Last night we discussed the essential element of love. Unfortunately I believe that the message was missing a very essential component--"so what". I feel as if in many ways I did not hook you in a productive way so that you realized the desperate need that we have for "love" in advancing the gospel. Yet I do believe in the Holy Spirit and know that the Great Sovereign King can do all things and can use even this scattered sermon to sear deeply in your heart the "so what" of this message. The Lord can teach you this awesome need and it is my hope that you are passionate about advancing the gospel--and that you are passionate about advancing this gospel with love and in love. Remember the acronymn D-E-A-R for growing in love. Dig deep-Experience God-Ask for it-Realize the truth of the gospel! Do not forget there is not one square inch (or one second of the day) that does not belong to Christ!
The full-text sermon can be found at http://uncutsermons.blogspot.com/2007/03/essentials-to-gospel-advancement.html
Also, a new quiz and a new WHO AM EYE? Will be posted either today (Thursday) or Friday. A new devotional might appear sometime today or tomorrow as well.
This is such a difficult concept yet it is profoundly simple. You must produce fruit. The Bible is clear about that. 1 John is replete (full) of examples of this great truth. Jesus often spoke of those who do not produce fruit being “cut down”. Yet Jesus is equally stern in reminding us that “Apart from me you can do nothing”. (John 15:4) And it is at this point that we so often get confused in the way we live our lives. The Christian is called to produce fruit, yet we in our own strength can NOT produce this fruit, yet in Christ Jesus we WILL produce this fruit of righteousness. As Paul’s prayer states, “the fruit of righteousness THAT COMES THROUGH Jesus Christ”.
How do you have fruit in your lives? It is by being attached to Jesus Christ, by abiding in the vine, that you will bear fruit. If you are not producing fruit then it is because you are not in Christ. Sadly, in our modern “churchianity” we have made up a third type of person. We have erroneously used Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians to create a “carnal Christian”. We have told people that there is a “Spiritual Christian” and there are people who are “Carnal Christians”. These carnal Christians are those who are not following after the Lordship of Christ. They perhaps are not filled with the fruit of righteousness. By their own stubbornness and sinfulness they refuse to abide in the vine (although they did make a decision for Christ at one time) and therefore they do not bear fruit. We are told that we cannot question their salvation, because they sincerely believed in Christ, yet they produce NO fruit! Biblically speaking there is no such thing as a “carnal Christian” as defined above. There is no such thing as a Christian that ultimately does not follow after Christ as Lord. There is no such thing as a Christian that does not produce fruit.The point for us to understand from today’s passage is that Christians are expected, yea commanded to produce fruit! Yet, this fruit is not something we in ourselves can produce. It “comes through Jesus Christ”. Therefore, we must cling to Christ all the more. We must trust in Him to produce this fruit of righteousness.
Ask yourself today?
- Is the fruit of righteousness (check Galatians 5:22) evident in my life?
- Am I trusting in Christ to produce His fruit in and through me or am I trying to produce fruit by my own flesh?
For more information on the unbiblical notion of Carnal Christianity please read:
http://www.wayofthemasterradio.com/pdf/ElvisCarnalChristian.pdfhttp://www.soundofgrace.com/feb99/khmarks.htm
http://www.eternallifeministries.org/lrs_gospel2.htm
If you would like resources on “producing fruit” check out the following resources:
Even though it does not specifically deal with “producing fruit” John Piper’s book entitled “Faith in Future Grace” is an excellent resource for “living the Christian life”.
