A Plan for the Ages: Created to Rule

Our nation is facing one of the most important presidential elections in our nation’s history.

We have soldiers engaged in battle in two neighboring Middle Eastern countries, Afghanistan and Iraq. North Korea and Iran, both countries ruled by two of the wickedest, sickest men history has seen in awhile…these 2 countries are pushing past all unified world opposition to quickly develop of nuclear energy and weaponry. Syria is simultaneously hiding and launching Al Qaeda operatives into Iraq to target US troops. Tensions between Iran and Israel are at historically high levels with Iran’s leader declaring that he intends to wipe the Jews off the face of the earth, hinting of a nuclear holocaust. In addition, Ahmidinijad reveals his insanity by denying that millions of Jews were ever slaughtered during the Holocaust. Russia has invaded another country. Venezueala and Iran, two nations rich in oil and two nations that possess the greatest hatred towards the US, have recently partnered together militarily.

The Stock Market is as volatile right now as it has been since the Great Depression. World markets are so dependent on our nation’s markets that our crash has resulted in the crash of the Asian markets…Japan and others, as well as the European markets. People are withdrawing their 401k’s at an alarming rate after seeing their value many times cut in half or worse, to protect the rest of their retirement, even willing to pay huge penalties. Many corporations are reporting thousands of layoffs with more to come.

And finally, of all the issues…as a born again, Spirit-filled Christian, two issues come to mind in regards to a blessing from God being upon our nation, or a curse…

Issue #1…Abortion…

Since Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that has permitted legal abortions in the U.S., our nation has slaughtered over 50 million babies in the womb through abortion. More than 1.6 million babies will have been slaughtered by the end of the year through the hands of a killer with a Phd. That averages out to 3 babies killed every minute. 93% of these abortions have nothing to do with rape, incest or the health of the mother. Some studies reveal that women who have abortions experience a far greater chance of having breast cancer. In addition, nearly every woman that has had an abortion continues to hear the terrorizing screams of an infant baby for the rest of their lives, and suffer through the torment and shame of knowing they’ve chosen to end the life of a real live human being. Sadly, two of every five women will have had an abortion in their lifetime. [Describe partial birth abortion procedure here]. Planned Parenthood took in nearly $1 billion in 2005-6, and over $300 million was from your tax dollars. More than 75% of their abortion clinics are in minority neighborhoods. Can God stay the hand of judgment upon this nation much longer while we stand by and allow this slaughter of innocent babies day after day after day, and in many cases, do absolutely nothing.

In light of this, one candidate has stated clearly that he is a pro-life candidate. That he will replace any retiring or dying Supreme Court judge with one that is in favor of protecting the unborn, and has a vice-presidential candidate who when informed she was pregnant with a child who would be born with downs syndrome, refused abortion as an option.

The other candidate, while speaking at a rally for the largest abortion provider in the world’s history, Planned Parenthood, stated that his very first act in office would be to overturn all federal constraints to partial birth abortion. This candidate also said that if his teenage daughter were to get pregnant before marriage, he would encourage her to have an abortion so that she wouldn’t have to be punished by “having a baby.”

In addition, God has declared that those who bless Israel shall be blessed, and those who curse Israel, shall be cursed. To this date, Israel has never had as good a friend as the United States of America. In fact, I believe it’s because of this friendship that God has been so patient with us regarding the judgment due for our nation’s abortions. So, for our nation to remain a blessed nation, we must absolutely not waiver in our support of Israel in the face of Middle East opposition. To withdraw our support, to encourage Israel to carve up its land and give it anyone else, to hesitate in our defense of Israel if she were attacked…would be to our own detriment, as a nation.

In the light of this…one candidate has declared unwaivering support towards Israel. Listen to this quote…?The next U.S. president must continue America?s long-standing support for Israel,? he writes, ?including by providing needed military equipment and technology and ensuring that Israel maintains its qualitative military edge.? As he told Rolling Stone in 2001, rather than searching for a way for Palestinians and Israelis to live peacefully together, ?we may have to find a way for them to live apart, in peace.?

While the other candidate has all of his life had his worldview shaped by anti-Semites of all kinds. From 1981-83, this candidate studied at Columbia University under the tutelage of Edward Said, an admitted Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) ally and anti-Semite.

You may remember, the 1972 Olympics in Munich, when terrorists entered the Olympic Village and killed several Israeli athletes simply because they were Jewish. Rashid Khalidi has recently declared praise for the murderous efforts of one of the killers of the Jewish athletes at the Munich Olympics. In addition, Khalidi, a one-time spokesman for the PLO, a recognized violent anti-Israel terror group, is good friends with this candidate.

