Being Faithful In 2017 - Faithful To God’s House - Part 1

Temple Baptist Church - 1-15-2017

Psalm 134

Introduction: 

A.  As we face a New Year, I am preaching of a subject which many do not like: “Being Faithful in 2017.”  This morning, I want to look at being faithful to our local church.  Psalm 134 sets forth the blessing of those who stand in the house of the Lord during the night shift (or Third Shift).  That is where we are in 2017.  We live in the end of the church age and look expectantly for the coming of the Lord.

B.  I thank the Lord that He saved me and allowed me to serve Him in a time such as this.  This Psalm pronounces a blessing upon those who stand, not just attend.  Spiritually, everything is moving in a downward spiral as the multitudes are departing from the “faith once delivered” to a modernization of the local church.  These modern local churches are increasingly becoming “seeker sensitive” as they condition their churches to make them more comfortable for the sinner to come and sit in their sin.

C.  There is nothing any more comforting when the darkness of night comes than a safe, comfortable home.  A place where we can go, lock the window and doors, and find companionship with love.  That is what this message is all about.  I have personally watched the day to turn into night morally, safety wise, and spiritually.  It is dark out there!

D.  There are 3 types of Psalms Dealing With Time of Worship:

a.  The Morning Psalms - Psalm 63:1-2   O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;  To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.  (When pertaining to the worship at the Temple, I call this the First Shift.)

b.  The Evening Psalms - Psalm 141:1-2  Lord, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee. Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. (When pertaining to the worship at the Temple, I call this the Second Shift.)

c.  The Night Psalm - Psalm 134:1-3  Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord.  Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord. The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion. (When pertaining to the worship at the Temple, I call this the Third Shift.)

E.  The work of the priesthood was a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week job!  The Temple was a busy place around the clock with most of the sacrificial work being done in the morning and evening.  But the night shift work was just as important. 

F.  When I worked in the coal mines of Western Kentucky, we worked three shifts.  One first and second shift, we mined coal.  Third shift was responsible for what we called “dead work.”  Maintenance on equipment, power moves, belt moves, and rock dusting.  Though there were times when third shift would “put coal on the ground” to get first shift going quicker after mechanical problems had delayed their production, the clear majority of third shift work was maintenance.  Thusly, much of the work of the local church in this dark day in which we live MUST be maintenance.

G.  The responsibility of the Night Watch (Third Shift).

1.  They Protected The Holy Things of The Sanctuary - 1 Timothy 4:16  Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. 

a.  The Temple was both a place accessible to God’s people and also a place well-guarded.  God’s people were always both allowed and welcome to come and worship at the Temple but were also to highly regard it as a holy place.

b.  It was a place where respect was expected and the old ways kept intact.  We must protect the Old Paths of both doctrine and practice.  Worldliness in the church is not acceptable and it is up to us to keep holiness within our church.

2.  They Cleaned The Sanctuary For The Morning Worship - 1 Corinthians 5:1- 7 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, … In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, … Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 

a.  With the so many sacrifices being made during the day, there was much to clean during the night shift.  We must keep not only worldliness out of the local church but also keep our pews clean from sin that is to be censured. 

b.  We are all just sinners saved by the grace of God, but there are things that the Bible commands the local church to censure.  Most churches in our area allow sin to sit on their pews and, therefore, making it acceptable.

3.  They Kept The Fires Burning on The Altar - Leviticus 6:12-13  And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.  The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out. 

a.  The altar was a place of sacrifice.  Worship requires sacrifice which is founded in purpose. 

b.  We must keep worship our first propriety in our services.  Church worship begins in the personal lives of its people.

4.  They Kept The Candlesticks Trimmed And Burning Brightly - Hebrews 1:5  By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 

a.  The Menorah with its seven lamps had to be refueled with pure oil and the wicks trimmed.  We must keep the testimony of our church clean and bright in the community. 

b.  Once a church gets a bad name, it takes years to live it down.  We have a good name in Laurens County and are well respected.

5.  They Baked Fresh Bread For The Table of Shewbread - 2 Timothy 2:14-16  Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 

a.  Fresh bread was baked and placed on the Table of Shewbread each day.  I try to give you something each and every time you come to church. 

b.  Sound doctrine and its practical application is a necessity for continued communion with our Lord Jesus Christ and each other.

