Are We Ready?

I thank you for allowing me the privilege of speaking to you this morning. As I look across this room I am thankful of many things, one of which is that Jesus is alive and well in this church. The passage that has been read from Revelation 3.1-6 is found in the middle of Jesus words to the churches of John's day and throughout history. It is of interest to me that Jesus begins His words in Revelation 2 as within the church and fellowshipping with her and working with her in her struggles. By the end of Revelation 3, we find Jesus is outside the church seeking admittance to her fellowship. From what I can see here, Jesus is within the church having fellowship with her and is pleased with it. The importance found in these verses is realized when we consider the churches that are ready for God and the churches that have forgotten God. Far too many churches today have neglected Jesus and thrust Him out of His work-the Church-and these churches wonder why they are not of an impact in their own lives, in their family's lives, or within their community. I am sure we already know that without Jesus there is no impact, unless it is bad; and that with Jesus the world is changed.

Are We Ready for what God has called us to do? Is He within our Church? Are We Ready to stand before Him as a church and receive a well-done good and faithful servant from Him? Are We Ready? Considering these questions, I would like to ask and answer three more:

This first question, if rephrased would ask: Why has He left us on earth? has passed through the minds of many Christians over the centuries. We think it would be better for us if He were to take us directly to Heaven to be with Him after we accepted Him as Saviour. It might be true, but that is not His purpose for us on the earth. It is true that He wants us to walk closer to Him but that does not tell us the means to that end. His desire is for us to choose to follow Him through the good and bad times; to choose to serve Him in the easy and tough times; to choose to love Him. Through this He causes us to grow but also causes us to do the one thing we could never do in Heaven and that is:

Psalm 8 tells us that we are the representatives of God on earth. What we do tells others volumes about God. How we treat each other within the church, how we treat those outside the church, and how we treat the earth is a visual guide for others in their evaluation of our God. We are God's new creation to do God's new work in this old world. This is done only when we are:

There are many people hurting in this world as is evidenced by the rise in crime (both white-collar and blue-collar), rise in divorce (both Christian and non-Christian), the hopelessness a nation has in its fight against drugs, the helplessness a people has as it faces genocide (like Bosnia), and by the impact of original sin showing itself in greater depth on a daily basis throughout this world.

How can we expect a world that lives like this and has troubles such as these to turn to the only Answer for their troubles if they don't have a living example of the Answer before them in us? I look to Jesus for a moment and see why people came to Him from far and near. I see why people sought Jesus out-He showed them the Father. He has called us to no less than what He did-we need to be an example to others of God's work on earth. When we give testimony of what God has done for us, we give an example of His deliverance from crime, divorce, hatred, and whatever else He may have done for us, in us, and through us. When we are silent, no one hears and no one knows of our God's love, power and ability.

When we are on earth and living the life He demands of us, He receives glory. I am here on earth to let my life so shine before men that they see my good works and glorify my Father in Heaven. That is the purpose of the church in a verse:

Matthew 5.16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

This question needs to be in the forefront of our thought. This should be the question we ask daily: How do we show forth the glory of God within our church? How can we be His arm on the earth? How can we show His example to others? Every time there is a meeting to determine the future of the church, we need to ask ourselves these and similar questions.

These questions must be answered clearly in the areas of salvation, sanctification, and works.

As a church we need to be concerned with the salvation of souls. If there is nothing else the church accomplishes in her life, it has to be the salvation of souls. I was listening this Monday, as most of us probably were, to the "historic" march on Washington led by Farakhan. This "Million Man March" was for the atonement of the black man's soul. Men were walking away from that square in Washington DC stating their atonement (I would much rather they have stated their Repentance-this is the second definition for atonement). Most went away stating that they will return to their families and restore order in their community. It sounds good. It also sounds like these men are preaching peace when there is no peace (Ezekiel warns of such men). I applaud these men for getting together to take a stand for the black community, but I also fear the repercussions that can follow from this. History is laced with men, women, and organizations who have attempted to do social justice and to restore the soul but have failed because they had left out the most important factor of social justice and restoration of the soul-Jesus Christ.

People, unless Jesus is central all this is hopeless. These types of things don't matter, in the long run-and sometimes in the immediate-without Jesus. We cannot transform ourselves into people who are full of hope, peace, kindnesses; these things that only the Holy Spirit can bring. We cannot cause ourselves to be fit for God's blessings, these are the work of the Holy Spirit through the sacrifice of the Son.

We need to see that the first work of the church is not, I repeat-is not, the restoration of community or society or the family; it is not even the second work. It is the salvation of souls through the proclamation of the Gospel to those who need it. Our desire to work as God's church in this world starts with the proclamation of His greatest work (of which the heavens declare): Redemption through His Son.

When a person comes to Jesus, we cannot leave him there. We must help him pursue as we pursue

That term has caused some confusion over the years. Allow me to explain it as I see it: In Jesus Christ we have a present position before God as righteous and holy (we are sanctified-1 Peter 1, Jude 25), because of the promise of Jesus and His work we know one day we will be transformed into the person God sees us as (future sanctification). Another aspect of sanctification (being holy) is found in the works of the New Testament as our allowing of the Holy Spirit to live through us on a daily basis. The primary function of sanctification in this life is to seek God's guidance in all things and confess our sins when we have gone astray. This is most important as we try to understand the purpose of the church and how we live up to that purpose.