2 Cor 10:1-7 1 Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ ? I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent! 2 I ask that when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, 6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. 7 You are looking at things as they are outwardly. NASU

1. Created to Rule

Gen 1:26-28 26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule… 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule… NASU

“subdue it (the earth); and rule” = a commandment by God to put all of creation under subjection, under our dominion…

At some point in creation, before man was created…Lucifer was created by God. Lucifer was an angel that led the other angels in worship of God. He was so enamored with his own beauty that his pride led him to rebel against God and seek that worship would be directed at him. A third of the angels followed in the rebellion, and God changed Lucifer’s name to Satan and cast him and his followers out of heaven and down to earth…where man dwells. Because man is created in the image of God and was created to rule…the very thing that Satan wanted, Satan hated man and has always hated man. In efforts to get back at God, he tempted Adam and Eve in the garden, and through the sin of Adam and Eve, Satan stripped the authority away from man. Jesus Christ came at just the right time, and through the Cross and the resurrection, defeated death and the devil, and removed the authority from Satan and restored it to mankind. Yet, still Satan and his demons are on earth attempting to reak havoc on earth….so mankind…

2. There Remains Opposition to our Ruling from Satan

James 4:7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

NASU

…Apostle Paul said, 2 Cor 2:11,

“so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.” NASU

Eph 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. NASU

a. The Devil & his demonic hierarchy - Authority/Power

Eph 1:19-21 19 These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. NASU

3. Power to Enforce Satan’s Defeat is Available by Receiving

the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Acts 1:8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” NASU

Luke 24:49 “And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” NASU

Possible Closing Passage:

38 Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is a divine spirit?” 39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you are. 40 “You shall be over my house, and according to your command all my people shall do homage; only in the throne I will be greater than you.” 41 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put the gold necklace around his neck. 43 He had him ride in his second chariot; and they proclaimed before him, ” Bow the knee!” And he set him over all the land of Egypt. 44 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Though I am Pharaoh, yet without your permission no one shall raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” NASU

Sermon Notes
Message Title: Deacons: Two Mistakes Not to Make
Date Presented: 14 October 2007
Delivered By: Kevin Kidd
Audio:
Download: Notes

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I’d like you to turn to the first book of Athenians, if you would…

What? What do you mean you can’t find it? Why is that?

Because it doesn’t exist!?! Are you sure???

You’re absolutely right! It doesn’t exist.

And do you know why there isn’t a letter to the Athenian church? The reason there is no letter to the Athenian church is because there wasn’t an Athenian church for Apostle Paul to write a letter to.

Though Apostle Paul visited Athens, the greatest apostle of all time, in my opinion, wasn’t able to establish a church in Athens. Now, this begs a very, very, very important question. Why wasn’t he able to establish a church in Athens? And please, if you could turn the Calvinistic-auto-reply of, “Well, it just must not have been God’s will”…please turn that off, at least for today, and hopefully, for the rest of your life. The truth is, the responsibility for planting churches lay in the hands of the body of Christ. The reason is that the Lord has fulfilled His responsibility by already doing everything necessary for churches to be planted. Now, the responsibility is in the hands of those who call themselves followers of Jesus Christ, who have been given more-than-sufficient authority and have been empowered through the baptism in the Holy Spirit to dispel darkness everywhere it rears its ugly head.

The Biblical answer to the question of why Apostle Paul was unable to establish a church in Athens will change your life…absolutely changes your life! When we discover the answer, it will impact you in every area of your life. The answer to the question has the potential to touch every area of your life.

I’ve heard it said that fools don’t learn from their own mistakes…average folks learn from their own mistakes…and wise people learn from the mistakes of others. Well, today we’re going to be presented with an opportunity, because of Apostle Paul’s and Luke’s humility in recording mistakes that were made…this will present us an opportunity not to fall into the trap that Apostle Paul made in Athens.

Now, to answer the question, “Why wasn’t Apostle Paul able to establish a church in Athens?” we’ve got to do a little research in the Scriptures today.

Now, beginning at Acts 17:14 and then to the end of Chapter 17, the Bible recounts for us a pretty detailed report of Apostle Paul’s experience in Athens and the first verse of Chapter 18, tells us where Paul went immediately after his trip to Athens.

Acts 18:1 After these things he left Athens and went to Corinth. NASU

What I find very, very interesting is that following his time with the Corinthians, Apostle Paul wrote a letter to them to give the Corinthian church some guidance and encourage them in the faith, as well as confront them about some moral issues. In this letter to the Corinthians, Apostle Paul reminds the Corinthians, and informs us, the inner turmoil he was going through after attempting to walk out his faith in Athens, and attempting to plant a church there, and then coming to Corinth with this turmoil still on his heart. Let’s look at that…turn to 1 Cor 2:1

1 Cor 2:1-5 1 And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, 4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. NASU

Apostle Paul had just had a very, very bad experience…he’d just had a bad experience. Whatever experience Apostle Paul had in Athens caused him to come to Corinth “in weakness and in fear and in much trembling…” And the experience was so bad, so horrible, that the root cause for this bad experience…Apostle Paul is bound and determined never to let that happen again.

I know exactly what this is like…

Illustr: Not releasing singles ministry into the hands of other capable leaders…never do that again…

His bad experience in Athens was the direct result of 2 very significant, key mistakes…that are recorded for us to learn from, and not make the same mistake in our lives.

He went to Athens and he tried to establish a group of believers in Christ there, a foundation to build on…but in 2 very significant ways, Apostle Paul tried a completely different approach than he had ever done before.

Now, before Silas & Timothy arrived in Athens to partner with Apostle Paul, he looked around the city and observed that the city was full of idols and it provoked his spirit. What Paul did after that was the 2 significant mistakes that Paul made…

Mistake one…he worked alone…he didn’t wait for Silas & Timothy to come before moving out in ministry.