Conclusion:  You and I have a great responsibility.

1.  To our children and grandchildren.

2.  To a lost and blinded world.

3.  To those who have gone before us and paid the price for our spiritual heritage and liberty.

The Believer’s Obligation

Temple Baptist Church - 1-11-2017

1 Peter 1:9-16

Introduction: 

A.  Tonight, I want to look at the obligations that go along with our salvation. 

1.  We rejoice in our great salvation that was purchased with such great price.  I am glad that I know the One who died at Calvary!  I am glad that I have eternal life through a finished work! 

2.  But, along with so great salvation comes great obligations.  We were created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath foreordained that we should walk in them.  We are new creatures with a new life in Christ.  Old things have passed away and, behold, all things are become new.

B.  Verse 13 begins with the word “WHEREFORE!”  In the preceding verses, we find that:

1.  We have a great salvation – vs. 1-3

2.  We have a great reward – vs. 4

3.  We have a great grace – vs. 5

4.  We have a great joy – vs. 6-8

5.  We have a great promise – vs. 9

6.  We have a great privilege – vs. 10-12

C.  In verses 13-16, we find that we also have a great obligation. 

1.  We have an obligation to be strong in the Lord – vs. 13  “gird up”  (It means to “tuck in a garment” in preparation for a race.)

Joshua 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Ephesians 6:10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

2.  We have an obligation to be sober minded – vs. 13  “be sober”  (It means to be serious; Satan is!)

1 Peter 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

1 Thessalonians 5:6  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

1 Peter 4:7  But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

3.  We have an obligation to be steadfast in our walk – vs. 13  “hope to the end”  (It means not to quit or to be double minded!)

1 Corinthians 15:58  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

2 Peter 3:17  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

Hebrews 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.        

4.  We have an obligation to be submissive to the Lord – vs. 14  “As obedient children”  (Children are to obey their parents – Ephesians 6:1!)

Ephesians 4:1  I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

1 Peter 1:2  Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

5.  We have an obligation to be separate from the world – vs. 14  “not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance”

2 Corinthians 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,  (Ecclesiastical separation)

Romans 16:17  Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.  (Doctrinal separation)

Hebrews 7:26  For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;  (Personal separation)

Romans 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

6.  We have an obligation to be serious about sin – vs. 15  “so be ye holy”

2 Thessalonians 1:10-12  When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.  Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:  That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

7.  We have an obligation to be safe from judgment – vs. 16  “for I am holy”

1 Peter 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Galatians 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Being Faithful In 2017 - Faithfulness In Finances

Temple Baptist Church - 1-8-2017

1 Kings 17:1-16

Introduction: 

A.  As we face a New Year, I am preaching of a subject which many do not like: “Being Faithful in 2017.” 

1.  Unfortunately, “as the manner of some is” in Hebrews 10:25 has become “as the manner of most is.” 

2.  In our day, we find the culmination of the days of Noah (eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage), the days of Lot (they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded - pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness which led to sodomy), the days of 2 Thessalonians 2 (a falling away), and the days of Laodicea (lukewarm and supposedly having need of nothing).

3.  Personally, I do not want to be affected by this world!  I had rather be an old time Christian with old time thinking while standing in the old time Old Paths of our forefathers.

B.  I want to look at faithfulness in finances for a few minutes.  I know that most of our congregation tithes and gives above the tithe.  The number of people divided into the weekly offerings are proof of it.  BUT, so much emphasis has been put on money in our days that it has become the main concern of our nation.  Not morality, money!  It has also affected some people within the church.

1 Timothy 6:6-10  But godliness with contentment is great gain.  (7)  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  (8)  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.  (9)  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.  (10)  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

C.  The Bible teaches the exact opposite of the world’s thinking about finances.  The Bible calls money “the least” and the “unrighteous mammon.”  It also declares that you cannot serve God and mammon at the same time.  Therefore, our thinking about finances dictates our love of and service for the Lord!

Luke 16:10-13  He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.  (11)  If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?  (12)  And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?  (13)  No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

D.  As a pastor, I have found that, as a general rule, if you are not faithful in that which God calls the “least,” you will not be faithful in anything else.  People who do not tithe are normally unfaithful to attend services on a regular basis.  People who do not tithe are normally unfaithful to witness.  People who do not tithe are normally not faithful to their families (to raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord).

