06.19.08
Posted in Bible Study, Gene Cornett at 2:58 pm by Gene Cornett
When there are many needs in a church body there is temptation to press people into more church involvement. However, the church needing help, or this or that program needing more support, is often an ineffective motivation that will not work for most. Most want to invest time, money and effort in what really matters. However, we are not always convinced that every church activity fits that criteria. We need to do some hard thinking about what a church is and does. It is easy for the church to become or for us to think of it as an activities center. That is not our purpose.
So, what is the right motivation for engaging in the ministry of the church? Jesus said to Peter in the context of a substantial conversation in Matthew 16:18 (ESV) “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” There is much that could be said about this verse, but I want to focus on this. Jesus said, “I will build my church.” (italics mine) The church belongs to Jesus. Likely, he was referring to all churches of all time, but the thought fits a local church like Seaford as well. This church, the people who make up Seaford Baptist Church, belongs to Jesus. We are his. He is the head of this church. Of the many implications of that statement, I want you to focus on this: How is Jesus calling you to engage in his church? The right motivation is following God’s call on your life, so our task is to discern, “what is God calling me to do through this church body?” For our ministry involvement to last, we must see it as an act of obedience and out of gratitude for God’s grace extended to us.
Ministry involvement is a much broader idea than the items that would get announced in this monthly newsletter or in the weekly bulletin. The ministry of Seaford Baptist Church is the collective output of every single member of this church as they scatter all over the world during the course of the week, seeking to authentically live out their faith in Jesus. With that definition of ministry, everything you do is potentially an act of ministry, as you seek to offer your life in service to God, doing everything that you do in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Everyone has the opportunity and the responsibility to engage in the world around them daily. However, it seems fair to say that all members should also engage in some identifiable ministry within the body as well. Most of us have come to expect Seaford to have high quality in our ministries, as well as a high quantity of ministries, and we expect it all to be creative and fresh to boot. For that expectation to be met requires us all. So if you are not involved, is that because that is the clear call of God on your life, or is it because of some other reason? (Keep in mind that our ability to rationalize is legendary.) The needs of the body are huge, but don’t engage because of the volume of work, or because you feel sorry for other volunteers, staff or pastors. Engage in ministry because that is God’s call for you and do it with all your heart.
Permalink
06.15.08
Posted in Bible Study, Bryan Dunn at 1:33 pm by Bryan Dunn
In spite of the rejection of His message by the Pharisees, Jesus could anticipate some would receive His word. Because of this, He turns His focus in the sermon to those who wanted to meet God’s high standards for entrance into the kingdom. There are a number of important areas that are touched on.
An earlier rejection of the Pharisaic practice of prayer now leads way to how it should be done. What is the true nature of prayer? One area is that of perseverance in prayer. Look at verse 7 and 8 in the Amplified Bible
7 Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened. AMP
A result of persistent praying is that a believer will receive what is sought. Why is that? God’s nature. Think of yourselves and your families. What father – who has the responsibility to provide for his children – will mock them when a need is presented? The same goes with the faithfulness of God. God, our Father, will not allow Himself to deny needs presented to Him by His children.
However, let me add this, as eloquently put in The Life Application Commentary -
Believers, however, must not take Jesus’ words as a blank check; prayer is not a magical way to obtain whatever we want. Jesus had already explained some conditions on this promise: His followers were to show mercy and forgiveness to others (5:7; 6:12), avoid praying in order to get attention (6:5-6), and be willing to persevere in prayer. Our requests must be in harmony with God’s will (”your will be done,” 6:10), accepting His will above our desires.
(from The Life Application Commentary Series copyright (C) 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 by the Livingstone Corporation. Produced with permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.)
And that’s the rub, isn’t it. When it comes down to it, when we pray, are we in our will or God’s will? Are we persistent in our prayers? Is it really a need, or are our prayers a bunch of wants?
Permalink
06.08.08
Posted in Bible Study, Bryan Dunn at 7:26 pm by Bryan Dunn
The Pharisees practice of setting themselves up as judges of all men – as measured by themselves, of course – is now examined. This should be a fun lesson for those of us chided again and again as others take this verse out of context when we say, observe, or otherwise comment on things that are amiss. When Jesus tells His disciples (and us) not to judge;
- He is not forbidding them (or us) to discern between good and evil.
- He was not forbidding them (or us) to discern between truth and error in doctrine.
- He was not dealing primarily with actions, instead He is instructing on motives behind the actions.