Acts 17:14-18 15 Now those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left. 16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols. 17 So he was (vs. they were) reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present. 18 And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him (vs. them).

I. Two or Three Are Better Than One

Paraphrase…God Doesn’t Bless Lone Rangers

Ecc 9:9-10,12 in The Message…says it this way…

9 “It’s better to have a partner than go it alone.

Share the work, share the wealth.

10 And if one falls down, the other helps,

But if there’s no one to help, tough!

12 By yourself you’re unprotected.

With a friend you can face the worst.”

Can you round up a third?

A three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped.”

Deut 19:15 You need two or three witnesses to make a case The Message

Matt 18:19-20 If two of you agree down here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 20 For where two or three gather together because they are mine, I am there among them.” NLT

Illustr: Going up tree alone, without a scouter or helper…breaking arm

Application: Are you living life as a solo act?

Are you going through life only seeking others to help you with the dreams and goals God has put in your heart, rather than looking for

opportunities to help others with the dreams and goals God has given them?

Mistake two…he tried reasoning with the Athenians, using persuasive words, superiority of speech and persuasive words of wisdom…his outreach became a “speech-driven” or “verbal” model to reach this community rather than establish a work through a demonstration of the Spirit and the miracle-working power of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 17:14-18 15 Now those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they left. 16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols. 17 So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present. 18 And also some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers were conversing with him.

For time’s sake, let me summarize verses verses 19-31…it is a detailed account of Apostle Paul attempting to use what he later described as…”superiority of speech” or “persuasive words of wisdom” in reaching out the Athenians, telling them about the resurrection of Jesus without a demonstration of the power to confirm the resurrection…

Let’s now pickup in verse 32…

Acts 17:32-34 32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, “We shall hear you again concerning this.” 33 So Paul went out of their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.

Acts 18:1 After these things he left Athens and went to Corinth. NASU

II. Expect the Holy Spirit to Confirm His Word through

Miracles, Signs, Wonders and Other Gifts

Don’t Ground Your Faith on Men’s Power of Persuasion, but in the Spirit’s Miraculous Power

What I find interesting in 1 Cor 2:1-5…is that Paul gives us a hint, he alludes to the problem, the root cause of his failure to establish a church in Athens. Look at verse 1, “I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom“…look at verse 4, “and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”

Somehow, much of today’s Church has evolved into a speech-driven Church…a Church of brief, energetic moral speeches called “sermons & teachings,” as well as, written speeches called “books” rather than the Church that Jesus died, rose from the dead, and was exalted to the Father’s right hand for her to become. He rose from the dead for a Church that lives and demonstrates the gospel of Jesus Christ which is a gospel of Holy Spirit power…the miraculous resurrection power of the Holy Spirit that we, His children, are baptized in…

St. Francis of Assisi said it this way…”preach the gospel at all times and when necessary, use words”

Heb 2:1-4 1 For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, 3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. NASU

If someone can be persuaded with words only to believe the gospel, the danger is that they can be persuaded with only words to doubt or not to believe the gospel…listen again to Paul’s words just after he left Athens and arrived in Corinth…

1 Cor 2:1-5 1 And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, 4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power (dunamis- dynamite) of God. NASU

John 14:12 “…he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.” NASU

This Holy Spirit power is available for all of us who believe and have been baptized in this Holy Spirit power, to move in…for all of us…Eph 4:11-12 mandates that I equip you all to minister with God’s power…

Mark 16:17-18 17 “These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 19 So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed. NASU

Application: Have you embraced a vision or a concept of the Church or even a

personal Christianity that is largely or primarily a speech-driven

Church or personal life experience?

Have you found yourself shrinking back from opportunities for the

Holy Spirit to demonstrate His miraculous power through your anointed hands?

When unbelievers cross your path with physical complications,

sicknesses, diseases, etc…do you see yourself drifting towards a verbal gospel only rather than stepping out in faith in the Holy Spirit to demonstrate the gospel of power?

Do you hear the voice of the Holy Spirit today, calling you to step out into His Promised Land of the miraculous and to actively demonstrate a trust, a belief, a faith in the Holy Spirit for the miraculous as you lay faith-filled hands on the sick?

Apostle Paul’s letter to the Corinthians reveals to us that Paul learned to return to the roots the Church has in Holy Spirit power not only in Corinth but in later missionary travels…let’s close by turning to Acts 4…Peter and John stepped out into the miraculous and saw a man lame from birth healed…speech-driven, religious people had a problem with Peter and John preaching and expecting the miraculous…so they detained them and attempted to intimidate them by incarcerating them and demanding they stop preaching this miraculous gospel…don’t you know that Satan has a problem with people believing for the miraculous? Let’s pick up in the account where Peter and John are released…

Acts 4:23-31 23 When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who

MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA,

AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM,

25 who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said,

‘WHY DID THE GENTILES RAGE,

AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS?

26 ‘THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND,

AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER

AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST.’

