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"But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.” (Acts 16:25-28 NKJV)

Can we imagine having a joy like this? Paul and Silas had been beaten with many stripes and thrown into prison, and yet they are filled with joy as they singing praises to the Lord!

We have spent the last several weeks looking at the fruit of the Spirit found in (Galatians 5). On this episode, we look at the fruit of joy as produced by the Spirit in the life of a Christian. 

Galatians 5:22-25 (NKJV)

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."

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In our last episode, we began a series looking at “The Fruit of the Spirit” found in Galatians 5. We saw how the Apostle Paul contrast the “Flesh” or walking in the Flesh to “walking in the Spirit” (verse 22). In (verse 17) Paul teaches us that these two things the sinful nature (flesh) and the Spirit are in conflict with each other. Paul defines for us the “acts” of the sinful nature in (Gal. 5: 19-22). The character of those who live according to the flesh or sinful nature, Paul says are obvious, these things being clearly displayed in their lives. However, Galatians 5:24-25 the Christian does not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

Galatians 5:24-25 "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." Those who belong to Christ Jesus have put to death the sinful nature. Now we live not according to the sinful nature but we live by the Spirit. As those who live by the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit or “keep in step with the Spirit”. Keeping in step with the Spirit allows the Spirit to produce His character in our lives

Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Today as we begin to look at the fruit of the Spirit, we begin, as the apostle Paul does, with love.

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Today on the simplyrevised podcast we begin a series of lessons on the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians chapter five. In this episode we take a brief look at the background of Galatians five - "Liberty Not Sin". 

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Every now and then we are blessed to meet some very extraordinary people. Loyce shared the gospel of Christ with people around the globe until the Lord called her home at the age of 92. Loyce truly demonstrated the compassion and love of Jesus with everyone she met. Today, we talk about the importance of sharing the Gospel of Christ.  

This is the last episode in the series on Christian Growth. Listen to the series here.

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World Bible School

The apostle Paul could be arguably one of the greatest evangelists of all time. Paul had no doubt suffered physically for the sake of the Gospel. He had given his life fully to serving the Lord. Even in all this, Paul continued to discipline himself as to not be disqualified from the prize. Paul understood the importance of discipline and healthy habits. If we desire to grow in the Lord, we will need to develop habits that help us gain the prize. 

Complete episode notes

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Sermon: Samuel - Faith Listens

Series: A Portrait of Faith - Hebrews 11

Speaker: Steve Ellis

Looking at the pictures of faith found in Hebrews 11, we gain a better understanding of the faith the Lord desires of us.

Faith trusts, Faith moves, and Faith grows

The more we understand and know God, the more we learn to trust Him and move as He directs.

Through Samuel, we see a faith that learns to discern the voice of God (1 Samuel 3). What can we learn today about a faith that listens as we look at the example of Samuel? Join Steve today as we consider this topic. 

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February 25, 2018 | steve ellis Lesson Outline: Gideon - Peace in Faith Southbelt Church of Christ

I. Introduction

Hebrews 11:32 32 

And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets:

This week from (Hebrews 11) A Portrait of Faith we will notice the image painted of Gideon

Looking back as we have painted this portrait, we have noticed: Faith = Know + Trust + Move (Knowing God, we Trust Him as we Move according to His purpose)

Noah - Had a faith that stood out In Abraham - We see a heart of faith demonstrated in worship to the Lord     Joseph - Was robed with faith Moses - Demonstrated a faith the responded to the Lord Joshua - Had a faith that brought down walls and 

Rahab’s faith was from the other side of the wall and one that trusted the Lord

Gideon, in the O.T. book of Judges (Judges 6), we will notice lived in a very difficult time in the history of Israel

As we notice Judges 6:1 “Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years,”

Israel had enjoyed forty years of rest (or peace) after the defeat of the Canaanites, but as they had done in the past, they repeated the mistakes of their fathers in turning again to foreign god’s

God delivered them into the hands of the Midianites and the Amalekites

Judges 6:4-6  4 Then they would encamp against them and destroy the produce of the earth as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep nor ox nor donkey. 5 For they would come up with their livestock and their tents, coming in as numerous as locusts; both they and their camels were without number; and they would enter the land to destroy it. 6 So Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.

