 |
Northwest Church of Christ 3904 38th Street NW Canton, Ohio 44718 330-492-5523 Fax: 330-493-7119 |
“What Do You Expect?” |
  |
What Do You
Expect ?
Galatians 6:7-9It was Thanksgiving Day and she was cooking her first turkey dinner for the family.
In years past that duty had always fallen to another but this year the task was hers alone.
Before serving the dinner she came in announced to her children and her husband: “This is the first turkey I have ever cooked! If it is no good I do not want to hear one word from you. We will just get up and go out to a restaurant to eat.”
She continued her preparations and called everyone to the table.
When she entered the room carrying the turkey, her husband and the children were sitting at the table already wearing their coats.Obviously, their expectations were not very high.
___________________________________
Tonight I’d like for us to think a few minutes about the church
About some reasonable expectations one might entertain with respect to Christianity and the church?
You know oft times people face disappointments in their marriages and in this life because they have unreasonable and unrealistic expectations.
And Christians are sometimes disappointed because they too have unreasonable and unrealistic expectations regarding the church.
The Bible tells us that Heaven will not be marred by disappointments or unreasonable expectations.
Rev. 21:4 “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."However, in this life,
What do Christians have a right to expect of Christianity?Just what do we expect of Christianity as a system of religion?
Is it reasonable to expect that embracing Christianity will
eliminate all of our personal problems?You know, Christianity is the system of religion authorized by
God for this age.And Christianity is not at fault when Christians fail to
live and conduct themselves like they ought to.Then too, Christianity is not at fault when non-Christians
trouble the children of God.Remember that Christianity does not promise a life free from problems, but quite the opposite The New Testament reveals that the Christian’s life may have some additional problems simply because we are children of God.
2 Tim. 3:12
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”During his earthly ministry, Jesus warned that the
world would “revile” and “persecute” disciples of
Christ. (revile is to attack verbally)And that is most certainly happening in the world today.
And Jesus warned that problems of faith would occur even
within one’s family.
Matt. 10:34-36 "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.
For I have come to 'SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW'; and 'A MAN'S ENEMIES WILL BE THOSE OF HIS OWN HOUSEHOLD.'
He who loves father or mother (wife, husband, job, truck) more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.And since persecution will come to Christians from the
ungodly world, the Bible tells Christians how to react.
1 Pet. 4:16.
“Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.”Christians in the world of the first century, according to the Apostle Paul, were “troubled on every side” but they persevered according to 2 Corinthians 4
A Christian suffering (to some degree) for the faith
but persevering will be rewarded by reigning with Christ in Heaven.
2 Tim. 2:12
“If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.”So...
What do Christians have a right to expect from Christianity?Obviously the primary benefit of Christianity is salvation
Romans 1:16
“...I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes...”
Acts 2:47 “And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”Salvation means the forgiveness of sins according to Acts 2.
And that forgiveness of sins enables us to legitimately anticipate eternal life.
Matt. 25:46
“And these (sinners, those outside of Christ) will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."However, no one has a right to expect anything from
Christianity if he or she personally fails to practice Christianity.And disobedient souls cannot have a pleasant anticipation of
the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
2 Thess. 1:8-9
“...in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,Even Christians, who do not give attention to faithfully practicing Christianity cannot expect a positive outcome on that day.
Additionally, one reason some may feel that they get little
personal satisfaction from Christianity is that they invest
so little of themselves into Christianity.
Our reading...Gal. 6:7 “for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”
.Brethren, it is not reasonable to live like the world and expect to be the recipient of spiritual blessings...
either in this life or in the life to come.
1John 2:6
“He who says he abides in Him (Jesus) ought himself also to walk just as He walked.”Christianity is a way of life for those truly converted...
And it is a curse for the half-hearted.Romans 8:6-8
“For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.
So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
Well... What do we expect of the church?
Do we expect the church to be perfect?
You know the church is composed of imperfect humanity,
and it is therefore to that extent, imperfect.
The human element of the first century church was
imperfect, and it had apostles and other inspired
souls to guide it.It was due to human imperfection in the first
century church that some of the New Testament
epistles were written. Read the books of 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians and Hebrews.And so, before we become too critical of an imperfect
church, each of us needs to consider our own imperfections.You see, if from a purely human standpoint the church is to be perfect, then I suggest that none of us qualifies!
Is it right to expect the church to entertain us or our children?
You know, denominationalism has honed its skills in the area
of entertainment to attract people with all sorts of additions and innovations.But scripture does not authorize the Lord’s church to be in the entertainment business
We are to be worshipping God in His appointed way and taking the saving Gospel to lost souls.The church does not exist for our entertainment. That is not it’s mission.
And... Do we expect the church to prosper without the dedication of its members?