E.  Let us take a short look at our text: God taught Elijah to trust the Lord and then taught the widow to do the same.

1.  Vs 1-9 – The Establishment Of Testimony.  God had to teach Elijah before Elijah could teach others.  We that are tithers and givers can attest to the fact that it is both right and works!  

2 Corinthians 9:15  Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

2.  Vs 11 – God’s Reasonable Demand.  God owns it all and only requires a “morsel” to be given back. 

Leviticus 27:30  And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S: it is holy unto the LORD.

3.  Vs 12 – Man’s Faithless Response.  People watch as others obediently tithe but then think “There is not enough to go around, how can I give a part of what I have back to the Lord?” 

Malachi 3:8  Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

4.  Vs 13-14 – God’s Promised Provision.  Trust me with your “morsel” and I will take care of your needs.  With faithful obedience comes the promise of proving.  The old saying is that “the proof is in the pudding.” 

Malachi 3:10  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

5.  Vs 15 – Man’s Faithful Response.  I will trust the Lord with that which is least and depend upon Him to do as He has promised. 

Malachi 3:10-11  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.  (11)  And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.

6.  Vs 16 – God’s Promise Fulfilled.  God gave the widow much more than she had to begin with.

Malachi 3:12  And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.

Whom Having Not Seen, Ye Love

Temple Baptist Church - 1-4-2017

1 Peter 1:8

Introduction:

A.  It is amazing that we, as God’s children, can so love One whom we have never seen with the physical eye. It is a love that the world knows nothing about.  It is a love that only the child of God can know.

B.  As Jesus Christ paid a terrible price because He so love, these displaced, scattered Jews also paid a terrible price for this love of Christ.

1.  It was a Reciprocal Love.  1 John 4:19  We love him, because he first loved us.

2.  It was Separating Love.  Matthew 10:37  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

3.  It was an Obedient Love.  John 14:21  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

4.  It was a Constraining Love.  2 Corinthians 5:14-15  For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:  (15)  And thathe died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

C.  Though it was a

“faceless” love, it was not a “baseless” love!  The first 9 verses show the basis of this great love that God’s children have for the Lord Jesus Christ.

1.  We Love Him For His Great Salvation – vs. 3

2.  We Love Him For His Marvelous Grace – vs. 2

3.  We Love Him For His Glorious Peace – vs. 2

4.  We Love Him For His Wonderful Prospect – vs. 4

5.  We Love Him For His Blessed Assurance – vs. 5

6.  We Love Him For His Infinite Wisdom – vs. 6-7

7.  We I Love Him For His Unspeakable Joy – vs. 8

8.  We Love Him For His Promised Eternity – vs. 9

Being Faithful In 2017

Temple Baptist Church - 1-1-2017

Hebrews 10:19-31

Introduction:

A.  New Year’s Day! 

1.  In the south, it stands for collard greens, black eyed peas, and cornbread!  You gotta love the south. 

2.  Someone said the south stands for God, Grits, and Guns.  I love all three!  I love God with all my heart.  I love grits with salt and butter.  I love guns and knives so I guess that makes me a bad person in the eyes of the progressive liberal?  

B.  Another year has passed and, as I look back, I am thankful for 2016!

1.  God has blessed us in so many ways.  Let us ever be mindful of it.

2.  A tale has been told.  Our successes and our failures are “written in stone.”  Last year is “water under the bridge” that cannot be changed but can be learned from.

3.  A clean slate has been set before us. 

a)  We need forgiveness for the failures.

b)  We should be thankful for the successes.

c)  We need to be responsible to remember and correct history.

C.  I want this year’s beginning theme to be one of faithfulness.  The First Mention of the word “faithful” is found in the Book of Numbers:

Numbers 12:7  My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.  (Keep in mind that Moses was not sinless [he did not get to cross Jordan into the Promised Land], he was faithful.  Faithful in all!  We are all imperfect and too often imperfect by choice but sinlessness is not a prerequisite for faithfulness.  I am not promoting sinfulness but am just explaining that God can use imperfect people.)

