Historical Posts
Acts 16:16-24 – Paul and Silas in Philippi – audio
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Text: Acts 16:16-24
Introduction
A. Paul and Silas are doing mission work in Philippi.
B. Lydia and her household were baptized, and Paul and Silas were encouraged to continue the work there.
C. While going to prayer, a slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met them. She made a couple of observations that need to be considered.
D. After the spirit was cast out of her, her masters made another important observation.
E. Thus, Paul and Silas were thrown into prison, which led to the salvation of the jailer!
F. Let us consider three observations.
Body
I. Paul and Silas are servants of the Most High God.
A. A servant is not above, but like his master (Matthew 10:24-25; John 13:16). Jesus demonstrated this as He washed His disciples’ feet.
B. A servant will follow his master wherever he goes (John 12:26).
C. A servant of Christ does not seek to please men (Galatians 1:10).
D. A servant of the Lord must: “Not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will (2 Timothy 2:24-26).”
E. A servant of God puts to silence the ignorance of foolish men by doing good (1 Peter 2:15-16).
F. A good and faithful servant will enter into the joy of the Lord (Matthew 25:21, 23); an unprofitable servant will be cast into outer darkness (Matthew 25:30).
II. They proclaim the way of salvation.
A. There is only one way of salvation (John 14:6).
B. Christ is the only name in which we can be saved (Acts 4:12).
C. God appointed us to salvation through Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:9).
D. God chose us for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13).
E. The Holy Scriptures make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 3:15).
F. The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).
G. Christ is the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him (Hebrews 5:9).
H. Christians are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:5).
III. They teach customs that are “not lawful for…Romans…to receive or observe.”
A. Paul was considered an expert on customs and questions concerning the Jews (Acts 26:3).
B. Jesus warned Paul that some would not receive his testimony concerning Him (Acts 22:18).
C. Stephen was accused of blasphemy, and was misunderstood regarding Jesus changing customs which Moses delivered (Acts 6:14).
D. One such custom in question was that of circumcision. Some thought only the circumcised could be saved, but this was not so (Acts 15; 21:21).
E. A Christian must change his habits or lifestyle! He must receive and observe the things of God (Romans 6:4, 6). Paul even said that “in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation (Galatians 6:15).”
F. Some have a custom of forsaking the assembling; this must be changed (Hebrews 10:25).
Conclusion
A. Paul and Silas were effective, setting the example that Christ expected of them.
B. They were truly His servants, proclaiming the way of salvation.
1) Even when the words of Christ differed from the customs of the Romans, they continued to teach the truth.
2) It was up to them to follow Christ and not after themselves.
C. Are we true servants of God?
1) Do we proclaim the way of salvation?
2) Do we receive and observe the customs of Christ, and not hold to traditions of men (Matthew 15:3,6; Colossians 2:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15)?
Content by Richard Dillon
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Fellow Workers for the Truth
We can be fellow workers for the truth, even in different places.
Today I am sad that I am not with you there at Gahanna-Jefferson, but I am glad to be working here at Fort Hill. Soon the campground will be full of staff, counselors, and campers. There will be a few familiar faces, but a lot of new ones as well. Regardless of where we are, we are all working for a common cause.
3 John 5-8: “Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.”
Very soon the campers will begin to arrive, and it will be up to me and the workers here to demonstrate the love of God to them. Hopefully by the end of the week, they will have learned a lot about God and will want to learn even more. When it comes time for them to go home, we hope to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God.
You can do the same at Gahanna-Jefferson! Welcome fellow members and visitors. Show them the love of God during your time of Bible study and worship together. When it is time to go home, send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God.
We may be in different places today, but we are “fellow workers for the truth.” Lord willing, I will see you next Sunday.
Content by Richard Dillon
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Beautiful Feet
Feet that work for God are beautiful feet.
