Delayed blessings are a test of our faith. Will we stand firm, will we endure. Our timing is not always God’s timing. He works according to His divine schedule, according to His sovereign will.
Not only is patience needed, but . . .
2. Unity of Purpose which Brings Unity among Believers in the Church. If we take care of building up God’s kingdom by building up the lives of people, God will take care of building up the facilities. Psalm 37:-4-5, 7, says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this . . . Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” The main thing must be the main thing, our delight is to be in the Lord. What is the main thing? What is our purpose? Our purpose is to . . .
(1) Help people encounter the living God! We call that Worship – Providing the opportunity and atmosphere for meaningful worship.
(2) Share Christ!!! We call that Evangelism – Proclaiming the love of Christ so the world might know him as Savior.
(3) Help people to grow so that they can experience God’s best! We call that Discipleship – Teaching, equipping and nurturing persons for spiritual growth.
(4) Give a cup of cold water in His name. We call that Ministry – Meeting the needs of our church, our community, and our world in the name of Jesus.
This is our purpose! When worship, evangelism, discipleship, and ministry forms the main content of our conversation, when this becomes our passion, there will be a spirit of unity in the church because there will be unity of purpose. “When we are Captivated By the Call of God, we will walk in patience and unity of purpose.” So how do I know when I am Captivated By the Call of God? There are at least four (4) indicators in the life of a believer that is Captivated By the Call.
The first indicator of being Captivated By the Call is . . .
1. Desperate Praying
Jacob was desperate when he cried out, “I will not let you go unless you bless me” (Gen. 32:26). The Psalmist expressed a heart that was desperate for God when he said, “My soul thirsts for the living God . . . my tears have been my food day and night” (Ps. 42:2-3). Desperate praying is praying that says, “Your will be done above all else.” Desperate praying is offering prayers of repentance for unkind words and actions. Prayers of repentance for erecting barriers to the love of God. Prayers of forgiveness for our unloving and backbiting attitudes. Prayers that say “God, do whatever you have to do, but move!” Prayers that go beyond praying for sickness, but prayers that ask God to heal the sin sickness in our lives and in our land. The spiritual problem for most of us is that we are just not desperate enough. Believers who are Captivated By the Call our believers who pray desperate prayers, urgent prayers, heartfelt prayers.
The second indicator of being Captivated By the Call is . . .
2. Greater Faith
Faith is believing and acting upon God’s Word. How do you have greater faith? We need three things: (1) A bigger concept of who God is. We don’t really know God! And because we really do not know God fully, we live in fear and confinement to a small vision. We live as if God is not going to come through. But we have a God that is bigger than any of us could ever even imagine. Scientists estimate that there are 125 billion galaxies in the visible universe! Don’t settle for a small concept of God, He is the King of the Universe!
(2) We need to ask God to increase our faith (Lk. 17:5). (3) We need to act on what God tells us. We need faithfulness to live out the life we already know. Faith grows in proportion to your exercise of faithfulness. Jesus said that if you are faithful in the few things, God will make you ruler over many things (Matt. 25:21). Are you doing what God has told you to do? He’s not going to give you a greater task until you are faithful with the task He’s already given to you.
The third indicator of being Captivated By the Call is . . .
3. Abounding Love
Spoken to a church that was self-seeking and divided, Paul said the greatest virtue is love (1 Cor. 13:13). Jesus said that people will know us by our love for one another (Jn. 13:35). Do we really love one another, or do we just tolerate one another? We can only love others because He first loved us (1 Jn. 4:19). It’s not our beliefs, not our sermons, not our music, not our buildings, not our programs, but our love! And this love is to grow and abound like an overflowing river in our lives (1 Thess. 3:12).
So how do we know if we are abounding in our love? Here are some questions to use as a spiritual evaluation.
1. Do you acknowledge others in your presence? Do others feel acceptance by you? Sometimes the most powerful way to love someone is to make them feel welcomed, like they belong.
2. Do you greet and speak to others?
3. Would others consider you friendly?
4. Are you considerate of others? Do you think about what you say and how you say it?
5. What practical things have you done lately that would show someone that you cared about them? Have you told someone that you loved them? That you appreciate them? Have you made someone feel special?
6. What’s your attitude toward those outside your circle of friends? Do you love the strangers, the foreigners (Deut. 10:19)? Others as yourself (Matt. 22:39)? What about loving the people that God sends to us each week and throughout the year? Do they feel welcomed? Loved? Accepted? A part of us? When we love the strangers among us, we are loving Jesus (See Matt. 25:35-45). We are showing that we are indeed Captivated By the Call!
