Awake or Asleep?

Matthew 26:40-44

Perspective: Be Awake or Asleep?

Prepared by Dr. John E. Marshall

 

Matthew 26:40 (Holman) Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He asked Peter, "So, couldn't you stay awake with Me one hour?"

 

            To overlook Jesus' disappointment here is to miss the point. He had asked the disciples to stay awake (v. 38). He wanted them to pray with and for Him. Desiring their companionship and comfort, He wanted someone to care, but was sadly disappointed. They could stay awake all night fishing, but not praying.

 

            What made the difference between Jesus and the disciples this night? Perspective. Jesus, choosing to be God-centered, was intense and withdrew to prayer. The three, being self-centered, were indifferent and withdrew to sleep. In the spiritual realm, perspective matters. Do not let lethargy become our default position. Pray we will always feel the need, yea the urgency, to pray.

 

            This is one reason the spiritual disciplines are important. By building them regularly into our lives, they become our default position, our safety net, as it were.

 

Matt. 26:41a "Stay awake and pray, so that you won't enter into temptation."

 

            "Stay awake and pray" summarizes Christian duty. The emphasis here is not as much on overcoming temptation as it is on avoiding temptation in the first place. We should ask God to keep us as far away from being tempted as possible. Don't try to be a superstar. Our faith has, and needs, only one ultimate Hero.

 

            The often-used illustration of this is the story of an elderly lady who wanted to hire a chauffeur. Three men applied. She asked how close they could get to the edge of a cliff without going over it. The first man stopped three feet short of the drop-off. The second came within two feet. The third looked over the precipice and said, "I wouldn't get within a mile of this." The lady immediately said, "You're hired!" Learn from a chauffeur. Don't flirt with evil. Avoid its appearance. Shun it.

 

            In our spiritual lives, we are at war every moment. Don't be caught off guard. Vigilance is constantly needed. When walking on ice, don't go stargazing. Stay focused on our footing. Keep asking, what is tripping up others around me; what has caused me to stumble in the past; where is my biggest weakness?

 

            Remain mindful of how strong and sly our enemy is. He is strong, a roaring lion, and sly, stalking with muffled feet. His attacks are often small enough to seem harmless. He rarely makes an all-out frontal attack. In John Bunyan's novel "Holy War", he has Diabolus, the devil, desiring only one small concession: that he might set one foot in the City of Mansoul. Satan felt this was all he needed for victory.

 

            Always be careful; danger ever lingers in the air. Adam sinned when all was beautiful. Noah fell after the flood was past. David was strolling leisurely on the roof of his palace when he lusted. Abraham fell after walking 600 miles with God.

Elijah faltered after his great victory on Carmel. In our text, the disciples are about to fail though having spent three years with Jesus. Their fast-approaching temptation, one we face constantly, was to not be bold in claiming to know Jesus.

Our text not only tells us to "stay awake". It also says, "pray". The three failed to pray for Jesus; He told them they for sure needed to pray for themselves.

 

A watchman, seeing the enemy, does not singlehandedly attack, but tells the commander, and musters others to help. Don't ever try to beat Satan on your own.

 

Matthew 26:41b  "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

 

            "The spirit" refers to the invisible us—the part of us that is wanting to please God. This emphasizes the best part of us. Dwelling too long on this trait can lead us to self-confidence; thus our thoughts have to be tempered by contemplating "the flesh". This refers to the desires of our body, to human nature viewed as weak.

 

            Keep both understandings in tandem. Dwelling on "the spirit" keeps us from despair. It's good to know we are "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4). Dwelling on "the flesh" keeps us from pride. "In me (that is, in my flesh), dwells no good thing" (Romans 7:18b). Ever remember, both natures are inside us.

 

            In a given trial or temptation, our first impulse often comes from our original nature, the older us, causing us to initially want to do what we selfishly desire. The second impulse, frequently from the newer, younger us, wants what God wants.

This Civil War inside us always rages. Our Master warned us, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak," and commanded us, "Stay awake and pray."

 

Matthew 26:42-43 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, Your will be done." And He came again and found them sleeping, because they could not keep their eyes open.

 

Finding no help from the disciples, Jesus returned to His Father. The main thing Jesus wished to avoid was displeasing His Father. Jesus passed the test. Adam, in the first Garden, prayed, "My will, not Thine, be done", and made our world a wasteland. Jesus, in Gethsemane Garden prayed "Not My will, but Thine, be done" and made our wilderness bloom, and gave us the hope of Paradise.

 

Jesus' beauty was His surrender. Prayer is lifting to God not only our thanks and requests, but also our submission. Peace is found only in yielding to God's will. For years I have kept in my prayer folder a poem, "The Secret of Peace" by Van Dyke, that George W. Truett, longtime Pastor at First Baptist Dallas, quoted in a 1936 sermon I heard on cassette tape. At first I read it daily; now weekly.

 

            With eager heart and will on fire,

                        I sought to win my great desire.

            "Peace shall be mine," I said.

                        But life grew bitter in the endless strife.

            My soul was weary and my pride was wounded deep.

           

To Heaven I cried, "God, give me peace or I must die."

                        The silent stars glittered no reply.

            Broken at last I bowed my head.

                        Forgetting all myself I said,

            "Whatever comes, God's will be done."

                        And in that moment peace was won.

 

Jesus was growing stronger by the moment, but the disciples were struggling. They had to be wondering, how can the Messiah die? How can a miracle worker ever be arrested, much less killed? Perplexed, they slept. What would have become of us had our Savior slept in Gethsemane as the disciples did? Be glad our lives are in the hands of One who never slumbers or sleeps (PS 121:4). Be grateful for One who stays closer than a brother (PR 18:24b).

 

Matthew 26:44 After leaving them, He went away again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more.

 

Jesus repeated and re-repeated His prayer. Similarly, Paul prayed thrice to be relieved of his thorn in the flesh (2 Cor. 12:7-9). When God finally said no, the Apostle surrendered to God's will. Jesus and Paul teach us; not all repetition is vain repetition (Glover). Deep feeling legitimizes the repeating. Sometimes our best praying is more inner groans than by outer words.

