Equipping the Saints

After graduating from high school, my parents rewarded me with a backpacking trip to British Columbia Canada. We arrived early one morning via Ferry to the small town of Egmont, where we took a vehicle to base camp. Upon arrival at the basecamp, we met our two guides, Mark and Brian. They sat us down and proceeded to equip us with all the materials needed for the trip. We had to make sure we were equipped with the proper clothing for the cold weather. We had to have the right amount of food. We had to be equipped with the right tools in order to climb the mountain that stood before us. One of the tools we received was an ice axe. Although I grew up in the frigid cold of the Windy City, I had never seen or touched an ice axe before that moment. As a teenage boy, there was nothing more thrilling to be equipped with an ice axe to conquer the rough, mountainous terrain. Young men were made for adventure. Although I was equipped with the right tool and excited for the journey, I still needed to be equipped with the knowledge of how to use the new tool. Mark and Brian were tasked with teaching us how to use this ice axe, because if we were going to be successful on our mission of conquering the mountain, we were going to have to use our new tools properly.

The key to the ice axe was not having it in our possession, but being able to use it on our journey. The tool would have been meaningless if we had stayed at basecamp. We had a mission to climb a mountain and needed to be equipped with the right tools. Likewise, Christians have been given a mission from the mountain top (the Great Commission) and need to be equipped with the right tools. The purpose of equipping young men with tools to conquer a mountain was never meant for them to remain at basecamp. We had to go to complete our mission. Likewise, the saints of God must be equipped for our mission, not to merely possess tools of knowledge, but to use the tools to complete our mission. We have been called to make disciples of Jesus by baptizing and teaching, by edifying and evangelizing. Today we are going to look more at making disciples specifically by edifying the saints. My prayer is that you would be encouraged and challenged this morning to be equipped for the adventure of following Jesus Christ in making disciples of the nations. I pray that we understand that our mission is never to come and sit next to each other on Sunday morning, but to come to be equipped in making disciples of Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father. We are not called to sit at our basecamp, but to conquer the kingdom of darkness with the light of the glorious gospel of our Risen Lord. First, our mission is to help equip the saints to build the Body.

I. Equipping the Saints to Build the Body

The local church is very precious to God. This letter is written to the saints at Ephesus. It was written to a local body of believers. During the first three chapters, Paul unpacks the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul writes in 1:7, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight.” We have forgiveness of our sins and redemption through the blood of Jesus. He spends the first three chapters unpacking the “riches of his grace” that he has “lavished upon us.” The beginning of chapter 4, he starts to unpack the practical implications of this abundant grace. Verse 4:1, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” So the rest of this letter shows us how to walk in the manner worthy of our calling. One aspect of that calling is to be faithful to the mission that God has given us.

Look at verse 11, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the stains for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” See the heart of God for the building up of his people in that He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers. God has a plan to build up his people. He has decided in his wisdom to give gifts to the church so they can be equipped for the work of the ministry. The professionalization of Christian ministry has hurt both pastors and Christians in the local church. The professionalization of the ministry has allowed Christians to forsake their calling to do the work of the ministry. Many Christians feel that they are excused from laboring in the cause of Christ because they help to support the “professional Christian” to do the work of the ministry. While professionalism often gives vocational pastors a sense that they are more important than the “average Christian” in the pew. Both are lies from the very depths of Hell. Pastors are given as gifts for God’s beloved. Pastors labor not to exalt themselves as intelligent or wise, but as slaves for Jesus Christ for the people’s sake. Pastors live to be poured out as a sacrifice in order that others may be equipped to join in the joy of ministry. Don’t miss this. God is behind the church. God wants his people built up. He has set up the church. God tells us to make disciples of all nations and then gives gifts (teachers and shepherds) to the church in order for them to accomplish their mission. God wants you to do the work of the ministry.

If you only come to church to sit and listen, then you do not understand the purpose of the church. If you only come to the church for your own walk with God, then you do not understand the purpose of the church. Just think about it. God gives you teachers so you can be equipped so you can do ministry. God gives you teachers to equip you to serve and complete His mission. So if your end goal in coming to church is not to learn how you can do God’s work and encourage others, then you misunderstand why God created the church. God wants you not only to do his work, but to feel the joy and the majesty that comes along with serving Jesus.

