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THE HOUSE OF THE LORD-PART 2
PSALMS 122:1
Introduction
Last week we began this message on the House of the Lord. We said that if the Church is to survive and thrive. . .
I. We Must Spend Time With Her Master!
We Must Spend Time In. . . His Worship! His Word! His Walk!
II. We Must See To Her Meetings!
We Must Give Her. . .Our Attendance! Our Attention! Our Admonition!
III. We Must Speak Out Her Message!
Believingly! Broadly! Boldly! Becomingly! Benevolently!
Beseechingly! Blamelessly! Busily!
IV. WE MUST STAND BEHIND HER MINISTER!
A. What Is The Pastor And What Are His Responsibilities Before God?
The word “pastor”means “shepherd.”
1. The Bible Says That The Pastor Is God’s Gift To The Church.
Ephesians 4:11-12–“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:”
2. The Bible Says That The Pastor Is To Feed The Flock Of God.
1 Peter 5:2–“Feed the flock of God which is among you. . .”
The word “feed” here means “to tend to as a shepherd.”
3. The Bible Says That The Pastor Is To Take The Oversight Of The Flock Of God.
1 Peter 5:2–“. . . taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind.”
The word “oversight” here means not only to oversee; but to guard, to defend, to restrain, to keep, to guard, to preserve.
Examples:
1 Timothy 1:3-4; 18-20; 2 Timothy 4:1-6
4. The Bible Says That The Pastor Is To Be An Ensample To The Flock. 1 Peter 5:2–“. . .Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.”
“Lords” means to be controlling, to subdue and bring under the yoke of power or dominion.” To set oneself up as an absolute power.
The word “ensample” means an example; a pattern or model for imitation.
B. What Is The Church’s Responsibility To The Pastor? (Hebrews 13:7; 17)
The words “remember” and “follow” in verse 7 and “obey” in verse 17 are key.
1. The Church Must Remember His Watchcare. (i.e. rule)
The Pastor is an undershepherd under the Great Shepherd who is responsible for the watchcare of the Sheep.
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13–“And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; 13And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.”
2. The Church Must Respect His Words. (i.e. the Word of God)
2 Timothy 4:2–“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
A good Pastor constantly reminds his flock of what the Word of God says!
But to borrow a phrase, “You can lead a sheep to water, but you can’t make him drink.”
3. The Church Must Regard (or Follow) His Ways.
(i.e. “Conversation” means behavior or manner of living)
Paul, the man of God, said:
1 Corinthians 4:16–“Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.”
1 Corinthians 11:1–“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”
Philippians 3:17–“Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.”
If a church will not stand behind its minister, it cannot expect God to fully bless its ministry with God’s power and help!
So if we want to see the Church survive and thrive,
WE MUST SPEND TIME WITH HER MASTER! WE MUST SEE TO HER MEETINGS! WE MUST SPEAK OUT HER MESSAGE! WE MUST STAND BEHIND HER MINISTER!
V. WE MUST SHARE WITH HER MEMBERS! (Acts 2:41-47)
A. We Must Fellowship With One Another. (1 John 1:5-7)
The word “fellowship” means “to partner with.”
B. We Must Edify One Another.
Romans 14:19–“Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.”
Romans 15:2–“Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11–“. . .edify one another. . .”
Through the exercise of our spiritual gifts within the body.
1 Corinthians 12:7-11
C. We Must Love One Another. (John 13:34-35)
John 13:34-35–“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
“Love” is seeking the highest good for another person.
D. We Must Exhort One Another.
Hebrews 10:25–“. . .exhorting one another.”
To “exhort” means “to encourage, to embolden, to cheer, to advise.”
Hebrews 10:24–“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:”
E. We Must Comfort One Another.
1 Thessalonians 4:18–“Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
If the Church is to survive and thrive. . .WE MUST SHARE WITH HER MEMBERS!
VI. WE MUST SUPPORT HER MONETARILY! (Malachi 3:8-10)
God says that the “tithe” belongs to Him.
God says that when we fail bring Him His tithe we are robbing Him.
“Tithe” is a word that means “a tenth”
A Barna Research Group study back in 2002 found that the proportion of households that tithe their income to their Church was only 3% of adults.
Of those who claim to be born again who represent 38% of the nation’s population, only 6 percent gave a tithe to their Church.
Is there any wonder that Churches are struggling to maintain ministries and meet their expenses?
When you study the matter of tithing you’ll find:
A. Abraham Started It.
Genesis 14:20–“And he gave him (Melchizedek) tithes of all.”
B. Jacob Continued It.
Genesis 28:22–“. . .of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.”
C. Moses Incorporated It.
Leviticus 27:30–“All the tithe. . .is the LORD’s: it is holy unto the LORD.”
D. Nehemiah Restored It.
Nehemiah 13:11-12–“Why is the house of God forsaken? . . .Then brought all of Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.”
E. The Lord:
1. Commanded It. (Malachi 3:10)
2. Commended It.
Matthew 23:23–“. . .for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”
3. Ordained It.
1 Corinthians 9:13-14–“Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? 14Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.”
F. Paul Explains It.
1 Corinthians 16:2–“Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him.”
Anyone who does not tithe should feel guilty about saying anything concerning how the Church spends money.
When we give, we are communicating what we think about the things of God.
What do you communicate to your children when you give them pocket change for the offering and $15 for entertainment?
What do you think it communicates when you put $10 in the offering and then turn around and spend three to five times that amount to go out to eat or on leisure activities?
What does it communicate when you put $5 in the offering and spend $60 on cable TV?
WE MUST SUPPORT HER MONETARILY.
VII. WE MUST STAND AGAINST HER MENACES. (Jude 3)
A. We Must Stand Against The World.
James 4:4–“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”
1 John 2:15-17–“5Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
B. We Must Stand Against The Flesh.
James 4:1-3–“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts”
Galatians 5:16–“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”
Galatians 5:25–“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
C. We Must Stand Against The Devil. (Ephesians 6:10-18)
1 Peter 5:8-9–“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world..”
Conclusion
Is this local Church going to survive for the generations to come? Is it not only going to survive, is it going to thrive?
You might say, “Pastor I thought that Jesus said the gates of shall not prevail against His Church in Matthew 16:18?”
That’s true, but what was Jesus talking about? The Jews understood that the gates of hell referred to physical death. Jesus was telling the disciples that His death would not prevent His work of building His Church.
For a local Church to survive, it must do the things a local Church is supposed to do.
So if we want to see this local Church survive and thrive, these are some things we must do!
WE MUST SPEND TIME WITH HER MASTER!
WE MUST SEE TO HER MEETINGS!
WE MUST SPEAK OUT HER MESSAGE!
WE MUST STAND BEHIND HER MINISTER!
WE MUST SHARE WITH HER MEMBERS!
WE MUST SUPPORT HER MONETARILY!
WE MUST STAND AGAINST HER MENACES!
Home Page Contact Us Service Times Sermons Are You Going To Heaven?
NOTICE: THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!