1 Peter #10.5
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
Introduction:
Connection - PART 1
Radical Transformation leads to Devout Service which produces a Beautiful Community by the Grace of God.
Theme:
Life in Service to Christ and His Church
Need:
We need to be propelled by the Gospel to greater holiness in our daily life, and to greater service in our local church.
Purpose
To exhort the saints to flee from sin and live for the will of God; to comfort the saints in the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and to stir the saints to fulfill the duties of church membership with their spiritual gifts and graces.
Read Text:
1 Peter 4:1-11 ESV
PRAY - PRAY - PRAY - PRAY
(1) Arm Yourself with the Mindset of the Death of Christ - v. 1-2.
(1) Arm Yourself with the Mindset of the Death of Christ - v. 1-2.
(2) Prepare Yourself for Mockery and Maligning from the World - v. 3-6.
(2) Prepare Yourself for Mockery and Maligning from the World - v. 3-6.
(3) Control Yourself for the sake of your Prayers and Love - v. 7-9.
(3) Control Yourself for the sake of your Prayers and Love - v. 7-9.
The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.
7 The end of all things is at hand;
Okay, put up your hand: how many of you have heard someone tell you, or falsely prophesy, that the world was going to end on a specific date, and it never did? Sadly, probably all of us? Maybe some of you are convinced that you’ve cracked the code of the Book of Revelation, and you think that this is it, the last generation before the world ends.
Well, news flash for all of us, there have been false prophecies and misunderstandings about the end-times in every generation of Christianity—but, this has sky-rocketed with the last 100 years in North America with our strange obsession with unbiblical views of the end times.
The reality, according the the NT Scriptures, according to Jesus himself, and according to the testimony of church history, is that we have been living in the last days that begun when Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and poured out the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2, at Pentecost, we are told that we have been in the last days since the Holy Spirit was be poured out. In James we are told that we are in the last days. 1 John says we are in the last hour. 1 Corinthians says we are in the end of the ages. 1 + 2 Timothy says we are in the last days. Hebrews says we are in the last days now. 1 Peter says we are in these last times.
In summary: The last times/end times began at the 1st coming of Jesus and will span all the way until the 2nd coming of Jesus. There are only two ages in Scripture—this age and the age to come. This current age is the age of tribulation and suffering, the end times. The age to come is the age of eternal life and peace. Now, right before the age to come fully dawns, there will be what Jesus himself refers to as the end of this age, which leads into the fullness of the age to come when Jesus returns.
Will there be an increased measure of evil, destruction, rebellion, and apostasy at the final end of this age? Yes. But we are expressly forbidden from date-setting and engaging in speculation which takes our eyes off of the Great Commission and the Great Commandment: “Concerning that day and hour no one knows” (Matt. 24:36).
Thus, when Peter says: the end of all things is at hand, in light of what he said previously that Christ appeared in these last times—He means that we are presently in the end-time tribulation and kingdom of God which is already present, but not yet fully consummated. It is here, but not entirely. It is present, but not completely.
Peter reminds the church that this final day of the resurrection, return of Jesus, and final judgement is coming—it is at hand—so what does he say? Sit and wait? Try and figure out the date? Wait for the rapture? No—surprising to us North American Christians, he says: to be self controlled, sober minded, prayerful, and filled with love-like service, witness, and mission. Dr. Schreiner says:
The nearness of the end has led some believers to lose their heads and act irrationally. On the contrary, believers should think sensibly as they contemplate the brevity of life in this world. Those who know the contours of history are able to assess the significance of the present. Their sensible and alert thinking is to be used for prayer, for entreating God to act in the time that remains.
Who is it that properly understands the biblical teaching of the end times? The one heavy-laden with fear? No, for perfect love casts out fear. The one heavy-laden with anxiety? No, for my peace I leave with you says Jesus. The one who thinks they will be whisked away from all tribulation? No, for Jesus says in this world you will have tribulation, and they will even put some of us to death. The one heavy-laden and paralyzed behind closed doors? No, for Jesus says to go into every nation and make disciples, and that only after the gospel has been preached to every nation will the end come. Peter adds to this and says that if you truly understand the biblical teaching of the end times, then you will:
therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.
