The Church That Moves

Looking back at the past two months - and trying to build off last week - it was a good time to look at what we’re doing and things that maybe need to shift, or tighten up, or even things that need to be let go.

To be honest, this morning’s message, wrote up last Saturday when I was concerned that Randy might be too sick to speak the next morning, but I found that as I looked through it, it flowed very well with all that he ended up preaching.

Kind of the awesomeness of the Holy Spirit, as he talked about Sunday night, how He flows, when we are saturated in Him, how He operates within the church.

It’s a beautiful thing when the Spirit moves so fluidly in the church, even among two ministers so different - clearly Randy and I do not look or speak like we were made from the same cookie cutter - yet the Spirit used His message to tie a nice bow the previous series.

Speaking about honor, advancing in that, when we look at leadership and servanthood, as we had been - do you think Honor is a key element to the relationship with those in leadership? And honor to those who follow the leaders?

It all seemed to just fit together like puzzle pieces. So I looked over the sermon I’d written, and thought, maybe this isn’t just a connection to what we’re coming out of, but a direction in how we go.

This is a message for how we proceed from where we came. So we look again, this time, squarely at Romans 15, but we’ll begin in verse 4.

Text:

Romans 15:4–6 NASB95

For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Sermon Title:

The Church That Moves

Thesis:

We are the church that moves instructed by the Word, through prayer, and in the Spirit.

Introduction:

Many churches move today. Some are motivated by Greed, some are social clubs, political hubs, we can’t say the church in America isn’t moving, but what are many moving for?

The one thing that will destroy the church - if it is ever to be destroyed - is that sin of laziness. Ceasing to move.

If you think about it, only two things never move - things that have never had life in them, or things that have died.

Even starfish - small creatures with no brains - even they tend to move with the current or the tide at times. The church is much smarter than the starfish.

This time of year, I often like to look back at church history, close to October 31st, I tend to read and listen to stories of the Reformers. Those men bold enough to stand against the Catholic Church who, for so long kept the common man in the dark when it came to God’s word.

The Bible, being written in Latin for so long, was translated into German, French, English - Gutenberg’s Printing press made it possible to get more and more copies of readable translations into the common man’s hands.

A couple of English Reformers in 1554 were sentenced to death on commission from the Papal party, men by the name of Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley - both men who dared to preach the Bible in a language the common folks could understand it.

Foxe’s book of Martyrs tells us that Hugh Latimer is supposed to have said to Ridley, as they were being burned to death, “Be of good comfort, and play the man, Master Ridley; we shall this day light such a candle, by God’s grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.”

Their deaths, of course, sparked - if you’ll pardon the pun - even more revival, and birthed in many more the desire to preach the Gospel.

About 6 years prior to his death, Latimer preached a message about the need for the church that moves. Encouraging men and women to be active in their faith, in a sermon titled, simply, “The Sermon of the Plough”, he said,

"And now I would ask a strange question: who is the most diligentest bishop and prelate in all England, that passeth all the rest in doing his office? I can tell, for I know him who it is; I know him well. But now I think I see you listening and hearkening that I should name him. There is one that passeth all the other, and is the most diligent prelate and preacher in all England. And will ye know who it is? I will tell you: it is the devil. He is the most diligent preacher of all other; he is never out of his diocess; he is never from his cure; ye shall never find him unoccupied; he is ever in his parish; he keepeth residence at all times; ye shall never find him out of the way, call for him when you will he is ever at home; the diligentest preacher in all the realm; he is ever at his plough: no lording nor loitering can hinder him; he is ever applying his business, ye shall never find him idle, I warrant you. And his office is to hinder religion, to maintain superstition, to set up idolatry, to teach all kind of popery. He is ready as he can be wished for to set forth his plough; to devise as many ways as can be to deface and obscure God's glory.”

You see, Paul, in Romans 15 is telling the church how they are to move - because Paul understood the devil does not take a day off.

Paul understood that the church must be chasing after the same goal, with the same passion, the same breathless desire...

Even in Paul’s day, many churches lost their way.

The Galatian church - whom Paul gives no words of encouragement to. The Corinthian church, plagued by all sorts of sexual sins, so dysfunctional in their operating in the gifts of the Spirit, not even taking the Lord’s Supper in a worthy manner.

The church at Ephesus - Paul sends Timothy to clean it up, because “certain men were teaching strange doctrines, paying attention to myths among other things” (1 Timothy 1:3-4).

In our days, the same thing is true.

Fog machines, laser lights, confetti canons, backup dancers to the worship team… are we more about entertaining the world than feeding the sheep anymore?

