3 Missing Ingredients In The Church
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
Several months ago Larry Jones and I set down and thought of a few, I think about four, sermon titles we would work out and then compare notes after the sermon was complete.
Today we are going to look at one of the titles Larry came up with, “3 Missing Ingredients In The Church.”
Everyone knows that if you go to cook or bake a item of any sort you need all the ingredients to make it come out in the manner it is intended to do so.
When it comes to the church of our Lord, Jesus Christ it is no different.
The church was built by God (Matthew 16:18) with specific “ingredients”, if you will, in mind.
It needs the ingredient of love (Luke 10:27).
It needs, as discussed this morning, its members to be workers (Ephesians 2:10; 2 Timothy 2:15).
Like anything in this life, if some “ingredients” are missing then things, even in the church, don’t come out like they should.
Today, I want us to then consider three of the most, in my observation, missing ingredients in the church.
Zeal
Zeal
Energy.
Energy.
Zeal, in maybe its most basic of meanings, is dealing with that of energy.
The word zeal in the bible means, “extreme vigor or energy” toward God, his word, and/or his people.
When people obey the gospel there is a zeal about them, a fire within them concerning all aspects of God.
That zeal or that energy can start to flame out if you will.
So, how do we keep or reignite our zeal/energy for God?
First, we pray everyday for God to help us in our weakness and renew our strength through him.
28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.
30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Secondly, we keep or reignite our energy for God by getting into his word.
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Thirdly, we keep or reignite our energy for God by way of our brethren’s righteousness.
This might sound strange but this is exactly what Paul says keeps him zealous.
19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.
6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— 7 for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. 8 For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.
The apostle Paul says, his joy is so deeply tied to the faith of these brethren that he would feel dead if their zeal and faith had been put out.
Summary
Summary
Listen, the church in place after place can trace many of its issues as lacking the ingredient of zeal.
We must be fervent in our prayer, diligent in our study, and fellowshipping with our brethren often to keep our zeal alive or to reignite it or keep it where it needs to be so that it isn’t a missing ingredient in our life and thus church.
Another ingredient that is often missing in congregations is…
Commitment
Commitment
Duty & Ought.
Duty & Ought.
When on first obeys the gospel there is a great sense of “duty to God” and simple understanding of what we “ought to do.”
After all he has done so much for us how can we not be duty bound to our Creator?
However, after a while, if one is not careful, things of this world can start to take priority over our duty and ought to.
In the beginning we never “lost track of time” and missed services because we knew our duty and what we ought to be doing at the appointed times.
However, after a while our commitment can start to waver and what we used to be so committed to is now that which is not our highest priority.
In the beginning we never “miss the opportunity to teach God’s word to the lost” because we knew our duty and what we ought to be doing to help the lost.
However, after a while and time has passed where rejection of God’s word by others build up we begin to waver in our commitment and “telling the story of Jesus” is now not the first thing we want everyone here.
So, how do we keep or get back to our commitment to God?
First, by establishing a hard and fast schedule; by that I mean we commit time everyday for our spiritual growth.
27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
Secondly, we keep or reignite our commitment to God by investing time in others.
9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
Summary
Summary
In far too many congregations the church is missing the ingredient of commitment.
But if we are willing to establish a firm schedule and commit time to others we won’t find ourselves missing that ingredient.
The third ingredient often missing in the church today is…
Intestinal Fortitude
Intestinal Fortitude
Guts OR Toughness.
Guts OR Toughness.
Again, when we obey the gospel the grind and disappointment of sin doesn’t seem to stop us.
Like a typical young person we can feel spiritually invincible but as time goes on our toughness to stand up for God in “every situation” can waver and our intestinal fortitude begins to turn to an “upset stomach.”
God’s children can find themselves, instead of defending truth, giving in to the falsehood.
It’s better this way, or they wouldn’t care what God’s word says anyway.
Brethren this ought not be, we must always have the gust to defend God and the truth.
15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
So how do we get keep or get back our intestinal fortitude?
First, by admitting we can lose or have lost it.
1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.
This implies we can lose heart.
Secondly, by admitting we need help from others to stay strong.
We need help from God.
11 Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!
We need help from others.
12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.
Summary
Summary
When the church of Christ is missing the intestinal fortitude ingredient it will end up standing for nothing and falling for everything.
We must always stay tough by knowing we can lose it and allowing others to keep us tough and sharp.
17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Any congregation can easily find itself missing any of these three ingredients.
Zeal, commitment, and/or intestinal fortitude.
Each of us here, as the church in Ramona, must guard ourselves and watch ourselves to make certain we are keeping our zeal alive, our commitment strong, and our intestinal fortitude tough.
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.
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess 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.