So, what did we learn today? Don’t get your eschatology from youtube or facebook, don’t get your view of the end times from twitter or Christian culture. Get your view of the end times from Scripture alone, Sola Scriptura! And with a biblical worldview about the end times we can then fulfill Peter’s command to be self controlled, sober minded, and all this for the sake of our prayers.
We are to be self-controlled. Harnessing the destructive power of our flesh and it’s temptation, desires, and wicked fruits. We are to over-power our evil desires with the all-satisfying desire of glorfying and enjoying our triune God forever. We are to say no to ungodliness and yes to godliness by the power of the Spirit. We are to abide in Christ and bear much fruit. Self control in the end times means walking in holiness and evangelism, in our suffering and witness.
We are to be sober-minded. We are not to be frantic or crazy. We are to be calm and meek. We are to be peaceful and trusting in God’s promises. We are to think straight about the end-times, about the teachings of the Scripture, about our duties toward one another, and about our dependence upon the Lord in all things. Then Peter adds a piercing conclusion. We are to do all of this:
For the sake of our prayers. When we fail to be self-controlled, when we fail to be sober minded—we are being self-indulgent, and sinfully warped in our thinking. We are living in disobedience to Christ and are filled with lies and deceit from the evil one. As we fail to live self controlled and sober minded, Peter says, as he said earlier, our prayers are hindered. If we desire God to answer our prayers, if we desire to enjoy God in prayer, if we desire to magnify God through prayer—then we must join prayer with holiness, we must join our prayers with self control, we must offer our prayers with a sober and clear mind—thinking and acting faithfully and fruitfully on the Holy Scriptures, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
We too often fail to understand that prayerlessness is powerlessness, and power without prayer is foolishness.
Prayer is the pipeline between heaven and earth—it is the fuel for spiritual growth—it is the nourishment for spiritual fruit—it is the means of spiritual strength—it is the vessel of spiritual victory—it is the conduit of spiritual advancement. Why do we lack all of these things? Because we neglect prayer. And why do we neglect prayer? Because we neglect holiness, which shows itself in lacking self control and sober mindedness. The Scriptures repeatadly command us to find our spiritual strength in humble-Spirit-filled-fervent-prayer:
that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Or let them lay hold of my protection,
let them make peace with me,
let them make peace with me.”
Until the church becomes a praying people, the church will be a lukewarm people. Until the church becomes a praying people, the church will be a sleepy people. Until the church becomes a praying people, the church will be a powerless, self-centered, inward-focused, and sin-filled people. To the contrary, as we seek holiness by the grace of God at work within us, then we will be filled with spiritual power, God-centeredness, outward focused evangelism and church planting, with Spirit-filled power.
But too often our prayers are hindered, our self control is low, our mind is frantic and tossed to and fro from every wind of false doctrine. Too often we are not walking in holiness, and thus even if we are praying it is hypocritical prayer—it is half-hearted prayer—it is selfish prayer. We must, in light of the fact that we are living in the end times, in the last days, we must be holy, for the sake of our prayers—so that we make be used by God in the work of the Great Commission, so that we will be fruitful in ministry, and joyful in the Spirit. So that we do not waste our lives with the American Dream—so that we can lay our lives down for the sake of the Gospel.
Then our public prayers on the Lord’s Day;
Then our prayer meetings on Tuesdays;
Then our family prayers at home;
Then our private prayers in our closet;
Then all of our prayers will be blessed by the Lord, who delights to lavish his children with good gifts, whose face is toward the righteous and whose ear is open to their prayers, to those who keep begging and pleading with sincerity of heart, by the promises of God, with true faith, love, and perseverance—then our prayers, the enjoyment of prayer, and the fruit of answered prayers, will blow us away. For God delights to answer the prayers of his children who pray in the Spirit:
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Do we believe this? Then why don’t we pray like it’s true. God help us, for Christ’s sake. God send revival by the Holy Spirit that begins in our own hearts, then spills over into our city with a great multitude of sinners being saved, baptized, and joined to us in membership—but not just our assembly! Rejoicing in seeing God work in our fellow Gospel preaching churches, whoever it be, so long as they are preaching the true Gospel of God’s free grace in Christ, by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone—let our hearts rejoice in seeing God at work in our fellow churches in Kingston.