Noticing back up in (v2) the children of Israel hid from the Midianites in caves and the dens of the mountians 

Gideon lived during a time when Israel was impoverished, fearful, it was a time of conflict and turbulence     

II. Lesson

Does this sound familiar? Does it sound much different than the times we live in today?

Bill Rasco, Heroes of Faith - A Study of Hebrews 11 (pg. 41)

“Conflict. Upheaval. Instability. Chaos. Sometimes it seems like our days and our circumstances will get the best of us. We worry and fret over what can happen or what we expect. We wonder about the future and feel shame over our past. It seems like conflict is part of being human. The sad truth is that conflict is part of this fallen world. The world is full of circumstances that leave us feeling bruised and battered. That is why the promise of peace is so important in the life of the Christian.” [1]

God desires for us to have and to know His peace. The fruit of the Spirit is peace (Gal. 5:22)

Jesus, Himself is our peace (Eph. 2:14) and He gives peace (John 14:27)

We are told in (Philippians 4:6,7) “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Again, Bro. Rasco would write, “Faith grows best in the climate of peace. Faith tells us that the God who promises peace is able to accomplish peace in our lives. Faith opens our eyes to the ways that God is moving to bring us peace.” [2]

Learning from Gideon 

Gideon lived in turbulent times, times when conflict and distress were always present. Looking at the account of Gideon, what can we learn about God’s peace for us today?

Notice three things with me:

1. Our identity in the Lord

Judges 6:11-13  11 Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” 13 Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.”

Notice how the Lord saw Gideon (v12) “mighty man of valor!”

Is this how Gideon viewed himself? NO

Gideon is hiding in a winepress, threshing wheat so as to not be noticed or seen by the Midianites

He is full of doubt and fear “if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?”

He is doubting God, “And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’”

Gideon’s conclusion is “But now the Lord has forsaken us…”

So often don’t we allow our circumstances to identify us? 

Do we listen to the voice of our enemy when we are told we are worthless, undesired, and of no use?

This is a message, I pray our younger generation would understand, I pray some of us as an older generation would understand

 We ware the name of the King, Christian

1 Peter 2:9-10 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Our identity as a Christian, our value, our worth is not in the lies of the enemy, it is not in our circumstances

Our value and worth is found in an identity that is in the Lord

As His children, we ware His name, and He defines our worth 

2. Walking with the Lord

Gideon’s faith is shaken, he is weak and feels hopeless as he is surrounded by his enemies

Thrashing wheat in the winepress he is exhausted under his own strength

Judges 6:14-16 14 Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” 15 So he said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.” 16 And the Lord said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.”

The Lord calls Gideon to walk in a new strength, He calls Gideon to walk in His strength 

The Lord said to Gideon, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.”

Can we know peace when we stand in the middle of conflict, in the middle of circumstances that seemingly overpower us and seem to great to overcome?

He calms the storms when the wind and waves beat against us, the promise of the Lord is for our rest

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

When things seem out of control when our circumstances swirl around us like a raging storm

When we feel defeated, weak and small

Walk with the Lord, walk in His strength and know His peace

Shift our focus from our circumstances to the Lord

3. Seeing the presence of the Lord

In (Judges 6:17), Gideon speaking to the Angel of the Lord says

“If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who talk with me. 18 Do not depart from here, I pray, until I come to You and bring out my offering and set it before You.”And He said, “I will wait until you come back.”

Gideon prepares an offering and in (v21) the Angle of the Lord consumes this offering by the end of His staff, then departed from Gideon’s sight

Gideon suddenly comes to the realization of Whom he has been in the presence of 

(Judges 6:22) Now Gideon perceived that He was the Angel of the Lord. So Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For I have seen the Angel of the Lord face to face.” Then the Lord said to him, “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” 

Brother Coffman notes in his commentary:

“Gideon was familiar with the Five Books of Moses (Yes, they most certainly existed when Samuel wrote the Book of Judges), and the passage in Exodus 33:20 came instantly to mind: "No man shall see me (God) and live." The fear that clutched at Gideon's heart came from the knowledge that no man could see God and live.” [3]

The Lord comforted Gideon’s heart, and brought peace to him “you shall not die.”