I remember climbing that mountain in Canada and walking through the clouds. Standing at what felt like the top of the world, gazing out over a sea of clouds only to see a small peak in the distance of another mountain. I remember standing at the edge of the cliff and gazing down into a beautiful, lush, green valley. I remember sleeping outside bundled up in a sleeping bag gazing at the majesty of the stars so close that you felt you were in space. Now what if I stayed at the basecamp? Would I have experienced the exhilarating joy that came with gazing at God’s world from the top of that mountain? God is calling you to do the work of the ministry, because he wants you to experience the profound and glorious joy that accompanies that service.

I served as a missionary with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Washington, D.C. One of our ministries was to take kids to camp every summer where they could improve in their sport and learn about Jesus. My last year serving in that ministry, we received a donation of $20,000 to take 50 kids to camp. The kids we took to camp that year were from the inner city, and it was the first camp trip for many of these children. It was also the first time many of these children heard about Jesus. Camp was fun, but camp was hard. We started our days at 6 am with prayer, and then moved to a full day of activities, before ending the day crashing in bed around midnight. It was exhausting. The last night of the camp, the speaker shared the gospel and invited students to come forward and make a public commitment to Jesus Christ. I looked and I saw tons of the kids that I brought from inner city Washington, D.C. go forward to follow Jesus. I remember my heart was so filled with joy that I just started weeping. How good was God in allowing me to participate in those kids salvation? As I was crying a young man came back after going forward and hugged me thanking me for bringing him to a camp to meet Jesus. Beloved, that camp was exhausting, but it was also glorious.

God has given you shepherds and teachers in this church to equip you for the work of the ministry for the building up of the body of Christ. God wants you to build up the members of Park Baptist Church. Each of you has been given grace according to the measure of Christ to build up the body (4:7). So in what ways are you building up the body? How are you using your gifts to push others towards Jesus? I could list a variety of ways in which you can build up the body here at Park, but one of the main reasons people neglect building is a lack of love. If you love someone, then it is natural for you to work for their good. When we love others, we are also loving God by trusting his purpose disclosed in his Word for the church; being equipped for the work of the ministry in building up the body. So love the people of God by wanting to build them up for their good and for God’s glory. So ask yourself, how can you better love God by loving his people? How can you intentionally work to build up others?

Many of you do not need to be encouraged to build, but to encouraged to continue to build. Those of you who labor so faithfully to build others up, please do not grow weary. Hear this exhortation from Galatians 6:9-10, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Your labors will reap a harvest. Take heart and do not give up.

II. Equipping the Saints to Conform to Christ

There is an ultimate purpose in our labors in the body of Christ. We are laboring for the glory of God by helping people be conformed into the image of Christ. Listen to Romans 8:29, “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” The destination of all Christians is to be conformed into the image of the Son and this brings glory to Jesus Christ. The purpose statement in Romans 8:29 says that we are conformed to Christ, “in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” When we are conformed to Christ, we display the glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to live and die and be raised in order that he would be the firstborn. Jesus’s position as the firstborn implies that there would be others to come after him. This is our confidence, that as Christ was the firstborn from among the dead so we will also be born again from the dead (Col 1:18). And as we are conformed into the likeness of Christ as ones who have the firstfruits of the resurrection evidenced by the Spirit, then others will have confidence that they too can experience the resurrection from the dead. As we are conformed to Christ, we display the truth of the gospel. We, then, work to build up others into the image of Christ, then they display the truth of the gospel. This is a truth that is repeated throughout Scripture and seen in our text this morning.

Ephesians 4:12 says, “to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (author’s emphasis). And again in verse 15, “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.” The end goal of our labors in building others up is to help people grow into the image of Christ. As people are conformed to Christ, then the glory of Jesus Christ is manifested to the entire world.

Idolatry was a very common theme in the Old Testament. Followers of false gods worked to extend the influence of their false gods threw the creation of images made of stone or wood. They believed that the more images that were created symbolized the power and influence of the image-bearer. God strictly forbid the creation of images carved in his image for we read in Exodus 20:3-5a, “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God.” By creating images, man was rejecting the supremacy of the one, true and living God for God had already made images for the world. Genesis 1:27, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” The creation of man in the image of God displays the greatness of God for his image fills the whole world.

After God created man in his own image, he beheld all that he had made and saw that it was very good (Gen 1:31). Although man was created in God’s image to reflect his glory, man fell into sin, corrupting his image and reflection of God. Therefore, God sent his son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin to condemn sin in the flesh. Jesus came to crucify sin in the flesh. He was dead and buried, but God raised him from the dead as the firstborn from the dead. So now everyone who turns from their sin and trusts in Jesus Christ as Lord, will be saved and bear the image of Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:47-49, “The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.”