And especially in our sister-church, Kingston East End Christian Fellowship—that together we might see God’s richest spiritual blessings in Christ lavished upon us through the ministry of Prayer and the Word—Onward Christian Soldiers! Christ is the White Rider Conquering and to Conquer by His Gospel and through His People—the question for us is, will we step into his royal service?
But Peter doesn’t just say that the end times and last days should spur us to faithful Christian prayer, but also to faithful Christian love! That the church of God, the temple of the Spirit, the Body of Christ—that we, the true Israel of God, would be a people who wrestle with God in prayer like Jacob, and who love each other truly like David and Jonathan, whose hearts were knit together in true brotherly affection. Peter then says:
8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
Why does Peter say that love is of chief importance, above all other Christian duties? Because love is the sum of Christian duties. Love is the fulfilling of the law of God, of the law of Christ. Love is the sum and substance of the Christian life. Even prayer is purposed toward making us a more loving people. As we pray: thy kingdom come, thy will be done—we are praying for sinners to be saved, and for the Spirit to write the law of love on our hearts in gratitude-filled obedience for all that Jesus has done for us in the Gospel. Above all, peter says, keep loving one another earnestly!
How do we love one another earnestly? By seriously and joyfully serving one another with our gifts, caring for one another from our hearts, bearing one another’s burdens with sympathy, praying for one another fervently, walking with one another genuinely, listening to one another patiently, counselling one another wisely, supporting one another graciously, providing for one another sacrificially, fellowshipping with one another joyfully, and rebuking one another reverently.
Is this the kind of Christian love that is exemplified by our church members? Our is our Christian love merely a: ‘how are you doing?’, ‘great!’, ‘how about you?’, ‘good’!’, ‘have a good week’, ‘you too’.
… When in reality you’re struggling with a handful of sins, you have financially issues, you are drinking in secret, you’re putting on a face, you are hiding your insecurities, you are in so much pain (physically, emotionally, spiritually), you feel distant from God, you’re prayer life is weak, and you’re family is divided. You are not great, you are not good—but we don’t have the depth of Christian community to feel safe to confess that to each other, so that, by the power of the Spirit we can build each other up in love and mercy, by the grace of God.
For this kind of genuine Christian love, it means that we have to do life together, it means we need to confess our sins and struggles to each other, it means we need to care for each other, it means we need to build each other up, it means there needs to be down-to-earth discipleship and mentorship, it means there needs to be family-oriented fellowship, not merely formal-oriented fellowship.
And when this purity and sincerity of holy and happy Christian love exists, you know what else follows? Peter says: love that covers a multitude of sins.
Can I just say that I was blown away at the tense, letter-writing, email-bombing, impatient, explosive, and superficial kind of community that I saw when I first stepped in the doors at Calvary Bible Church. Do you want to know why I picked the book of James for my first sermon series? Because it seemed like one of the greatest needs of this church was heartfelt repentance, taming of the tongue, grace-filled unity, Christ-centered community, Spirit-filled harmony, and God-honoring patience with one another in trials and hardships.
Now, after a year I look around and I don’t see that nearly as much. I’ve seen the Spirit work on your hearts, I’ve seen the Lord Jesus unify us in the Gospel, I’ve seen our Father bless us with peace. And you know what else I’ve noticed? I’ve seen people cover up offenses with love, instead of just exploding and leaving. I’ve seen your hearts mended together in the bond of peace, forgiving one another and seeking to grow together—putting the past behind us, reckoning ourselves dead to sin, and walking in newness of life. Glory be to God—and may such a pursuit continue in ever increasing measures at Calvary Bible Church—in true Spirit-filled love, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the glory of God our Father.
You know what happens after we start loving one another earnestly? You know what happens after we start forgiving each other? You know what happens next? Do you know what the sign of a healthy church is? Hospitality. Peter says:
9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.
