Worship call 0631 the deeds of a saved life

I sat on a bible Class some weeks ago and the discussion came up on how they could get people to come back to church. My reply was that people have better things to do with their time.

the Churches might in some way have a message about Christ but when the message of the Gospel is nothing more than believe and go to heaven, I don’t need then need to pursue God any further for I have recieved what I need to get along in this life.

and when the church that is quarreling fighting and backbiting looks like the world sounds like the world people certainly have better things to do.

Is there more to this Christian life than confessing Christ and going to heaven.

or are we just contented with drive by evangelism

This is another fine day in the Lord.

John 3:19–21 (NASB95) — 19 “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 “But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

There was a reason why the early Church boomed in numbers and grew so quickly.

It was the message of Christ. and that message was manifested in wait for it....

WORKS

Right now people are reaching for the off switch.

No. Salvation is a free gift and we do not have to do any thing for it before during or after. and if you mention work you might as well throw in legalism. Salvation is grace alone in Christ alone with no further commitment on my person.

But if you Mr and Mrs “Free gift, no obligation” even look at the bible is seeking to know and draw closer to your redeemer, you might find that there is a spiritual life and with the spiritual life there is a production of good works that brings glory to God.

Ephesians 2:10 (NASB95) — 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Titus 2:14 (NASB95) — 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

Matthew 5:16 (NASB95) — 16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Why did the early Church grow expediently?

why is the church growing in communist countries and the declining in the free societies?

First of all it was the message of Christ. the Gospel which is the power of God for Salvation to the Jew first and then to the Greek. In this dog eat dog world and every thing for self, the message of the King who gave his life for his people in taking up the cross resonated with people. Not to say that the story of the Resurrection did not have its impact for it certainly did when you are living in the era with eye witness accounts.

The Good news that people recieved was not to believe in Christ and go to heaven. Somewhere the gospel became watered down to a message of escapism. People want to live there lives without the conscience, worry, or threat of a hell after they leave this life.

that is not the gospel.

The Gospel is God’s comprehensive plan to reverse the ill effects of sin and evil. The plan include the saving of the souls of those who will follow the Lord in His Resurrection. It continues with the bringing forth the promised kingdom a new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells.

remember the message from John the baptist. It was repent and go to heaven.

it was

Matthew 3:2 (NASB95) — 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

and what was the message of Jesus?

Repent and go to heaven?

Matthew 4:17 (NASB95) — 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Paul was probably the greatest of Christians in the church age. was knocked of his horse and given a vision. and it was not, “Saul, believe in me and go to heaven.”

Acts 26:19–20 (NASB95) — 19 “So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.

Yes it was first message of the Resurrection as many were witnesses.

even after and now if one did some extrabiblical research there are written testimonies of ancient writings even from unconverted, when means the conversation about the Jesus Resurrection from the dead was circulating among the people.

But after a while that would pass off into history. Aside from the Spirit what else would open the eyes of the people to join the newly forming church?

they were seeing a change in people within a selfish society. they were seeing selflessness. the were seeing the evidence of faith working in those who have believed the message and who were looking forward to their own Resurrection. this is the type faith that James speaks of.

James 2:14–17 (NASB95) — 14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

this is not argument of whether one is lazy or not or saved or not. Its that fact that if there is indeed a working faith that is resident within the believer that this one has their spiritual priorities in place and is growing in grace that there will be a product to be observed. a Change within the person and within the people.

the early church was seeing that change.

they were seeing people come out of there laziness and half measured work habits. the began to serve their earthly masters with fear and trembling. they began to work as if they were working for the Lord.

where there was common to be cheated by those in the world, people began understand that they could to those who were followers of the way and receive a fair and honest deal.

there was growing within the society and society of righteousness which was the fragrance of the Kingdom to come. That kingdom which was not like their own.

In Geenna which was a waste dumb on the out skirts of Jerusalem one could go and find aborted babies. Aborted after being born. Cast out from the family. especially infant girls and infants with birth defects. A man could tell his wife, “if it is a boy you may keep it, but if it is a girl get rid of it!”

Christians would be the ones who would go through the dumps seeking out discarded infants among the garbage and rescue them feed and raise them. certainly outside of societal norms.

And then there is baptism. Baptism was a public proclamation that one was leaving behind old self and following Jesus. This in the early church and in areas of the world today would put a death penalty on a person. Publicly they were telling Caesar,

No! You are not God. Jesus is the way the truth and the life and it is to him I give my allegiance!

and even then though they made their stand for Christ they respected the laws and were even better citizens than the non Christians.

even in persecution and maybe can say especially in persecution the Christians like Stephen stood with confidence before the crowds of yelling people before the hungry lions were let loose on them refusing to recant.

Sadly in our time we have accepted the message that makes no moral demands upon our faith. Make a one shot decision live as you like. Have it your way. defile Christ’s name, even take his reputation in vein, all because you say you have made a profession of faith.

I’m not saying one is or one is not a christian on the basis of no obvious signs of a spiritual life that is between each of us and the Christ whom we will have to stand before.

But I will say this with full confidence

because we have bought into a cheap grace with no response other than I am going to heaven, not only has the church as a whole suffered, but also the society in itself.

where is the church growing expediently?

In China and Iran in Communist held territories. in dark places where Christians stand out not blend in.

John 3:20–21 (NASB95) — 20 “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 “But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

My conversion does not cause me to get out of the plane and push it as far as works are involved.

My conversion to Christianity compels me to pursue my God each and every day. when I get up as I go through my day when I go to bed at night. I am the Moses who is longing to see the glory of God be shown to him. I am no so flipped about my personal sins or the evil deeds of the flesh because I am consent of the fact that sin offends the God I love. and my confession demonstrates is acknowledging that.

Yes, it is by grace through faith that we are saved. but grace demands a response. No I did not deserve or merit what God did for me and continues to do. I can not work for it. but I tell you what my response is but one

to the God who saves me I say

I am yours

prayer

tonight we have the Great upstate bible challenge