THERE IS
POWER IN THE UTMOST SPIRITUAL ATTITUDE OF THE COLLECTIVE EFFORT OF THE CHURCH
TO FULFILL THE GREAT COMMISSION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
(PART 2)
1. THERE IS POWER OF AVAILABILITY IN
THE WORK OF THE LORD.
( Mark 2:1–5 ) [1] And
again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was
in the house.
[2] And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch
that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and
he preached the word unto them.
[3] And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy,
which was borne of four.
[4] And when they could not come nigh unto him for the
press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up,
they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
[5] When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the
palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
·
The four soulwinners gave their precious time to work together to bring
this paralytic man to the Lord Jesus Christ.
·
The paralyzed man was brought by four Christians—this speaks of the
availability of God's people in the work of the Lord.
·
Ephesians 5:16 – "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil."
·
Paul encourages Christians to redeem the time.
·
Christ also encourages believers to work in the ministry while it is
day, taking advantage of the opportunity to serve before the night comes when
no man can work.
( John 9:4–5 ) [4] I
must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh,
when no man can work.
[5] As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the
world.
·
Paul also encourages us to run the Christian race with diligence until
we finish our course before Jesus returns.
( 1 Corinthians 9:24–27 ) [24]
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?
So run, that ye may obtain.
[25] And every man that striveth for the mastery is
temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we
an incorruptible.
[26] I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not
as one that beateth the air:
[27] But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection:
lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a
castaway.
Let us redeem the time, for the days
are evil, lest we miss our opportunity to do the work of the Lord.
2. THERE IS POWER IN THE UNITY OF THE
CHURCH TO ACCOMPLISH THE WORK OF WINNING THE LOST AT ANY COST.
( Psalms 133:1–3 ) [1]
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in
unity!
[2] It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran
down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his
garments;
[3] As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon
the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for
evermore.
·
God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are our supreme models of
unity.
( John 17:21–22 ) [21]
That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they
also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
[22] And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them;
that they may be one, even as we are one:
·
The 120 church members in the Jerusalem church were united in fulfilling
the Great Commission of the Lord Jesus Christ.
( Acts 1:13–15 ) [13] And
when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both
Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and
Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of
James.
[14] These all continued with one accord in prayer and
supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his
brethren.
[15] And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the
disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and
twenty,)
( Acts 6:4–7 ) [4] But
we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
[5] And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they
chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and
Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of
Antioch:
[6] Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had
prayed, they laid their hands on them.
[7] And the word of God increased; and the number of the
disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests
were obedient to the faith.
3. THERE IS POWER IN THE ABILITY OF
EVERY INDIVIDUAL MEMBER IN THE LOCAL CHURCH.
( 1 Corinthians 12:12–20 ) [12] For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all
the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
[13] For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body,
whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all
made to drink into one Spirit.
[14] For the body is not one member, but many.
[15] If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am
not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
[16] And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I
am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
[17] If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing?
If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
[18] But now hath God set the members every one of them in
the body, as it hath pleased him.
[19] And if they were all one member, where were the body?
[20] But now are they many members, yet but one body.
·
Peter stood with courage to share his God-given gift to preach the
Gospel of Christ to a multitude of people, and 3,000 souls were saved.
( Acts 2:41 ) Then
they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were
added unto them about three thousand souls.
4. THERE IS POWER IN THE FLEXIBILITY
OF THE CHRISTIAN INSIDE THE LOCAL CHURCH.
·
Flexible means: adaptable, adjustable, alterable, versatile.
( 1 Corinthians 9:19–22 ) [19]
For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all,
that I might gain the more.
[20] And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain
the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain
them that are under the law;
[21] To them that are without law, as without law, (being
not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them
that are without law.
[22] To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the
weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
·
Paul’s practice of flexibility in doing the work of the Lord made his
ministry highly effective and fruitful. He made himself a servant unto all to
gain more souls for God.
·
Our four role models in Mark 2:3–4 practiced total cooperation
and flexibility in order to bring the paralyzed man before the Lord Jesus
Christ.
( Mark 2:3–4 ) [3] And
they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
[4] And when they could not come nigh unto him for the
press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up,
they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
·
The good testimony of Christian women in Romans 16:1–8:
( Romans 16:1–8 ) [1] I
commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at
Cenchrea:
[2] That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and
that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath
been a succourer of many, and of myself also.
[3] Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:
[4] Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto
whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
[5] Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute
my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.
[6] Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.
[7] Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my
fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ
before me.
[8] Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord.
·
They are great examples of flexibility in ministry because all served
faithfully; title, position, or seniority was not a hindrance to performing
God's work in the local church.
( Ephesians 4:11–16 ) [11]
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and
some, pastors and teachers;
[12] For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the
ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
[13] Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the
stature of the fulness of Christ:
[14] That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and
fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and
cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
[15] But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in
all things, which is the head, even Christ:
[16] From whom the whole body fitly joined together and
compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual
working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the
edifying of itself in love.
5. THERE IS POWER IN THE SINCERITY OF
THE CHRISTIAN TO FINISH THE MINISTRY WITH JOY FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.
( Acts 20:22–24 ) [22] And
now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things
that shall befall me there:
[23] Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city,
saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
[24] But none of these things move me, neither count I my
life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the
ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the
grace of God.
·
The Jerusalem church served the Lord with deep sincerity to fulfill the
Great Commission, even when facing severe threats to their lives.
( Acts 5:26–29 ) [26]
Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for
they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
[27] And when they had brought them, they set them before
the council: and the high priest asked them,
[28] Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should
not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your
doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
[29] Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We
ought to obey God rather than men.
The sincerity of believers brings
great results in church growth.
( Acts 6:4–7 ) [4] But
we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
[5] And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they
chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and
Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of
Antioch:
[6] Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had
prayed, they laid their hands on them.
[7] And the word of God increased; and the number of the
disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests
were obedient to the faith.
To God be the glory! *
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