Many of the articles at the following address will help in your “sanctification”:
http://www.monergism.com/directory/link_category/Sanctification/
In ancient times the finest pottery was thin. It had a clear color, and it brought a high price. Fine pottery was very fragile both before and after firing. And this pottery would often crack in the oven. Cracked pottery should have been thrown away. But dishonest pottery salesmen would fill in the cracks with a hard pearly wax that would blend in with the color of the pottery. This made the cracks practically undetectable on the shelf, especially when the piece was painted or glazed. This wax ruse however was immediately uncovered if the pottery was held up to bright light, especially sunlight, for the cracks would show up as darker lines. It was said that the artificial element was detected by “sun-testing.” Such a vase was known as "sun-judged". It is notable that the honest pottery dealers would mark their product with the words "sine cera" which means “without wax”. Our English "sincere" comes from the Latin words "sine cera"![1]
“Sun-judged” or “without wax” is precisely what the Greek word that is translated here “pure” is referring to (some translations use the word “sincere”). In essence what Paul is saying is that he prays that the Philippians love might abound more and more and that its abounding love might be grounded in knowledge and all discernment. This type of love then leads to approving that which is vital, which in turn leads to being made pure (without wax) and blameless in preparation for the day when we stand before Christ.
How can approving (choosing) that which is vital lead to our being found sincere and without hypocrisy? How does living our lives daily in conformity to that which vital create in us purity? Perhaps whenever we are spend our lives for that which is vital we no longer have lives focused on self (and therefore lives focused on sin). Our approving what is vital serves as a filter. It removes that which we should not be spending our lives on and creates in us a pure and single-minded heart that goes fully after God and the advance of His beautiful Kingdom.
The word for “blameless” can either mean, “Not cause others to stumble” or perhaps “to not stumble ourselves”. How can approving (choosing) that which is vital lead to our “not stumbling” or “not causing others to stumble”. Certainly having a singled-minded focus on the advancement of the Gospel (or “knowing God and making Him known”) will create in us an others-oriented lifestyle. As we line up with God’s great purpose in our lives we are no longer concerned with building our own kingdom but instead we are focused on advancing His. This causes us to be focused on others. Also, having a God-centered life and purpose will allow us to persevere.
In one sense of the word we will stand before God without any purity or blamelessness of our own. We will stand before God filled with our own guilt, yet consumed by the righteousness and the beauty of Jesus Christ! We (those in-Christ) truly will stand before Jesus totally clean.
- Read Ephesians 5:26-27 and meditate on how you will be presented to Jesus Christ. Also notice how that will come about—how is it that God transforms us into a pure and spotless bride?
- What are areas in your life that are not as “pure” as they need to be? How can those change?
- Do you often stumble yourself? Do you cause others to stumble? How can this change?
“…so that you may approve what is excellent…”
Today you will be faced with many decisions. You will be encountered by many people and will engage in many conversations. More than likely you will make decisions about how to spend your time, how to spend your money, who to spend your time with, etc. You will be making decisions about what movies or television programs you view. You will decide which music to listen to. Ultimately you will decide each and every day and in every moment of each day whether you will approve that which is excellent or whether you will not.
The word that Paul uses for “approve” is the Greek word dokimazo (pronounced dok-im-ad’-zo). In Greek culture “dokimazo was used…to describe the [the testing] of precious metals (especially gold or silver coins), usually by fire, to prove whether they were authentic and whether they measured up to the stated worth. That which endures the test was called dokimos and that which fails is called adokimos.”[1] Paul then is saying that he prays that with every decision the Philippians are faced with they might through it in the fire and test whether or not it is something which they should esteem.
Paul has thus far prayed that the Philippians love might abound more and more, but not only emotional love. We learned yesterday that it is a grounded love; a love that is filled with knowledge and discernment. Discernment, of course, is the ability to distinguish between the good and the bad, or perhaps able to detect the good from the better. The reason Paul wants their love to abound more and more and it to be a grounded love is because this type of love (for God and man) will enable you to approve that which is excellent.
Also it is worth noting that which they should be “approving”. The Philippians abounding love should create in them a knowledge and discernment which approves (testing and choosing) that which is excellent. The word for excellent could (and perhaps should) be translated vital. Notice that Paul is not necessarily saying merely to distinguish between good and evil, but more than that we are to discern the good from the best. There will be many things in your life (and perhaps even decisions you make today) which are “good” things, but perhaps not the “best” things. We must have such a love that is grounded in knowledge and discernment that we are able to distinguish between that which appears to be good and that which is actually the plan of God.
