The Enemy of the Church!

 

Series: The Church

Sermon 2: “The Enemy of the Church!”

 

Introduction:

A.   There is a popular Contemporary Song, “God’s Not

  Dead.” 

1. It is the theme song of a Christian movie from the same title.

2. It is something we can all relate to.

3. But there is one part that strikes me as odd from a biblical standpoint. 

4. It compares God to a roaring lion.

5. Nowhere in scripture that I can think of does it refer to God as a roaring lion.

6. That isn’t the common image of a lion in scripture.

 

B.   Most of us haven't had much experience with wild

animals such as lions, tigers, and bears.

 

C.   When these animals are caught, put in a zoo, and kept fed all they can eat, they aren't overly ferocious.  We walk by them, and they don't seem to want to attack us; they usually just lay around taking their afternoon nap!

 

D.   But you let a lion escape in a city and get hungry and

it is cause for alarm!  When he gets hungry enough, he

will attack a person!  Lions are like house cats in

that they stalk their prey:  they sneak around and

pounce on it!

 

E.   In the Bible days, they used these animals as a means

of persecution.  These animals would be kept in

captivity and kept hungry.  When they would throw a

person in with them, they would tear them up.

Fighting for the flesh that was on his/her bones!

 

Trans:

Keep in mind this picture of a lion as we read our scripture this morning, not the one we get from the “God’s Not Dead” video.  This would be the picture the

first readers would have had in mind!

 

 

                            Prayer

 

                         I Peter 5:1-11

 

Text verse    

(1 Pet 5:8 NRSV) ADiscipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a

 roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around,

 looking for someone to devour.@

 

I.      The world has an adversary.

 

A.   I believe we can picture Satan walking among all people devouring all that don't take on the necessary

protection:  Christ.

 

B.   The lost aren't our enemies; Satan is our enemy!  They are just being devoured by Satan.

 

C.   When someone hurts us, remember that!  They are caught in Satan's clutches about to be destroyed.  Oh, that we could lead them to the one who can save them!  Isn=t that the mission of the Church?  To make Disciples of Jesus Christ?

 

II.  But wait!!  Who is Peter talking to here?  (v. 1&2) The

Elders!  The Church!  We too have an adversary.

 

A.   Satan is walking among Christian people (stalking them out) seeking whom he may devour.  We have an adversary! We have an enemy!

 

1.      Satan is mighty!

 

2.      Satan knows our weaknesses!

 

3.      Satan is hungry for Christians because he doesn't  already have them!

 

4.   Satan has the ability to put thoughts in our minds: temptations, doubts.

 

B. Satan wants to destroy us!

 

1. He wants to destroy our families, Christians too!

 

a.   The family unit that was instituted by God!

A unit in which we can find a lot of

happiness and satisfaction!  A unit in which

we should get the proper training for life!

He wants to Destroy it! I=m not talking about

just biological family units (there are a lot of different family units today, a lot of different kinds of family units today); I=m talking about that unit through which we get nurture!

 

b.   He knows we need to communicate to grow  together!

 

c.   He knows the areas we have trouble communicating, the sensitive areas.  This is                    where he will work!

 

1)      He will try to cause problems here.  Hoping that we will just get angry and  say, "I don't want to talk about it  anymore!"

 

2)   When he gets us to stop talking about it, he has his foot in the door.

 

a)   Since he has us not talking about  it, misunderstandings can no

longer be cleared up in that area!  We can no longer tell our spouse what we think in this area.

 

b)   So he will tell our spouse what to  think!  We can be sure it will not  really be what we think, and it will be meant to destroy!

 

2.   Satan wants to destroy our church!  He knows that God wants to work through the church, like I talked about last week.  He knows it is Athe plan@ instituted by Christ through which his work and the gospel message are to go forth carried out by people working together as a group of believers (to show the world that God sent Christ and that God Loves them), and HE WANTS TO DESTROY IT!

 

a.      He knows the areas that are sensitive to us!

 

b.   He knows who he can work through to get the

job done!  Sometimes it might be the pastor;

other times, it is other folks in the church.

 

c.   He can plant thoughts in our minds, we act

upon them, hurt someone, and problems start.