The fourth indicator of being Captivated By the Call is . . .
4. Dying to Self
John the Baptist said, “He [Jesus] must increase, I must decrease” (Jn. 3:30). Is that happening with me? In the church? To keep your life is to lose it, to lose it is to gain it (Lk. 17:33). Do I really believe that? The seed must die in order to bring forth fruit (Jn. 12:24). Am I daily dying to self so that my life can be fruitful and filled with purpose?
We are to be living sacrifices, totally consumed, on fire with God’s passion (Rom. 12:1-2). Paul said “I am crucified with Christ” (Gal. 2:20). This means we really believe the words, “It’s not about me.” To die to my self means that my will is His will. My purpose is His purpose. My time is His time. My finances are His finances. My life is His life. I cannot get my feelings hurt because I’m dead. I am not going to be dominated by my sinful nature anymore, I’m dead. I do not have any selfish agendas, crucified people do not have agendas. I do not need the praise of men, I’m dead. I do not live to get my needs met, I’m crucified and dead men have no needs. When I die to my self, I show that I am Captivated By the Call! Then I’m ready to “Fight the good fight of faith . . .”
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Focal Verse:1 Timothy 6:12
“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses”
Review of Our Building Project
I want to take a few moments to give a report of our last business meeting where we discussed our building project. The following comes from my thoughts published in our monthly newsletter, The Vision.
After providing a brief historical overview of our building campaign, Jerry Harris reported that (1) A topographical survey has been completed, (2) Soil boring tests have been performed, (3) Building plans are being finalized, and (4) The committee has met with Livingston Parish officials.
It was reported that “Estimate of Giving” cards have been received totaling – $736,000. Our Building Fund now stands at $248,101.42. The Steering Committee has met with a financial institution representative, and based on our current estimates of giving, we could borrow in the area of two (2) million dollars, approximately two (2) million dollars less than is needed to build our original project. The committee has met with Allen Construction to develop several cost-reducing options, one option came in at 3.5 million and the other at 2.5 million. Conceptual drawings of the two options were shown to the congregation at the recent business meeting.
After much discussion about the various options, their was unanimous support for continuing with our original plans, even if it might take a little longer to see them fulfilled. Several key areas came out of the comments presented at our meeting that we will be pursuing.
1. A renewed emphasis on securing “Estimate of Giving” cards.
Many people were not aware how important the “Estimate of Giving” cards are in securing funds from a financial institution. Because this is essential to our borrowing funds, more information about this needs to be shared with the church. Some people are giving to the building program but have not completed an “Estimate of Giving” card. We will be sending out a letter to the church explaining the importance of the “Estimate of Giving” cards to our campaign and asking for people to prayerfully considering completing one if they have not.
2. Increased communication of the work the project.
I will be asking the Steering Committee to make a brief report (3-5 min.) and offer a prayer for God’s blessing and direction once per month on a Sunday morning. In this way, the project will be kept before the congregation not only as a matter of information but also for prayer. Continued efforts will be made at publishing building program updates in the newsletter, bulletin, and online.
3. Using visuals to communicate our giving status and goals.
We will work on creating some type of visual that will easily communicate to the church each Sunday where we stand in reaching our various financial goals.
Based on where we are now, where do we go from here? What needs to be done? I believe our focus needs to be on our calling as God’s people. We must be Captivated by the Calling that God has placed on our lives! In 1 Timothy 6:12, Paul is reminding young Timothy of who he is. Timothy has been saved and called by God and he has confessed that faith and calling before others. Paul encouraged Timothy to not grow weary, to keep fighting the good fight of faith, to “take hold of the eternal life” to which he was called. God is giving us the same message. Be patient, endure, stay focused, fight the good fight of faith, stay on track, be Captivated By the Call because lives hang in the balance of how we live out our calling.
At this time in the life of the church, there are two things that we need. First, we need . . .
1. Patience
It is easy to become impatient in a project like the one that we are undertaking. One of Satan’s tactics to keep us from seeing our dreams fulfilled is that he gets us to doubt the dreams. One of his greatest allies is our impatience, along with fear, worry, anxiety, second-guessing, and frustration that usually accompany it. Remember, God’s timing usually differs from our expectations. Delay of a dream does not necessarily mean denial, it just means we keep working and waiting on God.
