Sermon Cloud

I have taken Paul's address and organized what he said under 3 major headings: *Commitment to the Word, *Leadership that is Spirit-led * and modeled after Jesus, and a determination to show the gospel through works of mercy. This is certainly not exhaustive – but these principles are set forth by Paul as essential to the mission.

1. A Commitment to the Word

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   • * I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you (20)...I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. (27)

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     • Paul is making the case that he has been a faithful minister of the word.

     • To neglect preaching the whole will of God would be unfaithful.

     • There is a lot of preaching today that really is not preaching at all.

     • Fine sounding anecdotes – motivational speeches – moralistic pep talks – these would be accurate – but its not the preaching of the Word.

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     • (2) What does this mean for Pastor Mike and myself and to any elders that God raises – we have an obligation to you and to the Lord to be word based in our ministry.

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     • Don't misunderstand me – this means we ALL must be committed to the word.

     • Paul sets forth his example to the elders who he expects to go and set before the flock entrusted to their care the same example.

     • But unless the elders uphold this principle, it will be overlooked by future generations.

     • Paul preached the word in a manner that was helpful to them – meaning he knew what they needed and what struggles they faced.

     • It is not uncommon for pastors to be so out of touch with their congregation and out of touch with the community that they preach on subjects that are not helpful to anyone.

     • Mike and myself and the elders must be in touch with real people and their needs and proclaim “the whole counsel of God” directly to where they need it most.

     • This was Paul's practice among those who knew Christ and those who did not.

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   • * I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. (21)

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     • Our commitment to the Word is not a commitment at all unless the gospel message: the call for sinners to turn to God in repentance and to put their faith in Jesus - is being preached faithfully.

     • It is never shoe-horned into a “Bible message” because the Gospel is the Word of God

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     • * If it is Christ-less, it is unfaithful preaching and faithful preaching is essential to continuing what Jesus began.

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     • Some may say the gospel is only for unbelievers – once someone comes to faith in Jesus they move on from the milk of the gospel to the meat of Leviticus!

     • Listen to what Paul says in vs 32:

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   • * I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (32)

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     • * You have heard me say it several times – you will NEVER outgrow the gospel or graduate from needing his grace every day.

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     • This grace Paul says has the ability to build us up in greater faith.

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     • * So faithful preaching emphasizes God's grace even to those who believe.

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     • And we cannot continue what Jesus began unless God's grace which has been poured out on us through faith in Jesus is emphasized always and all the time.

Transition: This is true for all of you, for the pastors and for the elders, which brings me to my second point: Continuing what Jesus began requires...

2. Leaders to be Spirit-led and modeled after Christ the Good Shepherd

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   • * Paul's example: I served the Lord with great humility and with tears (19)

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     • Paul did not invent this idea of serving with great humility – he got it from Jesus.

     • In Philippians Paul describes Jesus as humbling himself to such an extent that he essentially emptied himself making himself nothing.

     • He being God was born a man – born in the same way each of us were born.

     • He wasn't born with the paparazzi surrounding him flashing their cameras and chasing his parents on their donkey – he wasn't a celebrity.

     • He lived in obscurity for 30 years until his public ministry began.

     • Then he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death on the cross.

     • Despised and rejected the son of God was mocked, beaten and crucified.

     • His dying was not the same as an actor dying – but his death was about as significant to the world as a dead possum on the side of the road.

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     • That is humility! Such humility led Jesus to the cross and it led Paul to say...

   • I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. (24)

     • IN order to continue what Jesus began, the leaders of the church MUST be focused on the mission and make it a top priority

     • I have sat in on session meetings at previous churches (explain “session”) where the mission of the church never came up in the meeting.

     • Most of the time was spent figuring out how to keep all those big tithers from marching out the front door because they did not get their way.

     • I have seen time wasted on all sorts of frivolous things while the culture around the church was switching over from predominately caucasian to about 50% West African.

     • So your pastors and elders need to be careful to keep their priorities straight.

     • We must all make sure that the task of continuing what Jesus began – testifying to the gospel of his grace to all who have not heard – is at the top of our list.

     • How can we make sure this happens? Everything we have already mentioned is how:

     • A Commitment to following the Word, preaching and living out the gospel AND following the lead of the Holy Spirit will keep the cross of Jesus in front of us.

     • Paul, as we have seen before went wherever the Spirit was blowing him like a kite in a hurricane – Paul was along for the ride.

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   • Compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. (22)

     • Paul had already suffered for the gospel and was willing to suffer more – even die.

     • Again Paul is not the originator of such a level of commitment – he got it from Jesus.

     • One biblical scholar writes: Realizing the greatness of the cause of Christ should fire us with ambition to take on suffering as a natural response.

     • But that's just the problem: We are preoccupied with small trivial matters of this life.

     • Often those matters are concerned with avoiding suffering and inconvenience.

     • But Jesus said you cannot follow him unless you deny yourself and carry your cross.

     • We are no more immune to suffering than Jesus or Paul – we may be called to suffer less or more – but suffer we will if we are his disciples.

