The Power of the Gospel XVII

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Bearing Fruit XIIISunday 08/02/15

 

Series: The Power of the Gospel XVII

 

Message – The Power to Bear Fruit unto Godliness XIII

Click here for the Video

 

We’ve been talking about the Power of God.

  • We are to look to, anticipate and rely upon God’s power for living Godly lives. (Not having a form of godliness but denying it’s power).

Say this 2xs…

 “Blessed am I because my eyes do see and my ears do hear,

I anticipate God’s revelation in my life!”

 

The Thorny Heart:

Mat 13:22/Luke 8:14  As for what was sown among the thorn bushes, this is the person who listens to the word, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries of life (Flesh) and the deceitfulness of pleasures of life (EYES) and wealth (PRIDE) so that the fruit doesn’t come to maturity and can’t produce a crop.

  • This is a heart that CANNOT glorify God – Jn. 15:8, 16
  • This heart only produces IMMATURE FRUIT.
  • Immature fruit
  • The learning from the word and their learning from the world….was different.
    • They received the seed of the word as they were being taught – it was a one time exposure to another person’s thoughts.
    • They received the seed of the world as they walk through the way – An ongoing inner dialogue between themselves and the word. – (seed & water)

READ – Prov. 7:1-4,

“My son, keep my words, And treasure my commands within you. Keep my commands and live, And my law as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” And call understanding your nearest kin, That they may keep you from the immoral woman, From the seductress who flatters with her words.”

“How I love Your teaching! It is my meditation all day long.” ~ Psa 119:97

“My mouth shall speak wisdom, And the meditation of my heart shall give understanding. I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will disclose my dark saying on the harp.” ~ Psa 49:3-4

 

  • The earth (heart) has IN IT all that is necessary to produce anything that is planted in it.

This is why we are told to guard it!

Prov. 4:20-23,

“My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.

Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart;

For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh.

Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.”

 

All a heart needs to grow ANYTHING is…

  • Seed
  • Water
  • Sunlight
  • Time

 

Seed = the word of God or the “word” of this world. (cares of life, deceitfulness of riches & desires for other things)

Water = Dialogue either between you and God or you and the world. What has been planted is fed with thoughts which are consistent with the seed that was planted. It takes the form of Discussion…pondering…meditation…reflection…day dreaming

Sunlight = A catalyst. Something that stirs to activity – many times (though not always) a catalyst generates heat.

  1. Opposition to the word / affirmation of the world. – IF NEED BE 1Peter 1
    1. Remember in the last heart, the stony/shallow/DIVIDED heart – the Sun coming up with its burning heat was likened to opposition coming against the Word.
      1. Mat 13:6 “But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.”
      2. Mat 13:20-21/Luke 8:13 “… he believes for only a short time, but when  times of testing come like trouble or persecution, he immediately falls away. This testing comes because of the Word that was sown – it is a test of the ground (heart).”

 

  1. Calling to mind – Remembering – praising – worshiping

Time = Time/patient endurance – Hebrews 10:35-39

 

So …question – what is dividing your heart?

Anytime you feel the need to offer a reason for why something in your life is okay either to yourself or someone else…it ISN’T!

Two things to watch for in the stony heart – friendship with the word and a developing love for it.

1Jn. 2:15-17,

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

 

James 4:1-8,

Now, let’s be clear – EVERY heart has weeds sown into it. Weeds can simply blow into a garden and begin to grow almost immediately. Having weeds is NOT the real issue – failing to weed them out IS.

Paul prayed for some of the churches who displayed certain “abiding” characteristics.

  1. Obey His commands
  2. Love the Brethren

Remember that obedience is another word for genuine faith in the New Testament.

Hebrews 3:16-18,

“For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: “TODAY, IF YOU WILL HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS IN THE REBELLION.” For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey?

So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

Let’s read three separate encouragements by Paul to three separate churches which led to producing fruit that remained, but also called on them to rely upon and be in expectation of God’s Power.