 

d.   People, I know how he works to destroy

churches.  I have been there.  He catches

churches when things are going good!  That is when he will work the hardest to destroy it!

 

1)   Share about a church that split! Satan

used the split to destroy a might work

that God was doing in that congregation!

 

2)   It was destroying us so we finally left  the church!

 

3)   Those divisions existed until one of    those churches finally closed and was made into apartment buildings.  The other is still struggling along today!

 

e.   Not much good seems to have come from that   situation at first glance.

 

1)   But God allowed us to be a part of  something good at the church where we went after this!

 

a)      This church too had its problems.

 

b)   They had come near splitting a

couple years before we started!  We didn't realize it at the time.

 

c)   But we got to see what God is able

to do with a group of people who

are willing to put it all behind

for the cause of Christ!

 

d)   I know God can work miracles among

us today because I have seen it!

 

e)   I know God can take the bad things Satan causes and bring something good out of them because God has done it for me!

 

2)   Christ began a church called Forsyth UMC, and I know he wants to make a difference here. Forsyth has had its struggles. We came through Covid!  You came through a pastor who left and the church was down to 8, but God wants to work some miracles!

I Cor. 14:33

"For God is not the author of  confusion, but of peace, as in all  churches of the saints."

 

3)   Christ began the UMC through the works

of John Wesley! In recent years, we have had disaffiliations and issues within the church!  God wants to use the UMC!

a)      We have what the world needs!

b)      In a world where people have been hurt by the church, we offer Love and Grace where people can encounter God!

c)      We just need to let people know that God loves them and we are here!

 

3.   Satan wants to Destroy us!

 

a.   This is the ultimate reason for all the problems Satan causes, whether family or church problems!  He wants to destroy us as individuals: he wants to destroy our Soul.

 

b.      He uses family and church problems to do his work.

 

1)   When these things happen we will either get bitter or turn to God! Maybe you=ve had this happen in the past!

 

 

2)   Many people get bitter and turn away

from God, or if they don't completely

turn away from God, they back off from

God's service:  they withdraw from God's people and become bitter.

 

a)      This my friends is still a step in the wrong way!

b)   When this happens, we may not be

lost at first, but this bitterness

will destroy us!

 

III. Yes, we have an adversary, but we also have a Savior that is      stronger than Satan!

 

A.   Peter goes on to say, "Resist this adversary through  standing steadfast in faith." (Paraphrased)

 

B.   Christ can bring us through!  We can be Victorious!

 

1.   God can save our families!

 

2.   God can save our churches!

 

3.   God can save our souls!

 

4.   If we will only come to God and accept that we are accepted through Christ!

 

Conclusion:

 

A.      Have you accepted this morning?

 

B.   Christian, Do you know God as one that can defeat Satan in your life and bring good from the bad?

 

Matt. 16:18

"Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates

of hell shall not prevail against it!"

 

Upon the fact that Jesus is the "Christ the Son of the   Living God!" 

 

     C.   If you do, the sky is the limit for us as a Church and

          the people of God!

 

 

     D.   If you are struggling with this one, as we encounter

          Christ at the table this morning, come to Christ!  Let Christ help you overcome our adversary!

 

 

Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion

 

The Unity of Believers!

                        Series: The Church 

Introduction:

A.   The church has taken some hard blows in our times!

 

1.   It has seen clergy who have stood behind the

pulpit and claimed to be something they weren't.

 

2.   It has seen church members do the same!

 

3.   It has seen strife, bickering, and fighting!

 

4.   Our own denomination recently experienced

disaffiliations!

 

B.   But the church was instituted by Christ for a purpose

and with a belief that it could carry out that purpose!

 

C.   I want to talk about "The Church - The Unity of

Believers."

                            Prayer

                       John 17:11 & 20-23

 

I.   Jesus prayed to God that the church would be one as God

and the Son were one!

 

A.   We see here that it was Christ's will and desire that

the church have unity!

 

B.   What does it mean to have this type of Unity?

 

1.   Does it mean there will be only one organized denomination of Christ's church?  No, we can  have different denominations and still have unity!