 

Prayer can be less about words than about earnestness. The Holy Spirit pleads for us with groans (Romans 8:26).

Our gracious God knows we are sometimes so focused on a burden that we cannot think of new words to say. He remembers we're flesh and blood, weaklings who can be so obsessed with something that we use the same words repeatedly.

 

Our kind Lord also realizes we sometimes pray not as much for communion with Him as in order to release inner pressure. We may not know if the answer will be yes, no, or wait, but prayer can relieve pressure in the meantime. This is okay.

 

 

 

God's Will or My Will?

Matthew 26:39b-c

Perspective: God's Will or My Will?

Prepared by Dr. John E. Marshall

 

Matthew 26:39b "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me."

 

            At this torturous moment in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus had said He was about to die of a broken heart (v. 38). He was alone, lying face down in agony. Even in anguish unfathomable to us, Jesus showed a childlike trust in the Father. "Thick as the cloud was, He could see God as a Father through it" (Henry).

 

Jesus called the storm approaching Him "this cup". Referring to drinking from a cup was a common metaphor for terrible suffering. It referenced the bitter dregs that often collect at the bottom. For Jesus, "this cup", the worst cup possible, would be His separation on the cross from the Father, and His bearing the full load of God's wrath against sin. Jesus literally drank our cup of damnation dry.

 

Paul believed it; God "made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" (2 Cor. 5:21). Peter realized it; "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed" (1 Peter 2:24 NAS).  Jesus trembled in the garden because He knew He would become the enfleshment of the very toxin that causes the worst pains in us, the beings He loves most.

 

            Becoming sin was almost more than Jesus could bear. Thus He wondered; was there any other way God's wrath could be satisfied, and sinners be saved? Jesus was not seeking to escape His duty. He was merely deliberating. Was it morally possible, within the master plan of redemption, to find another way that would be consistent with God's will and His purposes to save us from our sins?

 

            Our text gives us a look into the midnight of Jesus' human existence. He had a choice to make. God the Father sent the Son to die, but did not force Him to die. His agony teaches us that our goal in prayer is not to be emotionless and unfeeling. Jesus begged to the point of sweating as it were great drops of blood; an angel had to come from Heaven to strengthen Him (Luke 22:43-44). In prayer, we want to be intense, to feel deeply, but we should also want to keep the pain if needed to see God's will be done. The goal in prayer is not painlessness, but victory despite pain. Ask God, cry out, plead, beg, agonize, but always add. . .

 

Matthew 26:39c  "Yet not as I will, but as You will."

 

            Easy to say; hard to mean it. Jesus here unveiled the secret ingredient in all effective praying. "If mankind were granted only one prayer, what other could we choose? For this prayer is all prayer in one prayer" (Buttrick). The most important act of the Christian life is obedience to the will of God. Holiness matters most.

 

One of the best, most accurate, tests of whether or not we are spiritually mature is; can we honestly pray these words? When Paul refused to let the people's warnings about his being arrested in Jerusalem deter him, they said, "The will of the Lord be done" (Acts 21:14). James warned us against proudly making bold predictions of what we might do. He urged us to humbly say instead, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that" (James 4:15). In my dad's family, it was customary to say we would do such and such, "Lord willing." I fear it sometimes was said from habit, not conviction, but the original intent behind it was worthy.

 

            Effective praying submits. It aligns itself with the Father's will. Jesus taught us to pray, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven" (Matt. 6:10). The highest victory of prayer is when we turn our will toward God's will, for when we agree with the Father, we are being drawn into an ever-deepening closeness with Him. Our best prayers change our minds, not God's.

Sincerely praying, "Not my will, but Yours, be done" means putting in first place what God wants. It also means putting others in second place in our prayers. When it comes to requests, our attitude must be self last. Asking for things is fine; just like we make requests of each other. But we must let the Father answer with what is best for Him first, others second, and ourselves third.

 

            When we adamantly—to the point of shaking our fist in God's face—try to force God to acquiesce to our wish, we are in essence seeking to become our own god. This domineering spirit is a major reason why some believers renounce faith.

Many walk away from Christianity because their prayers did not get them what they wanted. The way we show love for God is to agree with Him, however painful His decision is to us. We win if we can sit in His presence, though hurting, and say, "Having Your smile means more to me than having anything of Earth." If we could learn to make this prayer the mantra of our lives, it would make trials lighter. It would take away the inner wrestling that causes us so much angst.

 

Do we envy someone more gifted than we are? Intercede for that person, and pray our text for ourselves. Do we ever wonder why God made us the way we are; or wish we were someone else? We have to move into the "clay" position. The Potter created and owns us. What He does with us may be painful, but is okay, because it is His prerogative to decide.

Have we or a loved one been sick a long time? Are we missing the active life? Do we feel a harsh attitude toward others sometimes? Has a loved one unexpectedly died? Did we not get a promotion we wanted? Are things bad at work? Have family members strayed from God? Has a relationship gone bad?

 

Do we sometimes have to admit we are angry with Heaven, "God, why won't You fix this?" Pray our text till you mean it. It may not change situations, but can make us better, and end our inner civil war. God may want to perform a miracle inside us, not outside us. Maybe He wants a change in us to be the miracle. God does not always take the cup of suffering away from us. It may be essential that we drink the bitter dregs, for the good of God, of others, of ourselves.

 

No one ever prayed with purer heart or with greater intensity than did Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, God of very God. Yet the Father said no to His plea. Beware thinking prayer is unanswered if God's answer is not yes. No and wait are as legitimate an answer as yes. Many in this room will learn on Judgment Day that God's most gracious gift to us was a no to many of our requests. God protects us with no; Satan destroys by letting people say yes to their every whim.

 

            An ancient heathen poet once pictured Jupiter as throwing certain prayers to the wind—dispensing them capriciously into empty space. God our Father is not this way. He weighs, measures, and answers every prayer for our good.

