LBC Sermons & Messages

John 4:1-29

Today we wrap up our study of the Church. We look at a familiar passage in John chapter 4. First, I want you to notice that Jesus was in Jerusalem and was going north to Galilee. The Jews would normally journey across the Jordan River, then north, then back across the river to avoid travel through Samaria. The Jews and Samaritans were like oil and water. However, Jesus did not do this. He told his disciples that He must go through Samaria. Our responsibility to the world involves reaching all people, no matter what their ethnicity, social standing, location, etc. We are to give the gospel
message to all.

Second, we see the woman came to get water at noon. Normally, they would get water in the early morning to use it for the rest of the day. It is highly likely that this woman was a social outcast. Upon their meeting, Christ began to give her the gospel through use of the law. He met her where she was. He did not invite her to church. He did not set all these rules in front of her to clean her up. He realizes that this is the Holy Spirit’s job after salvation begins. Not only did Christ go out of His way to reach all people, He also met people where they were.

Lastly, Christ spoke plainly to her with compassion. In verse 25 she says to Christ that she knows that the Messiah is coming and when He does, she would know because He would reveal all things. Remember, Christ just got done telling her about the ever quenching water which He offered. Then he told her about her immoral living arrangements she had and about her past husbands. The truth is that she did not see and yet Christ compassionately told her that the one to who she talked to was indeed the Messiah. Instead of making her feel ignorant or beating her up, Christ simply reached out to her even in her ignorance. People are blind and we are the vehicle in which God chooses to reach them. We are the last line of defense between them and the eternal judgment of a just and holy God. Will you defend to the last or let the devil flank them?

Luke 6:14-16

Let’s discuss the last four of the twelve disciples. This should not take long because very little is known about these men. First up is James the less. The title “the less” comes from the Greek word micros. This might be in reference to his stature, his age, his influence, or all the above.

In Mark 2:14 we see that Levi, or Matthew was the son of Alpheus. In the Luke account we see that James the less is also son of Alpheus. This was not a very common name: therefore, it is probable that the two were brothers. Christ liked to work with brothers as he did with James and John and Peter and Andrew and Judas and James. Also, if you compare Mark 15:40 and John 19:25 we see that James the less might also be the cousin of Christ.

Simon the Zealot is next. Zealots were one of four political parties and were very fiery and temperamental in character. I think it is safe to assume the same about Simon. His name is only mentioned in the lists of the twelve and that is all we know.

Continuing on is Judas, the disciple with three names. One was
Trinimious, another is Lebbaeus which means heart child, and the last one is Thaddaeus which means nursing baby. If you put them all together we can see that Judas was a sensitive person with a compassionate heart and apparently taking things personally. In John 14:21, 22 we see he is worried that Christ will only manifest himself to the disciples and not to the world.

Lastly, we see Judas the traitor. Judas is different from the other eleven. His name means Jehovah leads, but through his life we see another story. From Judas we see the evil potential that lay inside all of mankind. We see the possibility of walking with Christ intimately and yet not truly knowing Him. We also see that no matter how evil man can be, God’s plan can never be thwarted. God made you the way He wanted too and longs to empower you if you let Him.

II Timothy 1:7-9

One of the most used excuses for not witnessing is that Christians do not want to be offensive and turn people off to the gospel. The problem with this is that according to the scripture, people without Christ are living in sin against God. We are called to give them the gospel, the truth which brings conviction through the Holy Spirit. This will be offensive. However, we are to spread the gospel and then let the Holy Spirit do the convicting.

God calls us to take up our cross daily. The most common command in the Bible is be not afraid. God is telling us that affliction and suffering will be a part of a witness’ life. II Timothy 1:8 tells us to not be ashamed of the gospel. This world does not want it but they so badly need it. Their eternal lives depend on it. So Timothy goes on to tell us to be partakers of the afflictions because it is a small price to pay to reach people.

I Corinthians 3:6-9 says that some plant, some water, some reap, and it is God that gives the increase. It is not our job to save people but to tell them the truth of the gospel and allow God to draw them. We are simply tools to be used by God. Also, the more we witness, the more we will see lives changed. Usually people who use this excuse do not consistently witness. Keep serving our King no matter what the outcome.

God has also promised to give us the words to speak. Remember, we are not giving out some jewel of truth that we came up with but we are giving out the precious word of God. He even has it all written out so we would not be confused on what to say. He also tells us in Isaiah that His word will not return void. Again, keep serving our King.

In Acts 1:8, God also promises strength. It is not by our power, but by His. God is omnipotent so He has plenty of power to give. So, keep serving our King.