 

2.   Does it mean we will all believe exactly the same things?  No, we can't and will not ever see everything exactly the same way.  We are different human beings!  We have different experiences and upbringing!  We may disagree on some things about the Bible.  We may disagree on politics!  But we can still have Unity! This is why I like what John Wesley said, AIn essentials, Unity; in non-essentials, liberty; and in everything else, charity.@

3.   On a side note, it is contrary to Wesleyan thought to make political affiliation an essential!  We need to be careful not to make political affiliation one of the essentials!

 

     a.   Isn’t about being either Republican or Democrat!

 

     b.   It is about taking a stand on some of the issues though.

 

1)   Our Social Principals do that!

 

2)   We should be united when we see people being hurt or unjustly treated!

 

                   3)   Sadly, all Christians are not united even in this today!

 

                   4)   We need to stand for the things that Jesus stood for!  That may not be easy!  Jesus

was crucified!

 

C.   Then what does it mean?  I believe he was praying for:

 

1.   A unity of Love!

 

a.   that all followers of his would have that same love as Jesus and God!

 

b.   Agape Love:

 

1)   a love that Loves when others don't love in return.

 

2)   a love that always wants God's best for the other person; it doesn't wish bad on  other people.

 

3)   a love that may not love everything they do but loves their soul.

 

4)   a love that keeps on loving even when others are persecuting us!

 

5)   a love that even loves those Democrats or Republicans who may not agree with us!

 

2.   A unity of obedience to God and God's Spirit!

 

a.   that all followers of Christ would strongly

desire (and carry it through) to obey God and

God's Spirit!

 

b.   that when Christians see that they are

stepping off the path, they would step back

on!

 

c.   and how do they know?  They are directed by God's Spirit and informed by the Word, not the letter of the Law, but the Word as interpreted to us by Jesus Christ! “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us!”

 

     1)   Christians seem to have a hard time with

this one; after all, how do we determine

what God is saying!  We can all take

different scriptures and stress those and

make all kinds of beliefs!

 

                   2)   I think looking at how Jesus lived and what

he stressed helps us to determine that! He

is the fulfillment of the law!

 

                   3)   John Wesley gave us a good tool for

discerning God’s leading: the

Quadrilateral.

 

a)   Scripture: the scripture was primary

for Wesley, but what do you do when

the scripture doesn’t really speak to

an issue or it seems to give

contrasting opinions on it?  Wesley

gave us three more things to

consider.

 

                        b)   Tradition:  How does the church of

old look at this.  Tradition is

things like our Apostles Creed, the

Nicen Creed etc.  These are things

that the early church believed!

Sometimes though, tradition can even

be affected by culture.

 

                        c)   Reason:  God is a reasonable God!

We can think of women in the ministry

or teaching in the church. The

scriptures say women should not speak and should have their heads covered.  Some take that for doctrine because the scriptures say it.  Traditionally, women have taken a secondary roll in the church; although, there are signs of women being active in the early church. But is it reasonable that God would exclude more than half of the population from spreading the word?

You could do the same thing with divorce.  Is it reasonable that a woman or man be required to live in an abusive relationship. Is it reasonable that they not be allowed to love again?  Is whatever we are thinking about reasonable based on the teachings of Jesus?

 

                        d)   Experience:  This isn’t just any

experience, but is our experience with God!  As a woman that is told they can’t be a minister because they are a woman, their experience might be that they feel called by God to be a minister, so that does not seem correct according to their experience.  All of us might experience a woman that seems to be a very capable leader!

 

                   4)   We can apply the Quadrilateral to many

issues of the day, and our church has in

the Social Principles.

 

3.   A unity of commitment to God's will!

 

a.   Wanting the will of God and praying for the will of God!

 

b.   "Not my will but thine be done." Luke 22:42

 

 

c.   If we are all wanting God's will, we won't

get in trouble because our own will gets in

the way!

 

d.   Not my will, not the preachers will, but the  will of God!

 

e.   If we are all wanting God's will, we will

work things out, but sometimes we are so

convinced we are right that we do not let God be God!

 

II.  What is the purpose of this "Unity of Believers?"  2 - fold

 

A.   1st  (v. 23)  "That the world may know that you have sent me!"

 

1.   So the world will know that God doesn't want to leave humankind in his/her sinful, miserable,

state but that God sent Jesus for the purpose of

making a way for us!  How can people know that God

sent Christ?