27 “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. 29 “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, 30 while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness. NASU

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John 15:26-16:1

26 “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, 27 and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning. NASU

Acts 14:3-4 3 Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands. NASU

1 Cor 2:3-5 4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. NASU

For now, we have wrapped up our study on what the Bible has to say about Eldership and today, we are going to be laying a foundation to begin a study on Deacons. The Greek word that we translate into the English word deacon, is diakonos, and that word literally means servant. So a deacon is an office in the body of Christ that exists for the purpose of serving. So to better understand the role of deacon, as a servant, let’s set our hearts on pursuing the best example of a servant, and that is Jesus Christ. So, today we’ll be discovering some exciting stuff about Jesus, the Servant…let’s turn to Acts 3, verse 1…

Now this is a passage of a lame man, who was born that way, that was begging for financial assistance at the temple. On a day that he will remember forever, and the encounter has been recorded for all mankind to remember, 2 Spirit-filled, born again believers crossed his path with no money in their pockets…let’s read what happened…

Acts 3:1-18 1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. 2 And a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms. 4 But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, “Look at us!” 5 And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene - walk!” 7 And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. 8 With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God; 10 and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11 While he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at the so-called portico of Solomon, full of amazement. 12 But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk? 13 “The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. 14 “But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer (Barabbas) to be granted to you, 15 but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses. 16 “And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all. 17 “And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. 18 “But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. NASU

I’d like you to notice a phrase in verse 13 that is the center or the core of this passage, the very foundation of these 18 verses that we are going to be looking at today. Let’s hone in on the phrase, “His servant Jesus.” With the help of the Holy Spirit, as we understand the Father’s intent of these three words in this passage, it will open up the rest of this passage. You see, God could’ve described Jesus in this passage we just read as “the Teacher Jesus” or “the Leader Jesus” or “the Holy One, Jesus” or a whole host of other valid names, but for a very specific reason, the the Holy Spirit uses the term “His servant Jesus” specifically in this passage about a man healed from a physical ailment he had from birth. God is wanting us to fix our eyes on Jesus, and especially Jesus being a servant to Him, in this passage.

This concept of Jesus Christ being the servant of God, or God’s Servant. What is that all about? How is it that Jesus successfully filled His role as the “servant of God”? Why is Peter describing Jesus as a Servant? You know, it was just as degrading in the eyes of the world to be seen as a servant back in Biblical times as it is today…so this is a pretty tall order for God to humble Himself and be a servant, right? It’s completely contrary to our culture and the culture of the Jews 2,000 years ago. And because it is contrary, because Jesus wants His disciples to know the difference between the world’s ways and His ways…Jesus makes a point to tell His disciples…

Matt 20:26-28 26 whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” NASU

You know, you’ve got a calling on your life to be great! Do you know that? Absolutely, every one of you have a calling to be great, but listen to this…

I. To Fulfill Your Calling to Greatness, Requires You to Become a Servant A Man With a Servant’s Heart

A large group of European pastors came to one of D. L. Moody’s Northfield Bible Conferences in Massachusetts in the late 1800s. Following the European custom of the time, each guest put his shoes outside his room to be cleaned by the hall servants overnight. But of course this was America and there were no hall servants.

Walking the dormitory halls that night, Moody saw the shoes and determined not to embarrass his brothers. He mentioned the need to some ministerial students who were there, but met with only silence or pious excuses. Moody returned to the dorm, gathered up the shoes, and, alone in his room, the world’s only famous evangelist began to clean and polish the shoes. Only the unexpected arrival of a friend in the midst of the work revealed the secret.

When the foreign visitors opened their doors the next morning, their shoes were shined. They never know by whom. Moody told no one, but his friend told a few people, and during the rest of the conference, different men volunteered to shine the shoes in secret. Perhaps the episode is a vital insight into why God used D. L. Moody as He did. He was a man with a servant’s heart and that was the basis of his true greatness.

Gary Inrig, A Call to Excellence, (Victor Books, a division of SP Publ., Wheaton, Ill; 1985), p. 98

Have you noticed, this Biblical model of pursuing greatness through servanthood is completely at odds to the world’s view of greatness and success? Their view of greatness and success would be written this way…

“Whoever wishes to become great among you

must rule over the greatest number of servants.”

It was that way in the world then, and it is that way in the world, today, because of the influence of the ruler of this world, Satan.

II. Jesus is More than Just Teaching Theory, He Leads, as God’s Servant, By Example

Well, if we’re going to get a thorough grasp of Jesus as God’s Servant, I believe there is no better place to look than in the book of Isaiah, and we are going to go there next, so if you’d like to turn there to Isaiah chapter 52, verse 13…go ahead and start making progress in turning to there.

Now, there are 4 passages in the book of Isaiah that contain these prophetic references, references to a future “God’s Servant”, but due to time constraints we aren’t going to be able to read and study all 4 of these “God’s Servant” passages, today. I WILL list the 4 passages for you, so you can write them down and you can take some time to look them all up later. These 4 passages referring to Jesus, God’s Servant, are found in Isa chapters 42:1-7, 49:1-6, 50:1-10 and 52:13 through Isaiah 53:

Today, let’s turn to Isa 52:13 and pick up from there and read through Isa chapter 53:3, and learn together, with the help of the Holy Spirit, what the Bible says about God’s Suffering Servant, Jesus Christ:

Isa 52

13 Behold, My servant will prosper,

He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.

