ALL - The Great Co-Mission (Sermon on 5-19-2013 at Centennial Baptist Church, Rutledge, GA)

Rest of the Land

Rest of the Land Sermon from FBC Social Circle on 8/26/2012

Video: Road to Zion: Personal Revival

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Blessings!

Road to Zion: Personal Revival

Honored to preach at Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga, on 7/15/2012

Sermon: Road to Zion: Personal Revival

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Ministry Criticism- 1 Cor. 4:1-24

(From a sermon I first preached at Bethel Baptist Church, Eastman, Georgia, on June 28, 1992)
Someone once said, “Wherever there are two Baptists, there are usually three opinions.” In any human organization, because of the presence of fallen humanity, there is usually some form of criticism about the way others are doing something. There is a wealth of talk prevalent in every church, and it seems that some of it revolves around how badly things are going in some aspect of church life. Some complain about the attendance, while others grumble about the worship style. Some people have a problem with the preaching, and others are never satisfied with the extent of pastoral ministry. I chuckle at one line in the old song “Excuses” when a woman is upset that the preacher “didn’t even shake my hand.”

I’ve discovered that criticism can be divided into two categories: useful and venomous. While constructive criticism is sometimes very valid and can be used to shape a more effective ministry, there are times when criticism is not only unjust, it is downright destructive. I have to be careful that I’m not being critical of the fact that there is unjust criticism, so here are a few points from the apostle Paul’s ministry that can benefit us when we are on the receiving end of criticism. I pray these points will be useful to you whenever you face cricitism.

1. Recognize that your ultimate critic is not men but the Lord (vs. 1-4).


According to Paul, the Lord will critique your faithfulness at His appointed time (vs. 2). If you’ve accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, you will not face eternal punishment in hell, but your good works will be critiqued (see Rom. 14:10 and 2 Cor. 5:10). Men will criticize your faithfulness and stewardship sometimes because you’re doing something that they’re not (vs. 3). Joel Barker has a famous quotation: “Those who say it can’t be done are usually interrupted by others doing it.” I think that’s so true. Matthew 12:2 shows how the Pharisees constantly found fault in Jesus’ disciples. In Mark 3:2, they even watched for a time to accuse Jesus himself. The fact is we all have blind spots that only the Lord can see (vs. 4), so he should be our real critic. Although we have been placed within communities of accountability called the church, ultimately we answer to Jesus above all others.

2. Don’t let criticism sidetrack you from your task of real ministry (vs. 3).


Paul said, “To me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself.” Paul’s not saying he’s against self-examination (see 1 Cor. 11:28), but he is saying there is a time and place for it- “before the time” (vs. 5). Isaac Murray illustrates this in his story of how a little dog, harnessed to an old-timey lawn mower, stopped pulling to bark at a passer-by. The boy who was guiding the mower said, “Don’t mind the dog—he is just barking for an excuse to rest. It is easier to bark than to pull this mower.” Sometimes it’s easier to criticize than to keep working. And while there’s nothing wrong in examination/taking a test, it shouldn’t stop your progress in ministry; it should enhance it.

3. Don’t let criticism make you a critic (vs. 5)


As I mentioned above, we have to watch our own words. Do our words come across as critical? Are we being unjustly critical of the critical? We also have to guard our hearts. The Lord will “disclose the motives of men’s hearts,” so far be it from us to guess at why a man is being critical of us. Thomas Fuller once wrote, “Search others for their virtues and thyself for vices.”

I read an excerpt from John Wesley the Methodist, chapter 20, that gives a great example of avoiding being critical:

“John Wesley and one of his preachers were once taking lunch with a gentleman whose daughter had been greatly impressed by Wesley’s preaching. The itinerant, a man of very plain manners and little tact, was conversing with the young lady, who was remarkable for her beauty. He noticed that she wore a number of rings, and taking hold of her hand, he raised it, and called Wesley’s attention to the sparkling gems. “What do you think of this, sir,” said he, “for a Methodist’s hand” The girl turned crimson, and the question was awkward for Wesley, whose aversion to all display of jewelry was so well known. But the aged evangelist showed a tactChesterfieldmight have envied. With a quiet, benevolent smile he looked up, and simply said, “The hand is very beautiful.” The young lady appeared at evening service without her jewels, and became an earnest Christian.”