 

2.   How is this accomplished?  Paul recognized it as being this way:  Eph. 4:12 NRSV

 

(Eph 4:12 NRSV)  “to equip the saints for the work  of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” 

 

It=s the work of all Christians: the church!

 

(also v. 23 NRSV in our text today,

"that they may become completely one.")

 

a.   by equipping the Saints.

 

1)   by teaching them to grow, that we aren’t

done when we come to Christ, that we are

called to do something with our faith!

 

2)   by teaching them to learn so they know  what they believe and how to explain it to someone else!

 

                   3)   it might be by equipping them with the Quadrilateral as I have today!

 

b.   so they will participate in the work of the ministry.

 

1)   this is for everyone!

 

2)   We will all probably have our own way of  reaching out, but nevertheless, we should participate in the work of the ministry!

 

3)   We shouldn't let this part scare us!  We

should see it as a natural thing, and

when our plate is full, we will want to

share it with others!

 

4)   If our plate isn't full, we need to worry about filling our plates. We need to draw closer to God ourselves!  We can't share if we do not have!

 

c.   so the body of Christ will be edified or built up.

 

1)   In number:  more people will come to know the Lord!

 

2)   We will become stronger and make more of  a difference in our world!

 

B.   Second, the purpose of the Unity of Believers is "that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved

them even as you have loved me." v. 23 NRSV

 

1.   Christ wanted us to have Unity so that the world

could tell by us that God loves them!

 

2.   When we have a unity that shows this to the world,

we will make a difference!

 

          3.   Jesus came into a very legalistic and judgmental

world and he accepted people as they were.  He ate

with sinners.  He talked to the woman at the well. He received the outcasts of society. He received a tax collector as one of his closest disciples. He loved!

 

 

4.   That is how we can be the most effective as the church; show them love. Accept them as they are and show them God loves them! 

 

 

Conclusion:

 

A.   God wants to work through the church; Got set it up

that way!

 

B.   Just think, we are a part of an institution started by our Lord to make a difference in our world!

 

C.   We can only do it as we are one in God!

 

D.   Folks, are we one in

 

1.   Love

 

2.   Obedience to God in our own lives

 

3.   Commitment to God's will for our lives      ???

 

If we are then we will see some wonderful things

happen!  If we aren't then we need to ask God for this

kind of unity as we encounter Christ at the table today!

 

                      Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion

 

A Good Father!

                                 Father's Day and Trinity Sunday!

     Intro:

A.   What is today?       Father's Day and Trinity Sunday!

Our first scripture reading, Rom. 5:1-5, is describes

the working of the Trinity in our lives!

 

B.   Today is a day that we are to honor & remember our

Earthly Fathers!

 

C.   Today is also a day that we as Father's usually stop

and examine just what kind of father we are.

 

Trans.

Today I want to build an acrostic using words to

describe "A Good Father."  Since it is Trinity Sunday, I think it is appropriate we are looking at a scripture that describes our Heavenly Father who is our ultimate example of what a Good Father should be!

 

                            Prayer

                         Psalm 103:1-13

 

I.   F is for Faithful!  A good father should be faithful. 

 

A.   Faithful to our kids!  We should be fathers who

can be counted on!

 

1.   When we say we are going to do something, as

much as is in our power, we should do it!

 

2.   It may not seem very important to us, but to

our children, it may be very important!

 

3.   They will notice whether or not we keep our

word; they will learn by our example!

 

4.   We also need to be faithful in discipline: consistent!

 

5.   As fathers of adult children, we should continue

to be faithful and someone our children can count

on.

 

B.   Faithful to our wives!

 

1.   We vowed that she would be our only one

until death do us part!  We need to be

faithful to that!

 

2.   We need to be faithful to keep our word in

other ways with our spouse too!

 

B.      We need to be faithful to keep our words

commitments we make to all! Our word needs to be something people can count on.

 

II.  A is for available!  In the busy lifestyles that we lead,

We don't need to forget to be available to our families!

