The Quest for Today's Church, Part 4

Let's pray together. Father, we are grateful for today. We're grateful, Lord, because you brought us together. We're grateful, Lord, because we had the opportunity to study your Word. We're grateful, Lord, because you are who you are. And if it wasn't for you, Lord, we'd be lost in our sins. But you've saved us from our sins, allowed us to be a part of your great and glorious kingdom, and allowed us to be here today to worship you as our King. And we pray that you instruct us and teach us in the way that we should go, for your glory and for your honor.

In Jesus' name, amen. Twenty years ago, on this day, when I preached the very first sermon in this church, it was a sermon written on an airplane on the way back from the East Coast.

I wrote it down on a little Southwest Airlines napkin. And the title of the sermon was, What Every Church Needs. Okay, I preached that on October 30th, 1994. We gathered together at Finkbinder Park. It was a sunny day. Everybody had to bring their own chairs, because there were no seats in the American Legion Hall in Finkbinder Park. Don Davis was there, and Don brought the sound system from Azusa Pacific University, because that's where he works, so that they can record the very first sermon and begin a recording of all the sermons.

And so Don brought all the equipment from Azusa Pacific University. And we gathered together on that day, and we had church. It was a great day. We had a choir. People sang. We just spent time in the Word of the Lord together. It was a very precious, precious day. I remember just about everything about the day. I remember what I wore. I had a houndstooth suit on with a white shirt and a big old red tie, because ties are a lot wider in 1994 than they are in 2016. But I can remember how bright the sun was that day.

It was Ashley's birthday, my mom and dad's anniversary, and the anniversary of our church all on the same day. And so it was a great day. But I preached on what every church needs, because every church needs a convinced leadership, a leadership that's absolutely convinced of the authority of God in their lives. So I talked about a convinced leadership. I talked about, number two, a consecrated membership, membership that was set apart, uniquely designed by God, spoke about a consistent discipleship, because it needed to permeate the church, a contagious worship.

Then we spoke about a conspicuous fellowship and a credible ambassadorship. What every church needs. A year later, preached the same sermon, expanded it into a four- or five-part series. That's what we do around here. We just expand things. And then in 1999, I preached a sermon, a series of sermons called, The Church's Quest for Credibility in the New Millennium. Okay? That was for 1999 going into the year 2000. It's now 2016, and we are looking once again at the quest of the church. The outline is the same.

The body of the sermon is different than what it was 16 years ago, but it's still the quest for every church. It's the pursuit of every church. That somehow, we must be a church where integrity permeates the leadership. A church where purity protects the fellowship. That's our pursuit. A church where there's a ministry that penetrates the membership. Everybody's involved in ministry. Everybody's committed to purity. Everybody wants to live a life of integrity. That's the quest for the church. That's the pilgrimage of the church.

That's the kind of church we need to be. So, in that line, I've realized over the years that the quest for the church, the pursuit of the church, is always the same. We might couch it in different terms. We might give a different outline to it, but the Bible speaks to the same principles over and over and over again. The church of Jesus Christ. It is His church. It's not my church. It's His church. I don't build the church. Jesus Christ builds the church, and the gates of hell shall never prevail against it.

My job is just to represent Christ well, not to mess it up from the time I study it throughout the week and to the time I give it on Sunday morning, make sure I give it clarity and accuracy, so people know what God's Word is for their lives. And so, as we look at our pilgrimage, as we look at our quest as a church, not only does there need to be an integrity that truly permeates the leadership, not only does there need to be a purity that protects our fellowship and a ministry that penetrates our membership, there needs to be a spirituality, a spirituality that prompts our discipleship, a spirituality that prompts our discipleship.

There needs to be growth in our lives, an outgrowth of our lives. The responsibility before us is a great responsibility. The resource before us is grace, and the results are always glorious. But the responsibility is great, and we need to understand that responsibility. We're to go into all the world and make disciples. That's what Jesus said to do in Matthew 28, 19 and 20. We are to make disciples. Well, there needs to be a spirituality in the church that prompts that discipleship. The responsibility before us is so huge, because this should be our legacy.