4. Understand that unjust criticism comes from pride and jealousy (vs. 6).

In verse 6, Paul called it being “arrogant in behalf of one against the other.” Do you realize that unjust criticism is often the overflow of a discontented heart. Because of pride’s devastating effect on the host, it is often fed by attacks on others; but it costs the host in the end. Lucifer’s pride cost him the choir and got him eternity in hell. Cain’s pride cost him his brother and got him the label “first murderer.” The Pharisees’ pride cost them their relationship with the long-awaited Messiah. When we recognize the source of the criticism, it is often easier to handle. We can even pity or sympathize with the hurting critic.

5. Make a distinction between unjust criticism and pastoral correction (vs. 14-15, 21).


It is a modern epidemic to pass out criticism without being open to receiving any correction. The bible often talks about having spiritual mentors who can help guide us through areas where we may have blind spots. Who is your spiritual tutor? Spiritual father? Even the bible itself should be our corrector- Hebrews 4:12- sharper than a double-edged blade. A good pastor knows how to “rightly divide the word” or, in more modern terms, show how the eternal truths of the bible apply to a given situation. We should be open to pastoral correction and not merely throw it into the category of pharisaical criticism.

6. Unjust criticism reveals spiritual immaturity (vs. 14, 21).

Paul used words like “my beloved children,” “with a rod,” and “spirit of gentleness” to describe not only his relationship with the Corinthian church but to identify the nature of their immaturity. He was basically saying the same thing my mother used to say when we kids were doing something rebellious, “Do you want me to bring my belt?” Actually, it was my Daddy’s belt, and I know he got tired of having to take it off. It may sound harsh, but Paul was simply identifying how childish was the critical spirit among the church. In Galatians 6:1, he said, “you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.” In other words, some folks have disciplined themselves to become more spiritually mature, so they should act like it especially in times of stress.

The next time you face criticism, which may be sooner rather than later, let Paul’s words encourage you to recognize the situation for what it really is and give you the wherewithal to seek your direction from the Lord, His Word, and the spiritual disciplers He has placed in your life. Even in the midst of an abundance of criticism, we can find a peace that surpasses our understanding.

I’ll end with a poem entitled “The Critic” from The Pentecostal Testimony-

A little seed lay in the ground,

And soon began to sprout;

“Now which of all the flowers around,”

It mused, “shall I come out?

“The lily’s face is fair and proud

But just a trifle cold;

The rose, I think, is rather loud,

And then, it’s fashion old.

“The violet, it is very well,

But not a flower I’d choose,

Nor yet the Canterbury bell—

I never cared for blues.”

And so it criticized each flower,

This supercilious seed,

Until it woke one summer hour—

And found itself a weed.

Living a Lie- Acts 5:1-11

The story of Ananias and Sapphira has been told time and time again as a tragedy of early Christian history and as a warning to be genuine before God. Just like the scenes of Cain and Abel’s sacrifice, one made the correct sacrifice, while the other was enraged to jealousy over his exposure of hypocrisy. The story involves envy on the part of one who sees another’s commitment and feels the conviction in his own life, but instead of allowing the conviction to spur him on to good deeds, he fills the empty void with pride and rage, the very sins that caused Satan to become puffed up and to try to be like the most high God.

In Acts 5:1-11, there is stark a contrast in giving from what is described immediately preceding in Acts 4:36-37. Barnabas, one of the church leaders with some personal wealth, brought his money from some land he had sold and gave it to the apostles to be put into the common missions fund. Perhaps Barnabas expected no recognition at all, because many other men and women were doing the same thing (4:34). But we read of this faithful man’s deeds right before we enter into the account of Ananias’ and Sapphira’s deceit.

This is, of course, a passage on the subject of giving; Ananias and Sapphira were giving but just not giving their all. But upon further inspection, we see that this is really a passage on sinning unto death, because Ananias and Sapphira were snuffed out as a result of their sin. However, even further consideration reveals that in this passage is the message of hypocrisy’s judgment. For far too long, we in the church have also been hypocrites or mere actors at times in our giving and our service to the Lord. In public we appear in the right stage light, while God sees our real inner condition. Ananias and Sapphira didn’t just commit the sin of theft or embezzlement; the real sin they committed is a deep-seeded heart of disingenuousness before God and His people. Seriously, a godly fear should overtake us and make us aware of our own need to stand before God open and transparent today. We must become scared to death to pretend. [Exit stage left.]

Have you ever been a hypocrite? The original Greek word means “actor” or “professor of something you’re not.” Do what others see tell who the real “you” is? Some of us have become so adept at fooling others that we’ve fooled ourselves into thinking that we can fool God. As I read this passage in Acts, I have to ask myself these questions: Am I being the real me right now? Am I dealing with the real me right now?