I John 4:6-9

The church has two main functions and we have talked about one so far; edification. It is our responsibility to edify one another in the Word and often. The church biblically was a place where believers came together to get restored and recharged through corporate worship and time in the scripture. Many churches, however, have moved away from this and toward seeker sensitive services which are not what the church is about. By doing this, they neglect the responsibility to the body of the church.

However, we do have another responsibility as church. Over 2.5 million people died in America last year and 53.4 million died worldwide. That is an average of 2 per second. People are dying all around and many without Christ. The second responsibility of the church is to take the truth of the scriptures to this world. Isaiah 49:6; 53:5, 6; and II Peter 3:9 show us that the heart of God is to reach the world with the gospel. The vehicle in which He chooses to use to accomplish this is the church.

Our mission is clearly stated in at least five different passages: Matthew 28:19, 20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:44-48; John 20:19; and Acts 1:6-8. These passages give us Christ’s last words to His followers and to the church. He sums up what His life and ministry was all about and that was the salvation of the world.

God loves the world, John 3:16, and is not willing that any should perish, II Peter 3:9. His plan is that we, the church, take the gospel to the world starting at home and going to the uttermost part of the world. The church is at the heart of God’s plan

The heart takes nutrients to the rest of the body. If the heart would keep all the blood to itself, the body would die. The blood must go throughout the body continually getting nutrients and taking to where it is needed. We must come church to get nutrients and then take the truth to this world. Will you take the truth to world and give the precious gospel out or hold it to yourself?

John 1:45-49; Matthew 9:9; John 11:16

Nathanael’s Hebrew name in Bartholomew and it means “God has given.” He was a close friend of Philip and we see him in two passages: John 1:45-49 and John 21:2. In John 1 we learn that he, like the others, loved and studied the scriptures. He was eager to follow because of the prophecy he knew.

Christ says that Nathanael was without guile. In other words, he was honest and pursued truth. We have an obligation to pursue truth. Sometimes this costs and causes us to do hard things but we must be relentless. I hope one day Christ can say the same of me.

Matthew, or Levi in Hebrew, is only mentioned three times in the scripture. He is mentioned once where he records his call, in the lists of the twelve, and in Luke 5:28-32. We know he was a publican or tax collector and that he kept to himself. Tax collectors were hated by the Jews because of the extortion and lies that they used to gain wealth. He was an outcast by his own people.

When Christ calls Matthew, he immediately follows and then throws a dinner and invites Christ and his publican buddies. Matthew eagerly follows Christ, I believe, as a way of redemption as well as the fact that He was God. So, right away he has a dinner to introduce his colleagues to Christ.

Thomas is known as “doubting Thomas” but I believe this is a hasty tag placed on him. Thomas was one of the most devoted to Christ even willing to go to death with him if necessary John 11. He loved Christ and gave up all to follow him. He saw Christ die with his own eyes and he emotionally shut down. So when Thomas shows up in the upper room and sees Christ after he rose from the dead, he is mentally drained and probably feels his mind could be playing tricks on him. He wanted to make sure that Christ was really there. From here on out his faith remained unshaken. Do you need to go to Christ for renewed faith?

Psalms 51

When you hear the name Achan what do you think of? How about Ananias and Saphira, or Abraham and Sarah? What about David. Some of these you may not know, but one thing they all have in common is that they sinned. Also, their sin came with a price.
Sin is all around us and it can devour us if we are not careful. We as individuals, as families, and as a church have a responsibility toward sin. First, we are to flee from it. I Thessalonians 5:22 tells us to abstain from all appearance of evil. Then problem is we think that when people do not see our sins, they are okay. We call them our secret sins. These can be more devastating than open sin. We are to flee from even the appearance. If you struggle with bad language, be careful what you listen to. If you struggle with pornography, do not even put yourself in a position where you will fall. If you are on a computer, it should be in the open and never in secret. If you struggle with spending too much money, be accountable to your spouse or someone close to you if you are single. Avoid even the appearances of bad things.
Secondly we need to own it. Psalms 51:4 tells us that when we sin it is against a holy and just God. It effects all those around us and always comes with a high price tag but is against God himself. Numbers 32:23 tells us that our sins will find us out. We better own up and change our ways or will self-destruct and bring others with us.
Lastly, we must repent. To repent means to turn from one thing and to another. Luke 13:3-5 tells us that we will surely perish if we do not repent. We cannot have salvation apart from repentance. Acts 3:19 tells us that we must repent to be converted.
So, what will you do with sin? Sin always has a high price tag so remember that we must flee from it, own it, and then repent of it.