We are in the process of building into people's lives, that they may grow deep in their walk with the Lord, that they in turn will be able to invest in others' lives, that they in turn will grow deep in their walk with the Lord. If you've got your Bible, turn with me to the book of 2nd Timothy.

2nd Timothy chapter 2, a very familiar portion of Scripture. We'll set the tone for our discussion this morning. 2nd Timothy 2 verses 1 and 2 reads as follows, You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to a faithful man who will be able to teach others also. There is to be a spirituality that prompts our discipleship. We need to grow in the truth, we need to guard the truth, and we need to give the truth.

That's the responsibility before us. We need to grow in the truth, we need to guard the truth, and we need to give out the truth. That's our responsibility. We are to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, our Lord. 2nd Peter 3 verse number 18. We are to always be growing in our walk with the Lord, and as we're growing in our walk with the Lord, we become more aware of our need to guard the truth, to guard the truth. Paul tells Timothy in 2nd Timothy chapter 1 verse number 13, Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

Guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in you the treasure which has been entrusted to you. Guard the treasure, Timothy. Protect the treasure, Timothy. He says earlier in 1st Timothy 6 verse number 20, Oh Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. The responsibility before us is so huge because we are to guard the truth. We are to be the protectors of the truth. The church is the pillar and foundation of the truth, and we are, as Jude says, to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

We're involved in a battle, a battle for the truth, and we are to be involved in guarding and protecting and watching over the truth of God's Holy Word. And Paul reminds Timothy you need to be a protector because God's Word's been entrusted to you. You are to be a wise steward of that which has been entrusted to you, Timothy. Why? Because it is a treasure. Guard the treasure. Wow. The treasure. God's Word is a treasure. Listen to Proverbs chapter 8. Proverbs chapter 8 says this, verse number 10, Take my instruction and not silver, and knowledge rather than choices gold.

For wisdom is better than jewels, and all desirable things cannot compare with her. In other words, wisdom, knowledge, and instruction go way beyond silver and gold and jewels. Why? Because they're temporary treasures. The Word of God, the instruction of God's Word, the truth of the Word is an eternal Word. It is an eternal treasure. And Paul tells Timothy you are to guard the treasure that's been entrusted to you, Timothy. Guard it with all that you have because of its worth, because of its value.

Now Timothy's name means one who honors God. One who honors God. And Paul exhorts Timothy, the one who honors God, to guard the truth of God, to guard the treasure of God. Because if you're going to honor Him, you will protect what is His. If you don't protect what is God's, you dishonor Him. Not only do you guard the treasure, but you give out the truth. The truth that's been explained to you. You guard the treasure, entrust it to you, and give the truth explained to you. Paul tells Timothy, in Secutivity 2 verse number 1, The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses.

You've heard these things, Timothy. You are to entrust these to faithful men. You are to make a safe deposit of that which you protect into the hearts and lives of faithful men. This is the discipleship process. You are to invest this Word into faithful men so they in turn can teach others also. That's the responsibility of the church. That's what we do. And Paul tells Timothy, guard the treasure that's been entrusted to you and give the truth that's been explained to you. And Paul was able to tell this to Timothy because Timothy was with Paul and Saul.

In fact, it says over in 2 Timothy chapter 3, these words, in verse 10, Now you, Timothy, follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra. What persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But evil men and apostles will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you, however, continue in the things that you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.

From Timothy's early years, his mother and grandmother imparted to him the truth of God's Word, so that he would then be able to entrust it to other people. And this emphasizes the fact of that process, that disciple-making process in the home, where the mother and father impart to their children the truth of God's Word from early childhood. And the word there is brifos, which speaks of a child in the womb. So from Timothy's earliest days, he was taught the truth of God's Holy Word by his mother and by his grandmother, because his father was a pagan.

His father was a Gentile who did not know the Lord. And he was able to receive those things from his mother and grandmother. Paul tells Timothy, Timothy, you must guard the treasure entrusted to you. You must give the truth explained to you. How do you give that truth out? How do you give out that truth? Let me give you some principles that will help you.