The text is straightforward:

1. Ananias’ hypocrisy was exposed (vv. 1-6)

The guy brought part of the money from a piece of land he sold, but he made out like he was giving the whole thing. He wanted to have the credit of complete sacrifice, and yet he kept back a portion for himself. I like the way one guy said it: “He was professing cream and practicing skim milk.” Maybe some of us are doing the same thing. Like a discounted belt or purse, we look like genuine leather, maybe even have the word genuine stamped somewhere on us, but we’re really manmade on the inside.

This teaches us two things:

a.       Not being genuine closes our heart to the Holy Spirit’s leading and opens our heart to Satan’s direction (see vs. 3). How many times have you prayed “Lord, lead me” or “Lord, show me,” only to find your spiritual viewfinder clouded by your hypocrisy? Sometimes we don’t even know it’s happening. If we are not genuine with the Holy Spirit, how can expect Him to lead us?

b.      Not being genuine makes us think we’re saving something when in essence we’re losing everything (vv. 4-5). How many times have we kept back things from God, perhaps money, perhaps time, perhaps talent, perhaps commitment- all because we think we can’t afford to pay the price- only to find out later that we lost it? Ananias was filled in his heart with a satanic passion for self, and he kept back what he thought he couldn’t afford to give. He wasn’t genuine. He was a hypocrite. But he was exposed. Sooner or later we will all be exposed.

2. Sapphira’s lie was revealed (vv. 7-11).

Sapphira followed suit. Not knowing her husband had just fallen dead because of his hypocrisy, Sapphira comes walking into the church to revel in what she assumed would be laud and honor for such a sacrificial gift. When they asked her straight out if this was the price she got for the land, she answered with a deadly lie. The attempt to be an imposter cost her more than what the land sold for.

Interestingly, Sapphira’s name meant “beautiful,” but before she allowed the beauty to be revealed, she sold out her real beauty for a fake community posture, an imitation beauty. So, we are left with a couple of serious questions: Are you allowing the real beauty that God created in you to come out? Or are you covering it up with a synthetic version that you think looks better to those around you?

The Bible says, “Don’t be deceived, God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows, that is what he will also reap.” Don’t think you can mock God. Maybe you’re thinking, “I wouldn’t ever try to mock God,” but let me ask you: isn’t the very act of sitting in a pew on Sundays without dealing with discipleship Monday through Saturday in reality a mockery? Sometimes we say, “Not right now. I’ll do that later. I’ll give more later.” These are the very seeds of hypocrisy.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to live a lie. Like everyone else, I’ll admit there are things I don’t want everyone to see or know, but I don’t want to sell out God’s touch for a better standing before men. May this cause each of us to pray: God, make me real before you and true before others today.

Recent Sermons in Russian

Although one of the most consistent things about my preaching in Russian is my tendency to make certain grammatical errors and creative pronunciation, I thought I'd give you access to some recent sermons that I've preached in Moscow.

"Что мне сделать тебе?"
Дата: 21.03.2010

Мы должны показывать свою любовь
Дата: 14.02.2010

Как быть готовым?
Дата: 06.12.2009

Again, forgive the messenger for his weaknesses, but I hope the messages are a blessing to you this week.

How to Be Ready

In 1 Peter 3:15, Peter says "In your hearts, make the Lordship of Christ a holy thing; always be ready to give an answer to any man who asks you about your hope with gentleness and respect/awe".
Under the Soviet Union, there was a club for young people called "Pioneers" and their motto was "Always Ready"; but how can we be ready spiritually? There are 5 parts to this command to stay ready:
1. Be prayed up and confessed up. "make it a holy thing". Earlier in verse 7 of this chapter, Peter says to stay confessed up "so that your prayers would not be hindered."
2. Be read up. "in your hearts". Spend time in the Word daily. "Give us this day our daily bread" - Matt. 6:11. We need to develop the discipline of memorizing Scripture by heart. This way, we can stay ready.
3. Be loaded up. "always be ready to give an answer". Tracts, bibles, Christian literature - take them with you everywhere you go. Don't be like the unwise virgins in the parable of the 10 Virgins where some of them forgot to take their oil for their lamps (Matt. 25:1-5).
4. Be on the Lookout. "to any man who asks you" Watch for sniper fire. Questions can come in various forms.
I've had questions come in the form of:
Tamara in Bryansk came to my door. Sasha, her grandson, came later. I met Inna on the train and she asked about my "monk's life". Olya, last Sunday on the metro, gave her question in a very giving and interesting form.
5.Don't worry. "gentleness and awe". Be worry-free about this discipline. God will give you the words at the appointed time (Luke 12:11).
Application: Pray to be ready to give answers today! Don't be ashamed.

