‘Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. 6. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how to answer every man.”
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“For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not speak anything. 9. For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how you turned from idols to serve the living and true God; 10. And to wait for His Son from heaven, Whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, Who delivered us from the wrath to come.”
“Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden…”
“Let all that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee, and let such as love thy salvation say continually, let the Lord be magnified.”
When I read this verse this morning, it caught my imagination. It says: “Let the Lord be magnified (exalted).” How can we magnify, or exalt, the Lord? The verse suggested two ways that we can magnify and exalt the Lord. First, David wrote: “Let all that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee.” If we want to exalt and magnify the Lord, we should first of all seek Him. We should have the confidence and faith in Him that we know that we need to seek His presence and fellowship with us on a daily basis. This also suggests that we can let the world see our joy and gladness in Him. Second, passing into the New Testament, because of our gratefulness for the Salvation that Jesus procured for us on the cross, we can magnify Him by praising Him, and by telling others about this great salvation. These are two great ways that we can magnify and exalt the Lord. Another thought that I had beyond the text was that we can magnify the Lord by how we live. The world is always watching us and they see when we fail to live for the Lord as we should. Believe me; the world is well aware when our lives are not magnifying the Lord. None of us will do this perfectly, of course, but we can certainly do better than we are doing. I know that I should, and I would also suggest to you that you should. We need to do better as individual Christians in our daily lives. We also need to do better corporately through our churches. Again, the world has its eyes on our churches and we need to set a better example of cooperation and a sense of unity in the Lord. Another thought was that we can magnify the Lord by how we love. (I know that this is a very familiar theme in CouchPotatoRedux articles.) Jesus pointed out the need for love in John 13:34-35: “A new commandment give unto you, That you love one another as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another.” Indeed, Jesus put a high premium on the witness of our love for each other to the world. We need to ask ourselves if we love each other as we should. We also need to ask ourselves if we are showing the love of Jesus to the world in our daily lives. Does the waitress, or waiter, who serves your food sense that you love them? Does your attitude show the love of Jesus to the cashier at the store where you shop. These are not inconsequential questions. Hey, it’s not “rocket science.” Just love people. I’m sure that there are many more ways to magnify the Lord than I have written about here, but the four ideas that I gave will be a good start. Let’s magnify and exalt the Lord. Bro. Joe “If a man therefore, purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”
“These” at the beginning of the text refers to works of iniquity. If we seek to be useful servants of Christ we must be aware of Satan’s tricks. His aim is to ruin our witness and to humiliate us. Useful service is the result of being an “instrument (vessel) unto honor.” This means that a useful servant of Christ is trustworthy, and is likely to do good works of ministry. It also means that when this servant meets the temptation to “aim low” he resists and “aims high.” When we encounter the temptation to “aim low” we should recognize this as a ploy of Satan and “aim high.” The useful servant of Christ is “sanctified.” According to the Greek word translated “sanctified,” the useful servant of Christ is “set apart” or “made holy.” Remember that it is not his or her holiness but Christ’s imputed holiness. The useful servant of Christ is different from the world. He, or she, is aware of Satan’s ploys and doesn’t fall for them. But when this servant errs, he confesses and seeks Christ’s forgiveness. The useful servant of Christ is aware of his humanness and does not commit the sin of self righteousness. (This is a sin that Jesus reprimanded several times in the gospels.) The useful servant of Christ is “prepared unto every good work.” This is also translated as “prepared to do every good work.” (NIV) This quality is apparent in Christ’s parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:20-37. In the parable, the priest and Levite “went by on the other side.” They just ignored the man’s needs. The “Good Samaritan” recognized the man's desperate plight and stopped to help him. This is an example of what it means to be “prepared to do every good work.” Jesus told those who heard the parable that they should “go and do likewise.” This text is good advice if we want to be useful servants of Christ. We need to be aware of Satan’s attempts to sidetrack us with his foolish tricks. Don’t let him trick you! Bro. Joe "Therefore if any (person) be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creature: old things are passed away and all things have become new. 18. And all things are of God, Who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation.”