Number one, you always give the truth accurately. Accurately. Paul would tell Timothy in chapter 2, verse number 15, study to show yourself approved in the God of shame, rightly dividing the word of truth. You must give it out accurately, clearly, distinctly. Cut a pattern so people know where to go. They know how to follow the truth. That's the job of the teacher. That's the job of the pastor. That's the job of the leader. Cut a straight path so people know where to go. You must give it out accurately, not inaccurately.

People need to know where to go. Paul would say in second, second, sorry, first Thessalonians chapter 2, first Thessalonians chapter 2, these words, he says, for our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.

So coupled with that word accurately is the desire to please God and not please man. The reason so many churches go by the wayside is because pleasing man becomes a priority and not pleasing God. That somehow I must give what tickles the ears of the audience, that makes them feel comfortable. But if you cut the truth accurately, you will dissect people's lives. And so if you give out the truth that's been explained to you, you must number one, give it out accurately.

Number two, you must give it out apostolically. That's a good word. Apostolically. Why? Because you are an apostle, little a, not big a, little a. You are a sent one. The word apostle means sent one. And so you ought to give it out as one who has been sent by God. As the Father has sent me, Christ says, so send I you.

Speaking specifically to the apostles themselves, but by way of translation, it comes to us as well because we now are the ambassadors for Christ. We are the representative of his kingdom. We have been sent into all the world to preach the gospel. So we now become sent ones as well. And we are apostles in the little a of the word because we have been eyewitnesses of the glorified and risen Christ. So we are sent ones in the sense that we are to proclaim the gospel. So if you know that you have been sent by Christ, that gives you courage.

It gives you boldness. It gives you tenacity. It's like John the Baptist, okay? He knew that he was the forerunner to the Messiah. It's like Elijah. He knew he was a prophet of God, like Elisha. They knew that they were sent by God. Once you know that God sends you, there's nothing that deters you. There's nothing that holds you back. You stand strong in the power of the Lord Jesus. And so when you give the truth that's been explained to you, you give it out accurately. You give it out apostolically.

And number three, you give it out authoritatively. Authoritatively. Paul told Titus, Titus chapter two, verse number 15, reprove, rebuke with all authority. Listen, if you know that you've been sent by God to proclaim his word to lost men and women, you can speak authoritatively because you're speaking his words and he is the king of the universe. So when we speak authoritatively, we say stuff like we know the way to heaven. We don't think we know. We know the way to heaven. There's only one way to heaven.

It's through Jesus Christ, our Lord. There's one mediator between God and man. That's the man Christ Jesus. He said he was the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes unto the father, but by me, we know there's only one way to heaven. We know that way and we can speak it authoritatively. We know that you can have eternal life. These things are written that you may know, first John five, that you have eternal life.

Eternal life is not something you speculate about. Eternal life is something that you know about. We know these things. We know that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose. We don't think we know. We know that's authority and that authority is not based on me or you or our opinion or what we think. Our authority is based on the truth of God's holy word. God's word is true and so we can proclaim the gospel authoritatively. We can proclaim the doctrine of God authoritatively.

Why? Because we know the God who wrote the truth, who is truth, who gave us the truth. And so you give out the word of God, you give it out accurately. You cut it straight. You give it out apostolically because you've been sent by God and therefore you give it out authoritatively because you know the God who gave it and you know that his word is true and you don't have to speculate on it. You speak authoritatively and then you speak absolutely. You give it out in absolutes because it's the truth.

God's word is true. God's word is absolute. So I don't have to wonder about what it says or even wonder about what it means because I can speak in absolutes. I can speak in black and white because God's word speaks in absolutes. I don't have to worry about the creation of the universe. I know God created it and I know he created it in six days not six periods of ages because God's word speaks that and I know that there are many theologians who differ on that and I don't know why they do. God's word is so clearly and plainly spoken on the issue but God's word is true.

So we speak in absolutes. We speak God's word absolutely. We speak it authoritatively. We speak it apostolically. We speak it accurately. We speak it affectionately. Affectionately. The Bible says in Ephesians 4 verse number 15 that we are to speak the truth of God in love.