Let me give a big “Thank You!” to everyone who came out yesterday and participated in work day at the church building. There were many things that needed to be done, both inside and outside. They may not have been big things, or very visible, but they were important things to accomplish. It is good to know many people are interested in being workers for the Lord. Evidence of hard workers is indicated by sweaty faces, red hands, and even smelly, but beautiful feet.
You may have a turned up nose at the aforementioned thought. However, God would think differently! In His Word, the Bible, He says: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns (Isaiah 52:7)!’”
Yes, a physically, messy or dirty and tired person can be seen to be beautiful when viewed with spiritual eyes. Those who are hard-working for the Lord are precious in His sight. Those who go and preach the gospel of Christ and those who use the various talents that God has given them, whatever those talents may be, are very beautiful in His sight, and should also be beautiful in our sight.
Let us always let the beauty of Jesus be seen in us and be aware that we are living sermons, testifying of and for Him with our lives! Let us have beautiful feet and proclaim His good news of salvation before the world that they may also come unto Him and accept His offer of salvation from sin.
Salvation: Hear - Believe - Repent - Confess - Be Baptized - Live Faithfully
Content by Richard Dillon
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Onesimus
Have you ever thought what a biography of your life would be like?
Would it be a long narrative, or only a brief summary? You may say it depends on how long you live, or how important you make your life to be.
What would God write about you in the Bible if He could?
Consider a man named Onesimus. Very little is known about him; in fact, he is only mentioned in 2 places in the entire Bible! Colossians 4:9 tells us that he is a “faithful and beloved brother” to Paul. He was being sent with Tychicus to inform the Colossians of what all was happening to Paul. Apparently he was a very dedicated brother in Christ to Paul and others.
Later, Paul described him in detail to Philemon. While in prison, Paul led him to Christ after he ran from slavery. Hence he is “profitable” to both Philemon and Paul spiritually, and so Paul wanted Philemon’s consent to use him in the best way for the Lord.
Little may be known about our lives, but God knows it all!
What can we do, like Onesimus, to serve our Lord? What impact can we have on our brothers and sisters in Christ, and the rest of the world?
Content by Richard Dillon
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2 Peter 01:10-11 Weighed in the Balance and Found Wanting?
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Text: 2 Peter 1:10-11
Introduction
- A balance is a weighing device with a beam poised with its center on a neutral pivot. An item to be weighed is placed at one end of the beam, and a weight supposed to be equal to it is placed at the other end. If the item is equal, the beam will remain level or perfectly horizontal. If the item is found wanting, it will be discovered.
- Figuratively this means that a man is weighed or compared with what is required of him (God’s standard the Word of God) and if he stands the test the beam will be level, if not the balance will be uneven which indicates condemnation by God.
- In Daniel 5, Belshazzar King of Babylon (the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar) had a great feast (party) for 1000 of his lords. He commanded to bring the golden & silver vessels Nebuchadnezzar had take from the temple in Jerusalem, and they drank wine and praise all their false gods of various materials. He saw something that blew his mind a fingers of a man’s hand writing on the wall (Daniel 5:5-9; Daniel 5:25-31).
Are You Zealous for the Lord or Lukewarm?
- Are you a positive asset in the Lords church? Are you actively functioning/working as a member of the body of Jesus? I Corinthians 12:12-20 Have you made the decision as a Christian to abide in the true vine and bear much fruit? (John 15:5-6).
- Did you know that the Lord our God needs His servants to work in the vineyard of the Lord, to accomplish His work of spreading the good news of the gospel, to the world that the dead might be made alive through Jesus (Matthew 9:37-38)? A part of our faith to God is to maintain good works (Hebrews 10:24; Matthew 5:16).
- If you are not a zealous worker for the Lord, you are a liability for the cause of Christ and will be in jeopardy of being cast into the fire. In Revelation 3:14-21, the church of the Laodiceans was warned about being lukewarm and being spewed out of God mouth. You and I do not want to be weighed in the balance and found wanting.