 

            Let me interject here a helpful truth. Know this; however little we feel the spiritual power we have in prayer is, we must still pray. Leave results to God.  The Bible commands us, whatever our perceived prayer prowess, to pray without ceasing. Henry Ward Beecher, famous Pastor of the 1800s, said what most made him love God was; the ultimate God of the Universe wanted sinners to talk to Him.

 

God wants us to pray, to converse with Him. If we never get another request granted in this life, we should love Him, for the act of prayer is a marvel indeed. We cannot increase God's strength or His greatness. However, we can increase His happiness by taking time to talk to Him.

 

The Gift of Mercy

Romans 12:8e

The Spiritual Gift of Mercy

Prepared by Dr. John E. Marshall

 

Romans 12:8e (Holman) . . .showing mercy, with cheerfulness.

 

            When we see the word "mercy" in the New Testament, always associate it with the word "misery." The gift of mercy entails relieving misery in others. Anyone with the gift of mercy is tender, yea pulled, toward hurting people. Mercy uses pity, kindness, and compassion to relieve misery, to ease burdens of the sick and dying, bereaved and lonely, persecuted and poor, distressed and sad.

            This gift can help several of our ministries: bereavement meals, shut-ins, Victory Mission meals, Flower and Bread Ministry, DivorceCare, Foster Care and Adoption, Special Needs, Medical Responders, Stephen Ministry, Quilting, Second Yarn Works, the Rare Breed shelter for homeless teens, Pregnancy Care Center.

 

            The spiritual gift of mercy is beautiful to watch in action, but has at least three dangers to avoid. One, actions without feelings. Compassion and caring must precede action. Christ-followers often try to do kind deeds solely from a sense of duty or guilt. Knowing we are supposed to be merciful, we try to force mercy rather than let it overflow from a heart full of compassion. It is cold and cruel to feed the poor without sympathizing with them.

 

A Christian has to make the conscious choice to feel pain. Too many of us, like me, detach when strong emotions begin to swell in us. We must get past this. As we accept the pain of others, it sinks way down into our deepest emotional cauldron, where God somehow miraculously churns the pain, and turns it into a fountain of joy.

 

Grieve over the sufferings of others. Bleed in other people's wounds (Trapp). Let our tears run down their cheeks with their tears. Be warmhearted. Icebergs belong in the North Atlantic, not in a Christian's heart. The Sun of righteousness shines in us to melt away cold. Take into a warm heart the miseries of others. Try to enter people's minds to see life from their perspective. Jesus literally got in our skin to see things as we see them, to feel what we feel; and when He arrived here, He chose to be neither detached nor distant.

 

            For Jesus, feelings came first. Before He fed the crowd, He had "compassion on the multitude" (Matthew 15:32). Before raising Lazarus, He wept (John 11:35). Before healing the blind, He was moved with compassion (Matthew 20:34 NAS).

Another Bible example of mercy is the Good Samaritan. He dressed wounds, transported a body, and made provision for the victim, but his first choice was, "he felt compassion" (Luke 10:33). It is interesting to note that both the priest and Levite who earlier found the victim "passed by on the other side" (10:31,32). Why did they move to the complete opposite side of the road? They knew if they looked too closely they would hurt, and begin to care. Rather than suffer mercy's pain, they preferred to do religious things which required no feeling. They were meticulously orthodox, but uncaring, and thus willing to give only—yea less than—the minimum required.

 

Two, feelings without actions. True mercy begins as compassion, and then quickly progresses to action. More than only a feeling, mercy is an exerting force that stirs the hand to help. Mercy feels to the point of being moved to action. If our inner compassion is real, it must vent itself. It will of necessity sprout, and seek a way to relieve the misery it sees. Being a concerned observer is never enough. We must be inconvenienced with actually relieving another's troubles.

 

This world has much suffering. Oceans of misery surround each of us. Can we not squeeze actions of mercy from our feeling hearts? God leaves believers here for this reason, to be channels of His mercy; we are on assignment, serving in Jesus' place. John Maxwell tells of Anthony DeMello, who angrily prayed when he saw a starving child shivering in the cold, "God, how could You allow such suffering? Why don't You do something?" DeMello was startled at God's inner reply, "I have done something – I made you." Our own actions can often answer our prayers.

 

Three, feelings and actions without gladness. Our text says the merciful are to act "with cheerfulness". How we do a deed of mercy can be as important as the deed itself. It is possible to do a helpful deed in a way that it becomes an insult. We are not to help others as if throwing bones to a dog. If we want God to smile on our labors, do them with a smile. Someday we may be on the receiving end of mercy. Treat others now as we will want to be treated then. Do go, but don't go grudgingly. First pray until we can go cheerfully.

 

When we add kind looks and kind words to kind deeds, we triple the blessing. While soothing a person's physical, financial, or family hurts, also try to banish their sadness. Mercy should be radiant. When visiting those in misery, carry sunshine. Into dark places, bring light, and take a face aglow. Be a sunbeam penetrating to the deepest heart of the hurting one. Turkish nobles were once so eager to do kind deeds daily that they would hire servants whose main assignment was to find every day poor people to help. This perfectly pictures our assignment as believers. Our Master is sensitive to doing merciful deeds, and has assigned His servants to gladly find the needy daily.

 

Titus, the Roman general, was so excited about doing deeds of mercy daily that if the sun set without his having given something away, he would say, "I lost a day." Surely a Christian's creed must rise above a Roman general's. Do not lose a day. My Ruthie sets the standard here. She seeks to do at least one significant act of kindness every day. Be a moving oasis of joyful mercy. Servants of the merciful God, go find those in misery and cheerfully show the mercy of our Lord. Gladly "move amongst men as copies of God" (Maclaren). Believers can through their mercy point the hurting to the God of mercy.