Notice, it says here, in this reference to Jesus…”Behold, My servant will prosper….” Before we read any further in Isaiah, let’s read what happened historically that established the need for what we’ll read in Isa 53…

So, hold your finger on Isa 52, verse 14…let’s turn to Gen 3:14-15…this is essential here…

This account in Genesis is where Adam & Eve have sinned as the result of giving in to the wicked, deceitful, murderous Devil. Satan tempts Eve to eat from the forbidden fruit, Eve does it, she then invites Adam to do the same and he follows along, though God had clearly established that eating the fruit would bring horrible consequences. And so, God, responded in righteous anger towards Satan for bringing his nature into the world…bringing death, sickness, disease, physical disabilities, physical weaknesses, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, deformities, down’s syndrome, autism…you name it…Satan brought this into the world through the open door provided by Adam & Eve…..and, immediately after the sin of Adam and Eve, which opened the door to our world for Satan to release all his evil, God establishes the consequences for Satan for his part in bringing evil to the world….God establishes the ground rules which include His plan to bring an end to
Satan’s rulership in the world…so God speaks the following statement to Satan…

Gen 3:14-15

14 The LORD God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,

Cursed are you more than all cattle,

And more than every beast of the field;

On your belly you will go,

And dust you will eat

All the days of your life;

15 And I will put enmity (hostility)

Between you and the woman,

And between your seed and her seed;

He (Jesus) shall bruise you on the head, (death blow)
And you shall bruise him on the heel.” NASU

III. The Promise of the Suffering Servant of God

Here, in this passage, immediately after the crisis created by Adam & Eve’s invitation for Satan to bring sickness and disease and physical weaknesses, and ailments of all varieties into the world, roughly at least 3,000 years before Christ is born, the perfect God establishes His perfect plan to deal a perfect death blow to Satan, and the plan by necessity, includes someone from the lineage, or the seed, of Eve, receiving a painful blow, a bruising, from Satan. Here we have a prophetic declaration directly from the mouth of God to the ears of the enemy, to Satan himself, that Satan will bruise this human being from the lineage of Eve, the seed of Eve, on the heel, we know Him to be Jesus Christ, in other words, Satan will bring a harmful, painful, bruising blow to Jesus, but it will not be a victorious blow because a blow to the heel is not the final blow in a
battle. Soldiers who are shot in the foot, keep shooting back. They’re not done fighting!

The good news for us being God promises that Jesus will deliver the victorious, fatal, final blow to Satan’s head and destroy the evil works of the Devil, destroy sickness and disease and physical ailments of all kinds. So what will this harmful blow from Satan to Jesus look like? And how will Jesus deliver His fatal blow? And what will He accomplish with His blow?

Well, now, let’s flip back to Isaiah chapter 52, verse 14, to discover that…

Isa 52:14

14 Just as many were astonished at you, My people

So His appearance was marred more than any man

And His form more than the sons of men.

15 Thus He will sprinkle many nations, (a reference to the shedding of His blood)

Kings will shut their mouths on account of Him;

For what had not been told them they will see,

And what they had not heard they will understand. NASU

Isa 53:1-4

1 Who has believed our message?

And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 For He (Jesus) grew up before Him (the Father) like a tender shoot,

And like a root out of parched ground;

He has no stately form or majesty

That we should look upon Him,

Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.

3 He was despised and forsaken of men,

A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;

And like one from whom men hide their face

He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

4 Surely our griefs (sickness) He Himself bore,

And our sorrows (pains) He carried;

IV. As God’s Servant, Jesus Served God & You by Receiving Your Sickness, Your Disease, & Your Physical Weaknesses

Testimonies of Alton & Harry…

“Surely our griefs…” The Hebrew word for griefs here is choliy (kolee). 24 times the Hebrew word, choliy (kolee), is found in the Old Testament. 24 times. And of those 24 times, the word is accurately translated to our English word, sickness, 22 times. There are only 2 times when the word is inaccurately translated “griefs”. And that is in verse 4 here and verse 3. Now, that’s quite a bold statement to make that there might be a translation problem here. So, how do we know that the word “sickness” should be written here rather than “griefs”?

Well, because I believe if there are any questions about something in the Bible…the Bible is the best interpreter of the Bible…so, if this passage “Surely our _____ He Himself bore, and our _______ He carried” we could discover what this passage really should say. Fortunately, it exists someplace else in the Bible, let’s find this same passage quoted in Matt 8:17….turn to Matt 8:17…and actually to get the context of Matt 8:17, let’s read a couple of verses before that…let’s pick up with Matt 8:14…

Matt 8:14-17 14 When Jesus came into Peter’s home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and waited on Him. 16 When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES (physically weak) AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES.” NASU

Now, let us go back to the passage that we originally started with…

Acts 3:1-19 1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. 2 And a man who had been lame (physically weak) from his mother’s womb (a condition from birth, that he had grown accustomed to living with) was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms. 4 But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, “Look at us!” 5 And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive

How is it that you “receive” forgiveness? Well, the work has been accomplished on the Cross by Jesus already….He said, “It is finished!” But for you to receive it…you must absolutely receive it by faith. If you don’t expect to receive forgiveness, you won’t be forgiven. It is the faith of expecting God to be true to His word…to do what He said He would do…

he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you:…

What does Peter have that he can give away? Faith? Yes, Peter has faith, but he can’t give his faith to someone else. You can’t give faith away. Faith comes from hearing the word of God. So, what could Peter give away? Well, Peter and all those baptized in the Holy Spirit have Holy Spirit power…

Remember the woman with the issue of blood for 12 years? She reached up to touch Jesus, who like some of you, had been baptized in the Holy Spirit, and she received her healing, and the Bible says, “Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth…” What did Jesus have that He could give away? Holy Spirit power!