Are you a Faithful Servant or a “Flaky Forsaker”?
- The faithful servant is rewarded with blessing from his lord, but the unfaithful and disobedient worker is punished. Let us consider the benefits and consequences of being a faithful servant verses a “flaky forsaker” (parable of talents Matthew 25:20-30).
- A faithful servant will not allow things to go undone (Ecclesiastes 9:10). A faithful laborer of God will do and teach that which is in accordance with God’s will and help their family and the church to grow (Genesis 18:19).
- The wisdom of the Word of God teaches us to have a just weight (Proverbs 11:1). Make sure you’re weights are just and balanced when God weighs us in His balances on the Day of Judgment (2 Peter 1:10-11).
HEAR BELIEVE REPENT CONFESS BAPTISM
Content by Harry (Andy) Anderson Jr.Return to the Home Page
Submit to God to be Free from Sin – Romans 6:16-18
Text: Romans 6:16-18
Introduction
- The world that we live in teaches us to empower self (becoming your own god), to gain happiness and success instead of submitting yourself to God, to be blessed and prosper (Psalm 1:1-3).
- When you make the decision to submit to self or the world, you’re making a decision to be enslaved to unrighteousness and death. This is why you need to yield yourself to God to be made free from the bondage of sin (John 8:31-32).
You Become Servants to Whomever You Submit
- In Romans 6:16, the Bible teaches us whoever you choose to submit to becomes your master whom your will serve. This is why it is important to know of a surety who you decide to submit to (God or Satan).
- Satan packages sin with so much glitter and gold to make it look like a great deal to be his servant. But Satan never shows you the fine print that says obeying & serving him will lead to eternal death (1 Peter 5:8).
Become a Servant of Righteousness by Submitting to God
- In Romans 6:17-18, the Spirit of truth conveys that the Christians at Rome were at one time servants of sin, but made the decision to obey the doctrine of Christ, to become free from sin and servants of righteousness.
- In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, we find the Christians at Corinth were at one time unrighteous, but they decided to submit to God.
- If you are tired of being in the bondage of sin, if you are feed up with the painful consequences of walking in darkness, why not deny yourself and obey the doctrine of Christ to save your life and become servants of righteousness (Matthew 16:24-26).
HEAR BELIEVE REPENT CONFESS BAPTISM LIVE FAITHFUL
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Presented at the Gahanna-Jefferson Church of Christ on Wednesday, January 18, 2012.
Content by Harry (Andy) Anderson Jr.Return to the Home Page
James 01:01 A Servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ – audio
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Text: James 1:1
Introduction
1. In our introductory study, we concluded that James, the Lord’s brother, was most likely the author
2. If this is so, then it is interesting that James does not identify himself as such, but rather as simply a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ – James 1:1
3. Perhaps it was a case of humility; yet, calling himself a servant was not peculiar to James
a. Paul described himself as such as well – Romans 1:1
b. So did Peter (2 Peter 1:1) and Jude (Jude 1)
4. Why did these men refer to themselves as servants?
a. The Greek term (DOULOS) literally means a slave
b. Why use such a term to describe themselves?
c. Maybe we should think of ourselves as servants?