 

A.   This goes for all of us.

 

B.   I once heard a preacher share how he came to the

realization of his need of this:

 

1.   He shared how he became so busy helping others

and trying to be there for people in their need

that one day his daughter called him on the phone

and said she'd like to make an appointment to

talk to him!

 

2.   Needless to say, he made the appointment and

became available to her!

 

3.   We don't need to make our families have to do

something like this to catch our attention,

making us realize we aren't being available to

them!

 

III. T is for teacher! 

 

A.   Fathers, God meant for us to be involved in the

teaching of our children too!

 

B.   It is our responsibility to teach our children right

and wrong and about God!  It isn't just the

responsibility of the mother!

 

1.   Today, too many times, the men leave the teaching

up to the mothers, at home and in our churches!

 

a.      We say, nurturing the kids at home is

a. women's work!

 

b.      We say, teaching kids in church is women’s

work!

 

c.   As fathers of adult children, our job is

still one of an advisor!  It is their choice

now whether they listen, but we can still advise.

 

2.   Men, we are falling short of what we should be

              doing, and look what it is doing to our country!

 

a.   Not that women are doing such a bad job.

 

b.   But young boys need male examples to follow!

 

c.   And young girls need that close relationship

with their fathers as well!

 

3.   Men, I believe we will stand accountable for how

seriously we've taken the teaching of our

children!

 

4.   We may not all be teachers at church (some of us

can be), but we are all teachers!

 

IV.  H is for honorable!

 

A.   Live such a life that you deserve to be honored: that

you are easy to honor!

 

B.   Do not make,

 

         "Honor they father and thy mother; that thy days may be

long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee."    Exo. 20:12

 

a hard commandment!

 

V.   E is for encourager!

 

A.   Oh, how children need fathers who encourage them and

tell them that they are worth something!

 

C.      No kid is perfect; we can find something wrong with any of them!

D.       

1.   If we concentrate only on what they do wrong and

continually nag them about that, never

encouraging them with what they do right, they

will eventually start believing that all they do

is wrong and that they aren't worth anything! 

They will probably become just what we've told

them they were!   Nothing! This goes for adult children too!  We all need to be encouragers!

 

2.   On the other hand, if we take that same kid and

encourage what they do right, they will start

believing in themselves and what they can

accomplish!  They will grow up and accomplish

something with their lives!

 

C.   Fathers need to be encouragers; mom can't do it alone!

 

                 Children Learn What They Live

 

If children live with criticism,

They learn to condemn.

 

If children live with hostility,

They learn to fight.

 

If children live with ridicule,

They learn to be shy.

 

If children live with shame,

They learn to feel guilty.

 

If children live with tolerance,

They learn to be patient.

 

If children live with encouragement,

They learn confidence.

 

If children live with praise,

They learn to appreciate.

 

If children live with fairness,

They learn justice.

 

If children live with security,

They learn to have faith.

 

If children live with approval,

They learn to like themselves.

 

If children live with acceptance and friendship,

They learn to find love in the world.

 

by Dorothy Law Nolte

 

VI.  R is for righteous!

 

A.   Righteous means right-ness with God!

 

1.   We can only attain that through what God has done

for us in Christ!

 

2.   God did what we can't do for ourselves!

 

3.   If we will trust in that, we can become right

With God!

 

B.   Us being right before God is the best thing we can

Give our children!

 

1.   If we point them toward the importance of living

for God, they stand a good chance of following

our example!

 

2.   If we teach them by our example that God isn't

important, they may very well live by our example

and live out of relationship with God.

 

3.   Tell them “why” God is important to you, “why”

you live for God!

 

a.   Children want to know why!

 

b.   They want to know if it is worth investing

their lives!

 

c.   This goes for adult children too; tell them how and why God has made a difference in your life!

 

d.   If you don’t know why, maybe as we encounter

Christ at the table this morning, you need to present yourself to God this morning and learn the why!

 

Conclusion:

 

A.   What kind of father and influence do we want to be?

 

B.   God can help us to be "A Good Father!"

 

a. As we encounter Christ at the table this morning, we can allow our Heavenly Father to give us a new relationship? We can allow our Heavenly Father to transform us?  We can allow our Heavenly Father to give us our why?

 

Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion