For the last several weeks, I have been speaking about the Marks of an Alive Church. Most of those things I mentioned can be seen in the life of Gulf Prairie Presbyterian Church. That is something for which I am very pleased. You are a wonderful group of people! You come from many different backgrounds, many different Christian denominations, many different financial situations, and you have all come together to make a wonderful church family. As I see you interact with one another and care for and about one another, it is exciting to know that, as I wind down my service among you, you will work well together.
Many years ago, when I was in seminary, we were taught that one of the many roles of a pastor was to be the "resident theologian." As I depart, there will be no one serving in that role for at least a little while. You will need to rely on your faith, and study your Bibles even more thoroughly than ever, to make sure that decisions you make are in keeping with God's Word and God's will. You will need to spend even greater amounts of time in prayer, as well. Many other things will also change. But the one thing that you must remember is that the key word for the church at this time, and at all times, is unity. If Gulf Prairie Presbyterian is to maintain and build its ministry here in this region, you must remain united.
Paul in our text today, admonishes you to "Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace." (Ephesians 4:2-3 NLT) Now that's a real challenge when you have a full time pastor. While you are without pastoral leadership, it is an even greater challenge. Some of you will want to go this way, others will want to go that way. Some will want an interim pastor, while others will think it not necessary. The list could go on and on. But I beg of you to remember what Paul said: "Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit." Then, in the text, Paul gives seven points to remember that will help you maintain that peace and unity within the Body.
The first point that Paul raises on which you all must agree is that you are all parts of the body of Christ. Each individual congregation plays an important role, as does each individual person. There is more to this concept than mere spiritual kinship. Genuine fellowship and love for each other is called for. That love must transcend any differences - political, social, cultural or denominational - even longevity in this congregation. You are all one in Christ Jesus and all equal and necessary parts of His Body. In his letter to the Romans, Paul spent a large portion of the 12th chapter sharing about how important this point is and how even those parts of the body that seem insignificant are really more important than those that seem important.
Next Paul says you are to be unified about the Spirit. Clearly he is talking here about the Holy Spirit who gives you access to the Father. The church is not simply an organization of people drawn together for a common purpose by the wisdom of men and women. The church is intended to be an instrument of life. However, putting dead bodies together does not produce life. Let's face it, if the members of a church do not have the Holy Spirit, that church does not have life. The power of a church does not depend on the number of members or on the influence of its members within society. The power of a church does not depend on the influence of some members over others. The power of a church does not depend on how many of its members are wealthy or in important political positions. The power of a church is dependent on one thing - the Spirit of God. The prophet Zechariah was confronted with a mountain which God said would become a plain. When Zechariah began to look around to see how this would happen, the Word of God came to him: "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, said the Lord of Hosts." (Zechariah 4:6 NRSV)
Next Paul says Christians will stand united about one hope. Throughout the Bible it is clear what this hope is. We stand united around the hope that Christ will return; and we stand united around the hope that Christ will attain His glory. Certainly we are not united about when or how this will happen. Some believe they have figured out the exact day of His return and look forward with great hope and expectation to that day. Others have no idea when He will return but are just as sure that He will.
Some believe there will be a thousand years of tribulation before He comes; others believe He will come and remove His followers before that thousand years of tribulation. Still others believe there will be no such millennium. But all of His followers hold to that sure and certain hope that He will return and we will stand in His presence, transformed into His likeness.
Pauls fourth point is that Christians have one Lord. Some do not give allegiance to Paul and some to Peter and some to Apollos. Paul reminded the Corinthians of this, speaking to what was an apparent division within that church. Things are no different today. You must not say, "I follow this elder or that, or this leader or that." Rather, you must, with all Christians say, "Jesus is Lord." Paul says you can only make that statement if you have the Holy Spirit in you.
This became a real problem for the early Christians, for Caesar wanted all people to pay allegiance to him. He required people to proclaim publicly "Caesar is lord." Christians were persecuted, even burned at the stake, because they would not do that. They had but one Lord and would claim only Him. Today, we don't use the word lord much, and many people don't seem to understand what it means. In Jesus' time, a lord was like a property owner and all his employees, especially the slaves, owed that owner their total and complete allegiance. Many today claim to be Christians, but do not take seriously His Lordship. Lordship means ultimate authority. Today, many of you live as if there were some other ultimate authority for your lives. But Paul says Christians have one Lord - Jesus Christ. Because you claim His Lordship, you then are saved by His grace. Because you claim His Lordship, you are a servant, in some places the Bible uses the word slave, of Jesus Christ.
Next Paul says that Christians are united in one faith. Now, most commentators agree that Paul is not talking here about faith as the ability to believe. Everyone has that! Even atheists! Rather, he is talking about faith in the facts of who Jesus Christ is and what He did for you. In other words, faith in the facts of the Scriptures. There is but one set of facts for all believers everywhere. Certainly we do not all agree on the interpretation of that body of truth, but we do all agree that this is the set of facts that tell us all we need to know about our Lord.
The sixth element of unity is baptism. Now really Paul, you've gone too far! The way things are today, that is totally unrealistic - thinking of baptism as a point of unity. Why Paul; that is the one point where we are farthest from agreement. Some believe in sprinkling, some in pouring and some in total immersion; some will baptize infants, while others say you must be of an age of responsibility. You know, that's all too true, and it is unfortunate that there is such disagreement about the method and the age. But there is still a point of unity in the Sacrament of baptism. That point on which all Christians agree is that baptism is a symbol of our being washed clean and starting new with Christ. Through this symbolic act, you become a part of the Body of Christ. You are made one with Him, united with Him in His death and resurrection.
The seventh and last point Paul makes in this statement about unity among Christians is that there is "one God and Father of us all, who is above all, and through all and in all." All of the other things point us to God. The sign that you have found Him is that you recognize Him as Father; you take your place as children of God and heirs of the Kingdom.
The story is told of the missionary in Central America who preached on the universal brotherhood of Christians. At the end of his message, two professors from a local school said they thought they had found a flaw in his reasoning. Everyone descended from Adam and Eve, they said, therefore, all people are children of God. The missionary pointed to the benches in the room and asked who made them? The men replied that they were made by a local carpenter. Do you therefore call these benches the carpenters children? Of course not! Because they do not have in them the life of the carpenter. And do you have the life of God in you? was the searching question that revealed the mens departure from God. No one can be called a child of God, if he or she does not have within them the life of God.
My friends, you are bound together through these seven things which give you a common unity. Whether you have a pastor or not is irrelevant. You may have come to this place today looking for meaning, searching for answers to life's questions, struggling with the uncertainty of the future or with more personal problems. But your presence here today is brought about by Gods leading you to a life of common purpose. Because you find common ground with all other Christians in these seven things, you can be united across cultural, social, economic, political and denominational lines. You can know that you are bound to Christians everywhere in doing the work of the church which is telling the Good News about Jesus Christ in word and deed; and helping people grow in their relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Stanley Ott writes about one of the signs of a vital Christian experience. He calls it the Gathered-Scattered Attentive. He says this is our commitment to the weekly rhythms of gathering for worship and fellowship and scattering to serve in home, workplace, community, and world. That is basic to the Christian lifestyle. The Bible says, "Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple -gathered-, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts -scattered." (Acts 2:46 NRSV)
It is easy for God's people, with busy lives, to loose sight of the necessity of the gathered state and for church leaders to loose sight of the significance of the scattered state. Gathering is essential to Christian connectivity with God and one another: "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." Acts 2:42 Scattering is essential to Christian mission. We equip one and encourage another to serve Christ in all the places of our lives. As Richard C. Halverson once said, "The measure of the effectiveness of the church is what's happening when the sanctuary is empty, the parking lot is empty, and the programs are not in operation, and people are scattered all over a metropolitan area, penetrating all of the organizations and institutions of that area, because where they are, Christ is - in them. You are the church." Two states, gathered and scattered, yet one church. By God's grace, let us bring the full focus of our energy to both.
We have come to this place today, confessed and accepted Gods forgiveness. In a moment, we will proclaim our faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives. Let's each go from here today seeking to know our own selves - that we are united with others: in our membership in the Body of Christ, in our knowledge of the power of the Holy Spirit within us, in our firm and expectant hope in the return of Christ, in the Lordship of Christ, in our acceptance of the Scriptures as the true and complete facts about Him, in our knowledge that we have through baptism entered into the Body of Christ and received the Holy Spirit, and in our knowledge that we are children of God.
Friends, As you prepare to go from here to be the church, ask yourself this question: "Am I a child of God as evidenced by His life in Me?" It is imperative for the life and future of this church, as you move forward without a pastor, that everyone of you can answer "Yes" to that question. If even a few are not sure, are not able to submit to the Lordship of Christ, there will be trouble in the community of faith. The Bible says, "Do everything without complaining or arguing. Then you will be innocent and without any wrong. You will be God's children without fault. But you are living with crooked and mean people all around you, among whom you shine like stars in the dark world. You offer the teaching that gives life." (Philippians 2:14-16 NCV)
Prayer:
Gracious and loving God, I thank you for the people who are Gulf Prairie Presbyterian Church. I
ask for your continued blessings on them. Guide them in the weeks and months to come. May
each of them seek Your will and submit fully to Your Lordship. In Jesus Name. Amen.
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Sermon December 23, 2007
Sermon December 24, 2007
December 30, 2007 - Guest speaker, transcript not available
Sermon January 6, 2008
Sermon January 13, 2008
Sermon January 20, 2008
Sermon January 27, 2008
Sermon February 3, 2008
Sermon February 10, 2008
Sermon February 17, 2008
Sermon February 24, 2008
Sermon March 2, 2008
Sermon March 9, 2009
Sermon March 16, 2008
Sermon March 23, 2008
March 30, 2008 - Transcript not available
April 6, 2008 - Guest speaker, transcript not available
Sermon April 13, 2008
April 20, 2008 - Guest speaker, transcript not available
April 27, 2008 - Guest speaker, transcript not available
Sermon May 4, 2008
Sermon May 11, 2008
Sermon May 18, 2008
Sermon May 25, 2008
Sermon June 1, 2008
Sermon June 8, 2008
(Please note: At this point in time, we are only able to keep the last few weeks' messages available. As a result, links to
earlier sermons on previous sermon pages may not work.)