We see results or actions of folks, but it is hard (impossible) for us to see the motives behind the actions. That was no deterrent to the Pharisees, and they claimed to be able to determine the motives and therefore judged the motives of people – and that is expressly what Christ forbade.
The illustration Jesus was using of sawdust and a plank are identical in nature with the difference being the size of the object. Jesus was saying that what one is quick to judge in another is often a major concern in his or her own life. Instead of dealing with the personal problem, is is easier to rally the cry against another – in doing so the spotlight shifts from self to the same problem existing in another. In saying this, again let me point out that we would be mindful of looking at removing impurities in our own lives before we choose to move the spotlight to another and begin to crucify them for similar or identical things.
Then we see the final set of information that indicates that Jesus did not expect the truths that He had been proclaiming to be accepted by the Pharisees (Matt. 7:6). While He did not expect them to accept His standards of righteousness as their own, the Lord’s expectations for His own children is different – we need to do as God instructs.
We have just gone through a whole heap of information where Jesus documents why He rejected Pharisaic interpretations and practices of the law. For us – do we see any indications that we may need to reexamine why we do what we do? How we look at righteousness and expect it to be carried out in our families, homes, churches, society? Would Jesus be overly concerned about our society – or more concerned about how we treat each other and relate to Him?
Permalink
06.01.08
Posted in Bible Study, Bryan Dunn at 8:35 pm by Bryan Dunn
An interesting note here is that Jesus ties the desire to accumulate wealth (as viewed by the Pharisees) as a substitute for faith. You know, I want to be secure in my ‘stuff’ too. I really don’t want to live paycheck to paycheck. I’d love to be able to waltz out and purchase exactly what I want (or need) when I want to. I want my kid to have it better than I had it as a kid. Perhaps you are like that as well. That has not been in the cards for me, and maybe a reflection and thanks should be offered up for that. It seems to be a truism that those with material means may not see the need to trust God for needs today and tomorrow. Have a bumper crop? Build bigger storage facilities!
What does Christ say about this – ‘do not worry about your life’. The reasons for this are we are more than just a physical being (vs. 25). If that was all we were, then our concerns for food and clothing would pretty much cover it. Look around now! What makeup, mascara, deodorant, nail polish, body wash, under garments, car, truck, beer, wine, causes (care to go green?) are all things that we may view as must haves or must do’s for various reasons. Recently (yesterday, as I type this) I went to a funeral for a friend. It was different in that we walked from the church to the burial site. Again – I noticed no u-haul or storage pod for all the ‘stuff’ accumulated in the 50 years of this friend’s life. And everything you and I acquire will not leave planet Earth and travel with us to our Heavenly dwelling place, in fact you are working hard to leave your stuff to someone else. Why do we dote and fret so much over it?
Christ emphasized the Father’s care for all of His creatures (vs. 26). And, as a child of The King who cares for the birds, understand He can provide for you and I just as much because we are more valuable to Him than the birds (much to the chagrin of PETA and others of that persuasion). Another reason not to worry about this stuff and our place in it is that we can’t extend life by even a single hour (vs. 27). Even the best project manager and planner can plan well enough to make their design a substitute for faith.
Christ even refers to creation that is inanimate – the lilies and grass. If God, who has taken care of the flowers for quite some time after He created them, continues to nurture and care for them for such a short period of time, we can be certain He will care for His children.
Then Jesus shows that the Pharisees’ concern to provide for the future grew out of their lack of faith. Check out verse 33. Instead of giving a huge portion of the time we have here in pursuit of stuff to provide security for the days ahead, the command is that we put God’s work and His righteousness before all things. We waste a lot of time about the future here on planet Earth when no promise is given to us for any future here – we are headed to a better place!
I can already imagine the comments to be thought or made. How irresponsible! God also told us that if we didn’t care for our own we are worse than infidels! You are taking the red letters of the Bible out of context here! I hear you. I would only ask that you examine your life in this area, pray (communicate) with God on this area. See if you aren’t – in fact – defending a defenseless position as His child. Our time here is fleeting, what is really important?
Permalink
Posted in Audio & Podcasts (Sermons) 2008, Media at 8:25 pm by Bryan Dunn
June 29, 2008 - Sermon Title: Don’t Waste Your life Part 2 - Gene Cornett
June 22, 2008 - Sermon Title: Don’t Waste Your life Part 1 1 Peter 4:1-6 Gene Cornett
June 15, 2008 - Sermon: 1 Peter 3:18-22 - Gene Cornett
June 8, 2008 - Sermon: John 21 - TJ Woodfin
June 1, 2008 - Sermon Title: A Case for Hope - Aaron West
Permalink