Even though we have been working in earnest for about two years, let me assure you that this really is not that long of a period of time, neither is this uncommon in a project of this scope. When I was in Port Allen it took probably a total of six years to go from dream to fulfillment. I’m not suggesting it will take anywhere near that time; however, I do not want you to get discouraged if we hit a few speed bumps along the way. After all, if it was easy, every church in Livingston Parish would be building new facilities! When you look at the big picture, we are progressing very well. Building plans are almost complete, survey work has been completed, and we have almost a third of our pledged amount in the bank.
Don’t grow weary, trust in the Lord! Patiently waiting has always been the standard operating procedure of God’s people. Abraham and Sarah waited and prayed for years before Isaac, the promised son was born. Hebrews 6:15 says, “And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.” Delayed blessings are a test of our faith. Will we stand firm, will we endure. Our timing is not always God’s timing. He works according to His divine schedule, according to His sovereign will.
Not only is patience needed, but . . .
2. Unity of Purpose which Brings Unity among Believers in the Church. If we take care of building up God’s kingdom by building up the lives of people, God will take care of building up the facilities. Psalm 37:-4-5, 7, says, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this . . . Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” The main thing must be the main thing, our delight is to be in the Lord. What is the main thing? What is our purpose? Our purpose is to . . .
(1) Help people encounter the living God! We call that Worship – Providing the opportunity and atmosphere for meaningful worship.
(2) Share Christ!!! We call that Evangelism – Proclaiming the love of Christ so the world might know him as Savior.
(3) Help people to grow so that they can experience God’s best! We call that Discipleship – Teaching, equipping and nurturing persons for spiritual growth.
(4) Give a cup of cold water in His name. We call that Ministry – Meeting the needs of our church, our community, and our world in the name of Jesus.
This is our purpose! When worship, evangelism, discipleship, and ministry forms the main content of our conversation, when this becomes our passion, there will be a spirit of unity in the church because there will be unity of purpose. “When we are Captivated By the Call of God, we will walk in patience and unity of purpose.” So how do I know when I am Captivated By the Call of God? There are at least four (4) indicators in the life of a believer that is Captivated By the Call.
The first indicator of being Captivated By the Call is . . .
1. Desperate Praying
Jacob was desperate when he cried out, “I will not let you go unless you bless me” (Gen. 32:26). The Psalmist expressed a heart that was desperate for God when he said, “My soul thirsts for the living God . . . my tears have been my food day and night” (Ps. 42:2-3). Desperate praying is praying that says, “Your will be done above all else.” Desperate praying is offering prayers of repentance for unkind words and actions. Prayers of repentance for erecting barriers to the love of God. Prayers of forgiveness for our unloving and backbiting attitudes. Prayers that say “God, do whatever you have to do, but move!” Prayers that go beyond praying for sickness, but prayers that ask God to heal the sin sickness in our lives and in our land. The spiritual problem for most of us is that we are just not desperate enough. Believers who are Captivated By the Call our believers who pray desperate prayers, urgent prayers, heartfelt prayers.
The second indicator of being Captivated By the Call is . . .
2. Greater Faith
Faith is believing and acting upon God’s Word. How do you have greater faith? We need three things: (1) A bigger concept of who God is. We don’t really know God! And because we really do not know God fully, we live in fear and confinement to a small vision. We live as if God is not going to come through. But we have a God that is bigger than any of us could ever even imagine. Scientists estimate that there are 125 billion galaxies in the visible universe! Don’t settle for a small concept of God, He is the King of the Universe!
(2) We need to ask God to increase our faith (Lk. 17:5). (3) We need to act on what God tells us. We need faithfulness to live out the life we already know. Faith grows in proportion to your exercise of faithfulness. Jesus said that if you are faithful in the few things, God will make you ruler over many things (Matt. 25:21). Are you doing what God has told you to do? He’s not going to give you a greater task until you are faithful with the task He’s already given to you.
The third indicator of being Captivated By the Call is . . .
3. Abounding Love
Spoken to a church that was self-seeking and divided, Paul said the greatest virtue is love (1 Cor. 13:13). Jesus said that people will know us by our love for one another (Jn. 13:35). Do we really love one another, or do we just tolerate one another? We can only love others because He first loved us (1 Jn. 4:19). It’s not our beliefs, not our sermons, not our music, not our buildings, not our programs, but our love! And this love is to grow and abound like an overflowing river in our lives (1 Thess. 3:12).
