Sunday’s Sermons

Text: Hebrews 13:17                                                       5/11/08 p.m.

Thesis: A church that functions properly is full of advantages.

 

Intro: Tonight I want to show you one of God’s many and wonderful truths.

The truth is a church that functions properly is full of advantages.

Our passage tonight makes a distinction between church leaders and the congregation, the pastors and the members.

When these two groups faithfully fulfill God’s calling on their lives there is a harvest of joy.

The sad thing is we do not have to look very far to find the harvest of pain that is brought in when these two groups deny God’s calling on their lives.

We’ll look at one verse tonight, Hebrews 13:17, and see what God has to say to these two groups in the church.

 

Read Hebrews 13:7-17

 

I) God calls leaders to lead

a)      To lead means to live in such a way so that others hear what you have to say and follow your directions.

i)        Again, as with last week, we have the illustration of Joseph ruling over Egypt.

Acts 7:9&10 say, “And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him ¹⁰ and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household.

ii)      God made Joseph ruler, or leader, over Egypt. Ruler in Acts 7:10 and leader in Hebrews 13:17 are the same words.

iii)    You see, God places men in authority positions for the benefit of others.  Through Joseph God provided the provision needed to keep His chosen people alive.

iv)    God gave Joseph oversight of the raising and storing of grain so that Egypt could be a blessing to the nations.

v)      So, with the humility of a child and the lowliness of a servant leaders must exercise authority in the church for the benefit of others.

vi)    For a marriage and a church to work properly God has ordained different roles. God makes a distinction between church leaders and the congregation as a whole.

vii)  God does this in the same way that he makes a distinction between the roles of a husband and a wife.

viii)            The husband leads and loves his wife the way Christ leads and loves the church.

ix)    Under the authority of Christ, pastors lead and love the church.

x)      And we need to be clear that leading is more than preaching.  Preaching is a large part of leading but so is setting the direction of the church as God leads.

xi)    God gives leaders to the church so that it can be clear where the church is headed and how the church will arrive there.

xii)  I admit this is one of my weaknesses as a pastor but through the power, love, and self-control given by the Holy Spirit my weakness will work out for the glory of Christ and the building of this church.

xiii)            I do not pretend that means I need to just sit back and wait on God. I must do the work of seeking God, listening to the wisdom of others, and articulating the vision God gives.

xiv)            During either the 1^st or 2^nd week of June I plan on getting away for a few days to pray, fast, study, and worship with the express purpose of finding out how God wants me to lead Mambrino Baptist Church.

xv)  When that day gets closer I will let you all know so you can be in prayer for me.

xvi)            What I hope comes from that time and the years ahead is the development of a clear plan for making disciples.

xvii)          In Hebrews 13:17 God tells me that the day is coming when I will stand before Him and give an explanation for how I led this church.

xviii)        I must keep watch over your souls as one who will give an account.

xix)            A pastor must speak and lead in such a manner that souls are clearly challenged by the commands of Christ.

xx)  There should be no lost person who enters this church that does not understand God’s command to repent (Acts 17:30).

xxi)            There should be no Christian who enters this church that does not understand the call to follow Christ with their entire life.

xxii)          I will give an account for every encouraging word spoken rightly as well as every encouraging word that I did not utter when it was needed.

xxiii)        I will give an account for every word of correction spoken right as well as every word of correction that I did not utter when it was needed.

xxiv)        I will give an account for how I handled God’s Word and led you to follow Christ.

xxv)          You are ultimately responsible for your soul. But if I do not sound the alarm and you are taken away by your sin then your blood will be required on my head.

xxvi)        Every leader leads out of love for Christ and the church for whom Christ died.

xxvii)      Every leader leads knowing that God will require a reckoning for every soul on the church role.

xxviii)    God calls pastors to lead and

II) God calls church members to follow their pastors’ leadership

a)      Obey your leaders and submit to them

i)        To obey means to hear someone and to act accordingly.

ii)      This is what he said to do so this is what I will do. That is against our natures so we need the Spirit’s help.

iii)    To submit means to willingly put oneself under the loving authority of another.

iv)    That also is against our natures so we need the Spirit’s help.

v)      Now a person does not need to be told to do something that they do naturally and joyfully.

vi)    I do not need to tell Abigail to splash in the puddles after the rain.

vii)  But when something is against our wills and not what we would consider a good idea we need to be told to obey and submit.

viii)            Abigail needs to be told to clean up her toys before we go outside and play.

ix)    I need to be told to lead and you need to be told to obey and submit.

x)      But here’s the grace of God. When we do what we do not naturally want to do namely lead, obey, and submit it is for our advantage.

xi)    When we joyfully fulfill God’s calling His will is done, lives are changed, and the kingdom of Jesus Christ moves forward.

xii)  But when we buck, when like the Apostle Paul we kick against the goads, we find ourselves kicking against God which never works out in our favor.

xiii)            The advantages are many. There is the blessing of unity. There is the blessing of souls being saved. There is the blessing of broken lives being restored.

xiv)            God intends for this church to be a powerful tool for bringing the good news of Christ to every living room and to the ends of the earth.

xv)  Are you willing to work and sacrifice for that? If so, it will be to your advantage.

xvi)            If you are not willing to work and sacrifice for that then coming to church will just plain ole stink.

xvii)          I want to lead and I want you to follow so that everyone is blessed. For that to happen we must all sacrifice and when we do everyone will taste the advantage of obedience.