I fear that so often in our culture we settle. I have heard many of our youth make comments about movies, “It’s really not that bad”. “There is only one bad scene”. “That CD is actually pretty good; it only has a couple of songs that have cuss words”. Sadly, its not only youth culture that struggles with this. There are many good “How to” sermons, yet they fall short of biblical preaching. If our life (this includes our preaching the gospel, our ministries, our decisions, etc.) is not totally consumed by Christ so that daily we are approving of that which is excellent (that which is reflecting Christ and His preciousness) then we are missing it.
- In what way do I sell myself short by approving of that which is “good” or “not all that bad” yet it is not that which is excellent?
- Am I concerned with approving that which is excellent?
- What are things in your life that need to be taken captive for the sake of Christ so that you can forsake that which is unnecessary for that which is vital?
“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment…”
In the 1730’s-40’s America encountered what is known by historians as the First Great Awakening. It was a time of great spiritual revival. Many souls were converted and many who had been stagnant Christians were embolden in the gospel. As J.I. Packer defines revival it is “God’s quickening visitation of his people, touching their hearts and deepening his work of grace in their lives.”[1] However, often with these mighty movements of God comes much heretical teachings and spurious (false, quick to turn away) conversions. During the First Great Awakening many people were questioning the movement of God. Some (and rightfully so) were cautious due to the excess of emotionalism.
Jonathan Edwards, one of the greatest instruments of the Awakening, had this to say regarding emotions and truth:
I should think myself in the way of my duty, to raise the affection of my hearers as high as I possibly can, provided they are affected with nothing but tuth, and with affections that are not disagreeable to the nature of what they are affected with.
That is Edwards’ way of saying, the truth had better cause us to rejoice in who God is in such a degree that our affections are aroused. Yet, Edwards also in that same statement safeguards against emotionalism when he says, “with affections that are not disagreeable to the nature of what they are affected with”. In other words, if I am preaching upon hell and judgment it would be inappropriate for us to break out in laughter. The affection (emotion) must match the truth that is being presented; otherwise it is probably not of God.
In some measure this is precisely what Paul is praying for in the lives of the Philippians. He is not only praying that their love might abound but he is also praying that it might be a love that is grounded. In his commentary on Philippians Vincent Cheung points out that the word here for knowledge, “always refers to intellectual knowledge about the kings of God, a ‘mental grasp of spiritual truth’, ‘doctrinal knowledge’, and ‘theological knowledge’. Therefore studying Scripture, hearing sermons, reading books and engaging in theological discussions all have a direct relationship to your growth in love and obedience.”[2] Or as Cheung later puts it, “Theology makes love possible”[3]. You cannot say that you love God if you do not know Him. You’re love will not abound more and more and lead to Christian fruit if it is not grounded. Paul is not talking about mere emotionalism when he prays for their love to abound more and more. Paul is talking about a deep love—or deep affections (much the same way Edwards said). Therefore, we must strive all the more to love God (and others) deeply and with knowledge and discernment (which we will discuss tomorrow).
- Do you love God with your entire mind?
- Do you seek to study Scripture, hear biblically deep sermons, and read books that engage in deep thinking and theology? Are you content with mere shallow emotionalism?
- If Edwards is right then the deeper and more profound we understand the truth of God then the deeper and more profound will our affections be engaged. Dig DEEP!!!!
[2] Cheung, Vincent. www.rmiweb.org/books/philippians.pdf pg 28
[3] Ibid, 28
Wednesday night we continued our series on Philippians. This was the first time (hopefully the last) that I preached the entire sermon wearing handcuffs. I could not imagine what it would have been like for many in the early church (and many even still today) who preached the gospel in the face of death itself. Perhaps someday God will give us the grace to be persecuted for His name's sake.