So how do we know if we are abounding in our love? Here are some questions to use as a spiritual evaluation.
1. Do you acknowledge others in your presence? Do others feel acceptance by you? Sometimes the most powerful way to love someone is to make them feel welcomed, like they belong.
2. Do you greet and speak to others?
3. Would others consider you friendly?
4. Are you considerate of others? Do you think about what you say and how you say it?
5. What practical things have you done lately that would show someone that you cared about them? Have you told someone that you loved them? That you appreciate them? Have you made someone feel special?
6. What’s your attitude toward those outside your circle of friends? Do you love the strangers, the foreigners (Deut. 10:19)? Others as yourself (Matt. 22:39)? What about loving the people that God sends to us each week and throughout the year? Do they feel welcomed? Loved? Accepted? A part of us? When we love the strangers among us, we are loving Jesus (See Matt. 25:35-45). We are showing that we are indeed Captivated By the Call!
The fourth indicator of being Captivated By the Call is . . .
4. Dying to Self
John the Baptist said, “He [Jesus] must increase, I must decrease” (Jn. 3:30). Is that happening with me? In the church? To keep your life is to lose it, to lose it is to gain it (Lk. 17:33). Do I really believe that? The seed must die in order to bring forth fruit (Jn. 12:24). Am I daily dying to self so that my life can be fruitful and filled with purpose?
We are to be living sacrifices, totally consumed, on fire with God’s passion (Rom. 12:1-2). Paul said “I am crucified with Christ” (Gal. 2:20). This means we really believe the words, “It’s not about me.” To die to my self means that my will is His will. My purpose is His purpose. My time is His time. My finances are His finances. My life is His life. I cannot get my feelings hurt because I’m dead. I am not going to be dominated by my sinful nature anymore, I’m dead. I do not have any selfish agendas, crucified people do not have agendas. I do not need the praise of men, I’m dead. I do not live to get my needs met, I’m crucified and dead men have no needs. When I die to my self, I show that I am Captivated By the Call! Then I’m ready to “Fight the good fight of faith . . .”
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Monday, October 5, 2009
KNOWING GOD'S WILL, Proverbs 3:5-6
A sermon preached at Hebron Baptist Church, Denham Springs, LA on October 4, 2009 by Pastor Joe Alain.
Series: “Foundations: Lessons On Assurance”
Focal Passage: Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
It’s a question that is never too far from our thoughts, “What is God’s will for my life?” “What does He want me to do?” And “how can I know God’s will?” “Am I going in the right direction?” “Am I making the right decision?” “Does God’s Word have something to say to me?” God has a path for each of us to walk. Likewise, He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. He promises to guide us in the right paths of life. That is the promise we are reflecting upon today in Proverbs 3:5-6.
We can have the assurance of God’s guidance in our life when we put our Scripture passage into practice.
1. A Principle (3:5a, 6a) – Trust in the Lord
Taken together, the opening phrases of verse 5 and 6, highlight the absolute necessity of trusting in the Lord. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart . . . In all your ways acknowledge Him.” What does it mean to trust in the Lord with all of our heart and to acknowledge Him in all of our ways?
The word “trust” in the biblical language means “to confide, to place hope and confidence in any one,” the person here being the Lord. Trust is an ongoing action of faith on our part. (This word is an imperfect which means the action is not completed) We are to “trust” in the Lord with “all” our “heart.” The Hebrews thought of the heart in terms of “the seat of intellect; hence, (1) mind, purpose, intention; (2) understanding, knowledge, insight; (3) courage, spirit.” To trust in the Lord with all your heart is to allow God to have confidence in God when it comes to your thoughts and actions, even your passions, but especially as it relates to the way that you make decisions. To trust God with all our heart is to have faith, confidence in His ability to guide us.
God wants us to trust in Him in “All” my “ways,” literally paths. In every way or path of life, God wants me to trust in Him to guide me. For God to guide me I must “acknowledge him” in all of the ways of my life. God restricts His guidance of my life to the areas (the paths) that I am willing to surrender to His guidance.
Are you acknowledging the Lord in “all your ways”? Are you trusting Him with the decisions that you make related to your family? With the way you handle your finances? With your work? Your schooling? Your dating relationships? Your friendships? Your social life? To trust in the Lord with all your heart is to have the mind of Christ who said, “not My will, but Your will be done” (Matt. 26:42). When we acknowledge him in all our ways, we can have the assurance that the Lord will guide us.