Col 1:3-29,

(3)  We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

(4)  since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints;

(5)  because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel,

(6)  which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew* the grace of God in truth;

[ *knew – To know fully in a completed sense, have a full knowledge of when used generally and followed by the accusative of a thing as in this verse in Colossians, in Rom. 1:32 &  1 Tim. 4:3. ]

(7)  as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf,

(8)  who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.

(9)  For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

KNOWLEDGE (of His will) It is more intense than simple knowledge, because it expresses a more thorough participation in the acquiring of that knowledge on the part of the learner. In the New Testament, it often refers to knowledge which very powerfully influences the form of religious life, a knowledge laying claim to personal involvement. Which makes the following sentence in verse 10 make a lot of sense…

(10)  that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Fully – Includes the idea of oneness, a totality or the whole.

Pleasing – An endeavor to please, sometimes referring to an excessive desire to please in a bad sense. In a good sense, to please God.

unto all pleasing. The Syriac this reads, “that ye may please God in all good works“: an unregenerate man cannot please God in anything; without faith in Christ it is impossible to please Him by anything man can do; Christ always did the things that pleased His Father; there are many things done by believers which are displeasing to God; it is a truth that in fact there is nothing even a believer can do that is pleasing to God EXCEPT through relational trust in their union with Christ, in Whom their persons and, services are accepted. Good works being done in faith, and from a principle of love, and with a view to the glory of God, are acceptable unto the Father through Christ; and therefore are to be carefully maintained, and studiously performed by all those that have a spiritual understanding of the will of God, and believe in Christ their Lord and Redeemer.

Increasing in same knowledge (Same word knowledge as in verse 9)

(11)  strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, FOR ALL PATIENCE AND LONGSUFFERING WITH JOY;

(12)  giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

(13)  He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,

(14)  in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

(15)  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

(16)  For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

(17)  And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

(18)  And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

(19)  For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,

(20)  and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

(21)  And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled

(22)  in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—

(23)  if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

(24)  I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church,

(25)  of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,

(26)  the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.

(27)  To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

(28)  Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

(29)  To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.

Phil. 1:2-11,

 (2)  “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

(3)  I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

(4)  always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy,

(5)  for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,

(6)  being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

(7)  just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace.

(8)  For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.

(9)  And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,

Increasing in same knowledge as mentioned in Col. 1:9 above.

All discernment – In Php_1:9 contrast epígnōsis (G1922), the insight obtained by penetrating knowledge, going down to the foundation. Aísthēsis, however, is experiential knowledge which naturally branches out into all other arenas of experience and understanding and therefore has the addition of the word “all”.

Again this is relational, co-partnership. An ongoing exchange of knowing and experiencing God directly and vicariously through His people and creation.

SO – Here Paul is praying that their love may abound still more and more IN the kind of knowledge which very powerfully influences our lives, a knowledge laying claim to personal involvement which impels us to connect with God and our fellow Christians. And within this communal environment of interactive influence we continue to increase our knowledge of God by way of experiencing Him directly and vicariously through His people.

(10)  that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,

That you may approve the things which are different than the world around you.

(11)  being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

 1 Peter 1:3-7,

       “(3)  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,(4)  to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, (5)  who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (6)  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, (7)  that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,”

 

One last thing about the Thorny heart…

They receive the word initially with joy…meaning they embrace the doctrine of it with amazement.  While this may externally impress man and even convince the one with the thorny heart of their devotion to it, it does not deceive God. So often God is said to look upon the heart – and while this is true, He sees not only it’s temporary responses, but it’s tenancy to long term commitment and fidelity to the truth.

I haven’t capitalized on this particular aspect of the thorny heart because it kind of wavers between the stony and the thorny. I have had this heart many times myself and witnessed it many more times in others. It is a proclivity towards a shallow amazement of God and His words without devotion to them. James describes this condition this way,

James 1:19-21, (Wuest)

“Now, let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow with respect to anger, for a man’s wrath does not bring about that which is righteous in God’s sight.

Wherefore, having put away every moral uncleanness and vulgarity and wickedness which is abounding, in meekness receive the implanted Word which is able to save your souls.