Not if we’re to be a church that moves.

A church that moves must instructed by the Word, through prayer, and in the Spirit.

Point I: Instructed by the Word

Romans 15:4a “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction,

Romans 15 begins with Paul directing the church to be unified. Those of us who are strong should bear the weaknesses of those without strength - and not to just please ourselves.

Romans 15:3 “For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.””

The Christian life is a life of self-denial, not of one that takes always from others, but what uses what it has in order to bless others.

Gives to others, loves others, heals others, and so on. Where do we get that? From Scripture!

Scripture is there to direct us!

2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

All the writings of the Prophets, all those Old Testament saints and their giant slaying, their Philistine tower toppling, their dream interpreting, their burning bush bargaining - all of it connects together with the New Testament to direct us.

To instruct us.

To give us - as the Psalmist says, Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”

It is a light to us, a light to guide us, rules to live by.

Someone once told me, “Pastor Jeff, I don’t like the Bible. It’s full of stuff I can’t do, things I’m not supposed to do, but I thought the whole idea is God loved me the way I am!”

I said, “God does love you, but you need to decide something.”

She said, “What’s that?”

I said, “Do you love Him more than you love breaking His heart?” She said, “Oh I do!” I said then why do you break His rules?”

Scripture, the “though shalt nots” and all those things are there to protect you, to keep you Holy, because as He is Holy, He can not tolerate sin, therefore Scripture tells us to be holy like Him, but we can’t, there is no possible way.

So what does God do? He sends His Son as an atonement for our sins, He bleeds, He dies, He’s buried, He rises again, because while God loves you, He does not love your sins, and they needed to be paid for, and because He is God and God is love, He took those sins upon Himself, and was sacrificed in our place.

And because He is God, He is master over life and death, so He rose on the third day! Is that not worth living for?

The Gospels tell us this is what the disciples saw, Acts tells us this is what they lived for, and the epistles tell us this is what they were martyred for.

Because they understood that Scripture leads us, and it leads us to Jesus.

Jesus - who is our hope.

John 5:39 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;”

1 Peter 1:10-11 “As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.”

The Scriptures were written for our instruction - that we might know Christ!

That word instruction is the Greek word “didasklian” and it means it was there for our teaching. Again, 2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;”

And as it teaches us, as it reproves us, as it corrects us, as it trains us, it is n righteousness - making us more like Christ, growing us closer to Him every day, every time we study it, and we let it penetrate our hearts and change who we are.

Someone might say “But I like who I am.” Are you like Jesus? “Well, no” then you see that’s the problem. Neither am I, that’s why I need God’s word to direct and instruct me.

Romans 15:4b so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures

You see the Scriptures are not just there for our teaching, but also to help us persevere, to help us be encouraged.

The word of God is meant to push us, challenge us, grow us… and like I said, change us.

Perseverance comes from a Greek word meaning endurance, and encouragement from a word meaning both comfort and conviction.

Scripture guides us through our perseverance.

James 1:12 “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

2 Corinthians 4:16 “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.”

Scripture shouts to us today: “Persevere, Christian! Stand strong. ENDURE.”

And it shouts encouragement!

John 16:33 ““These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

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. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Is there not encouragement to be had in the Scriptures that point us to Christ?

is there not a message to persevere in the Scriptures that point us to Christ?

Then why do so many believers hang their heads in defeat? Why do we walk around like we’re mad at the world, rather than living as conquerors of it?

Because we have not been in the word, church.

And the church that is not in the word is a church without hope.

Romans 15:4c we might have hope.”

Biblical hope comes from the Greek word “elpis” - it is not hoping for something that might happen, but expecting hope. When we get that idea of hope, when we understand it, we would read Hebrews 11:1 as “faith is the assurance for things expected but not yet seen.”

Where is our hope? If you belong to Christ it is in Christ.

If your hope is in Jesus, we must be in the word that takes us to Jesus, that every page, every paragraph, every section of every chapter - points us to Jesus.

Isaiah 55:10-11 ““For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”

If we are to be a church that moves forward we must be moving forward as instructed by the word of God.

Not by emotion, not by the voices in our head, not by the whims of society, not lead by the culture, not changed by the world, but in the word of the living God, moving as instructed by the word of the living God.

Point II: Encouraged through Prayer

Romans 15:5a “Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement

NOW… may the God who gives this perseverance and encouragement… how does He give it? In His word.

But His word is not meant to be read like a newspaper, though we may treat it like a map, we may treat it like a love letter, we may treat it like a textbook and that is all well and good… but as we read, we must read it in prayer.

It is a two way conversation. He speaks to us through His word and we are able to say something to Him.