In these last days, we are to be holy, prayerful, loving, forgiving, and hospitable.
What does it mean to be hospitable? It means to open our homes up to hosting each other for Christian fellowship in the things of God, with good food and drink, saturated with prayer, and done without grumbling. It means that we stop pretending that we are merely individuals—and that we remember that we are ONE BODY in Christ. Each church member needs the other—we need to minister to each other. It is to our own spiritual demise if we neglect to walk the Christian life side by side, not just on Sunday, but throughout the rest of the week as well.
We need to invite people over to lunch, over to dinner, invite people over to converse, invite people over to recreate, invite people over to relax, invite people over to pray, invite people over to discuss Scripture, invite people over to break bread together and to share God’s bountiful blessings by giving thanks unto Him for His wonderful grace.
When was the last time you invited someone from church over to lunch that you don’t normally invite? When was the last time we got out of our core-groups of 2 or 3 and invited the person on the other side of the auditorium to fellowship together and get to know each other more, so we can love each other better.
This is a rebuke, and an exhortation to myself and to all of us. I’m not using myself here as an example to magnify my holiness—but as an example to stir us to grow in our hospitality as a church: can you guess how many times Becca and I have been invited over to lunch over the past year? Maybe 3 or 4 times. And to turn it in on myself: how many times have I invited you all to come over to our place? God help us to be more hospitable to one another—because a church without hospitality is a church without deep-relationships, and a church without deep-relationships is a church that is neglecting it’s duties of church-membership in the Christian life—which despises God’s appointed means for growth as a church-family.
I hope that our vision for Discipleship Groups helps with this very need in our midst. It is such a beautiful thing when the brothers dwell in unity: Spirit filled, joy overflowing, love abounding unity. A deep, heartfelt community. God help us to strive for that. Jesus, the Head of the Church, is worthy of a health church. He is worthy of a church that is seeking Him in purity and sincerity, in prayer and petition, in praise and devotion, in unity and peace, in holiness and joy, in gratitude and love. He is worthy—He has saved us, washed us, cleansed us, justified us, adopted us, is sanctifying us, and will hold us fast by his sovereign grace. Oh let us, in light of these wonderful mercies, offer ourselves as living sacrifices in his service.
And how exactly do we do that? How exactly do we serve each other as church members? Peter expected this question so now he turns our attention to our spiritual gifts for the building up of the Body of Christ.
This leads us to our fourth point:
(4) Engage Yourself in Spiritual Service with your Spiritual Gifts - v. 10-11.
(4) Engage Yourself in Spiritual Service with your Spiritual Gifts - v. 10-11.
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Why should we serve each other? Ultimately because Christ served us in the utmost and ultimate way by giving his own life, by his precious blood, to ransom us from our futile ways, to redeem us from the wrath to come, to reconcile us to God, and to make us heirs of the grace of God through being born again by the Holy Spirit.
Beloved—Jesus died to forgive you of all your sins. He died to set you free. Last week we saw that He suffered in the flesh in order to free you from the tyrannical master of sin and it’s consequences, the wrath of God and slavery to the devil. If the Son sets you free you shall be free indeed! Dear Christian, you who are repenting and believing the Gospel, you have a living Hope as a living Stone of the living Temple of Jesus Christ. You belong to God. You have recieved his everlasting and tender mercy! Your faith and hope are in God the Father who raised Jesus from the dead to secure your everlasting inheritance! You are God’s people by grace alone! You have been saved by Jesus, are growing into that salvation by the Spirit, and you will be saved when the Father judges impartially. Your salvation is trinitarian and secured by sovereign grace. You have received the free gift of everlasting life in Jesus Christ.
So now, we put on the mindset of the death of Christ, we leave our sin behind, and walk in newness of life. Peter says that the specific way in which we do that in our local churches is by living the Holy Spirit’s power, exercising his gifts, and serving his people:
10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:
Not only have we recieved the free gift of eternal life, but we have all been baptized by the Holy Spirit into one Body, given spiritual gifts for building up the Body, and are responsible for using them to serve the Body. Let’s define our terms before we explain how to live them out.