 

            Donald Barnhouse tells a story about Charles Evans Hughes (1862-1948), often called the greatest Chief Justice since John Marshall. In earlier years, Hughes strongly supported human liberties, exposed scandals, fought for political reforms, and was barely defeated by Woodrow Wilson in a bid for the Presidency. Hughes, a Baptist preacher's son, was always a witness for Jesus. When appointed Chief Justice, he moved to Washington DC, where he joined a local Baptist church in which all new members were called to the front in the morning service and introduced to the congregation.

            The first to be called that Sunday was a Chinese laundryman named Ah Sing. He stood at one side of the pulpit. As others were called, they all stood on the other side. After 12 people came forward, Ah Sing still stood alone. Finally, Chief Justice Hughes was called. He chose to stand next to the laundryman. Hughes knew what it meant to show mercy. In standing by Ah Sing, he ended the laundryman's misery of embarrassment.

 

            This message brings to an end our sermon series on spiritual gifts. I remind us of three truths. One, we all have a portion of each gift; one is prominent. Two, as we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we do better with every spiritual gift. Three, find our spiritual gift; this can be done only by trial and error.

 

Dr. John Wright tells of a Roman aqueduct built in Segovia, Spain, in 109 A.D. For 1800 years it carried cool mountain water to the hot, thirsty city. Sixty generations drank from it. In modern times, citizens began to think the aqueduct was so great a marvel that it should be relieved of its duties and preserved for posterity as a museum piece. Installed pipes gave ancient brick and mortar a reverent rest. Soon the aqueduct began to fall apart. The sun beating on the dry mortar caused it to crumble. Bricks and stones sagged and threatened to fall. What ages of service could not destroy, idleness decimated. Similarly, failure to use our spiritual gift will cause our Kingdom effectiveness to decline.

 

Hospitality

1 Peter 4:9

Hospitality and Giving

Prepared by Dr. John E. Marshall

 

1 Peter 4:9 (Holman) Use hospitality one to another without complaining.

 

The gift of hospitality makes people feel welcome, at ease, in any given situation. We probably have it if we love to open our home, if guests are not a nuisance, but the gift of hospitality is not confined to private homes. It is a spirit, an attitude, an environment hospitable people carry with them.

It is interesting to note the term "hospitality" has the word "hospital" in it. The gift entails being a moving hospital, meeting people where they are, and ministering to their needs.

 

Not all have this gift, but all can be hospitable, especially in our own homes. Ours is the faith of the open door. Welcome people into our homes. Let our houses be instruments of kindness, God's safe harbors for others. A selfish home cannot be pleasing to God.

 

A major reason the early church succeeded was her being nurtured in homes, not cathedrals; hospitality was vital because many Christians were banished and persecuted. As hunted and hounded refugees, aliens dispersed in a hostile world, believers were often desperate to find safe places. To receive them was a punishable crime. It was risky, dangerous business, but required of believers.

 

Hospitality not only helped wayfarers; it also served a social purpose. The early church's habit of gathering in homes broke down walls that divided people socially, economically, and culturally. It can do the same today. The last barrier to be broken down between people groups is usually our kitchen table.

 

Without an open-door policy, Christian history would have been much different. For example, the Sunday School movement was born in the kitchens of willing families. Many new churches are incubated and nurtured in homes.

The extensive ministry of many mighty preachers would have never existed had it not been for the hospitality of saints. Imagine how different history would have been had there been no homes to welcome Wesley, Whitefield, Asbury, etc.

We have needs in our church for hospitality: greeters and ushers, First Impressions Team, Second Generation, Tiny Town, The Vine, in-home groups, Foster and Adoption Ministry, Baptism Volunteers, Victory Mission meals.

 

If you have this gift, stake out for yourself a portion of this auditorium. Do here in our common house what you want to do in your private residence. Make everyone in your area feel at home here. Give them a sense of belonging. It is terrible to feel like an outsider. Let's not let it happen here. Set people at ease, make them feel cared for.

 

Romans 12:8b . . .giving, with generosity;

 

All believers are to have a giving, generous spirit. Jesus was speaking to all of us when he said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). The satisfaction of helping others is more fulfilling than any gratification we gain through selfishness. What we give away and share is what we enjoy. What we keep is what grieves us. None of us is losing sleep over money we put in the church offering plate, but many are restless about money we kept for us.

 

We lie awake at night worrying not about the things we have given away, but about things we kept–our house that has payments too high, our car that is wearing out before paid for, our clothes that are now out of style or no longer fit. Many of us worry about credit card debts; some will be unable to give to others tomorrow, next month, or next year because yesterday, last month, and last year we spent money on ourselves we did not yet have. We do have the right to care for ourselves, but only after we have given to God and others.

 

We all are to give. However, some among us have the spiritual gift of giving, the uncanny ability to give time, possessions, and money wisely and generously for God's work and for others. This gift does not refer to tithing; all believers are to give 10%. The giving gift goes liberally and joyfully beyond 10%. These people sincerely say, "We can't out give God." If Pastor preaches on money, they never grimace; they get excited, for they look for ways to give more.

 

If when money, making time commitments, and giving possessions are mentioned in a sermon, you think, "Oh no, not again," and have sudden urges to clutch your wallet and calendar, you don't have this gift. But if your spouse forbids you to speak to telemarketers because you can't say no, this may be your gift.

 

The gift of giving, critical to God's work, is a huge help to church ministries. Money can provide salaries for more staff, and pay for ministries, mission trips, etc. Everything a local church does is in some way connected to the one-dollar bill.

 

Time is a precious gift to give. Much ministry and mission in churches is thwarted by a lack of volunteer hours. Ministries at Second that help us use the spiritual gift of giving include Victory Mission Meals, Labor for your Neighbor, Flower, Bread, and Touch Ministries, Operation Christmas Child, Quilting, Second Yarn Works, Foster and Adoption Ministry, Bereavement Ministry, etc.

 

Giving, when seen in action, is one of the most beautiful spiritual gifts we have. I know this for a fact because my wife Ruth has this gift. I have for years watched her generosity spread sunshine and beauty in her wake. I almost never think about giving more in a given situation than she thinks—gifts for college students, workers, staff, family; leaving tips at restaurants and hotels. If I did not believe in the sovereignty of God, I would call this the spiritual gift of bankruptcy.