The Bible says in Acts 1:8, “…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you…” Jesus promised as recorded by Luke in chapter Luke 24, verse 49, “I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Acts 3:6 …but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene - walk!” 7 And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. 8 With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God; 10 and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11 While he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at the so-called portico of Solomon, full of amazement. 12 But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk? 13 “The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. 14 “But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer (Barabbas) to be granted to you, 15 but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses. 16 “And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all. 17 “And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. 18 “But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. NASU

If you were here a few months ago, you may remember me saying that when you are born again, the Holy Spirit comes in you. But when you are baptized in the Holy Spirit, a separate experience entirely, He comes upon you. And you may remember me saying that the Holy Spirit is in me, for me, but He is upon me for you. The same is true for you. For those that are born again, the Holy Spirit is in you for you. But if you’d like Him to be upon you for others, you need to be clothed with the Holy Spirit, you need Him upon you so that you can bless others in supernatural ways.

A teenager came home after driving his dad’s new car for the very first time.

He enters the front door of the house and makes his way downstairs to the den finding his dad relaxing in the recliner. “I’ve got some good news and some bad news,” he announced to his dad. “Which one do you wanna hear first?”

“Hey, let’s start off with the good news,” his father replied.

“Well, the good news is…the air bag works.”

I, guess, sometimes, good news isn’t really good news. But one thing’s for sure. When it comes to the Good News in the Word of God…Good news is REALLY GOOD NEWS!!! Right?

Let us pray:

Let’s turn to Acts chapter 6, verse 1…we’re continuing our series on elders and eldership, and as you turn to Acts chapter 6, let me give a bit of historical and cultural background to the scenario we’ll be reading and how it affected the lives of different groups of people…

Cultural Impact on the Apostle/Elder

The Old Testament passages had been written down and were known to the Jews who went to synagogue to hear them read, but as of this point in history, in Acts 6, no New Testament passages had been written down yet. There was no Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Acts was being lived out. There was no Romans, 1 & 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians. There was no 1 & 2nd Thessalonians, 1 & 2nd Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 & 2nd Peter, 1 & 2nd & 3rd John, Jude or Revelation.

Thus, a church was birthed in Acts chapter 2 and was in need of the milk of teaching and exhortation…a church that was growing, and these believers were continually devoting themselves to the apostles/elders teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. Now, just imagine the difficulty of not having the New Testament Scriptures that we have today, and the apostle/elders are limited to having only the Old Testament passages to use in explaining who Jesus was and is, and teaching about the Kingdom of God.

The apostle/elders devoted themselves to seeking the Holy Spirit and hearing from God, out of great responsibility and necessity because there were thousands of new believers that needed to understand their faith and walk in their newfound faith, and have their faith grounded in the Scriptures. Imagine the tremendous responsibility upon the shoulders of these apostle/elders to equip these brand new saints in the faith…not only are they facing this tremendous responsibility of watching over the souls of their sheep, but they also are suffering from the persecution that had come to them from the Pharisees, scribes and Sadducees for following Christ. Not only are they watching over their sheep, and being persecuted for doing so, but these apostle/elders are moving in unchartered waters. Before Jesus ascended to heaven, for 3 years, the apostles could simply follow this Jesus, Spirit-led, Messiah
guy, who had skin on. But now, they were being led by the Holy Spirit themselves….no one with skin on to lead the way. Just the Old Testament scriptures and a soft gentle whisper in their hearts providing the direction they needed to offer this growing congregation…

Okay, now, let’s look at another aspect of the historical situation…

Jewish Culture

Long before the accounts recorded in this passage we’ll be reading there was an animosity that had developed between Hellenistic Jews and native Jews. Most native Jews felt that learning and utilizing the Greek language was a compromise of their religious tradition. They didn’t appreciate Jews listening to the Hebrew Scriptures that had been translated into Greek. And so out of this belief flowed a judgment in their hearts towards the Jews who learned and spoke Greek, and adopted some of their customs and cultures, as well. These Jews that learned the Greek language and culture were called Hellenistic Jews. Well, because of the judgment that the native Jews had towards the Hellenistic Jews, some of the Hellenistic Jews became spiteful towards the native Jews. So there were these 2 groups of Jews that were very, very
hostile to one another.

Acts 6:1-7 1 Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. 2 So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. 3 “Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. 4 “But we will devote
ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 The statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch. 6 And these they brought before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them. 7 The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith. NASU

I. Disorder, in any Community, is a Recipe for People Getting Hurt

Acts 6:1-2 1 Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food.