In this call to the “ministry of reconciliation” I do not see a “reverend” after the name. I also do not see “international missionary,” or “North American missionary.” What is do see is that all of us who are part of the Christian faith has been given a “ministry of reconciliation.” "Christian" is not a profession; rather, it is a lifestyle. We are born again to minister in the name of Christ to the world. The main work of the church is not in the walls of our church buildings. I love churches. I have given fifty-six years, and counting, in serving churches. I actually enjoy what goes on in the walls of a church. But we assemble together, after which we scatter to our homes and businesses. We do not cease being Christians when we say “amen” at church. The main work of a church is to witness and minister to the world. That includes every Christian. We are to seek to bring people into reconciliation with Jesus Christ. This is the work of the church. This means that when we scatter into the world, we should actually reflect the righteousness of Jesus Christ to the world. I’m not referring to a shallow, pharisaic righteousness. I’m referring to just watching what we say and do in our encounters in the world. I’m referring to actually share the love of Jesus Christ to the people in your world. When we do not live close to Jesus we give the world a mixed message. The world is really looking for us to be changed, to be different. I’m not saying that no one does this. I know a lot of fine Christian people who are serving as reconcilers. I have been the pastor of a lot of these people. But more Christians need to realize their personal ministry of reconciliation. We first live it, and when the opportunity arises we share it. We are to seek to bring people into reconciliation with each other. We really need to work on this in our churches. Don’t you agree? We Christian people have a ministry of reconciliation to each other. We need to love each other, “warts and all.” We need to be reconcilers at church and at work. In Matthew 5:9, Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers : for they shall be called the people of God.” That’s heavy stuff! People are going to know that we are children of God when we seek to make peace between people. We need to be at peace within ourselves and share that peace with the world. I hope that you get the point: You are called to be a reconciler. Bro. Joe “Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work will be rewarded.”
Our text was the advice given to Asa, the king of Judah, by Azariah when the “Spirit of God came upon him.” The occasion was Asa’s accession to the throne of Judah in a time of spiritual drought. Asa heeded this challenge, took courage and was “fully committed to the Lord all his life.” (NIV) We can apply this text to our lives. If we will commit ourselves to the Lord our “work will be rewarded.” In Ephesians 2:10 we are promised that when we are saved we will become “His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” If we will commit ourselves to serve God, we will be effective in what we do. This is what it means to be “His workmanship…” This is a promise borne out in the Bible and in Christian history. I want you to get this down: GOD WILL USE YOU!!! Understand, you do not always need to know when God uses you, but take it on faith that He will. I believe that when I preach in the power of the Spirit, someone is touched whether I know it or not. I believe the same thing about my writing. He will use you in what you do for Him. Christ, through the Holy Spirit, will use us in our daily lives. He will use us as His witnesses at home, in our workplaces, at school, and at play. He can use our conversations with people to make a spiritual impression on them. He can use us by the way we act around people. We are Christ's witnesses wherever we are, not just by what we say but also how we act. I don't want to be insipid, but we are more likely to show Christ to people with a smile than with a frown. We are more likely to show Christ to people by a kind word than by an unkind word. Repeat after me: "CHRIST WILL USE ME!" Christ, through the Holy Spirit can use you in your work in the church where you attend and serve. The Holy Spirit has gifted you to serve. If your gift is to be an usher, be the best usher that your church has ever had, and ask God to use you to touch people by the way you usher. If your spiritual gift is teaching, teach under the power of the Spirit, know that what you do can, and will, touch people’s lives. If your spiritual gift is singing, sing to the glory of the Lord, and people will be touched by what you sing. Whatever your spiritual gift is, use it prayerfully and the Lord will reward what you do. TRY IT!!! God wants to use you! Bro. Joe "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels (jars of clay), that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.”