Of all that we mentioned on Wednesday the one thing that I want you to catch more than anything else is this, "Joy is only found in fellowship (KOINONIA) with God and His great cause of advancing the gospel". It is only when we are sold out to the cause of advancing the gospel of God's glory that we will find our soul's greatest satisfaction.
Perhaps you were really excited as I began the sermon--perhaps you were hooked by the prospect of knowing how to have joy beyond our circumstance. Yet you felt that I did not do an adequate job of answering all of the questions that you have (which I am certain is the case). Joy, and joy in Christ, is a deep well and is a life long battle. If you are wanting to learn more about our struggle to have joy beyond circumstances I suggest to you the work of a man named Jeremiah Burroughs. He has written an excellent book called "The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment". You can find this book in audio form at http://www.stillwaterrpc.org/rare_jewel.php or you can find the printed version free online by visiting http://www.bibleteacher.org/jbcontent1.htm. I would highly recommend going to one of these sites and checking out what Burroughs has to say about our Christian Contentment.
The full text for Wednesday's message is available at:
http://uncutsermons.blogspot.com/2007/03/joyously-advance-gospel-despite.html
Do not forget that your answers to this weeks quiz need to be submitted by Tuesday March 13th. They are very easy questions and a good way for you to get a CD. Also, the first installment of Who am EYE will be appearing sometime on Friday! It's your chance to get a free candy bar.
“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more…”
Robert M. McCheyne was a minister in Scotland in the early 1800’s that was used mightily by God. McCheyne however died shortly before his 30th birthday. In fact much of McCheyne’s life was filled with sickness, as his biographer A.A. Bonar comments, “Yet it was plain to him now that personal trouble was to be one of the ingredients of that experience which helped to give a peculiar tone to his ministry”.[1] As McCheyne himself would later say, “my sickly frame makes me feel every day that my time may be very short”.[2] Yet, McCheyne continued to preach and labor for the advance of the gospel as he had time. His love for Christ and his love for souls poured forth from him as if he had an eternal well from which to draw.
I now compare Mr. McCheyne to my own wicked heart. There have been many times when I have seen people in need, sometimes people even as dear to me as my wife, and I feel as if I have “little to give them”. Perhaps I have had a tough day at work, maybe I have been in my study for a few too many hours, or maybe I like McCheyne often did feel too sickly.
This passage of Scripture, coupled with the love of a McCheyne who modeled it, humbles me. I realize that so often my love does not “abound more and more”. This is the center of Paul’s prayer for the Philippians. His ultimate purpose and hope in prayer is found in verse 11, “to the praise and glory of God”. Yet, this ultimate purpose is to be realized through the abounding love of those who have been redeemed.
Did the Philippians love? Of course they did. That is modeled by their continual giving and partnership in the gospel. They were very loving, yet Paul is encouraging them to not settle. So often in our lives we settle and have the false idea that we have “arrived”. Paul is saying that he prays for the Philippians continually that their love may never stop growing. The word for “abound” can also be translated, “riches, superabundance, supply unlimited”. Paul’s prayer for the Philippians (which can even be extended to a prayer for all those who are involved in advancing the gospel) is that their love might overflow; their love for God and their love for people.
As Paul stated in Romans 13:8, the only continuing debt we should have should be to love one another. You never can love enough. You never can say to another, “I’ve given enough” or “I’ve paid my dues of love”. Our love should be abounding more and more as if it is coming from an eternal source; simply because Christian love does come from an eternal source. If we are to love with the affection of Christ Jesus, if we are to advance the gospel in love, then it must be the love which comes from Christ Jesus—and that love is never exhausted.
- Is your love temporal, occasional, and shallow in nature?
- How can you grow in your level of love so that it abounds more and more?
- Pray today for yourself and for others (in humility) that our love might abound more and more
- Meditate on the abounding love of Christ
If you are interested in reading more about Robert Murray McCheyne then his biography can be found at http://worldinvisible.com/library/bonar/mccheyne/contents.htm
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