So Gideon (Judges 6:24) built an altar there to the Lord, and called it The-Lord-Is-Peace.

Here, perhaps is one of the most important points in our lesson today

God is with us, we must train our hearts and minds to see His presence

It will take practice to learn to see the Lord

When “Conflict. Upheaval. Instability. Chaos.” surround us, the Lord is with us, and He goes before us

When we see Him, we know peace, The-Lord-Is-Peace

III. Conclusion

So what do we learn today from the faith of Gideon? What picture do we see?

1. “Faith grows best in the climate of peace. Faith tells us that the God who promises peace is able to accomplish peace in our lives. Faith opens our eyes to the ways that God is moving to bring us peace.” [1]

2. Our identity is not in our circumstances or the value or worth the world may assign to us. Our identity, as Christians, is in the Lord, in His promises, and in His purposes. He assigns our value not our enemy

3. We can know peace in the middle of conflict if we will rely on the strength of the Lord and not our own efforts - in our efforts, we will exhaust ourselves

4. The Lord is Peace, and we need to learn to see His presence in our day

The faith of Gideon is one that is restored from a place of defeat and hopelessness, a place of anxiety and fear to a place of one that knows peace and overcomes

references:

*All Scripture from the New King James Version unless otherwise noted *Series based on Heroes of Faith-A Study of Hebrews 11, Bill Rasco, 2012, 21st Century Christian, 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN., http://21stcenturychristian.com/viewproduct.cfm/resultstable/tblItem/prodno/9780890985847/startrow/1

[1] Heroes of Faith-A Study of Hebrews 11, Bill Rasco, 2012, 21st Century Christian, 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN., p. 41 [2] Heroes of Faith-A Study of Hebrews 11, Bill Rasco, 2012, 21st Century Christian, 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN., p. 42 [3] Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on Judges 6". "Coffman Commentaries on the Old and New Testament". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/judges-6.html. Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999., accessed: 24 Feb. 2018

Blessings!

Steve Ellis

About: Steve has been married to his truly loving wife for the past twenty-four years and they have three beautiful daughters. He is also the preaching minister at Southbelt Church of Christ located in Pasadena, TX. The views expressed in this article may not necessarily reflect the views of Southbelt Church of Christ. SimplyRevised.org, articles, podcast, associated resources and materials are a reflection of the ministry of Steve Ellis. 

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Matthew 20:28 

just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

 

Lesson Thoughts

Central to our life as Christians is an attitude of service. The apostle Paul recorded in (Philippians 2:5-8) “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

Paul teaches us about the attitude we as Christians are to possess. We are to have the mind of Christ. Christ did not consider His glory at the right hand of the Father something to be held on to at all costs. It was in giving this up that He took on flesh, lived among us, and completed the redemptive work for all mankind. Christ became the servant of all, “He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

The Lord said of Himself in (Matthew 20:28) “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

If we are going to follow Christ, an attitude of service will be a central attitude in our lives, as this is what Jesus demonstrated in His life. 

Necessary for an attitude of service is a heart of humility. Serving will not always be easy. Serving requires work, effort, and at times doing things others would not want to do. Jesus demonstrated this attitude of service and humility when He took a water basin and towel, and knelt down to wash the disciple's feet (John 13). When Jesus had washed their feet, He sat down and asked the disciples “Do you know what I have done to you?” Continuing in (John 13:13ff) Jesus said “You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them."

If we are going to follow Christ, an attitude of service will be a central attitude in our lives. This was the attitude of Christ and we are blessed if we do them.

Our service as Christians is to God and to one another. In (Hebrews 12:28), the author wrote, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.” We, as Christians, serve God when we humbly submit our desires to His purposes. We serve Him by keeping His commands (John 14:15). We also serve the Lord in giving to Him our sacrifice of praise. “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” (Hebrews 13:15) Jesus served the Father. He (Jesus) came not to do His own will but the will of the One who sent Him (John 6:38).

Jesus was committed to serving the Father. This service included service to others as it is God’s desire that we serve one another. We are to serve one another through love (Galatians 5:13). We are also told in

(Galatians 6:10) “as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

In (Luke 10:25) a lawyer asked Jesus a question to test Him, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus responded by asking another question “He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” So he answered and said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” (Luke 10:26-28) These verses parallel (Matthew 22:36-40) where Jesus is asked: “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” The great commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. Jesus continued and said the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. In the gospel of Luke, Jesus is asked: “who is my neighbor?” Jesus answers this question in the form of a parable, one that we often refer to as “The Parable of the Good Samaritan.”