Paul told those in Thessalonica. First Thessalonians chapter 2. He said this, we prove to be gentle among you as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. Having so fond and affection for you we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives because you have become very dear to us. He says in verse 10 you are witnesses and so is God how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behave toward you believers just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and employing each one of you as a father would his own children.

So when we give out the truth we give it affectionately because of our love for people our love for God and our desire to see God honored and so you give it out accurately apostolically authoritatively absolutely affectionately and then you give it out authentically authentically in other words you have to live what you say you can't give out the word of God and speak it authoritatively if you don't live what it says because that means it has no authority over your life right you can't speak the word of God affectionately unless it's authentic in your own life you can't speak forth the word of God in absolutes unless it is really ringing true in your own personal lives and so you must preach the word authentically that is it's lived out every day in your life and then you preach and give out the truth that's been explained to you you give it out apocalyptically that is the end is coming the apocalypse is coming so you preach apocalyptically because you know the terror of the Lord second Corinthians 5 verse number 10 knowing the terror of the Lord we persuade men Paul would say to Timothy in second Timothy 3 verse number 1 that he knows that grievous times perilous times are here so chapter 4 verse number 1 he says preach the word preach the word why because he says in verse 1 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead and by his appearing in his kingdom preach the word preach the word Timothy Jesus is coming again and so you preach it apocalyptically because you never know when Christ is going to come again and so we have a huge responsibility responsibility is great to guard the treasure entrusted to you and give out the truth explained to you let me ask you a question who are you passing the word of God onto who are you teaching who are you instructing who are you explaining God's word to I'm not talking about a formal classroom setting but the investment of your life into the life of somebody else that they might know the truth of God's word so important why because everything about greatness centers on that listen to what Jesus said Matthew chapter 5 verse number 19 whoever then annuls one of the least of these my commandments and teaches others to do so shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven but whoever keeps and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven greatness in God's kingdom is determined on how well you keep the word of God how you guard the word of God how you protect the word of God how you would hold to the truth of God's word and how you teach others about that word that's how God defines greatness in his kingdom now who doesn't want to be great everybody wants to be great to some degree and that greatness stems from keeping the word of the truth and teaching the word of the truth because it's a treasure that's been entrusted to you it's been it's a truth that's been explained to you and now because of its value it's incomparable value you want to give somebody else the opportunity to hear it believe it and give it out like you have and that's the responsibility that every one of us in this room has not just me not just those who teach in abfs not just those who teach in our children's classes but every single one of us has that responsibility the question is do we do that lois and eunice did it with their son and grandson timothy they didn't have a a public speaking responsibility they just wanted to make sure that their young son who was raised by an ungodly father would know the truth of God's word and so from his early childhood he knew the truth and they invested that truth into that young man so paul would be able to piggyback on that and say the things that you have learned from your early childhood you've known from the very beginning the wisdom of scripture that that makes you wise into salvation timothy you hold dear to that and give it out that's a responsibility the responsibility is great but the resource the resource is grace the resource is grace you can't do it on your own you just can't that's why paul tells timothy second divinity two verse number one you therefore my son be strong in the grace that is in christ jesus timothy you got to be strong in the grace you got to be strengthened by the grace of god you got to be strengthened by the lord who is the lord of grace timothy that's why paul told those in galatia in relationship to three verse number three oh you foolish galatians how is it that you began in the spirit are now trying to be perfected in the flesh you have to maintain this spirit walk because it's a grace walk listen how were you saved you were saved by grace right chapter verse nine chapter one second timothy who saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purposes and grace which was granted us in christ jesus from all eternity how were we saved we are saved by grace through faith right so you're saved by grace how are you sanctified you're sanctified by grace over in titus chapter 2 verse number 11 paul says for the grace of god has appeared bringing salvation to all men instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly righteously and godly in the present age that's the process of sanctification god's grace appears bringing salvation to all men and the salvation that comes to men is the salvation that instructs you by the grace of god how to live a life that's holy and representative of the god who saved you okay so you're saved by grace you're sanctified by grace therefore you can only serve