1. A Principle – Trust in the Lord. We also have . . ..
2. A Prohibition (3:5b) – Do Not Trust in Yourself
Verse 5 says, “And lean not on your own understanding.” This is the negative side of the instruction that God gives us. Every negative that God gives to us is really a positive if we look at it right. When your parents told you “don’t play in the street” it was a negative that was positive. If the light is red at a busy intersection, stopping (a negative if you’re in a hurry) may save your life, so that’s a positive. So God gives us here a negative. What is it? Do not trust in yourself. Do not lean upon your own understanding. Do not follow your inner compass when it tells you to do something contrary to what God has said for you to do, even if it doesn’t make sense, which it will not sometimes.
Have you ever been lost? At the worst it can be kind of a scary experience, and at best it is frustrating. One time I was lost. Well, not really one time. After driving around awhile, leaning on my own understanding, I finally stopped and asked for directions. After giving me directions, the nice lady said “I couldn’t miss it!” Well, I did. Maybe I didn’t hear her right or maybe she didn’t know either. After driving around some more, I stopped again for directions. This time I finally arrived at my destination. Living is very much like driving through a strange city. We spend a great deal of time wandering around. People are often quick to give you directions. Sometimes they are well-meaning but the directions they give are bad. People might say, “It’s ok to lie and cheat, just don’t get caught. It’s ok to do what you want. Take care of yourself and Forget about God.” But these directions in life won’t help us. They will cause us to continue wandering around – lost!
When we feel that our way is best rather than God’s way, we are leaning on our own understanding. We are trusting too much in ourselves. And when we do that we just end up staying lost in life. Just like me driving around and around thinking “The place I’m looking for is right around the corner,” when I was not even close. So following my understanding apart from God keeps me wandering.
What’s wrong with trusting in our understanding? Why can we not trust fully in ourselves?
(1) For one our heart (even the Christians) is not completely reliable. Jeremiah 17:9, NLT said, “The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” Our heart (the seat of our decision making) is not completely objective. We are still subject to those human passions that want to go against what God wants me to do (see Prov. 14:12). God says “do this by faith,” and our heart tells us it can’t be done, so we go with what we know rather than who we know. Jesus says, take the narrow path of trust in Him, but our heart tells us, “go down the broad path. Everyone else is traveling that way so it must be right. The broad road looks smooth, there is no cross along that road.” If we lean only on our own understanding, we are going to miss out on God’s plan for our lives.
(2) Our Understanding Is Limited.
Proverbs 14:12, NIV says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” We should not place too much faith in ourselves because we don’t always have the whole story. How many times have we thought certain things and acted upon information that was later proved to be only partly true or altogether false? Things are not always what they seem.
1. A Promise, 2. A Prohibition The passage concludes with . . .
3. A Promise (3:6b)
What is the promise that God gives to us when we follow the principle and the prohibition? “and he will make your paths straight” (NIV) or the NKJV, “And He shall direct your paths.” The word “direct” means to make smooth. If we will trust Him, He will guide us in the right path and He will remove the obstacles in the path so that the road will be smooth. The CEV says, “And he will clear the road for you to follow.” The Msg says that “he’s the one who will keep you on track.”
When we try to make something happen the road is rocky and hard. When we trust in Him, He will do the directing, the guiding, and the path will be much smoother. God may lead us down some narrow paths, but they will be far smoother with Him than if we went down a broad path without Him.
Practical Application How does God guide us?
1. Through His Word
Jn. 17:7. God’s guidance is right in front of us, but we too often miss it. In teaching, I always give a review before a test. I will tell them what to expect, but you would be surprised at how many students would miss a question and ask me about it. They had the answer all the time, they just didn’t bother looking it up. We do the same thing with God’s Word. And yet, think of the guidance that is available to us through His Word? God’s word counsels us (Ps. 119:24), and provides light for our path (Ps. 119:105, 130). For God to provide us guidance, we must seek His guidance through His Word.
2. Through His Spirit
God’s Spirit, His very presence lives within every believer (Eph. 1:13-14). God-given desires are one way that the HS works in our life to guide us (Ps. 37:4). What God-given desires do you have? If you are delighting yourself in Him, He will give you the desires of your heart because they will be God-given desires. Philippians 2:13 reminds us of the powerful truth that God is at work in every believer “to will and to act according to His good purpose.” God speaks to us through His Spirit, are we listening?