Daniel 6:10 “Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously.”

Daniel persisted and was encouraged, and made it, because of his prayer life.

Daniel’s prayer life put him in the Lion’s Den, but it was his prayer life that got him through the Lion’s Den.

Nehemiah 1:3-4 “They said to me, “The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire.” When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.”

Nehemiah rebuilt Jerusalem’s walls, he strengthened his people, and it began in prayer.

It is through prayer we make our requests known to God, it is through prayer we speak on our own behalf before the King of Heaven and Earth and Space and Time, the eternal living God, the Father, the Son, the Spirit, Yahweh is His name and we worship Him … but we are able, through prayer, to come before him on hands and knees like the beggars we are, before the King He is...

and with nail scarred hands He lifts us and says, You. Are. Mine.

If you recall, I mentioned a while back that when a slave would choose to stay with their master, in the Old Testament, they would put an awl through their ear to signify a life committed to that master.

Prayer is like that awl in our ear, that pointed piercing into our ear that says “I AM HIS! I am committed to Him!

We feel defeated, beat down, but where is our prayer life?

Psalm 42:1 “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God.”

But we don’t want to talk to him? NO!

Psalm 5:1-3 “Give ear to my words, O Lord, Consider my groaning. Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, For to You I pray. In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.”

and even Psalm 55:17 “Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur, And He will hear my voice.”

Who better to cry out to? Who better to lean on? Who better to talk to?

if you had a telephone number that you knew, YOU KNEW it would go straight to the president’s office - and you didn’t like how things were going in the country, but if you called that number and YOU KNEW he’d pick up the phone and at least listen… how often would you call?

How often would you call just to say thanks for doing a good job? Thanks for listening? How many of you wish you had that number now so you could tell the president what you’re thinking about his job so far?

It doesn’t exist.

But God says “Let’s talk...” and I promise time in prayer the God who sees you, the God who knows you better than you’d ever imagine as Psalm 139 tells us, I promise that is better than a phone conversation with some man you’ve never met.

Romans 15:5b grant you to be of the same mind with one another

May the God who gives you perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another...

I’ve said this several times now. Being of the same mind is not that hard. It’s not.

My daughter is playing girls basketball this year and I’m so proud of her, she got better each week last year and I can’t wait to see her play this year. But you know what?

Each game, I sit on one side with all the other parents who are from Lisbon - people I’ve met, some I haven’t - and even though we have different political views, different theological views - for about an hour we’re of the same mind with one another.

We want our daughters to beat up on those other girls.

In Greek, the two words Paul uses are “auto fronen”, it means “that you think the same things.”

Paul orders the church to do this in Romans 12:16 “Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.”

He tells the Philippians 2:2 “make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.”

He orders us because while it’s simple to do - we don’t always do it. We, as people, want to argue. We want to change others minds to think like we do.

And when we don’t like that, we dig in, we get stubborn, our pride rears its head, “I’m not the one who needs to change his mind, that other person does.”

Don’t believe me? Look at what Paul said, “Do not be wise in your own estimation”, when we think we know better, without a standard - like Scripture - our “same mindness” begins to evaporate.

So we must go to prayer.

Prayer may not change someone else’s mind, but maybe it’ll change my mind.

If all we ever do is pray for other people to change, but we never accept that God may need to change our minds, or change us, we are not quite understanding the purpose of prayer, and we are not submitting to God’s convictions.

Earlier in Romans, Paul says Romans 8:26 “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;”

When we took a look at the creation of the first, or at least prototype deacon board of Acts 6, it all came about because the church was diverse and was divided.

And remember, this chapter opens with Paul reminding those who are strong to bear the weaknesses of those who are without strength - despite their different views on secondary issues, non-essential issues - they were to pursue love, be in spiritual harmony with one another - especially in places where Scripture may be silent.

A while back someone came to me, “Pastor, so and so was real upset about something...” I won’t go into it, it was something incredibly small. Incredibly small.

I don’t know, maybe I bought the wrong flavor of pop-tarts or the sugar packets weren’t the easiest to open for our coffee, something like that.

All I could say was, “How good is our church doing that the biggest complaint this week, the one thing people are unhappy about, is something so small?”

4 years ago, we couldn’t say that. 3 years ago, we couldn’t say that. It’s a sign we’re growing, church.

And I believe that’s an answer to prayer - and obedience to the word.

Romans 15:5c according to Christ Jesus,”

This is how the passage ends - because we can have the same mind at a Basketball game, we can have a similar mindset about politics, doctrinal things, automobile manufacturers, sports teams...

