Remembering What Is Important
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Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
Everybody needs reminding from time to time about what is important.
Husbands or wives can get so accustom to day to day life that they forget what is most important in their family, each other’s relationship.
Parents can get so caught up in hustle and bustle of kids activities and the parents daily routine that they forget how precious that time is they have while they are living at home with them.
This isn’t limited to the home, bosses can forget what it was like to be the subordinate and we could probably mention several other things if time allowed.
The church, which is made up of everyday people, is no different.
Peter, in his second letter, demonstrated this biblical point of needing to be reminded of that which is important when no less than three times he would write about qualities the church needed to be reminded about.
2 Peter 1:12–13 (ESV)
12 Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder
2 Peter 3:1 (ESV)
1 This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder
With that in mind I thought it would be good this morning to “Remember What Is Important” as the church.
The church must always remember…
To Live Above Pettiness
To Live Above Pettiness
The Church Is Hindered By Pettiness.
The Church Is Hindered By Pettiness.
An old Mother Goose Rhyme goes something like this…
10,000 Sermon Illustrations Trivial Pursuits
PUSSY CAT, PUSSY CAT, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?
I’VE BEEN TO LONDON TO VISIT THE QUEEN.
PUSSY CAT, PUSSY CAT, WHAT DID YOU THERE?
I FRIGHTENED A LITTLE MOUSE UNDER THE CHAIR.
“Like that cat, Christians sometimes settle for petty involvements, trivial pursuits-chasing mice-when we have the opportunity to spend time with royalty, with the King. (Ibid)
We have all seen this play out from time to time and might have been involved with it unfortunately.
It’s easy to get caught up in disagreements and allow those disagreements to distract us from our King.
It has always astounded me the petty things I have witness or stories I have heard of.
How congregations have split over what color the new carpet should be.
Or whether or not to spend money on disposable plates and silverware.
When we, the church, start getting into petty disagreements we end up moving our focus from where it should be.
We stop fighting the enemy “sin” and start fight each other.
2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.
We loose focus of who our fight is with, and it shouldn’t be with each other.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
So…
How Do We Stop Pettiness?
How Do We Stop Pettiness?
First, those that see it happening go help those struggling with it.
2 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. 3 Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Second, for those struggling with pettiness they must…
Refocus on having a “Christ-like” attitude.
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
Refocus on having a strong spiritual work-ethic.
2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. 3 And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”
Notice the hard work being done prevented Nehemiah from “getting into it” with these men.
Summary
Summary
Pettiness in the church will ALWAYS lead that congregation to despair and in need of spiritual repair.
Let us be reminded that the church should rise above pettiness.
The church must also always remember…
To Be Grateful
To Be Grateful
We Have Been Blessed.
We Have Been Blessed.
It is not abnormal for God’s children to look at all the sinful in the world and be upset at how they prosper when we struggle.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
6 The tents of robbers are at peace, and those who provoke God are secure, who bring their god in their hand.
1 Righteous are you, O Lord, when I complain to you; yet I would plead my case before you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?
But in reality, when a child of God actually counts the blessings they receive in comparison to that of the wicked we quickly are reminded of how blessed we are.
Christians, not the wicked, have all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
Christians, not the wicked, have an eternal inheritance.
13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Christians, not the wicked, have God’s promise of providing all our needs.
31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
And when we “count our many blessings” we cannot help but convert our attitude of discouragement to an attitude of gratefulness.
11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Summary
Summary
v Our God has richly blessed his adopted children and when we count our blessings and realized our wonderfully blessed we are, we will not be able to stop ourselves from developing an attitude of gratefulness.
We will then be able to “maintain a grateful spirit” in this life that will spur us on to the next.
Lastly, we as the church need to be reminded from time to time…
What Our Work Is
What Our Work Is
We Were Created For Good Works.
We Were Created For Good Works.
When we come out of that watery grave as a new creation we should quickly realize that the “newness of life walk” we are set on is based on work.
Ephesians 2:8–10 (ESV)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
What are those good works we were created for?
First, we are to work hard at letting all those that don’t know the gospel, know the gospel.
Someone once said, teaching the lost is “one beggar telling another beggar where to get bread.”
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.
Secondly, we are to work diligently at edifying the church.
Congregations often have lots of programs but if those programs are not edifying the church, i.e., helping the church grow spiritually we need to remove those programs and get better ones.
Ephesians 4:11–13 (ESV)
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ
Hebrews 10:24–25 (ESV)
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Thirdly, we are to work at benevolence.
Whatever we do or do not do to serve others we do or do not do to Jesus.
40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
Summary
Summary
We were created for good works.
To teach those that need to hear the gospel, to edify the church of God, and serve those around us in love.
Conclusion
Conclusion
v
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.