 

As with the other gifts, the gift of giving has dangers. One, pride. Be humble and grateful. Give because God's example was sacrificial giving. He gave His Son—His only, His best—to the just and unjust, to the worthy and unworthy.

 

Two, conveying a feeling of superiority. Give because we love. People easily recognize self-serving purposes. Give because people have value. Each is made in the image of God, is one Jesus died for, and one the Holy Spirit seeks. Avoid giving with strings attached, as a form of control or manipulation. Don't add a lecture, complaint, or criticism. These make people feel we think they are not our equals. If we minister to the poor, remember a person's worth is not determined by their financial status. All persons are of equal, infinite worth.

 

The ground is level at the foot of the cross, where we all stand guilty; our debt paid by nail-scarred hands. Remember this when it is time to give to another. Do it in ways to save the receiver's dignity. We are always giving to an equal.

 

Three, giving things to people that may not be good for them. We can easily become enablers for unwise decisions. People might use our gifts unwisely.

Be mindful that repetitive giving may cause the receiver to develop a sense of entitlement or dependence. Give when the need is genuine, when a person cannot help themselves, or when a gift might give them hope for a better future.

 

Four, giving to impress others. Our giving can be an example and motivation for others to imitate, but we must not conceal hidden motives. Examine our heart. Why are we giving; to please God, or to give a false appearance of virtue or goodness? Jesus said, "Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of people, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So whenever you give to the poor, don't sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be applauded by people. I assure you: They've got their reward! When you give to the poor, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you" (Matthew 6:1-4).

 

Five, giving to earn God's favor. Give with open heart and hand. We know God blesses us, but we do right at all cost, leaving results to God. Our focus is not on what we gain, but on the person we are helping—that his or her needs would be met, and that they would feel better about themselves and their situation.

 

People with the gift of giving teach us by their example that the value of our gift can be enhanced by the way we offer it. How we give is as vital as how much. Our text says give "with generosity." This implies grace and beauty. No ostentation allowed. Giving should be a kindness bestowed quietly and easily, done without changing our countenance. People with the gift of giving pour forth sweet water like a lovely spring. Too many are like my Grandma's water pump, always having to be primed before giving a drop. May we give with grace and beauty.

 

Service

Romans 12:7a

The Spiritual Gift of Service

Prepared by Dr. John E. Marshall

 

Romans 12:7a (Holman) . . .if service, in service;

 

            The gift of service is a God-given empowerment enabling us to gladly perform practical acts of service to the personal needs of others in Jesus' name. The Greek word implied a slave's work, the humblest service of one for another.

            Our Master said He came to serve, not to be served (Matthew 20:28). Thus it is no surprise that service is one of the gifts most often claimed by His followers.

            Not every believer has the spiritual gift of service, but all believers are to serve. Sometimes a person will justify harshness, indifference, or laziness by saying they don't have this gift. This claim is bogus. Serving others has to be a priority for us all. Kindness, Christianity in action, is expected of every believer.

            We may not all share the exuberance of servants, but none of us should ever feel too good to stoop. We should all serve and help when situations present themselves to us. If we ever feel hesitant to serve, say to ourselves, "My Master washed feet."

            It is difficult to over-estimate the importance Paul and early believers placed on service. Paul travelled over 900 miles, from Corinth all the way to Jerusalem, to carry an offering to serve the poor saints there. The early church set aside an order of servants in Acts 6 to see that this vital work of service was not neglected.

            Compassion for the less fortunate must be a priority in our churches. Service is the kind of thing that can easily get lost in the busy shuffle of a congregation. Therefore, it must not be left to happenstance.

We have to find those who have the spiritual gift of service, put value on them, and urge them to lead us by example in this work. Thus we ask, who are these people? All are to serve, but how do we know if we are in the some who have the spiritual gift of service? A few traits may help us know.

One, you must serve, and see if it resonates with you. Spiritual gifts are found more by trial and error than by taking spiritual gifts tests. Our church offers many opportunities you can try: Labor for Your Neighbor, event volunteers, Victory Garden, Victory Mission meals, Media Ministry, Teddy Bear Ministry, Awana, the Vine college ministry, Flower and Bread Ministries, Stephen Ministry, baptism volunteers, groups, Special Needs, etc. Find a place to try, and have at it.

Two, servants are drawn to people and projects needing help. They don't have their arm twisted to serve. Their antennas are always up, looking for ways to pitch in. They see what needs to be done and gladly do it.

            If a classroom is in shambles at class time, a person with discernment will say, "Someone missed an assignment." An administrator says, "Find a custodian." A person with wisdom would say, "We should check our room earlier each week." A person with the gift of giving comments, "We must pay our custodians more." The teacher would say, "Oh no, what am I to do? I can't teach in chaos like this."

While others ruminate, and wax eloquent, servants start rearranging chairs and picking up trash. They have the room in order in about two minutes, finding as much satisfaction in doing this as the teacher will later find in teaching the lesson.

A Bible model for servants is Dorcas, who "was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity, which she continually did" (Acts 9:36b NAS). "Abounding" is the key word here. People with the gift of service gladly do dishes, take out garbage, clean floors, set up tables, visit the homebound, take food to the sick, care for the poor, greet strangers at the door, help older adults navigate stairs, etc. They ever seek ways to minister a kindness to others, and are thrilled to do so.

Three, servants do not crave the limelight. In fact, they often find attention to be a detriment. Quietly working behind the scenes is okay. A helper enjoys sincere appreciation, a simple thank you, but is embarrassed by public recognition.

This is one reason I know I do not have the gift of service. I never regretted applause or public recognition. I enjoy seeing my name in lights or in big letters on the program. Christ-followers like me desperately need the example of servants.

Four, servants have an extraordinary love for Jesus. The Bible teaches us; all who give to the poor give to the Lord who will repay the gift (Proverbs 19:17).