by grace nor the way that's why paul says timothy you be strong in the grace that is in christ jesus why as you are saved not of works but by the grace of god as you are sanctified by that grace continually working in your life now you serve with that same grace that you might be able to be used by god in the lives of others service comes because of the grace of almighty god it's god's unmerited favor toward his own children and that's what we have and so we walk by faith we walk in grace we're filled with grace because we're filled with a god who is grace and god has granted us a grace kind of ministry god doesn't have to give us a ministry he does because he's given us a gift of grace that we might be able to use that gift to help others understand that grace that god has given to us that is just such a a wonderful blessing that god does for his children so we are to be strong in the grace that is in christ jesus as believers our lives are in christ his power is our power his truth is our truth his strength is our strength and so we trust in him paul says acts 20 verse number 35 i commit you to god and the word of his grace because his word is the word of grace which is able to build you up give you strength establish you strengthen you okay so paul now says timothy you be strong in that grace that is in christ jesus it all centers around the word of grace and the work of grace by the of god who is a spirit of grace in your life it's all about depending upon god because the responsibility is so great you need the resource of grace or it can't happen sure you can serve in the flesh you can try to pull up your bootstraps and try to do the right thing but that gets old real quick it's a grace work first corinthians 16 talks about how we're to be strengthened by the lord strengthened by the lord how are you strengthened physically you gotta lift weights right got discipline self-discipline self-sacrifice self-denial same issue spiritually self-discipline self-sacrifice self-denial it's a denial of self and a recognition of all that god is in all that god does this is the spirituality that prompts our discipleship i want to encourage you that every one of us in this room in this church has been granted a ministry by god that is so powerful that it affects generations to come and that's why the bible says as parents your children are like arrows right in the hand of a warrior you didn't know that as parents you were going to war and your your ammo are your children okay so it's like if if you want to go to war and you got one piece of ammo you're not going to be as equipped with a guy who's got 10 pieces of ammo right so have more kids so you so you can go to war and and and the bible says that we are to sharpen those arrows diligently sharpen them why because one day they're not going to be in your quiver they're going to be shot into society and how you sharpen them in the quiver is going to determine how deep and how accurate they affect society and therefore as parents we are always involved in a sharpening process with our children because our children are always going to be our arrows always and so there's that continuing sharpening process that takes place and therefore we have the responsibility of making sure that we impact a next generation through making sure that we instruct those entrusted to us with the truth of god's word so the responsibility is great because you have to guard the truth entrusted to you and give the truth explained to you that's the responsibility and every one of us has that responsibility every one of us does we have to contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints we're in a battle for truth and we have to be the spokesperson for that truth so the responsibility is great the resource is grace it's the it's the word of grace it's the spirit of grace it's the god of grace that builds us that we might be able to rely upon him to accomplish everything he needs to do it requires us to trust him to believe in him to depend upon him to walk with him because we can't do it ourselves it's a grace ministry and the results the results are always glorious okay if the responsibility is great the resource is grace then the results are glorious why paul tells us he says the things that you have heard from me and the presence of many witnesses entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also entrust the faithful men okay you invest into faithful people people that are teachable people that are are available give those faithful people the truth and they in turn will be able to teach others also others heteros others of a different kind meaning evangelism discipleship and evangelism grow people in the truth so they'll give out the truth so they will impact others of a different kind that's evangelism that's how the church grows it grows one person at a time one individual at a time who hears the word of god and believes the word of god that's why the results are so glorious because people are coming into the kingdom of god and and and and heaven rejoices over a soul that's saved and whatever heaven rejoices in should be what we rejoice in right and so we should be rejoicing in the results that are so glorious because people are growing in the faith people now then are giving out that faith so that others will come to faith every church needs to be on a quest where spirituality prompts their discipleship as they grow in grace they give out the truth of that grace so others will believe and come to saving faith let me pray father thank you for today thank you for your word the truth that's there thank you for the opportunity you've given us to to to preach your word but to to live your word our prayer is that we would live the truth because we are so committed to that truth and i pray for every person in this room that lord you would infuse them with the grace needed to accomplish great things for your kingdom lord you are a great god you have given us a great ministry for that we will always be grateful in jesus name amen