3. Through Other People
God places people in your life. There is wisdom in godly counsel. See Proverbs 11:14; 12:15; 15:22; 24:6. This is the “fourth and one principle.” In football if it is the fourth down with one yard to go for the first down, sometimes the quarterback will call a time out to get some advice from the coach. When it comes to direction, don’t rush into something without seeking and receiving Godly counsel. God has placed people in your life to help guide you. Godly parents, grandparents, teachers, leaders in church and in the community can greatly help you. God speaks to us through others.
4. Through Our Circumstances
Sometimes God opens doors (Acts 16:6-ff.), sometimes He closes them. I have to admit, this is the area of how God guides me that I do not fully understand or always appreciate, but I know that He guides me through circumstances, things that happen, doors that open and door that close.
As a follower of Jesus, you have a powerful promise that God is going to guide you every step of the way. If you’re a believer, keep on following Him, keep on trusting, He will direct your paths, he will make your path clear, He will keep you on track. If you’ve never established a personal relationship of trust with the Lord, God has made it possible for you to do that today. He is the “way” the truth and the life!
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
Series: “Foundations: Lessons On Assurance”
Focal Passage: Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
It’s a question that is never too far from our thoughts, “What is God’s will for my life?” “What does He want me to do?” And “how can I know God’s will?” “Am I going in the right direction?” “Am I making the right decision?” “Does God’s Word have something to say to me?” God has a path for each of us to walk. Likewise, He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. He promises to guide us in the right paths of life. That is the promise we are reflecting upon today in Proverbs 3:5-6.
We can have the assurance of God’s guidance in our life when we put our Scripture passage into practice.
1. A Principle (3:5a, 6a) – Trust in the Lord
Taken together, the opening phrases of verse 5 and 6, highlight the absolute necessity of trusting in the Lord. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart . . . In all your ways acknowledge Him.” What does it mean to trust in the Lord with all of our heart and to acknowledge Him in all of our ways?
The word “trust” in the biblical language means “to confide, to place hope and confidence in any one,” the person here being the Lord. Trust is an ongoing action of faith on our part. (This word is an imperfect which means the action is not completed) We are to “trust” in the Lord with “all” our “heart.” The Hebrews thought of the heart in terms of “the seat of intellect; hence, (1) mind, purpose, intention; (2) understanding, knowledge, insight; (3) courage, spirit.” To trust in the Lord with all your heart is to allow God to have confidence in God when it comes to your thoughts and actions, even your passions, but especially as it relates to the way that you make decisions. To trust God with all our heart is to have faith, confidence in His ability to guide us.
God wants us to trust in Him in “All” my “ways,” literally paths. In every way or path of life, God wants me to trust in Him to guide me. For God to guide me I must “acknowledge him” in all of the ways of my life. God restricts His guidance of my life to the areas (the paths) that I am willing to surrender to His guidance.
Are you acknowledging the Lord in “all your ways”? Are you trusting Him with the decisions that you make related to your family? With the way you handle your finances? With your work? Your schooling? Your dating relationships? Your friendships? Your social life? To trust in the Lord with all your heart is to have the mind of Christ who said, “not My will, but Your will be done” (Matt. 26:42). When we acknowledge him in all our ways, we can have the assurance that the Lord will guide us.
1. A Principle – Trust in the Lord. We also have . . ..
2. A Prohibition (3:5b) – Do Not Trust in Yourself
Verse 5 says, “And lean not on your own understanding.” This is the negative side of the instruction that God gives us. Every negative that God gives to us is really a positive if we look at it right. When your parents told you “don’t play in the street” it was a negative that was positive. If the light is red at a busy intersection, stopping (a negative if you’re in a hurry) may save your life, so that’s a positive. So God gives us here a negative. What is it? Do not trust in yourself. Do not lean upon your own understanding. Do not follow your inner compass when it tells you to do something contrary to what God has said for you to do, even if it doesn’t make sense, which it will not sometimes.
Have you ever been lost? At the worst it can be kind of a scary experience, and at best it is frustrating. One time I was lost. Well, not really one time. After driving around awhile, leaning on my own understanding, I finally stopped and asked for directions. After giving me directions, the nice lady said “I couldn’t miss it!” Well, I did. Maybe I didn’t hear her right or maybe she didn’t know either. After driving around some more, I stopped again for directions. This time I finally arrived at my destination. Living is very much like driving through a strange city. We spend a great deal of time wandering around. People are often quick to give you directions. Sometimes they are well-meaning but the directions they give are bad. People might say, “It’s ok to lie and cheat, just don’t get caught. It’s ok to do what you want. Take care of yourself and Forget about God.” But these directions in life won’t help us. They will cause us to continue wandering around – lost!