Matthew 25:34-40 carries this idea further. To feed the hungry is to feed the Lord. To give water to the thirsty is to give a drink to Jesus. To take in a stranger is receiving Jesus. To clothe the naked means to cover the Master. To visit the sick is the same as visiting the Lord. To visit those in prison is to spend time with Jesus.

            Every deed of service, every act of compassion, is a gift given to the Lord. Therefore, it provides us a way to express this love we have in our heart for Jesus.

If serving others is a way for us to give to Jesus, then help us find people who need service. We don't want to wait until they come to us. Seek them out.

People with the gift of service must try serving and see if it resonates, are drawn to people and projects needing help, do not crave the limelight, and have an extraordinary love for Jesus. But, as with all spiritual gifts, service has dangers.

One, forgetting the difference between spiritual service and what we commonly term social services. Deeds of compassion within the fellowship are not the same as those done by the government and other secular organizations. This does not mean we underappreciate the latter. We are grateful for everything done to help the disenfranchised. I am merely trying to define the difference.

            A Christ-follower does spiritual service in the name of Jesus. All we do is done to let Jesus love people through us. We want others to know it is ultimately His compassion, not ours, flowing through our deeds. We do what we do in order to make a good impression on others for Jesus. In our deeds of compassion Jesus should somehow be honored. I do not mean we should blow a horn, or carry a Jesus sign. But we do need to somehow find a way to let people see Jesus in us.

Two, exhaustion. People with the spiritual gift of service can find it hard to say no to every need. They gladly serve to the point of exhaustion, regretting there isn't more to do. As a result, often their families suffer. (This can be a danger for all the gifts.) People bragging on our serving and saying thanks can be addicting.

Others may show more appreciation for us than our own family does. But remember, our families must not be neglected. We have to minister to them first.

Three, failing to know service requires spiritual empowerment. In Acts 6 the seven men who were set apart for the work of serving had to be "full of faith and the Holy Ghost." Since serving is spiritual work, it requires constant spiritual renewal. You know I have to seek God's anointing to enhance my gift of teaching. In the same way, those involved in service must constantly seek help from above.

            Stay in prayer, read the word, commune with Jesus. Spiritual work drains us. We must always renew our inner strength. One day Spurgeon looked out a window above a city square. People were coming to draw from the town's water pump.

One man, with a yoke over his shoulders carrying two large buckets, kept returning again and again through the day. The preacher said he learned a lesson from that water carrier. It was obvious the man was not drawing for himself only.

He was working to provide water for many people. Since he had many to carry water to, he had to come to the source more often than others did.

            The same is true of all who serve. You carry living water to others. Your supply of strength will quickly diminish unless you are constantly replenishing it.

 

Teaching

Romans 12:7c

The Spiritual Gift of Teaching

Prepared by Dr. John E. Marshall

 

In some way or another, teaching touches the heart and soul of essentially everything we do collectively as Christ-followers--evangelism, missions, discipleship, raising children, training workers, etc. Our faith is based on history, on events, on facts and information that need to be shared. Thus, we teach.

 

Teaching has always been a deeply rooted part of us. David said that from his youth, God the Father had been his teacher (Psalm 71:17). Nicodemus described our Master, God the Son, as "a teacher come from God" (John 3:2). Jesus said God the Holy Spirit "shall teach you all things" (John 14:26).

 

Every Pastor is to be "able to teach" (1 Tim. 3:2b). Hebrews 5:12 and the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20) say every believer, in some way, should be teaching others. You say, "I could never teach adults." Teach teens. If this also is not for you, teach children, toddlers, or babies. Be discipling. Mentor someone.

 

Everyone is to teach. A believer is to receive nothing without sharing it. We must pass on to others everything given to us, including knowledge received. We have no right to display information-selfishness. We all learn, thus we must all teach. Every believer has learned Bible truths they can share with others.

 

We each can do this. Since God expects all of us to teach, education and training are not prerequisites to it. The best Sunday School teacher I had as a child could not read. His wife would teach him the lesson on Saturday. On Sunday morning, we boys would read from the quarterly a few sentences at a time, and then pause while he explained what we had read.

 

Having made the point that all, not some, are to teach, we now add that some, not all, are given the spiritual gift of teaching. How can we know if we are not only in the "all", but also in the "some" who have the spiritual gift of teaching?

 

One, we must teach, and see if it clicks. We have to try teaching, and see how we do at it. Spiritual gifts are found by trial and error. Spiritual gifts tests may help, but these sometimes indicate what we wish we were, more than what we are.

We at Second offer lots of options you can try, including Student World Impact, ESL, WMU, Upward, Weekday Preschool, AWANA, Discipleship, Adult Bible Fellowships, Second Gen, Tiny Town, Equipped classes, in-home college groups, etc. You have to start trying somewhere. Find a place to experiment.

 

Two, we must radically love the Bible. A teacher knows it is hard to overstate the importance of teaching in the life of a church, because Bible ignorance is the mother of all error. The gift of teaching combats this problem.

In their book "Good Faith," David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons shared blunt truth. "Reduced trust in the Bible has the same impact as removing the foundation from under a building. Everything starts to crumble. Many Christians worry about secularism taking over, but secularism shouldn't be our greatest concern. In other words, secularism's advance is downstream from anemic Bible engagement" (pp. 226-227). Teachers keep us sensitive to accurately interpreting God's Word. Proper Bible teaching saves heartaches by keeping people on the best, right tracks. It helps intellect and understanding by giving clear explanations of the Bible.

 

Three, we like to study. The spiritual gift of teaching usually includes liking to do research in order to make sure a lesson is neither sloppy nor slothful. Luke is a great example of how important this trait is. To prepare for writing his Gospel, Luke "investigated everything carefully from the beginning" (Luke 1:3b NAS). He researched and organized, and then turned around and did the same thing with the book of Acts. Thus, at least 25% of our New Testament is due to the kind of hard work a person with the spiritual gift of teaching usually enjoys doing. Let me illustrate this trait from my own experience. Administrivia is hard on me, but when I study, I am content. Books energize me. I love books; they are not mean, never bite, fight, or whine, and are always in a good mood. For teachers, extended preparation is no problem. We gladly cross land and sea to glean the answer to a question, or to understand a Bible verse better.