Matthew 20:20-24; John 13:23

James and John come from a prominent family in the fishing industry, Mark 1:20. The term Sons of Thunder also was used by the disciples. Christ used Peter’s real name when he was slipping back into his old unregenerate self, but not so with the Sons of Thunder.
James’ life can be summed up by words like passion, intensity, selfish ambition, and zeal. Luke 9:51-56 gives us an example of the misguided zeal in James’ life. God wants us to be zealous but to be zealous for Him. We must remember that everything revolves around our relationship with Him and should be lived out to accomplish God’s plan.
James was the first recorded martyr of the twelve. Herod the king had him beheaded by a sword and then planned on killing Peter in Acts 12. James wanted a crown and Christ gave him a cup of suffering. James wanted power but God made him a servant. James wanted a place of prominence but his life ended in a martyr’s grave. James learned from the Master that His zeal must be harnessed and tempered with love.
John is a disciple that is typified with much of the same characteristics as his brother James but also love. He is usually depicted as being effeminate, soft, and weak. However, he was a fisherman and a disciple of John the Baptist so he was probably as rugged as the other.
He encourages Christians to live a life that is typified by righteousness, not sin. He also learned that truth without love is not descent, it is just brutal. Also, love without truth has no character, it is just hypocritical. His stand in Christ ended up in loneliness on the Isle of Patmos. He is the only disciple that did not see a martyr’s grave but suffered greatly for his stand in Christ.
So, this week, be zealous for Christ and remember to that love and truth go hand in hand.

Matthew 7, I Corinthians 11

Last week we discussed how we as a church are to be encouraging each other in God. We need each other. The idea that we are all tough John Wayne types is damaging to the Church. Even though I really enjoy John Wayne movies, God has created us in a way where we need each other. When you pull yourself up by your boot straps you only end up with broken boot straps.
Our encouragement should be sincere, honest, appropriate, meaningful, earned, balanced, and specific. Today we live a culture of praise. We praise for anything and everything and we praise all the same. This is very damaging and only promotes mediocrity. Our encouragement needs to be in God and true.
Another idea that has damaged the church is the idea that we cannot judge each other. This comes from the first couple of verses in Matt. 7. It says that we are hypocrites when we try to take the splinter out of our brother’s eye when there is a beam in our own and that is correct. However, verse 5 keeps going and tells us that we should first clean up our own life and then go to a brother or sister in sin. As a church, we are to judge each other but can only be done if we are living a life of repentance. There are things in my life that I cannot see but others can and since I want to be more Christ-like, I need others to confront me and visa versa.
The Bible gives us guidance on confronting or judging others. This judging must be done in the spirit of love and compassion. Those who confront must also guard that they do not fall into the sin.
I Corinthians chapter 11 talks about communion, or Lord’s Supper, and it gives insight on how to take it. Verses 27 to 33 teach us that we are to examine and judge ourselves. We must do this for our own spiritual health and for the health of the church. When we do not judge ourselves and others, we fall into the trap of mediocrity and grow lethargic toward sin.

John 1:35-45

Peter was the appointed leader of the whole group and the leader of the first four which was comprised of Peter, his brother Andrew, James, and his brother John. Peter we looked at as the disciple with the foot-shaped mouth, Philip was the bean counter and Andrew is the disciple of small things.
Andrew is the lesser known of the first four and his name is only mentioned 9 times outside of the lists of disciples. He is the brother of Peter. Remember, Peter is boisterous, a go getter, full of ideas, and not afraid to act. Usually this kind of brother creates sibling rivalries, but when Andrew meets Christ, the first person he goes and gets is Peter, his loved brother.
In John chapter 6, we see the feeding of the 5000 men and women and children besides. Christ asked Philip what to do already knowing what He was going to do. Philip responds with a bean counter answer but Andrew brings a little boy to Christ with 5 loaves and two fishes. Andrew saw the value of “insignificant” gifts. He realized it was not much physically but he also knew with Christ, all things are possible.
Andrew also saw the value of “inconspicuous” service. He was known for bringing individuals to Christ. Who was the last person you brought to Christ? Does the name Edward Kimball ring a bell? He was a Sunday School teacher in Boston. He had a 19 year old boy visit his class so later Edward went to visit him at work at Holton’s Shoe store. Edward walked by the store due to nerves and once he realized it, he was tempted to keep going. He finally went back and cornered the boy in the stock room witnessing to him till he accepted Christ. One young man who was witnessed to by a nervous Sunday School teacher ended up shacking two continents for Christ. The Young man’s name was D.L. Moody. Like Andrew, Edward lead one person at a time to Christ and it changed many lives. Don’t buckle under fear.