Luke 10:30-37

Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, “Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.” So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves? And he said, “He who showed mercy on him."Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Notice with me a few points about our service to one another from this parable. 

First, we may serve others in a way that is not expected. It should have been expected that the priest or the Levite would stop and render aid to the man left wounded. However, it was the Samaritan who stopped to assist his neighbor. Help came in the form of an unlikely servant. 

Second, our service will place the needs of others above ourselves. The Samaritan, like the priest and Levite, had somewhere to be. It was the Samaritan who was moved with compassion for his neighbor, interrupted his schedule, and assisted someone in need. 

Third, often there will be a cost associated with serving. The Samaritan gave of his time and of his resources as he helped this man who was left on the side of the road. 

Who was a neighbor? He who showed mercy on him. Go and do likewise.

Conclusion 

An attitude of service will be central to the life of a Christian. Jesus demonstrated His service to the Father and an attitude of service to others. In consideration of our service, we are to humbly serve the Lord through our obedience and through our praise. As we serve the Lord, we will share in His compassion for others. This service will be unexpected, cause us to put others above ourselves, and often will require sacrifice. 

For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

(John 13:15-17)

Questions for additional study:

1. How can I better serve the Lord today?

2. In humility, how can I consider others better than myself? (ref. Philippians 2:3)

3. What am I willing to sacrifice to better serve others? 

References:

1. All Scripture quoted from the New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

2. Online Bible: biblegateway.com 

Blessings!

Steve

About: Steve has been married to his truly loving wife for the past twenty-four years and they have three beautiful daughters. He is also the preaching minister at Southbelt Church of Christ located in Pasadena, TX. The views expressed in this article may not necessarily reflect the views of Southbelt Church of Christ. SimplyRevised.org, articles, podcast, associated resources and materials are a reflection of the ministry of Steve Ellis. 

Links:

simplyRevised (home): https://www.simplyrevised.org

Subscribe to our email list: https://www.simplyrevised.org

Contact simplyRevised: https://www.simplyrevised.org/contact

Music provided by Eric Gwin: http://ericgwin.com

Southbelt Church of Christ: http://southbeltchurchofchrist.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week in our series Portraits of Faith - from Hebrews 11, we will look at a faith from the other side of the wall, through the life of a woman by the name of Rahab

Hebrews 11:30-31 (NKJV)

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.

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podcast notes: The Importance of Community

I. Key Verse & Introduction

Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

One of the greatest blessings in my life has been the Lord’s Church. Growing up, my home and my life for that matter, may have been much like yours. Things were not very stable. Stability and identity, for me, was found in the Lord’s Church.

In this lesson, let us consider the importance of community or fellowship as it relates to our growth in the Lord.

II. Lesson thoughts

a. Fellowship in Christ

The fellowship we enjoy as Christians is in Christ. If we are not united with Christ, as Christians we are not united together as members of His body. The apostle Paul wrote in (Romans 12:4-5) “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” Paul states “we, being many, are one body in Christ” Our fellowship, being one body in Christ, is dependent upon us being first united with Christ. In (Acts 2:40,41) Peter was speaking and exhorting, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” In verse (41), we read “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.” We are made part of the Lord’s body, His Church (ref. Colossians 1:18) in our faithful obedience to the gospel. As we continue to read in (Acts 2:47), we see those who had obeyed the gospel of Christ as Peter preached, the Lord added to the Church.

Today, the Word of the Lord is the same for us. We are united with Christ in baptism as the Bible teaches us in (Romans 6:1-6). Being united with Him, we are added to His body.

The fellowship we enjoy as Christians is in Christ.

b. Good habits can be easily corrupted

When I was younger, I would try to test many things. Being raised by a single mother for the most part, I would test the boundaries. Yes, at times I even tried to test the counsel of the Scriptures. In (1 Corinthians 15:33), we read “Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” I did not guard my influences very carefully when I was younger. I allowed certain influences to shape my decisions. Yes, it was my choices, my decisions. But instead of surrounding myself with those who would encourage me in the Lord, the influences I surrounded myself with were quite the opposite. I would not recommend that anyone try to test the wisdom of the Scriptures in (1 Corinthians 15:33). The influence of the world can be a very powerful influence. If we are not carefully guarding this influence, it can quickly deceive and pull us down.