The purpose of our lives and the existence of the church is evidenced here more than anywhere. We glorify God because of the transforming work He has done in our lives. This work of God is evidenced through the fruit of the Spirit. It is evident to a dying and lost world. When they look into our lives, this is what they want to see. They really don't care if we have been "born again" or if we have worked with Habitat for Humanity. They want to see internal evidence of this mighty internal work of our Mighty God.

When I was in Junior High School, I had the opportunity to go to Curtis Junior High School. I had been a Christian for 4 or so years and never had really known God to well. I experienced some situations at this school that caused me to become a Junior High drop out. I never finished the 8th or 9th grades. On a daily basis I was mugged by either a Crip, a Blood, or a Pyroo (sp). These were and are the local gangs around this school. No matter which way I went, they were there. I got tired of it. I was too small to do anything about it. So, I dropped out.

It was during this time, as you can imagine, I began to dislike the black people. In the years out of school and as I entered into High School, I began to read the Bible, attend church, and desire the things of God. During this time a transformation came over me that still excites me today: my hatred of non-whites was gone. I believe this experience was allowed by God so that I might work through prejudice at a young age so I might minister to non-whites in days of racial turmoil such as these. Today my best friend who lives up the street is black, my work in the ministry is centered around the Asian community, my work at the Junior High that I teach at is focused on Hispanics. God turned bitterness to love, hatred to kindness, tolerance to joy. He had exchanged for me, at a time that I did not know it was to happen-before I even knew about these things of God, He did this work, these things. He performed this internal work as an evidence of His grace, kindness, and love. Today, although it is over 20 years old, this is still my greatest witnessing tool-a life transformed. There are others that I can use. I can tell of God's deepening work in my life and I do. Most people are touched by that message (you only received a glimpse of it) because they see the hatred I describe, they feel the turmoil I felt, and they respond to God the way I did in salvation.

This sanctification of the Holy Spirit in our lives cannot happen without salvation first occurring within us. After the two of these are apparent in our lives we are truly able to perform

There are far too many people, as evidence by the Million Man March, who are wanting to do the works only God can perform through the Holy Spirit without first receiving Him. We must see that unless we are saved and maturing we will burn-out in our work for God; unless we are saved and maturing we will do harm to the Lord's work as evidenced in the book Days of Glory, Seasons of Night. People need to be saved and maturing before we can consider them as candidates for service in our churches. I don't mean by this that only perfect people can serve-no one would be able to serve. What I do mean by this is that people who are Christians and are seeking God should serve. This can be a young Christian who desires and seeks after God just as easily as an older man in the faith. As long as we are maturing we should be doing the works of rebuilding society after God's plan.

I heard this illustration some years ago from EV Hill regarding these three topics we have been discussing. I give him credit for the illustration, only wishing I had come up with it originally. I like baseball. I am only saddened because yesterday's two teams did not include the Dodgers. However, Dr. Hill makes these observations regarding baseball and Christianity:

In a baseball game, the batter must reach first base or he isn't qualified to come to home plate. First base is salvation. It is the place where we are cleansed, filled, washed; and God grants us the ability to go home. However, a batter does not stop at first or else he fails his mission. He must get home. Far too many believers have stopped at this point and are standing on first. They have received the new heart that God had spoken of but will not leave first to share it with God and others.

After a player reaches first he attempts to go to second. He cannot run to third across the pitcher's mound (although someone did do that before there were as many umpires as we have today). Second base is the evidence of first base. First base qualifies us for second base. It is here where the world sees what it cannot understand; as we have mentioned, the Fruit of the Spirit. It is the place where love is genuine, where fellowship is pure. It is where people ask, what has happened to you (story of woman and drinking beating husband and remind of Bobby and me). It is at second base where we tell others of first base and where we grow. If you have really been to first base, then you can handle second base.

The runner doesn't stop at second base, to get home he must get to third base. Here we rebuild the communities, we reach out to the downcast, the ostracized, Matthew 4.13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali-- 14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: 15 "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles-- 16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."* * Isaiah 9:1,2

This is a hard and difficult place to be. But if we have been to first and second, we can handle this. Too often we want to be at third without having been to first and second (government etc). It does not work. As mentioned before, God must be in it for it to work.

These three things are the manifestations of a church that is fulfilling the purpose God has for the church. But,

What can we expect if we are born-again believers that are seeking God and working in this world as His agent?

The first thing we will see is that those in our community will want to come to the church, they will want to come to know the God who is able to do such mighty works. The community will come to Jesus because we showed them Jesus.

As believers we will show greater maturity in the faith as we bring those who have accepted Christ as Saviour into a deeper relationship with Him. As we disciple those whom we have shown the Gospel, we and they will mature in the faith and a unity that Paul describes in Ephesians will become apparent. This will strengthen our testimony and the church will be growing externally and internally.

The community in which we live will be transformed through the introduction of Christ in the lives of its people. The evidence of God's work will manifest itself throughout the neighbourhood and the world. Jesus will be glorified and the Prince of Peace will be lifting burdens from the hearts of men and women and children. And God will be well-known and loved.

d. We will not be ashamed at His coming but rejoice knowing we have done the greater work of God.

When Jesus comes again we will stand unashamed before Him as He utters: "Well done, My good and faithful servants. Enter into your rest."

I close with my favourite verse: 28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him. 1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure (1 John 2.28-3.3).

Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way, you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction, and you do not make more than 1,000 physical copies. For web posting, a link to this document on our website is preferred. Any exceptions to the above must be explicitly approved by Teach for God Ministries.

Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: David R Williamson. ©Teach for God Ministries. Website: www.teach4god.com. Email: sermons@teach4god.com.