(In Russian)
"Господа Бога святите в сердцах ваших; [будьте] всегда готовы всякому, требующему у вас отчета в вашем уповании, дать ответ с кротостью и благоговением." -1 Пет. 3:15
В Советском Союзе, в клубе пионера, молодой пионер был всегда готов. Как Вы можете быть готовы духовно? В этом небольшом приказе есть пять частей.
1. «святите». Святость находится в Вашей жизни. Молитесь часто и признайтесь в своих грехах. « дабы не было вам препятствия в молитвах.» - ст. 7
2. «в сердцах ваших». Читать Слово. Проведите время в слове Бога ежедневно. «хлеб наш насущный дай нам на сей день» Матф. 6:11. Изучите слово наизусть; запомните эго. Развейте дисциплину запоминания и быть готовы.
3. «всегда готовы». Загрузите себя. трактаты, библии, христианская литература. Как эти 10 девственниц без масла для их ламп, они не были готовы, потому что они не брали масла с собой.
«Тогда подобно будет Царство Небесное десяти девам, которые, взяв светильники свои, вышли навстречу жениху. Из них пять было мудрых и пять неразумных. Неразумные, взяв светильники свои, не взяли с собою масла. Мудрые же, вместе со светильниками своими, взяли масла в сосудах своих. И как жених замедлил, то задремали все и уснули.» Матф. 25:1-5.
4. «всякому, требующему у вас». Смотрите за огнем снайпера.
Вопросы прибудут, если Вы будете знать, как интерпретировать (переводить) вопросы.
Тамара в Брянске подошла к двери.
Саша позже пришел.
Инна, молодая женщина, спрашивала о моей жизни монаха.
Оля в метро в воскресенье здесь.
Вопросы входят в различные формы.
5. «дать ответ с кротостью и благоговением». Не волнуйтесь - быть без беспокойств.
В назначенное время бог даст Вам слова.
«Когда же приведут вас в синагоги, к начальствам и властям, не заботьтесь, как или что отвечать, или что говорить, ибо Святый Дух научит вас в тот час, что должно говорить.» Лука 12:11
Итак, молитесь, чтобы быть готовы сегодня. Не стыдитесь.

3 Levels of Repentance & Faith

In Christianity, repentance and faith are, for the most part, tied together. As I read Scripture and meditate on the meaning of these two simple words, I see that there may in fact be three levels of repentance and three levels or regions of faith. The disciples cried, “Lord, increase our faith” (Luke 17:5). In Romans, Paul says that faith is a gift that God gives in varied amounts (12:3). Peter expands this thought in his second letter when he says that other ingredients can be added to faith to produce a beautiful recipe that, when you increase the amounts, can make you more effective and productive in your relationship with Jesus (2 Peter 1:5-8). Often in Russia, I hear people say, “I repent; I repent everyday.” I’ve heard smokers, for example, say, “I have no problem quitting cigarettes; I quit everyday.” The Greek word for repent is metanoia, which means “a change of mind.” So, is it possible to change your mind everyday? And if so, is this what brings eternal salvation? Is repentance just a one-time event in each person’s life, or is it a lifestyle that is characterized by a constant change, a constant turning away and turning toward? As already mentioned, the Bible places a deep connection between “repent” and “believe.” So, what do we make of this connection, and on what level is true salvation found? On what level as Christians do we find our growth and maturity?

First, there is repentance. Theologians have argued whether a man has the natural ability to repent in and of himself. Some say only God can grant repentance (Acts 5:31; 11:18). If this is true, repentance is a wonderful gift! 1) But the Bible also speaks of a type of repentance that anyone can perform. In the original language, it is called metamellomai. This is what Judas did after he betrayed Jesus (Matt. 27:3). Interestingly, the King James Version called this repentance, while newer translations more fully explain this as remorse or regret. He had a change of heart, or a change in what he cared about. It was an emotional response to his own actions. Often in our lives, there is an emotional response to some stimulus that causes us to feel like we want things changed. Maybe it is at a highly-charged evangelistic meeting that we feel a need to respond. Maybe there is a deeply traumatic event in our lives that cause us to feel like we want it all changed, and this feeling initiates our move toward hearing God’s call to truly repent and believe. But in and of itself, this remorse, no matter how deep, is not what the Bible connects with saving faith.