What do I mean when I say “disorder in any community“? Disorder at the workplace. Disorder at the school. Disorder at the church. Disorder in the family. Wives wearing the pants in the family. Husbands not taking up the role of leadership in the home. Students assuming authority in the classroom. Teachers not establishing order in the class. Employees trying to be the supervisor or the manager. Managers and supervisors not providing strong leadership in the workplace. And here, a large congregation of believers and no one has been specifically identified to have the responsibility to serve food to needy widows.

*Disorder here = Lack of well-defined, clearcut “Ministry Responsibilities”

Now, simply because there were no defined roles or offices within this growing group of new believers, the Hellenistic widows were being wounded in their hearts by being overlooked by the body of Christ. Since no one really understood who’s responsibility it should be to take care of these widows, it opened the door for the enemy to come in and create division in the body of Christ. No one really knew what their responsibility was or what was expected of them and so vital, life-affecting tasks were being left undone.

The apostle/elders were not only seeking the Lord in prayer and ministering the word, they were getting overwhelmed to the point that people needing food weren’t receiving the food they needed. Most of the apostles had families of their own to minister to as well and there were some able bodied, mature believers that had not been identified & recruited yet to minister to the body of Christ in a very practical and much needed way.

As a result, the widows who were Hellenistic Jews, who needed food to survive, were not receiving the food they needed. And now some leaders among the Hellenistic Jews complained to the apostles about their widows being neglected. As a group grows numerically it becomes more and more important for each group member to know without a shadow of a doubt what they are responsible for. The Bible is the best source for discovering that…listen to some of the horrible consequences resulting from people not fulfilling their responsibilities.

Bystander Effect

On March 13, 1964, a New York street, Kitty Genovese, a young woman from Queens was slowly and brutally stabbed to death. Her assailant chased her and attacked her three times on Austin Street in Kew Gardens. At least thirty-eight of her neighbors witnessed the attack and heard her screams. In the course of the 90-minute episode, her attacker was actually frightened away, then he returned to finish her off. Yet not once during that period did any neighbor assist her, or even telephone the police.

The implications of this tragic event shocked America, and it stimulated two young psychologists, Darly and Latane, to study the conditions under which people are or are not willing to help others in a crisis. In essence, they concluded that responsibility is diffused, or spread thinly.

The more people present in a crisis situation, the less likely it is that any one of them will offer help. This is popularly called the “bystander effect.”(In the actual experiment, when one bystander was present, 85 percent offered help. When two were present, 62 percent offered help. When five were present, then it decreased to 31 percent.)

A Rape Witnessed, A Rape Ignored

article in the Pioneer Press, a Twin Cities newspaper, on Thursday, August 23rd

As many as 10 people witnessed a man raping and beating a woman early Tuesday (Aug 23rd) in the hallway of a St. Paul, MN apartment building, police said Wednesday.

No one stopped it.

At one point, the 26-year-old victim knocked on a door, yelling for the occupants to call police. A man inside told police he didn’t open the door or look out, though he said he called police. Police found no record of the call, according to an affidavit for a search warrant filed in Ramsey County District Court.

St. Paul police arrested Rage Ibrahim, 25, on suspicion of criminal sexual conduct Tuesday. He hasn’t been charged.

“It was horrifying. I can’t describe how it sent chills up my back, watching this woman getting assaulted and people turning their backs and doing nothing,” said St. Paul police Cmdr. Shari Gray, who oversees the department’s sex crimes unit.

She saw surveillance video that recorded the attack in the Highwood neighborhood.

As the woman screamed, five to 10 people - men and women - peeked out their apartment doors to see what was happening or started walking down the hallway and retreated after witnessing the assault, Gray said.

When someone did call police to 371 S. Winthrop Ave., the caller reported drunken people in a hallway, not a violent assault, so the 911 dispatcher classified it as a “disturbance,” Gray said.

The first 911 call came at 2:43 a.m. Tuesday, and police arrived at 3:25 a.m., she said.

“That was a significant time lapse, but it would have been cut down significantly” had the caller described the attack differently, Gray said.

Crime Goes Up When Our Sense of Community Goes Down

article in the Niagara Falls Review Monday, August 13th

Albertans were shocked last weekend to see news stories about a woman who was murdered in downtown Calgary after her cries for help were ignored.

Tara Ann Langraf, 37, was sexually assaulted and walked through a park, leaving a trail of blood behind her before she fell and died on an inner-city street. Her battered, partially clothed body was found early Sunday morning.

A Calgary homicide detective said her pleas for help were ignored. Early police reports said at least three people had heard but not acted upon Langrafs calls for assistance.

II. Apostles/Elders are Called to: Recognize an Opportunity, Receive Godly Wisdom for the Congregation, & Provide Clear Direction for the Congregation

Acts 6:2-3 2 So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. 3 “Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom…

Some might look at these wounded, overlooked Hellenistic widows and see a problem. To be honest with you, I don’t see a problem here. Because I truly believe…people of faith don’t see problems, they see opportunities. This situation that existed with the unfed widows was an opportunity for God to reveal Himself through His body as caring, an opportunity for God to reveal His wisdom through the leadership, an opportunity for God to reveal the order He desires in His church…opportunity, opportunity, opportunity!