When we feel that our way is best rather than God’s way, we are leaning on our own understanding. We are trusting too much in ourselves. And when we do that we just end up staying lost in life. Just like me driving around and around thinking “The place I’m looking for is right around the corner,” when I was not even close. So following my understanding apart from God keeps me wandering.
What’s wrong with trusting in our understanding? Why can we not trust fully in ourselves?
(1) For one our heart (even the Christians) is not completely reliable. Jeremiah 17:9, NLT said, “The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” Our heart (the seat of our decision making) is not completely objective. We are still subject to those human passions that want to go against what God wants me to do (see Prov. 14:12). God says “do this by faith,” and our heart tells us it can’t be done, so we go with what we know rather than who we know. Jesus says, take the narrow path of trust in Him, but our heart tells us, “go down the broad path. Everyone else is traveling that way so it must be right. The broad road looks smooth, there is no cross along that road.” If we lean only on our own understanding, we are going to miss out on God’s plan for our lives.
(2) Our Understanding Is Limited.
Proverbs 14:12, NIV says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” We should not place too much faith in ourselves because we don’t always have the whole story. How many times have we thought certain things and acted upon information that was later proved to be only partly true or altogether false? Things are not always what they seem.
1. A Promise, 2. A Prohibition The passage concludes with . . .
3. A Promise (3:6b)
What is the promise that God gives to us when we follow the principle and the prohibition? “and he will make your paths straight” (NIV) or the NKJV, “And He shall direct your paths.” The word “direct” means to make smooth. If we will trust Him, He will guide us in the right path and He will remove the obstacles in the path so that the road will be smooth. The CEV says, “And he will clear the road for you to follow.” The Msg says that “he’s the one who will keep you on track.”
When we try to make something happen the road is rocky and hard. When we trust in Him, He will do the directing, the guiding, and the path will be much smoother. God may lead us down some narrow paths, but they will be far smoother with Him than if we went down a broad path without Him.
Practical Application How does God guide us?
1. Through His Word
Jn. 17:7. God’s guidance is right in front of us, but we too often miss it. In teaching, I always give a review before a test. I will tell them what to expect, but you would be surprised at how many students would miss a question and ask me about it. They had the answer all the time, they just didn’t bother looking it up. We do the same thing with God’s Word. And yet, think of the guidance that is available to us through His Word? God’s word counsels us (Ps. 119:24), and provides light for our path (Ps. 119:105, 130). For God to provide us guidance, we must seek His guidance through His Word.
2. Through His Spirit
God’s Spirit, His very presence lives within every believer (Eph. 1:13-14). God-given desires are one way that the HS works in our life to guide us (Ps. 37:4). What God-given desires do you have? If you are delighting yourself in Him, He will give you the desires of your heart because they will be God-given desires. Philippians 2:13 reminds us of the powerful truth that God is at work in every believer “to will and to act according to His good purpose.” God speaks to us through His Spirit, are we listening?
3. Through Other People
God places people in your life. There is wisdom in godly counsel. See Proverbs 11:14; 12:15; 15:22; 24:6. This is the “fourth and one principle.” In football if it is the fourth down with one yard to go for the first down, sometimes the quarterback will call a time out to get some advice from the coach. When it comes to direction, don’t rush into something without seeking and receiving Godly counsel. God has placed people in your life to help guide you. Godly parents, grandparents, teachers, leaders in church and in the community can greatly help you. God speaks to us through others.
4. Through Our Circumstances
Sometimes God opens doors (Acts 16:6-ff.), sometimes He closes them. I have to admit, this is the area of how God guides me that I do not fully understand or always appreciate, but I know that He guides me through circumstances, things that happen, doors that open and door that close.
As a follower of Jesus, you have a powerful promise that God is going to guide you every step of the way. If you’re a believer, keep on following Him, keep on trusting, He will direct your paths, he will make your path clear, He will keep you on track. If you’ve never established a personal relationship of trust with the Lord, God has made it possible for you to do that today. He is the “way” the truth and the life!
For His Glory!
Pastor Joe
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