Heart Problems
Prayer Mweting • Sermon • Submitted
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Intro
Intro
There are times when things happen that we cannot explain. There are times when someone passes away suddenly, unexpectedly, or their heart just stops beating. Physical heart problems claim lives every year.
Tonight I want to talk to you about another kind of heart problem. The heart in the spiritual sense is of critical importance. The church has to have a unique heart.
When we think about ministry our minds often turn to the apostle Paul. When we think of building an effective Christian church we think once again towards Paul. He was considered “the expert builder” 1 Cor. 3:10
Paul laid the true foundation of the church down by the grace of God and then built wisely upon it. No one in the Bible had such insight and blessing. His life and conversion dominates the book of Acts and most the epistles (letters) of the New Testament. He went from being a Jewish Zealot who persecuted believers to being the greatest ambassador of Jesus. How? Through a change in the condition of his heart!
Paul’s Message
Paul’s Message
The message Paul preached is essential to our understanding of him. The main focus was always the gospel, or good news about Jesus Christ. Paul saw his calling as an apostle as a priestly duty.
to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
Paul did not preach only the law of God like Moses did. Paul used the holy commandments but it was only to prepare the minds and hearts of his audience for the message of Christ.
Paul proclaimed the promise of salvation and new life through Jesus. He was not ashamed of the gospel or standing up for the things of God.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
Paul did not ask listeners to make promises to do things better or to make a commitment to turn over a new leaf. That was and is not the purpose of the liberating power of the Holy Spirit. These types of vows are seem in the law of Moses but not the gospel of Christ.
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
The church is a church about Jesus, a church that recognizes that He is the only answer to the need of the human heart. The church is a place that proclaims the good news concerning salvation, not merely the law of God. It teaches about the power of God that can not only convict of sin but also lifts the soul our of its despair.
The church is a congregation that is excited about the Lord Jesus and provides living proof of the dynamic power that is experienced when people repent of sin and put their faith in Christ. The church is not a group of power hungry people judging one another based on past experiences. We are to live in love and harmony with one another and experience and grant forgiveness as we were given it through Christ!
This is the message of Paul!
Paul’s Method
Paul’s Method
Paul’s method was revealed through his movements and ministry as you look through the book of Acts and his letters. Paul knew little about methodology, he was a spirit led man. He depended on the guidance of the Holy Spirit for what he was doing and for what to do next. There was no church growth formula from examining his life. His ministry was measured by divine anointing than by clever methodology.
Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.
His comings and goings were due to the leading of the Holy Spirit. As a church we need to know that God desires to lead us and this desire to lead us by His spirit has not changed, so we need to seek to remain sensitive to hear His voice and be mindful of His leading and not our own personal agendas.
How else can we as God’s people accomplish God’s will except by being led by God’s Spirit?
Who wants to mechanically follow dead church traditions or man made formulas when we can have God take us by the hand and guide us?
Being led by the spirit was not unusual for Paul and it should not be for us either.
When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.
Paul wasn’t planning a vacation he was planning to preach there and they needed to hear it. But the spirit had other plans and Paul obeyed. Please note this!
Church we need to follow this example, this is an example of tender submission to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The great thing about it is the Holy Spirit has not change at all since this time and what the Holy Spirit did for Paul He will do for us if we yield our hearts to him and learn to LISTEN!!!!
Paul’s Motivation
Paul’s Motivation
Paul’s heart is the most over looked and less talked about aspect of his ministry. There are countless churches today that proclaim the gospel from the pulpits yet make little or no impact on their communities.
I would like to take a few minutes and let that sit with you.
Are we a church who desires to make an impact on our community?
If so how are we doing with that?
Is there room to improve or are we happy with where we are at?
Do we feel that the name/reputation of Faith Pentecostal is reflective of showing the love of Christ?
Is our church a place that our community would perceive as community minded, welcoming and loving?
Our doctrine and message is biblical but how are our results compared to the apostolic model?
Community begins with faith - are we living up to this motto?
On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority.
Paul took his calling as a preacher of the gospel quite seriously. It was a sacred task fulfilled with a deep desire for God’s approval. The longing for God’s approval is always true for the ministry God blesses.
I have told you before I love you, I love this church and I want to see God do a mighty work here. But I am not looking to be impressive. I need more than anything to please God and to lead that way. There will be times that will not be impressive to you by using good communication skills or flattery to get on your good side. I have no other motive only to do a work that is pleasing to God and brings people to Christ. But I still love this church even when you may question that love.
The apostle was not looking for money or had no secret motive.
Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.
Here Paul reminds us of the passionate heart of love he had as he labored among them. He was gentle like a mother caring for her children. The apostle declared boldly that he wasn’t ready to just give the gospel message he was all in, totally invested he would give his very life as well. That is why he described himself as having the heart of a mother who so cherishes her children that no sacrifice is too much if only it will bring blessing to her offspring. This was Paul’s motivation no wonder his messages had a bite to them and reached the hearts of the people.
It was not based on educated intellect alone but from the fervent love that burned within his soul.
But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you.
For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?
Paul treasured new churches, new believers why? Because they were trophies of God’s grace. The church needs to focus on the people whom Christ died and their progress in faith.
The greatest spiritual deception that we can face is to fall into thinking we really love the Lord while having little concern for His people. Lack of motivation to sacrifice for others is what hold back many ministries and churches from being used of the Lord. Only the Holy Spirit’s power can save us from the terrible plight of a self-centered, comfort zone living while we sing hymns about the Christ who gave his life on Calvary. We don’t want to be known as people living a charade. The test of spiritual growth is to love and love always means living for others.
For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God,