Moreover, keep on becoming doers of the Word and stop being hearers only, reasoning yourselves into a false premise and thus deceiving yourselves, because if, as is the case, anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, this one is like a man attentively considering in a mirror the face with which he was born. For he took one look at himself and was off, and he immediately forgot what sort of a person he was.

But he who with eagerness and concentration has pored over the perfect law, the law of liberty, and has continued in it, not having been a hearer who forgets but a doer who works, this person shall be prospered spiritually in his doing.”

This is SO important and is in fact the verse we will begin with next week as we examine the heart we all long to have before our God and Maker – the good heart!

Blessings! 

 

I hope this teaching will challenge you and encourage you to place your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

You have a special place in God’s family & kingdom. If you do not know Him, please use our ‘Contact Us‘ page and reach out so we may have the privilege of introducing you to the Lord. Attendance at our church will NOT even be mentioned nor will money.

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Blessings!

 

Pastor Mark

View posts by Pastor Mark

Hi my name is Mark and though I am opposed to titles, I am currently the only Pastor (shepherd/elder) serving our assembly right now.

I have been Pastoring in one capacity or another for nearly 30 years now, though never quite like I am today.

Early in 2009 the Lord revealed to me that the way we had structured our assembly (church) was not scriptural in that it was out of sync with what Paul modeled for us in the New Testament. In truth, I (like many pastors I am sure) never even gave this fundamental issue of church structure the first thought. I had always assumed that church structure was largely the same everywhere and had been so from the beginning. While I knew Paul had some very stringent things to say about the local assembly of believers, the point of our gatherings together and who may or may not lead, I never even considered studying these issues but assumed we were all pretty much doing it right...safety in numbers right?! Boy, I couldn't have been more wrong!

So needless to say, my discovery that we had been doing it wrong for nearly two decades was a bit of a shock to me! Now, this "revelation" did not come about all at once but over the course of a few weeks. We were a traditional single pastor led congregation. It was a top-bottom model of ministry which is in part biblical, but not in the form of a monarchy.

The needed change did not come into focus until following 9 very intense months of study and discussions with those who were leaders in our church at the time.

We now understand and believe that the Bible teaches co-leadership with equal authority in each local assembly. Having multiple shepherds with God's heart and equal authority protects both Shepherds and sheep. Equal accountability keeps authority and doctrine in check. Multiple shepherds also provide teaching with various styles and giftings with leadership skills which are both different and complementary.

For a while we had two co-pastors (elders) (myself and one other man) who led the church with equal authority, but different giftings. We both taught in our own ways and styles, and our leadership skills were quite different, but complimentary. We were in complete submission to each other and worked side-by-side in the labor of shepherding the flock.

Our other Pastor has since moved on to other ministry which has left us with just myself. While we currently only have one Pastor/Elder, it is our desire that God, in His faithfulness and timing, may bring us more as we grow in maturity and even in numbers.

As to my home, I have been married since 1995 to my wonderful wife Terissa Woodson who is my closest friend and most trusted ally.

As far as my education goes, I grew up in a Christian home, but questioned everything I was ever taught.

I graduated from Bible college in 1990 and continued to question everything I was ever taught (I do not mention my college in order to avoid being labeled).

Perhaps my greatest preparation for ministry has been life and ministry itself. To quote an author I have come to enjoy namely Fredrick Buechner in his writing entitled, Now and Then, "If God speaks to us at all other than through such official channels as the Bible and the church, then I think that He speaks to us largely through what happens to us...if we keep our hearts open as well as our ears, if we listen with patience and hope, if we remember at all deeply and honestly, then I think we come to recognize beyond all doubt, that, however faintly we may hear Him, He is indeed speaking to us, and that, however little we may understand of it, His word to each of us is both recoverable and precious beyond telling." ~ Fredrick Buechner

Well that is about all there is of interest to tell you about me.

I hope our ministry here is a blessing to you and your family. I also hope that it is only a supplement to a local church where you are committed to other believers in a community of grace.

~God Bless!