Costi Hinn writes: “Spiritual gifts are undeserved special abilities that the Holy Spirit gives to all believers for the purpose of building up the church”.
And Schreiner gives us 10 truths about our spiritual gifts:
Here are ten truths about spiritual gifts: (1) All the gifts are to be exercised under the lordship of Christ, (2) we should not overestimate our godliness or effectiveness, (3) the variety of spiritual gifts and the results of those gifts come from God himself, (4) having a different spiritual gift doesn’t mean we are inferior or superior, (5) our gifts are not to be ascribed to our own spirituality but to the sovereignty of the Spirit, (6) gifts aren’t given to edify ourselves but to build up and strengthen the church, (7) the baptism of the Spirit isn’t a gift after conversion but is given to us at conversion, (8) the strengthening and the edification of the church comes through understanding, (9) it is the path of wisdom to concentrate on the gifts we have, (10) MORE IMPORTANT THAN ALL THE GIFTS IS LOVE, FOR LOVE REPRESENTS THE CHARACTER OF GOD HIMSELF, AND LOVE IS SUPERIOR TO ALL THE GIFTS. THE TRUE TRUST OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY IN OUR LIVES IS WHETHER WE LIVE IN LOVE”
Thus, concurring with the Apostle Peter and the Holy Spirit, we have all received a spiritual gift, and we are all obligated to use it to serve one another as stewards of God’s varied grace, freely given by the Sovereignty of the Holy Spirit.
If this is what a spiritual gift is, and the responsibility is placed on all believers—now we must ask: what are the spiritual gifts? Peter gives us a sweeping summary of the spiritual gifts by classifying them into speaking and serving gifts (which just so happen to line up with the offices of Elders and Deacons).
Eldership is an office of teaching and speaking God’s Word—Deaconship is an office of tangibly serving God’s people. But all believers have a spiritual gift that falls into these general categories of speaking and serving. Peter says:
11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—
Those with spiritual gifts relating to speaking God’s Word in Scripture (publically or privately), must do so with the reverence and faith. As they are faithfully proclaiming what is Written in Scripture and i’s Application Today then they are speaking the oracles of God. These spiritual gifts are more suited toward ministering to the souls of the saints. What are some of the spiritual gifts for today that include speaking God’s Word?
(1) Teaching - The gift of clearly Explaining and Applying the light of God’s Word in Scripture.
(2) Exhortation - The gift of clearly Proclaiming and Preaching the heat of God’s Word in Scripture.
(3) Leading - The gift of humbly guiding the people of God to walk in the Ways and Words of God in Scripture.
(4) Evangelism - The gift of clearly sharing the Gospel and Defending the Faith by the truth of God’s Word in Scripture.
(5) Discernment - The gift of clearly dividing truth and error, right and wrong, good and evil, and sharing this with God’s people, according to God’s Word in Scripture.
These gifts can be used publically in the gathered assembly of the church as qualified men.
These gifts can be used publically in women’s and children’s ministry as qualified women.
These gifts can be used privately, over the dinner table.
These gifts can be used privately, over the phone/text/video.
These gifts can be used in many different contexts for the building up the church of God as she feeds upon the pure and sincere milk of the living and abiding Word. However, these speaking God’s have a higher level of responsibility and accountability because to falsely teach and exhort from Scripture means to falsely represent the Word of the living God.
Those whose spiritual gifts relate to serving God’s People in Church (publically or privately), must do so not in self-dependence but in dependence upon the strength and grace that God supplies for sacrificial care of the saints. These spiritual gifts are more suited toward ministering to the bodies of the saints. What are some of the spiritual gifts for today that include serving God’s people?
(1) Giving - The gift of sacrificial and joyful and persistent giving beyond one’s ordinary means/standard.
(2) Mercy - The gift of caring for the downtrodden, broken, helpless, and hurting saints.
(3) Helping - The gift of sacrificing time in order to serve and care for physical and tangible needs in the church.
(4) Administration - The gift of organization, structure, guidance, and vision for the ministry of the church.
Similarly these gifts can be used both publically and privately according to God’s varied grace. This is not an exhaustive list—however—a spiritual gift will fall into these sub categories, will be confirmed by God’s people, and will bring joy to your life as you use it for the glory of Jesus Christ.