But it is only through prayer and through the word of God we will have the same mind according to Christ Jesus.

When we pray together, when we pray for one another, we are a church that moves.

Point III: Advancing in the Spirit

Romans 15:6a “so that with one accord

I’ve explained this phrase “one accord” several times over the past couple of months, but we’ll revisit it one last time:

It’s the Greek word “homo-thyma-don” - it means, yes, to be united, but it is a complex Greek word - so complex that apparently the translators of the ESV did not even bother to translate it, and just took it to mean being “together.”

Well, what makes it so difficult? I’m glad you asked (because I put a lot of work into the research!), because it’s a compound word,

Greek “homoloma” - “the same kind, same likeness, even the same shape”

Greek “thumos” - often translated “wrath or anger”, but can also mean “passion” or “fierceness”.

It truly means we are after the same thing, the same passion, breathlessly pursuing the same objective or goal.

Only the Holy Spirit brings that kind of true unity.

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

The wording Paul uses is so beautiful here - and as Pentecostals, of all fellowships, doctrinal beliefs, we should cherish this more than anyone.

It is the Greek word “sumpheron” - it is where we get the English word “symphony”. So many different sounds, different organs, different people, different giftings, different members - yet what beautiful music we make when we work together in one accord.

How beautiful is the bride of Christ when we are united and passionate for the groom.

Her beauty inspires the most beautiful of symphonies - when we are in one accord.

Romans 15:6b you may with one voice

With one voice - by the power of the Holy Spirit, we may with one voice, though we are diverse, though we have our faults and different parts to play, though every tuba, every trumpet, every trombone plays a different note, though the cymbals clang and the drums beat… with once voice we sing, we proclaim

JESUS. IS. LORD.

1 Corinthians 12:3 “Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus IS LORD, this has been the unifying cry of the church since it began. Acts 2:36 ““Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.””

Romans 10:9-10 “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

If you do not stand with Christian brothers and sisters and acknowledge Him as Lord, you can not claim to belong to Him.

Jesus Christ is exclusive, Christianity is available to all, but there are few who will accept the truth of it.

Matthew 7:13-14 ““Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

People don’t like that message, but that’s the message of Jesus. He is available to all who will cry out to Him, but not all will.

FEW. FEW FIND HIM.

People don’t like that message, but it’s the word of God, Himself. If you think you’re a Christian but you think maybe there’s another way to heaven than through Jesus, you’ll find yourself waking up in hell one day surprised.

Lots of people will wake up in hell surprised, nobody wakes up in Heaven surprised - because they know their Lord, their Savior, their Master, and HE knows them!

Our song - OUR WORSHIP - is not for those outside the walls of the church, nor is it for our entertainment but for the enjoyment and pleasure of the Lord, Himself.

With ONE VOICE we glorify Him!

Romans 15:6c glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Spirit takes us to Jesus, Jesus takes us to the Father.

Jesus said “John 6:44 ““No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Paul will write, Romans 8:9 “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”

The Father draws us to Himself that the Spirit of God might dwell in us, that the Son may use us for the building of His kingdom.

And Jesus being the Son was neither adopted in, or created to be God, but is of the same essential being and nature as God the Father.

John 1:1-4 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.”

He laid down His life for His church, that we may have life eternal with Him.

The church that moves, moves together, to bring others to Him.

Instructed by the word, encouraged through prayer, advancing in the Spirit.

Conclusion:

- Call Back to Introduction

The devil is busy, he takes no days off. He is constantly at his plow, working to drag down the church of Christ, in a sense, he seeks to heap filth upon the bride’s wedding dress.

His message is inconsistent deceit, our message is the infallible, inerrant word of God.

We are instructed by the Scriptures, encouraged through prayer, advancing in the Spirit - or we may as well hang it up now.

Today I would ask you to stand.

On the night Jesus was betrayed he prayed several things, but one of them was this:

John 17:20-21 ““I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.”

Church, one of the last things Jesus asked before going to the Father was that we be united, and if it was important enough for Jesus to pray it, we must also be praying for it.

So today, I want you to grab the hand of the person next to you - maybe it’s your wife, maybe it’s your kid, maybe it’s someone you haven’t talked to in some time, who cares?

Grab their hand. Pray out loud for them - that we are unified as brothers and sisters in Christ. That we are of one accord.

That we will honor God’s design for His church, that we will be instructed by His word, that we will pray together, that we will pray for one another.

That we will be led by the Spirit as we do.

As we are a church that moves, that stands united, drawing together as we are used to draw others to Christ.

When you’re done praying, just join in the song, worship together, and we’ll close in a prayer of dismissal.