The Heart of Your Pastor (081025)
Pastor Joseph Campbell
Sunday Morning • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 42:00
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Text: Colossians 1:1-14
Last week I preached a message on:
The Great Command(s)
The Great Commission
How did you do, this past week, growing in your love of God?
How did you do, this past week, growing in your love of others?
How did you do, this past week, in fulfilling the Great Commission?
Honestly, we need to be constantly reminded about all of those things.
On Monday, for those of you on our email list, you received the “invitation” from last Sunday morning’s message - to adopt one of the Indian families in the Academy; to love them and seek to point them to Christ. (After all, the mission field has come to us.)
May I share with you a little bit of my heart? I’m a little conflicted. I’m not certain what to think or how to think. Even given the size of our church, there were very few - and I can count them on one hand - that responded to the invitation.
I do not say that to “guilt” anyone. And I’m not trying to chastise anyone.
I guess one of the things that I struggle with is simply this…God, you brought these Indian families to us. We have been commanded to love them. We have been commanded to give them Gospel. How are we suppose to do that? (I struggle with this just about every school year.)
It may be that some of you, for whatever reason, were unaware of the invitation from last week.
You weren’t in the service and so didn’t understand the email when it was sent out.
You didn’t receive the email.
You received the email, didn’t immediately respond, and then just simply forgot to respond.
If any of those are the case, and you would like to respond, feel free to give me a note after the service or call or text the church to let me know that you would like to participate.
Now, we turn our attention to the church in Colosse.
Turn to and read Colossians 1:1-14.
There are two things that jump out in this passage that reveal Paul’s heart for these believers:
Paul prayed for the believers in Colosse.
I seek to pray for those who are a part of South Charlotte Baptist Church.
Paul had a desire for the believers in Colosse.
For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
Pastor Campbell, what is your desire for us? For the people of South Charlotte Baptist Church?
First of all, please understand that I desire that each individual who darkens the doors of this church would come under the hearing of the Gospel message, would positively respond to the Gospel message, and would receive Jesus Christ as their Savior.
That you would you would not only know God’s will but understand how to go forward in His will.
For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
Do you have a desire to know God’s will?
Do you have a desire - if you know God’s will - to actually be obedient to it?
Or are you simply comfortable with the life that you have made for yourself?
That you would live a life that is pleasing to the Lord.
That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
Do you know what it is to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord?
Would you know it if you were?
Would you know it if you weren’t?
Does it bother you either way?
Do you desire to live your life in a way that is pleasing to the Lord?
Or are you content to simply live a life that is pleasing to you?
That you would be a fruitful Christian; that you would do good.
That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.
Peter, speaking about Jesus:
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
The writer of Hebrews, in chapter 13, wrote:
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Historically, it has been Bible-believing Christians who have been at the forefront of doing good works.
George Mueller led the way in caring for orphans.
David Livingstone brought the horrors of the African slave trade to the attention of the British people.
Amy Carmichael rescued young girls from the horrors of being temple slaves.
William Carey was a prominent figure in abolishing the Hindu practice of the practice of sati, where widows were often forced to be burned or buried alive with their deceased husbands.
Robert Raikes led the way in establishing “Sunday schools” which were originally intended to educate the young children in Great Britain who, due to working in factories and other such places, were unable to receive and education and who, when not working on Sundays, simply got into trouble.
Good works are the practical, outward manifestation of our salvation.
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Good works are the manifestation of our obedience to love God and love others.
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Are you being diligent to allow your salvation to be seen by your good works?
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
That you would increase in the knowledge of God.
Paul said, for himself:
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Do you know Christ better today than you did a year ago?
Our knowledge of God, of Jesus Christ, of the Holy Spirit is only as broad and as deep as our knowledge of God’s Word.
Therefore…
How well do you know God’s Word? Is your knowledge of God’s Word greater than it was a year ago?
That God would strengthen you so that you can bear up under the toils and difficulties of this life and that you would be able to do it joyfully.
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
How are we able to be strong in the Lord? By humbling ourselves before the Lord so that we might appropriate His strength in our lives!
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Hymn: My Anchor Holds (383)
Remember:
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
That you would have a thankful spirit because of all that Christ has done for you.
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Are you known for a having a spirit of thanksgiving? If not, why not?