So—how do I find out what my spiritual gifts are (because everyone has them)? Hear some wise words from another pastor:
“How do you know your Spiritual gift? Begin serving in your church. Here is how to identify your spiritual gifting: (1) pray for the Spirit to open doors and make it clear, (2) when you begin to serve, your God-given abilities will manifest, (3) Get confirmation from qualified and mature Christian leaders.
It’s really that simple. If you are a Christian then you are Baptized with the Holy Spirit, Gifted by the Holy Spirit, and now you are called to be filled with the Holy Spirit and the Word of God in order to have Power, Faithfulness, and Fruitfulness in using your gifts for the building up the church.
How are you serving? It might be a public speaking gift. It might be a public serving gift. It might be a private speaking gift. It might be a private serving gift. Whatever your spiritual gifts are, to find them, you must start serving, which will lead the saints to confirm the Spirit’s work in you, and will establish you in your path to fruitful service and contribution to the family and mission of God. One minister writes:
Your spiritual gift may have been given to you, but it’s for the benefit of the church. If you’re not plugged in to a church, you ought to be. Your spiritual gift is no limited to Sunday use only, but connecting with the body every Sunday is going to stir up your heart, help you bear burdens with others, and discover new ways to serve. Are you more of a spectator these days? It’s time to embrace this truth: God the Holy Spirit has gifted you to bring value to the body of Christ. When you aren’t functioning in your gifting, you’re missing out on the joy of purpose, and the body is missing out on what you can bring to it.”
Are we going to be less of a weekly event and more of a daily family? Yes the formal and public worship of God on the Lord’s Day is the chief day of bathing ourselves in the means of grace and Christian fellowship—but this should propel us, empower us, equip us, and direct us to the works of ministry that we are all called to:
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 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, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Do you want this kind of a church community? Filled with the Word and Spirit of God? Filled with the Grace and Mercy of Christ? Filled with the Joy and Peace of the Spirit? Filled with the Love and Power of our Father? Then let’s walk in faith and repentance; in self control and sober mindedness; in prayer and love; in hospitality and service; in stewardship and strength—
in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
I love how Peter ends this section on the purpose of spiritual gifts. They are given Sovereignly by the Spirit, so that our Father can be magnified through Jesus Christ our Lord—our Living Hope. Soli Deo Gloria! Let us lay our lives down for the Gospel, for the Church—and let us give all the glory to our triune God. Let us not waste our lives—let us spend and be spent for the sake of the Gospel, at Calvary, in Kingston, and to the Ends of the Earth. So we can say with the Apostle Paul:
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.
This leads us to our conclusion:
(C) Life in Service to Christ and His Church is the Will of God for His People—by His Grace, and for His Glory.
(C) Life in Service to Christ and His Church is the Will of God for His People—by His Grace, and for His Glory.
Do not let this sermon fall on deaf ears. Put it into action. Be holy, prayerful, loving, and hospitable in our service to one another, for the glory of our Triune God. Find your gifts, use them in the Spirit’s power, and build up the Body. By God’s grace, be hearers and doers of the Word of God.
Robert Murray Mc’Cheyne:
Lord thou lovest the cheerful giver, who with open heart and hand, blesses freely as a river, that refreshes all the land. Grant us then the grace of giving, with a spirit large and free, that our life and all our living, we may consecrate to thee.
Blest by thee with gifts and graces, may we heed thy church’s call, gladly in all times and places, give to thee who givest all. Thou has bought us and no longer, can we claim to be our own, ever free and ever stronger, we shall serve thee Lord alone.
Saviour thou hast freely given, all the blessings we enjoy, earthly store and bread of heaven, love and peace without alloy; humbly now we bow before thee, and our all to thee resign, for the kingdom power and glory, are O Lord forever thine.
(C) Life in Service to Christ and His Church is the Will of God for His People—by His Grace, and for His Glory.
(C) Life in Service to Christ and His Church is the Will of God for His People—by His Grace, and for His Glory.
Amen, let’s pray.