Reformation Hope Church Brookfield WI Dr Wayne Sedlak

The Church of Christ is a work in progress.

Some of the things Christ did seemed harsh or maybe unjust. He was a hard man as a solution to a hard problem. Christ in Mathew 8:22 said “…Follow me and let the dead bury the dead.” Without stepping back and looking at the whole picture Christ’s words seem harsh. How about Mathew 15:25-26 “Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.”? The question is, when the Lord acts the “hard man” is it His fault or ours? Romans 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;” What are the answers to the questions, why are we tried and why are we pruned? We are pruned so that we may bring forth more fruit. If the church will not fast and pray for deliverance when it should, then it will when forced to. Will it be as in Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”, or the hard man?

Without history to light our path, we lose our way. Going through life not having history in view, is like walking backwards using a small flashlight and a mirror to see where we are going. Our LORD gives us markers in His written word so that by them we may look through His eyes at history, the future, and how we should live and be today. The easiest markers to see are the ones that are fulfilled. Looking at the events surrounding them helps us to recognize God’s fingerprints in history and in our lives today.

How can Covenant be kept? Not well if one keeps to oneself standing alone. A single brick in the temple wall serves little. Many bricks may serve better but until that wall is built with Christ as the cornerstone it is built on a whim and when tested will easily fall. Covenant in Christ with another and you have a bond not easily broken. “Ec 4:12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” We have only to soberly examine the fruits of our love for the brethren, our neighbor and our Lord to see the strength of our covenant. Christ sets the example as he, the Creator, bows down and in all love and humility and washes the feet of His disciples. Come and listen to inspiring examples showing the strength of Covenant through the fruits of performance.

The church of the catacombs. The Church of Rome was noted for it's evangelistic zeal. Also notable were the heros and martyrs who came forth to fulfill their cslling. Another example of those who loved God's people and gave all for His Church and Kingdom was John Calvin. Paul calls to the notable throughout the area to uproot and move to Rome to start a church. Hear who they were and what they gave as a response to this call.

An entire generation was consumed in the desert because of a lack of faith in what God would do for them. It is hard to imagine how not long after walking on dry ground through a divided Red Sea, looking back from the other side to see Pharaoh and his army destroyed they no longer believe God nor wanted His Law. Today if the Church of Christ is not put in place we will have nothing. Where is the Church? Why are we not decrying evil? Paul says to Timothy “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” (1Ti 3:15) We are called to love care for and defend one another. This is called reformation. Today’s church, God’s people, are in the water and the sharks are circling. Every man for himself does not cut it at a time like this. We need to sound the trumpet and raise warning of the wickedness attacking today. In the future our children will inherit what we do or do not do today. If we lose the Church today how awful it will be for them.

The standard needs to be higher than ourselves. John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Galatians 5:13-14 ¶ For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

The strength of God’s grace is the performance of our actions.

Theology is the root of all other disciplines of life. Theology is the queen of sciences. Theology teaches us the covenant of grace flows continuously and seamlessly from the beginning of the Old Testament to the end of the Bible. The Old Testament saints as we today are saved by grace and grace alone. How could there be a sacrificial system in the Old Testament without Christ being in the center of it?

Imagine being so ashamed of your bible you want to tear it in half and throw out the first half, the “Old Testament”. That is bad theology and bad theology makes for bad ethics. In the 1800’s the early church, because of bad theology (dispensational), even tainted the seminaries to the point that the seminaries attacked and criticized the Pentateuch. The abolitionist movement, civil war, men and women’s lives destroyed. Why, all because pastors were unable to reconcile Deuteronomy 24 and Mathew 19. Pastors ran to the New Testament to hide, ashamed of the Old Testament. They were ashamed to teach about things such as imprecatory prayer thereby blunting the edge of the sword of God’s word.

The church today comes under scorn because it doesn’t have the answers to the questions the world asks. The Old Testament is foundational to the new, woven together in perfect unison without contradiction. “Mt 5:17 ¶ Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Since God’s law is as much in effect today as it was then how come we no longer sacrifice animals, will/should we if men erect another temple? Is it ok to pilfer from another even if it is declared legal by men’s laws? Abortion, shalt thou not kill? How many will stand along the streets next Sunday and give a mere two hours to show their support for life? When we are offended has Mathew 18 become extinct? The Sabbath to the Lord’s day; is it not the day but the Lord of the day? Christ’s bride is commanded to become more mature. Did you know up until the 1800’s the church used to allow husbands to beat their wives? Christ’s bride is commanded to grow and mature. Paul says to the church at Corinth “1 Corinthians 3:10-15 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Romans 13:8-15:3

Robert E. Lee was a man of character and self denial. He also an example in how he not only cared for his soldiers but even those of his enemy. He was color (race) blind, plain speaking and frank and led others by his example. To study this man is to learn how to apply many golden nuggets of biblical wisdom to your everyday life.

J. C. Penny never tithed to his church; we will get to the reason later. James Cash Penny first learned good stewardship in the home. He not only came to learn holiness and good character is essential to successful business, he also rightfully concluded that all he possessed belonged to the LORD. He believed his work was a calling from God and that both he and his business were subservient to God. Mr. Penny modeled his life after Romans 12:10. He knew in serving people he served God. Few follow the biblical model for business anymore. As a result Labor Day was captured by the socialists not long after it came into existence. One of the first thing to go was obedience to the forth commandment. The Sabbath day rest which was made for man was violated. During this time the smaller business owners held out the longest to uphold the mandates of scripture including the Sabbath. Do unto others faded quickly. The family came under attack in that it was a safe place to be when intact and looking toward God (Proverbs 31). Where are we today?

The reason James Cash Penny did not tithe is that it never occurred to him to only give ten percent. He gave forty percent. Socialism must take down a man’s home to prevail. Mr. Penny strove to strengthen the home in how he ran his business. He was an excellent example of a thoughtful Godly man. God was indeed glorified in the life of James Cash Penny.

How long did it take the crew to know and fear the one true God? As long as it took to cast lots and find out Jonah was the problem. God's response to Jonah’s sin bore testimony of the greatness and grace of the Lord.

The name Jonah means dove. Jonah knew all his life that he was a sacrifice. When Jonah fled in the opposite direction from the path God had chosen for him God was not slack in turning him back. Though Jonah fled his responsibility, God not only brought him back, but did so in a spectacular way, meant to humble the most stubborn of hearts. This path was one of sorrow by Jonah’s choice. Jonah’s sleeping showed he would have preferred the ship sink than to do what God wanted.

Is the church asleep today?

What must God do to wake it up?

God told Jonah where his sacrifice was to be, Jonah said no. God spent the next three days perfecting the calling of Jonah. One poignant conclusion Jonah came to during this time was “They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy” (Jonah 2:8). The final obedience of Jonah testified of his repentance. The reluctant dove was finally sacrificed so Nineveh might live.

The foundation God laid through the prophets is a testimony before all men through all ages. Today we see in the word of God (Romans 12:6) we are called to stand before men as prophets, that is, to bring forth the prophetic word of God as it is found in the completed cannon of His word the Bible so men might live.