We will not be able to escape all the influences that this world will offer. Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit said in order to do that we would have to escape the world (ref.1 Corinthians 5:10). Nor do I understand that we as Christians should completely isolate ourselves from the world. If we were to do this, how would we be the light that we are called to be (ref. Matthew 5:14-16)? My caution is to simply understand the powerful influences the world can have and to be very guarded against such destructive influences. Don’t allow yourself to be deceived, thinking, “This would never happen to me.”

c. The importance of healthy community

This is partly why I believe healthy community and fellowship is vital for us as Christians and for our growth in the Lord. In the community of the body of Christ, we are built up, strengthened, and equipped as believers.

The Hebrews author records in (Hebrews 10:23-25) “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” 

In these verses, we are told not to neglect our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are not to forsake assembling together so that we can encourage one another in love and good works. This helps us to hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering. A healthy community will encourage our growth in the Lord. We should look forward to each and every time we are able to meet with one another. Knowing we will be strengthened in the Lord and that we can encourage others.

A healthy community will help us better understand the Lord’s desire for us. The apostle Paul, writing to Timothy in (2 Timothy 2:2) says, “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” Through faithful teachers, preachers, and mature Christians, we can gain a better understanding of God’s Word. A better understanding of His Word allows us to better comprehend His desire for us. It is a call to holiness in our lives--a call to honor the Lord in our choices, in our actions, and in our thoughts. Faithful teachers, preachers, mature brothers and sisters in Christ will always point and direct our thoughts upwards to the Lord so that we don’t become comfortable with the world’s influences.

A healthy community will not accept practices that are destructive to us. As parents, this is something we understand. When my daughters were old enough to run and play outside, one of the first things we taught them was not to run in the street. It’s not that we as parents did not want our children to enjoy running outside. We wanted to guard them and caution them against something that could be harmful to them. The Lord and a healthy church family will do this at times when it may be needed. The Scriptures teach us that the Lord disciplines those He loves (Hebrews 12:6). At times discipline offered in love is needed for our benefit. Again Paul instructed Timothy and us today in (2 Timothy 4:2) “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” As a community of the Lord, if I am engaged in a harmful practice (sin), it should be brought to my attention in love. A healthy community will not allow us to continue in a harmful or destructive practice but instead will offer patient and careful instruction from an attitude of love.

   

III. Wrap-Up

A healthy community will support us in difficult times. As the Church, we are told to look after widows and orphans in their troubles (ref. James 1:27). We are to pray for one another in times of sickness and distress (ref. James 5:13,14). The body of Christ is a family in which the love of Christ is extended. It is in this community where we are uplifted through prayer, encouraged in trials, and one in which we walk through difficulties not alone, but together.

Another very important point to remember when it comes to our fellowship in the Lord is our service and ministry to others. Being part of an encouraging community is not just about what we receive, it is also about what we can give to others. Our part, being active and involved, is a blessing and encouragement to other Christians. Paul wrote in (Philippians 1:3-8) “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.”

His words remind us that we as Christians share together in prayer (Phil. 1:3-4). We partake together in the fellowship of the gospel (Phil. 1:5). We work together knowing that what the Lord has begun in each of us, He will complete (Phil. 1:6). And we share in an affection for one another (Phil. 1:8).

What a great privilege and blessing it is to be part of the family of God. To be active, and engaged in ministry and service to others.

Why is the Church important? Without the Lord’s Church, we will not grow and mature in Christ as He intends for us to do. The Lord’s Church is part of His design for us. And in Him, we are united together as one body.

It can be tragic for us to neglect one another. It can be very short-sighted for us not to understand the importance of His family, His Church, purchased through His blood (ref. Acts 20:28).

My prayer for us today is that we would understand the importance of the Lord’s Church to our growth in Him. And that we would also understand our importance as members of His body to one another.

references:

* All Scripture New King James Version unless otherwise noted

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