Here’s something that should intrigue you. Do a word study on the word, “problem”. You know what? I challenge you to look in the Bible and look for the word, “problem”…you won’t find it in the New Testament, and it exists only twice in the Old Testament in one book, in the same paragraph, where Daniel is described twice as one able to solve difficult problems.

Listen to this lesson…you should know this…that the world has problems, but the world’s problems are the Church’s opportunity to bring Christ to their world!

Notice how the twelve apostle/elders recognized an opportunity for members of the congregation to utilize their spiritual gift, to activate them and release them to minister to the vital needs of the desperate Hellenistic Jewish widows in their church family. Being a people that prayed continually, these apostle/elders received wisdom from God and then they gave clear direction to this group of Jesus followers, so that they knew what actions and tasks needed to be accomplished for the needs of the congregation to be met.

Notice how this clear direction included providing a list of qualifications for the folks in the congregation to look for when identifying those that would be presented to the elders as prospective ministers to the needs of the widows, they then encouraged the congregation to choose a specific number of people that met the qualifications to accomplish the mission of feeding the widows. The apostle/elders effectively taught the congregation how to mine for gold among themselves. What do I mean mine for gold….listen to this…

Andrew Carnegie

At one time Andrew Carnegie was the wealthiest man in America. He came to America from his native Scotland when he was a small boy, did a variety of odd jobs, and eventually ended up as the largest steel manufacturer in the United States. Later in his life he gave away most of his riches to fund libraries, schools and universities in the U.S., Scotland and in other nations around the world. At one time he had forty-three millionaires working for him. In those days a millionaire was a rare person; conservatively speaking, a million dollars in his day would be equivalent to at least twenty million dollars today.

One day, a reporter asked Mr. Carnegie how he had pulled off the hiring of forty-three millionaires. Carnegie responded to the reporter that those men had not been millionaires when they started working for him but had become millionaires, as a result.

The reporter’s next question was, “How did you develop these men to become so valuable to you that you have paid them this much money?” Carnegie replied that men are developed the same way gold is mined. When gold is mined, several tons of dirt must be moved to get an ounce of gold; but one doesn’t go into the mine looking for dirt””one goes in looking for the gold.

No wonder on the epitaph on Carnegie’s tomb read: “Here lies a man who knew how to enlist in his service better men than himself.”

III.Godly Direction for a Congregation is Given to the Elders which is why they are Called to Devote Themselves to Seeking God for it in Prayer

Acts 6:4 “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

The 12 apostle/elders recognized that they were called to devote their lives to hearing the voice of God in prayer, so that they could minister the Word of God to the congregation. This was their responsibility and their responsibility alone, before God, to serve and minister to the congregation in that way. These elders were ordained by God to provide Godly teaching and exhortation, and to communicate the direction of the Lord for the congregation as a whole, as well as, to equip these saints in the Word in such a way as to enable them to minister.

If these elders neglected their time in hearing God’s voice in prayer and ministering the word of God to the congregation, each person in the congregation would suffer. Or, if the congregation didn’t allow the apostle/elders to lead them, it would be like the congregation not having the very tool to provide congregational direction that God put in their hands for just that specific purpose….kinda like…

Old Sailor

An old sailor who repeatedly got lost at sea, so his friends gave him a compass and urged him to use it. The next time he went out in his boat, he followed their advice and took the compass with him. But as usual he became hopelessly confused and was unable to find land. Finally he was rescued by his friends.

Disgusted and impatient with him, they asked, “Why didn’t you use that compass we gave you? You could have saved us a lot of trouble!” The sailor responded, “I didn’t dare to! I wanted to go north, but as hard as I tried to make the needle aim in that direction, it just kept on pointing southeast.”

That old sailor was so certain he knew which way was north that he stubbornly tired to force his own personal persuasion on his compass. Unable to do so, he tossed it aside as worthless and failed to benefit from the guidance it offered.

What’s so important about these apostle/elders devoting themselves to seeking a word from the Holy Spirit? Because the Bible says in Romans 10:17, that faith comes from hearing the Word of God. So without the Word being preached, the people’s faith would take such a severe hit that they would be overcome with doubt, unbelief, and doublemindedness. And that would result in their families breaking down, their livelihoods suffering, their personal health suffering and their social communities dividing and breaking up. Not only that, but the congregation as a unit, would head in the wrong direction and suffer from that, as well.

The same is true today. If the elders of this church, your elders, do not devote themselves to hearing the voice of God and ministering congregational direction, teaching and exhortation of the Word, your lives will suffer for it. And likewise, if you do not allow elders to provide congregational direction and teaching and exhortation for your life, your lives will be the worst for it.

The body of Christ is desperately in need for elders who are absolutely devoted to hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit and providing the leadership required to equip our congregations to impact our communities with the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is a tremendous vacuum of leadership throughout the world….what an opportunity lies before you, to step into this leadership vacuum! Listen to this editorial written about the leadership vacuum in South Africa, in the South African newspaper, The Mercury…

What we need are people who are not afraid to lead. We need…more people…who are prepared to lead by example, to see what is actually happening on the ground, to follow their convictions and show us the way forward. We need leaders who will inspire us to believe when all are faltering around us. To give us hope and to keep us motivated in the pursuit of a better life for all.