2) The event that we mark as “the change” is called metanoia, or a change of mind. It is what, when combined with faith in the message about Jesus’ death on our behalf, initiates God’s hand in our lives to save us (Mark 1:15). Some people wonder when that moment occurs–how young a believer can be. Some have made professions of faith when they were small children. Others publicly state their trust in Christ as adults or even on their deathbed. What we know is that the Bible talks about a specific moment in a person’s life when he changed his mind about life and placed his trust in God’s plan for his life. This is repentance. But how much has to be understood to repent? Can it occur more than once in life? And if so, at what point do we call the moment of salvation? Unfortunately, these questions tend to slice and dice at what the Bible never intended. The Bible simply says, “change your mind and start believing” (Mark 1:15).

3) There is another level of repentance for Christians (Rev. 2:5; 2:16; 2:22; 3:3; 3:19). The original word employed here is also metanoia, or a change of mind, but the recipe changes slightly. It already assumes salvation, since this is for the church. This would be a lifestyle of ongoing repentance. It is at this point that it would be ok to say “I repent everyday.” This is a repentance that produces a life of fruitfulness (Luke 3:8) and is proven by good works (Acts 26:20). If Jesus told his disciples that they needed to deny themselves and be crucified daily (Luke 9:23) and if the Apostle Paul could say, “I die everyday” (I Cor. 15:31), then we ought to be able to make this same kind of daily change of mind. It is here where repentance is combined with good works that God already prepared for us to do daily. It is not laying anew a foundation of repentance from dead works, but a lifestyle built on daily sacrifice, daily repentance of ourselves, a daily emptying of our selves (kenosis), and turning toward God.

Secondly, there is faith.

Faith is an interesting concept. Some people use the term to describe religion- people of different faiths. But the Bible uses the term not about religion but about belief. It is used about 550 times in the New Testament as some form of pistis, the original Greek word. Just how much faith is needed to get saved?

1) I’ve met some people who believe “about” God. They believe that God exists. Some even believe that He created the world. This is a type of faith– to believe in the existence of something. James 2:19 commends folks for having this kind of faith, but it says that it’s not enough for salvation. I can pick up the phone book and look up a name of someone I don’t know. I can have faith that such a person exists, but unless I give them a phone call, I really can only say that I believe the fact that there is someone by that name. Actually it doesn’t establish the contact I need with that person just knowing his phone number. Just to believe God exists is good, but not enough. I’d call this “knowing” faith.

2) Then there is a faith that means to believe “in” – to put your hope on; belief in a future event- a trust that it might happen. Perhaps the most quoted verse in the Bible is John 3:16. It says that God gave His only Son to those who would believe “in” Him so that they could have eternal life. This is not the same as belief about. Our English language fails us here- some might say, I believe in Santa Claus or I believe in the tooth fairy, or I believe in UFOs; but this doesn’t mean putting your trust in those things for your salvation. It is at this point, this tiny spark of faith, this tiny mustard-seed size of faith that opens the door to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord. The problem with many believers is that they’ve made that initial step toward Christ and have trusted His death as the payment for their sins, but they’ve never gone beyond to allow that faith to grow. Let’s call this “saving” faith.

3) So then there is belief “on” – to have a relationship with someone that matures. I placed my faith in my wife on the day we were married, but I also daily put my trust in her that our relationship will continue to grow. Paul told the Colossians to “continue in their faith” (1:23) and to be “rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith” (2:7). It was the Lord’s apostles who cried out, “Lord, increase our faith.” (Luke 17:5). This kind of growing faith, when tested and tried, produces maturity (James 1:3). It is this kind of maturing faith that produces good works (James 2:20). Jesus desires a “growing” faith, not one that is dying.

So, let’s review. If there are 3 levels of repentance, how have you repented? Are you simply sorry that things are turning out the way they are? Or are you willing to turn to Jesus for the deeper cure? If you’ve turned to him, are you still living today with a changed mind about your life or do you need to repent some more?

If there are 3 levels of faith, how do you believe? Do you just believe that God exists? Or are you putting your hope in Jesus to save you in the end? And if you’ve started believing, is your faith growing by being tested?

In the end, these 2 words speak a lot to our condition before God. Depending on our level of repentance and our level of faith, we are what we are before Him.

Buck Burch - July 24, 2009