The Bible teaches that each member of the body of Christ is essential to the proper coordination of that spiritual body, the church.
Romans 12:4
“For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function...”Brethren, the church of Jesus Christ does not have any non-participating memberships!
The church of Jesus Christ does not have any non-participating memberships!
John 15:2
“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away”So, What do Christians have a right to expect of the Lord’s
Church?The church of Christ has a responsibility to edify, that is to lift up,
its members.1Thessalonians 5:11 we read
“Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.”
And so we can rightfully expect the church to be doing those things that edify.The church of Christ has the responsibility to extend benevolence toward its own needy members as well as other needy persons when it can.
Galatians 6:10 says
“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
So we have a right to expect the church to be involved in works of benevolence as well.And the church of Christ has a responsibility to evangelize the nations.
You know the verses...Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16.And so we can expect the church to be involved in things that are evangelistic in nature.
However, Christians have no right to expect that the
church will succeed in any of its divinely assigned
missions without the full participation of its members.And... when the church fails to perform its God-given mission, the church also will fail to meet with God’s divine approval.
We see some congregations in Revelation 2 & 3 in that condition!
Further... no Christian has any right to expect anything of the church unless he himself has first given himself to the work of the church.
Titus 2:13-14
“... looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”And a Christian has no right to expect anything of the church that he does not first expect of himself.
Well...What about those Elders, Deacons, Ministers and Teachers?
What do we expect of them?
Do we expect them to be sinlessly perfect?Obviously, that is not a realistic or reasonable
expectation.While it is true that every Christian should strive to live his life as
much in harmony with the will of God as he possibly can, and leaders in the church deserve greater scrutiny, they will sometimes falter too.And it is not fair to hold others to a different standard than to which we hold ourselves.
Romans 2:1 NASB
“Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself...”And only those who never do anything have never made a mistake or come under criticism, but to do nothing is also a sin according to James 4:17.
Do we expect the elders, deacons, ministers and teachers
to do the work of every Christian?See the of Matt. 25:31-46 were not lost because of some great wickedness
They were lost because they did not do anythingAnd 2nd Corinthians 5:10 and other places tell us that each soul will appear before the judgment seat of Christ to answer for him or herself.
So what do Christians have a right to expect from elders,
deacons, ministers and teachers?Certainly we have a right to expect that each man serving as an Elder or a Deacon meets each of the divine qualifications for Elders and Deacons. (found in Timothy and Titus)
We have a right to expect elders to rule and feed the flock over which they have been selected.
1 Peter 5:1-4
“The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.And the Elders have a right to expect us to obey them as well.
Hebrews 13:17 reminds us“Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.”
So we have a right to expect to be led, and we have an obligation to follow that lead.
And we have a right to expect deacons to busy themselves with their duties respecting the local church.
And the Deacons have a right to expect our help!Christians also have a right to expect preachers to always preach the whole counsel of God.
The whole counsel means that sometimes what we Preachers have to say is hard to hear... it might even hurt your feelings.
Someone once said that the job of a preacher is to “afflict the comforted and comfort the afflicted” and there is some truth in that.
Christians have a right to expect preachers to present the Word of God, and to do it in a loving way, but without compromise.
Well... What do we expect from ourselves as children of God?
Do we expect to be saved without initial and continued obedience to the Word of God?
Heb 5:8-9 “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,Do we expect to be saved without enduring unto the end?
Jesus said in Matt. 24:13
“But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”What do we have a right to expect?
Remember that scripture assures us that death and judgment will
come. Hebrews 9:27
“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,”And Jesus assures us that one of two possible eternities
will be ours.
Matthew 25:46
“And these (those in sin) will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."So our expectations about the church must begin with ourselves, and rely on Jesus, understanding that each of us are accountable.
And despite the ordinary problems that may come our way, and the unique problems that we endure as Christians
The salvation of our souls will ultimately outweigh every difficulty in this life.Brethren, We need to have reasonable expectations regarding the church, its leaders, and ourselves.
And when it comes to the Lord’s church, we are either part of the solution, or we are part of the problem!
The question is not: “What do you expect from the church?”
The question is:
“What can I do to assist in the work of the church and help fulfill its mission?”If you are not a Christian I want you to know that there is no greater union this side of Heaven.
I want you to know that God created, and Jesus established the church
It is a great blessing to be a part of the church.I want you to know that Jesus is coming back for His church and only those who are in His church will be saved.
When we are immersed for the remission of our sins we are added to that church (Acts 2:42) and there is salvation in no other.
If, in faith and repentance, with a willingness to confess Jesus as Savior, you will come and be baptized you can be added to this greatest of fellowships today.
If you need prayers of support or need to confess a public sin
Will you come now as we stand and sing?