Body
I. BEING A SERVANT IS WHAT A DISCIPLE OF JESUS IS CALLED TO BE
A. JESUS STRESSED THIS TRUTH ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS
1. While pointing out the faults of the scribes and Pharisees – Matthew 23:8-12
2. During the Last Supper, with a vivid demonstration of servitude – John 13:12-17
3. Even by His own example, as He came to serve – Matthew 20:25-28
B. SPECIFICALLY, WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE
1. God – Hebrews 9:14
2. Jesus Christ – 1 Corinthians 4:1
3. Each other – 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
4. The early Christians called themselves servants, because that is what they were!
II. BEING A SERVANT IS A MARK OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY
A. AN IMMATURE PERSON IS USUALLY VERY SELFISH
1. For example, newborn babies are very ego-centrical
2. Normally, as people grow older, they begin to concern themselves with the needs of others
a. If they do, they are becoming mature
b. If they remain selfish, it is an indication of immaturity
B. A PERSON WHO SERVES OTHERS
1. Is certainly not selfish, but concerned with the needs of others
2. And thereby demonstrates mature behavior
C. JAMES’ DESCRIPTION OF HIMSELF FITS IN VERY WELL WITH THE THEME OF HIS EPISTLE
1. Remember, the theme is: MARKS OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY
2. By being a servant, James is demonstrating his own spiritual maturity
3. And we can make the point that one of the marks of spiritual maturity is truly being a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ!
4. Are we trying to be servants of God, and of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ? If so, then we are on the road to spiritual maturity!
III. BEING A SERVANT HAS SEVERAL IMPLICATIONS
A. IT IMPLIES ABSOLUTE OBEDIENCE
1. In a slave-master relationship…
a. The slave knows no law but his master’s word
b. He has no rights of his own
c. He is the absolute possession of his master
d. He is bound to give his master unquestioning obedience
2. Does this describe our relationship to Christ?
a. It should, especially in light of 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
b. We have to come to Jesus on HIS terms, not our own – Luke 6:46
B. IT IMPLIES ABSOLUTE HUMILITY
1. Otherwise, absolute obedience is not possible
a. When we have a humble opinion of ourselves, we are receptive to the idea of complete obedience
b. For example, consider Paul’s self-estimation – 1 Corinthians 15:9-10; Ephesians 3:8; 1 Timothy 1:15
2. Does this describe our relationship to Christ and His Will?
a. Jesus said it should! – Luke 17:10
b. But if we murmur or complain about what Jesus tells us to do, can we really be considered servants?
C. IT IMPLIES ABSOLUTE LOYALTY
1. Since we become servants FREELY, it should be expected that we:
a. Are to be loyal to Him first – Galatians 1:10
b. Do not consider our own profit or pleasure important, but that of the One we freely serve!
2. But it is amazing how anyone can claim to be servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, while:
a. Complaining about having to do the will of God, OR
b. Being negligent or slothful in carrying out His will
3. But some act as though they are being forced against their own will!
a. They don’t have to serve the Lord Jesus
1) Of course, the alternative is not very inviting
2) If we don’t serve Jesus, by default we serve Satan, and are destined for hell!
b. But God by His grace has offered salvation, and how dare we ever grumble or complain that He calls us to life of service in grateful appreciation!
c. These are some of the implications of being called a servant. It is costly in terms of service, pride, and allegiance.
IV. BEING A SERVANT IS A GREAT HONOR
A. FAR FROM BEING A TITLE OF DISHONOR, IT WAS THE TITLE BY WHICH THE GREATEST MEN OF THE OLD TESTAMENT WERE KNOWN
1. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob – Deuteronomy 9:27 (your servants)
2. Moses – 1Kings 8:53 (your servant)
3. Joshua – Josh 24:29 (Servant of the Lord)
4. Caleb – Numbers 14:24 (My servant)
5. Job – Job 1:8 (My servant)
6. Isaiah – Isaiah 20:3 (My servant)
7. The prophets – Jeremiah 7:25 (My servants)
B. HOW WONDERFUL IT WOULD BE IF GOD LOOKED UPON US AS COMPANIONS OF THESE GREAT MEN
1. Who found freedom, peace, and glory!
2. Who found it in perfect submission to the Will of God!
Conclusion
1. God will, IF we are willing to accept the call to serve Him and His Son Jesus Christ with:
a. Absolute obedience
b. Absolute humility
c. Absolute loyalty
2. And when we are serving God, His Son Jesus Christ, and even each other in this manner, we are making great strides towards SPIRITUAL MATURITY!
3. A servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ – can this be said of us?
Content by Donald W. Treadway
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