 

Four, we are not boring. We are always trying to find a good illustration or story, or a new angle to a concept. The reception of truth by our listeners is what matters most to us. We like to see people in the audience are taking notes. Pencils and paper give proof of spirituality. Teachers are given, as part of their spiritual gift, the desire to pass on truth, to set up a lesson, in a way to make it interesting. We have the gift of teaching if people don't fall asleep when we teach, and they keep coming back for more.

         The critical importance to Christianity of communication which captivates is why I believe drama, writing, music, and the other arts are part of the teaching gift. These disciplines capture attention, and challenge in unique, varied ways people's perspectives of God and life. A picture, cartoon, movie, essay, book, song, and artwork can serve as attention-arresting props. They make a message more moving by bypassing worn-out circuits of the brain, creating new nerve pathways to penetrate a soul's essence. A generation ago, Francis Schaeffer said of Christianity, if we lose the arts, we lose the culture. The arts powerfully communicate truth. It's not art for art's sake, but for God's sake, and art for truth's sake, to drive Christ's message home.

 

            People with the spiritual gift of teaching must teach and see if it clicks, must radically love the Bible, like to study, and are not boring. These traits unite us. As with all spiritual gifts, we need to know not only the traits, but also the dangers that can accompany the spiritual gift of teaching.

 

One, people can start equating being smart with being spiritual. Many of the religious leaders in Jesus' day faltered here. They became vain and smug due to their believing they had a corner on truth. We teachers can be tempted to overvalue our knowledge. We often do know more than others. Thus we can begin to see ourselves as above others spiritually, and look down on people less knowledgeable. Be ever mindful, a person may be well trained in theology and yet be a stranger to the power of godliness. With regard to one's everlasting destiny, the issue is not what we know or how much we know, but rather Who we know. To live a life pleasing to God, knowing about the Holy Spirit is not nearly as important as how well we know Him. Our primary need is transformation, not information. Intimacy with Jesus is more important than a brain full of facts.

 

Two, pride is a danger. Being up front can intoxicate. We do not understand people who claim they fear public speaking more than dying. This means at a funeral they would rather be the corpse than have to give the eulogy. I have never met a camera or crowd I did not like. Teachers have to be on guard against pride. Humility must be our never-ending pursuit.

 

Three, being too scholarly, hard to understand. I grew up hearing erudite preachers. Their style was over the top; they used artificial inflections and words hard to understand, in order to impress people with their learning. I'm glad that form of "elocution got electrocuted" (to speak eruditely), and is extinct. Our task is to be real, and to keep the message simple, understandable, and practical. Being full of facts, a trait we love, can make us cold or insensitive to our audience. Information conveyed can become more valued by the teacher than the person it is conveyed to. We must never forget; our task is not to amass knowledge for knowledge's sake. We learn in order to help the listener. A danger for teachers is to be strong in information, but weak in application. We tend to give more info than needed, because we love the trivial as much as the practical. Teachers not only like to teach how the furniture in the temple helped us worship. We want to tell how big the furniture was, its weight and dimensions, how old it was, what it looked like, what may have happened to it when the temple was destroyed. All of this fascinates teachers. Background information is helpful, but most teachers must always be trimming their material to remain practical.

 

Four, not practicing what we preach. Hypocrisy is never a minor matter, and is especially bad when seen in a teacher. Never be a teacher flippant about Godliness. Like it or not, ours is a higher accountability. I had an advantage here; I grew up in a Pastor's home. Thus, I always knew about the glass bowl effect. Living under a double standard never bothered me, but many do not want to be held to a higher standard. Be that as it may, a teacher must never forget; holiness matters most.

 

Paul Planted

I Corinthians 3:6a

Paul Planted

Prepared by Dr. John E. Marshall

 

When considering church planting, we Baptists should, as we ought to with every matter, look to Scripture for models of how to move forward. Maybe our most helpful Bible example is Paul the Apostle.

 

I Corinthians 3:6a (Holman) I planted, . . .

 

            Paul said, "I planted." Planted what? The church at Corinth. This was one of several churches Paul started. Paul was a church-planting machine. We call his travels "Missionary Journeys." We could call them "Church-Planting Journeys."

            Paul is a valid Bible model for us when considering church planting, but let me stretch the envelope farther. Where did Paul get the idea to plant churches? I believe the Holy Spirit began laying the groundwork for this 600 years before Paul.

            After the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C., synagogues became the most important institution in Jewish life. During the Babylonian captivity, the Jews were separated from their temple, priests, and holy city. To save their heritage they let any village, wherever located, that had at least ten Jewish men in it establish a synagogue. These small gathering places became the center and preservers of Jewish culture in three ways. One, they served as schools where children learned to read and write, and were taught Israel's history and heritage. Two, synagogues served as meetinghouses where adults mingled, and talked theology and religion.

Three, synagogues served as worship centers. Their services were informal, and followed a simple agenda: prayers, Scripture readings, a lecture, discussion. (Sounds a lot like a typical Baptist small group.) Any approved layman wishing to speak could give the lecture. Jesus, Stephen, and Paul used this to their advantage.

            The synagogues were so successful that after the temple was rebuilt, they continued to be used. By New Testament times, synagogues were everywhere in the Roman world--480 in Jerusalem alone--as if God had been preparing the world for an army of people who would have learned to gather in groups, "churches" if you will.

            The proliferation of synagogues greatly enhanced the spread of Christianity. Paul is mentioned as going into synagogues in Damascus (Acts 9:2); Salamis (Acts 13:5); Antioch (Acts 13:14); Iconium (Acts 14:1); Thessalonica (Acts 17:1); Berea (Acts 17:10); Athens (Acts 17:17); Corinth (Acts 18:4); and Ephesus (Acts 18:19).