     • And leaders play a role in motivating others to suffer for the gospel.

     • When a leader demonstrates a willingness to suffer and even die for for a cause, others become impressed with the urgency of that cause.

     • IN other words “commitment breeds commitment.”

     • As most of you know DaySpring is a mission church and our goal is to become an established church very soon.

     • One thing we must have in order to do this are men ready to become elders.

     • Now the office of elder in our day is in the midst of an identity crisis.

     • In many churches, elders function much like corporate board members.

     • The pastor is the CEO and the board members try to keep the CEO in check to make sure the stockholders (big tithers) stay happy.

     • This is a major problem and it is widespread! Not to mention unbiblical.

     • This is why the next point is crucial to understanding what the role of elders is from a biblical perspective and how it plays a major role in the mission.

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   • * Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. Be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. (28-31)

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     • * The Elders of the church are not board members, elected political figures, or business administrators or anything like that – they are shepherds.

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     • * The word overseers is the Greek word episcopos which is where the word “episcopal” comes from. It means “guardian, watcher, protector.”

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     • The overseers are the guardians of the ποίμνιον (poimnion) the “flock of sheep”, the believers God has placed in their care.

     • They are called to “poimaino” or “shepherd” the flock. Let's dissect the image further:

     • First, the profession of shepherding was a major economic staple.

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     • (3) FROM DBI: It was the task of a shepherd to lead sheep...on safe paths to places of grazing and watering...[and t]o protect sheep against predators...Shepherds were thus providers, guides, protectors and constant companions of sheep.

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     • (3) Paul was not the originator of this imagery – Jesus referred to himself as the Good Shepherd who lays his life down for the sheep.

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     • The elders of the church are the undershepherds to the Chief Shepherd Jesus.

     • They are called to care for Jesus' lambs as representatives of the Chief Shepherd.

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     • (3) They guard against ferocious wolves that come at the Church as false teachers, false doctrines, sinful practices and so forth – the keep the flock of Christ pure and safe.

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     • They make sure the flock is healthy, well-fed, growing and moving forward in their spiritual pilgrimage.

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     • (2)Paul also says: “watch yourselves” implying the elders shepherd one another as well and provide the same protection, guidance and leadership for one another.

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     • The elders are the guardians not only of the sheep but also of the mission – to make sure the flock under their care is using their various gifts to accomplish Christ's work.

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     • They make sure the gospel and the word are being preached and taught and they stand against all forces that oppose the work of the gospel.

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     • * And how does the enemy oppose the gospel? - by infiltrating the flock masquerade as sheep or as elders!

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     • Therefore the elders must be alert and guard against all ferocious wolves.

Transition: There is a third point I wish to make that is essential to continuing Jesus' work and that is demonstrating the gospel through mercy work.

3. Gospel-Centered Mercy Work

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  • * In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus...'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' (35)

    • Though Paul's comment on this subject is short he refers to his own living example to instruct us in the necessity of being generous towards the needy.

    • Most of us know Paul provided for himself to avoid being a burden on the church.

    • He would rather see the money go to those truly in need.

    • Paul's idea of mercy ministry stems from the gospel itself.

    • * He wrote to the Galatians: ⁹ Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Gal 6:9-10)

    • So not only are we to help those in the church (especially) but to all.

    • * When we help the needy, we are testifying to them about Jesus – specifically that he came to redeem every aspect of human life.

    • Mercy ministry touches on the holistic apsects of the Gospel – that poverty, hunger, sickness among many other things all find their remedy in Jesus.

    • (2) This is why we collect canned food items at TCMF and deliver them to NCEON.

    • This is why we serve the homeless here in the building during the winter months.

    • This is also why we teach ESL – helping non-English speakers make it in the USA.

    • NewSong and Habitat to transform their neighborhood one house at a time.

    • They offer job assistance and training for those who have none.

    • They are continuing the work Jesus began by bringing it to bear directly on the lives of the people of Baltimore City.

    Conclusion: After a 20 month investigation of steroid use in baseball the Mitchell Report listed 89 players as having used steroids or other drugs. On the report was the name of someone who had received numerous awards, whose legacy stood out as one of the best pitchers ever in MLB – Roger Clemens. Did he use steroids? I don't know – * but as many have stated his legacy is now tarnished because of the controversy. When Reagan gave his farewell address he was calling on his listeners to carry on his legacy and the legacy of the pilgrims, the founding fathers, the war heroes and of the things that make America what it is. When Paul gave his farewell speech he was calling on the Ephesians to carry on not his legacy but the legacy of Jesus and of the things that make the Church what it is. When we abandon the Word of God for non-Christian philosophies, trade the biblical leadership models for the business world's or the governments, we are like those athletes who used steroids to make themselves perform better. We are tarnishing the legacy of the Church. But if we commit ourselves to these principles – we will carry on a gospel legacy that has been spreading across the globe for thousands of years. These are things that make us Christian, that make us the Church – these are the things we must be committed to in order to continue the work Jesus began.