D.  As we enter the New Year (I am not all about New Year’s Resolutions but I am all about resolve), we need to have a steadfast resolve concerning what we believe and our willingness to pay the price for standing thusly.  Resolve means determination, doggedness, firmness, and tenacity.  We hear about being as tenacious as a Bull Dog.  Well, I have never owned one but we need to be tenacious!

E.  We live in an ever-changing world.  I am not speaking about the age of technology but in the realm of both morality and theology.  Things are rapidly changing in our world and our nation.

1.  People of our day are questioning their values.  A value is something that you believe in and hold dear.  I personally do not question every value that I have been taught.  I do not have to “re-invent the wheel.” Right is still right; wrong is still wrong; sin is still sin; the Bible is still the final authority!

2.  People are changing their way of thinking about the Bible, the God of the Bible, and questioning everything that they have ever believed about both.  Many are changing without knowing that they are changing because the change is subtle.  We use the phrase “getting used to the dark.”  A slow encroachment upon both the Truth and the value of such Truth.  It never ceases to amaze me when I look at the science of our day that does its best to prove that there is no God.  You only try to disprove what you fear.

2.  We that are saved know what time it is and we have read the end of the Bible but, when studying the Church Age in chapters 2-3 of the Book of the Revelation, we see the downward spiral of the churches.  Thus, in these last days, we see the Laodicean Church Age in full bloom. I am not worried about the world, though I do want them to come to know the Lord that I fell in love with so many years ago, I worry about God’s people! 

F.  In the First Mention of any subject, God will state His mind on the subject and will never vary from it.  Moses was a servant of God and was faithful “in ALL mine house.” 

1.  To see faithfulness as God sees faithfulness is to find faithfulness in everything that we do for Him.  I have often used this illustration: “If a man is faithful to his wife 364 days out of the year and is unfaithful to her on only one day a year, it he faithful?” 

2.  I don’t think that we must have the ladies answer that question, do we?  Because we live in days of unfaithfulness, we have somewhat changed the definition of the word.  So many church members have become sporadic in both attendance and service.

3.  Faithfulness is defined as being true, devoted, staunch, constant, loyal, dependable, steadfast fidelity, bound by a pledge.

G.  In the New Testament, Paul said, “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”  (1 Corinthians 4:2) Faithfulness is a requirement for stewards.

1 Peter 4:7-11  But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.  (8)  And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.  (9)  Use hospitality one to another without grudging.  (10)  As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.  (11)  If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

H.  As we move toward the end of time, we find the diminishing of faithfulness—especially in the spiritual realm.  “To thine on self be true” has become the slogan of the world.  Faithfulness to self alone is failure to those whom you love.  Faithfulness to self alone is a failure to those things that we should hold dear.  To the world, salvation without faithfulness expresses itself as just having religion.

I.  As we enter the New Year, we need to do so with a renewed determination: that is resolve, steadfastness, doggedness, firmness, and tenacity.  This morning, I want to look at the word “determination” for a few minutes.

1.  Determination is a statement of Character.  Spiritual or moral parameters in one’s life.  Character is what you are when no one else is around.  Proverbs 20:6  Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?  (In our day, faithfulness is a scarce commodity.  Jim Pennington used to say, “Bro. Dave, I can’t do much but I can be faithful.”  Unfaithfulness shows a lack of character.)

1 Corinthians 4:2  Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

2.  Determination is a statement of Conviction.  A strong principle upon which one stands.  Conviction is something that is not negotiable.  1 Corinthians 16:13  Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.  (In our day, strong men and women is a scarce commodity.  Stand for nothing, fall for anything.  I know what I believe and I believe that what I know is right! Unfaithfulness shows a lack of conviction.)

2 Timothy 3:14  But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

3.  Determination is a statement Consecration.  A dedication to something of great importance.  1 Corinthians 15:58  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.  (In our day, commitment is a scarce commodity.  Commitment to things of eternal value.  Many things are worth living for but some are worth dying for.  Unfaithfulness shows a lack of consecration.)

2 Timothy 4:7  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

Conclusion:  We face another New Year!  It is hard to believe that 2017 is at hand but, if the Lord has not returned, it will also soon be gone for time waits for no man.  This morning, I am glad that I know both what and Whom I have believed.  I am not “blown about” by every fad or “wind of doctrine.”  I am well established in the “present truth” that, what I have believed is right, and it will continue to be right!

Hebrews 3:14  For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;