            In the early days of the Christian religion, when many Christians were Jews, they would go to synagogue on the Sabbath, as they had always done. This is why Paul, when seeking Christians to persecute, went to the synagogues to find them (Acts 9:2; 22:19; 26:11). This also helps explain how Christian worship services got started on Sunday. The early believers went to synagogue on the Sabbath, and they met on Sunday as Christ-followers. Sunday worship became the norm as the Jews began forcing Christians out of the synagogues, and as a growing number of Christians were Gentiles, who could not participate in the synagogue services.

            An interesting world-changing event that happened in the European city of Philippi can be traced to the Jewish custom of gathering in groups on the Sabbath. Paul, while in Troas, on the west coast of Asia minor (now Turkey), received the Macedonian Call. "During the night a vision appeared to Paul: a Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, "Cross over to Macedonia and help us!"" (Acts 16:9). In response to this call, Paul decided to leave Asia to take the Gospel into Europe, to the province of Macedonia, for the first time.

            He crossed the Aegean Sea, and walked ten miles to the city of Philippi. He had to walk over a steep mountain ridge. (Was the first church in Europe named Hill City?) Finding no Jewish synagogue and no believers in the city, Paul decided to act on a hunch. He believed if there were any Jews in town, they would gather as a small group on the Sabbath somewhere in a set-apart place of prayer, away from pagan temples and near a source of water due to their ritual washings.

            Therefore, on the Sabbath he walked outside the city limits about one mile to the Gangites River (Acts 16:13). His hunch turned out to be a holy one. He was right. A small group had gathered there. The result was the conversion of Lydia.

The point is, Paul knew to look for a small group. God's people have always felt a need to gather in groups. As Paul knew, this was true in Old Testament Judaism—if ten men could be found, synagogues began; if fewer than ten men were there, small groups formed. Once New Testament Christianity started, groups and churches ("synagogues") appeared everywhere. Boom! They were there.

On the evening of Resurrection Sunday and on the next Sunday, the disciples gathered as a small group (John 20:19,26). By the Sea of Galilee, seven disciples gathered as a group (John 21:2). After Jesus ascended, 120 believers—sounds like a church to me—gathered in the Upper Room to pray for 10 days.

At Pentecost, they were all gathered in one place (Acts 2:1). After Pentecost, they were gathering in the Temple and from house to house (Acts 2:46). The increase due to groups was spontaneous and explosive. Everything broke loose!

            But I digress! Paul's second stop on his first Missionary (church-planting) foray into Europe was Thessalonica. (Was the second church in Europe called Second Baptist?) Philippi was too small to have a synagogue, but Thessalonica had one, and Paul went to it immediately (Acts 17:1).

            Within months of the church's founding, Paul wrote his two Thessalonian letters, the first New Testament writings, our oldest Christian documents. Paul planted churches in Philippi and Thessalonica. Now Hill City enters the drama. You are now stewards of Paul's legacy. You must follow his lead. According to 2 Thessalonians 3:1, Paul's habit of starting new churches spread quickly. It wasn't a onetime flash in the pan for him. Paul intended to do it over and over again.

"Over and over again"—this is the driving phrase. Second has started 44 churches in the last seven years; forty are ongoing. Hill City, you are our daughter. I plead with you to join us "over and over again" in this larger-than-life enterprise.

Why do I feel justified in coming to make this plea boldly to you? One, because church planting is a long-term win. The new church plants in Philippi and Thessalonica endured. The church in smaller Philippi, which started from a small group, lasted 550 years, till the city was destroyed by an earthquake. The church in larger Thessalonica, which started from a synagogue group, also succeeded. Its oldest church building, The Church of Holy Wisdom, sits on a spot where there has been a Christian church since the 200s. There has been a Christian presence in Thessalonica from 51 A.D. to today, 1966 years later.

Paul's efforts at church-planting had long-term success. This is still common in USA church planting. Two years after being started, 92% of new churches still exist, after three years 81%, after four years 68%. The average attendance is 41 after one year, 56 after two, 73 after three, and 84 after four. These are impressive numbers when we realize the average USA church has 75 in attendance.       

Two, because church planting is an immediate win. The new church plant in Thessalonica worked. Paul said to believers there, "You became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia" (1Thess. 1:7b). Within months, this brand-new church was already the talk of Christians throughout two Roman provinces.

Churches were abuzz about this baby church. Holy gossip was deservedly flying. The church was already characterized by faithfulness and love (2 Thess. 1:3). New churches can quickly do mighty works. Paul saw it in the Thessalonians.

I have seen it in you, Hill City. Do not think you are too young to take the on-ramp into this drama. You are only one year old, but you were born fully grown and fully mature. I remind you, less than 10% of all USA congregations have 350 or more attenders. If you at Hill City cannot plant churches, who can?

Three, because church planting is a kingdom win. It brings more people into the kingdom. This matters to me. My dad was a great soul winner, as is your Pastor. I'm not, thus I always feel guilty. A Peter Wagner quote arrested my attention. "The single most effective evangelistic methodology under heaven is planting new churches."

            His argument is hard to refute. Established Southern Baptist churches baptize 3.4/100 members. New ones baptize over three times more at 11.7/100.

Church-planting requires a heightened level of love for unbelievers. Do we act as if finding the lost is worth the sacrifice required to plant churches?

            Four, because church planting is a must-win. We have to do this. George G. Hunter, a Methodist and one of my favorite writers, said the only difference between the declining Methodist numbers and increasing Southern Baptist numbers is the number of new churches the latter started. If new churches had not been started, Southern Baptists would also have a diminishing graph. If Hunter is correct, Christianity will wane in the USA without church-planting.

            Through all the hardships early Christ-followers suffered, the idea of starting new groups, whatever their size or final outcome, never wavered. These groups provided a setting where believers practiced and mastered the unending process of spiritual reproduction. As Christ-followers, multiplication is who we are. We multiply disciples. We multiply groups. We multiply churches.

            I am proud of our spiritual daughter, Hill City. May she be like her mother in this regard; may she merge into the church-planting drama that most accurately displays Christian churches for what they are supposed to be.