This is Paul's unique way of telling us that Christ, through the Holy Spirit, lives within us - within our bodies. It is interesting that our bodies are referred to as earthen vessels, or jars of clay, since God created us from the "dust of the ground." It is also interesting that these jars of clay were fragile, some more fragile than others. The God of the universe has taken abode through His Spirit in our earthen, fragile bodies. That, my friends, is love, grace and mercy. The very Son of God is our treasure. The treasure lives within us. Paul stated it another way in Colossians 1:25-27: "I have become it’s (the church) servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness. 26. The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 27. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (NIV) But He is not just dwelling in us. He is at work in us. In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul writes that we are are saved by grace through faith, and that is not the result of our works, but the result of the mercy and grace of God. But "works" is not a dirty word, because he follows it up with verse 10: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Jesus enters our lives and begins a work in us that leads us to do the works that we have been destined to do since we were born, (At least that's how I interpret it.) We cannot take credit for the good results of the work that we do, for Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:7: "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." (NIV) In all reality, Jesus enters our lives that we might show the power of God at work. That is a grand reason to be alive and walking around on planet earth. We are "earthen vessels" and Jesus is the "treasure." Believers, let's rejoice in that reality, and pray that God's purpose will be realized in our lives. Bro. Joe “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
“Again, He limits a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time, as it is said, today if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” Hebrews 4:7 Have you ever wished that you lived in another time or another place? I guess we have all wished this at some time or other, but it is a useless exercise. We are living in a certain time at a certain place, and the way I see it, we are living in this time and place because that is where God wants us. I have often said that I would go back to simpler times if I could take air-conditioning and medical science with me. I think you get my point. If we could live in another time and another place, we would still have to face the hardships of each day. I think that the Bible teaches us that we need to live today, because we can’t relive yesterday and we can’t live tomorrow. That’s right, that only leaves today. We should live each day to the fullest, giving our time to the Lord, and following His will for our lives. I want to point out some things about living life to the fullest today It is important that we embrace each day. The psalmist gave us some wise advice: “This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” It is worth noting that he did not write: “We should rejoice and be glad in it,” but he wrote “we will rejoice and be glad in it.” The NIV translates it: “Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Either way it is a positive statement about living each day that God has given us and rejoicing in Him and in the fact that He has given us another day. You can rejoice in the day or bemoan the day, but it is all you have at the moment. We can meet each new day with rejoicing, or we can bemoan each new day, and it will still be all that we have at the moment. Too many people are putting off today what they plan to do tomorrow. We need to take advantage of the fact we are alive today, and that we can live it in a positive way. I have heard it said many times that we can greet the day with “good morning Lord,” or with “good Lord, its morning.” Which do you think will give you a better day? You have today! What are you going to do with it? There are choices before you as you face today. You can spend some time praising God and thanking Him that you have today. You will be surprised at how much difference that will make in the rest of your day. Try it! Bro. Joe “For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness of the things in which you have seen in me and those to which I will appear to you. 17. Delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles – and to whom I am sending you. 18. To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me. 19. Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” ESV
Our text comes in the middle of Paul’s testimony to King Agrippa as to why he was on trial. He shared the encounter that he had with Jesus on the Damascus Road. Paul was to turn people, from “darkness to light.” Sin is as dark now as it was in Paul’s day. Jesus told His disciples that He was the light of the world (John 8:12) and that they should be His light to the world (Matthew 5:16). Until we see the darkness of sin, we will not catch the vision to call people out of it. Paul, himself, had to be called from legalistic self-righteousness to accept the reality of God’s grace. He had to accept that God loved the pagan Gentiles as much as He loved the strict Jews. That is the way that it will have to be with us. We need to see people loved of God, who need to be called from darkness to light by God’s grace. Paul was to call people from “the power of Satan to God.” We have kind of made of joke of Satan as “a little red devil on the side of a can of deviled ham.” Satan is not a joke, and he seriously means business. Jesus knew this when He confronted Satan in his temptation experiences. The call from darkness to light is a call from the grasp of Satan into the hands of the Almighty, loving God. This is as true today as it was in Paul’s day. Paul was to call people that “they may receive forgiveness of sins, and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” In order to move from darkness to light, we need to be forgiven for our sins. The Bible is clear that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) God has forgiven us for our sins and we are to call people to receive the forgiveness that only Christ can give. We are promised that if we sincerely ask for His forgiveness, He will sincerely give it. (I John 1:9) Paul told Agrippa: “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” It is our vision as well and we should be obedient to our own call. Bro. Joe |
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