Beloved, if you do not care if others who bear the image of Christ are being conformed into his likeness, then you do not care if the glory of Jesus Christ is manifested to our world. When we do not work to build others up into our head, into Christ, then we are limiting the manifestation of the glory of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world. The job of building is not given to “professional” Christians, but to the whole body. We have to enlarge our vision of the church. We have to enlarge our desire to see the glory of Jesus Christ manifested in the church. Listen to verse 15-16, “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” The Holy Spirit says through Paul that when each part is working properly or when each member works to build others up, the whole body grows and is built up in love. Do not sit on the sidelines, but participate in manifesting the glory of Jesus Christ by helping others bear the image of Christ so that in building others up you will also bear the image of Christ who was the firstborn among many brothers.

III. Equipping the Saints to Tell the Truth

Now that you know the importance of building up others to be conformed to Christ to manifest his glory, we have to ask: how do I do that? The answer is simple: tell the truth. We speak the truth of God’s Word to one

another. I am going to read this passage again and I want to point out how often Paul refers to thinking on God’s truth and then speaking God’s truth. Ephesians 4:11-25:

“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. 17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!—21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. (italicized author’s emphasis).

So in order to make disciples, we must tell the truth and in order to tell the truth you must possess two things: knowledge of the truth and relationships with people. First, you must grow in the knowledge of the truth. You must commit yourself to studying the Word and to be equipped with the Word. We provide 4 organized opportunities every week for you to hear the Word: Wednesday Night, Sunday School, Sunday Morning and Sunday Evening Worship. Take advantage of those opportunities to be taught the word. Pastor Bill and I are here to help you grow in the knowledge of the Lord. If you do not understand something and want to grow in particular knowledge, please seek us out. Call us or email us. Use our training and knowledge in the Word to equip yourself in truth. Allow me a moment to expose a lie that some of you may believe: “I can’t talk to my pastor because he is really busy and I don’t want to burden him with my problems.” God has raised up shepherds and teachers for your sake. We are here for you. If you are struggling, do not struggle alone. Please know how much of an honor it is to serve you, do not feel you a burden, for you are our joy. For we echo Paul’s words, “For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy (1 Thess. 2:19-20).”

Secondly, you must have relationships with people. If you are going to fulfill God’s mission in making disciples through the edification of the saints, you must know the saints. Life is short and time is valuable. We only have so much time and energy at the end of the day, so we have to be careful about where we invest our time. That being said, God believes that building up the body of believers in the local church should be a top priority for his people, so it is vital that we use our precious time to invest in the lives of others. Invest your time into others and then be patient and allow God to grow you closer together. Remember the ultimate purpose in investing in others is to them conform to Christ and manifest the glory of Christ to the world. This is no small matter.

During my hike in the mountains, the team approached a section of the mountains that was extremely steep. At the bottom of this section was a huge crevice. The only way we could effectively cross was to tie a rope between three different team members. We were all equipped with our ice axes and our desire to complete the mission. I was tied to my two best friends whom I loved more than life itself. As we walked along this steep embankment, one of the friends lost his footing and he started to slip. The two of us who were tied to him threw our ice axes into the wall of snow next to us and held him up. The only way we survived our mission to climb that mountain and avoid the dangers that were in our path was by being equipped with the right tools, the right knowledge and each other. Beloved, the only way we can fulfill our mission in making disciples of one another is to be equipped with the right tools, the right knowledge and each other. Beloved, I urge you to build the body of Christ to help others be conformed to the image Christ by telling one another the truth about Christ to spread the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Very Good Beginning

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Genesis 1:31

Beloved,

The other day my son went out to get the paper. Before he made it down the driveway, he came running back in the house. “Hey, you have to come see this. The sun is rising and the sky is beautiful. Come on outside.” He was mesmerized by the beauty of God’s

creation. He saw what God had made and exclaimed, “It was very good.” Beholding God’s creation and recognizing its beauty rightly acknowledges God’s power and divine nature. God has created a world that was very good and that flourished under his loving rule.

God’s very good creation has now been corrupted by sin and is in bondage to corruption. Although our world is decaying, we know that creation itself waits with eager longing to be set free from this bondage to obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. As Jesus Christ has freed us from the fear of death through his death and resurrection, creation also will one day experience the rebirth into its former “very good” glory. What a day that will be for the children of God!!!

As we wait for that day, we must live under God’s loving rule. God created a universe in such a way to cause humanity to flourish. Every time we reject the order of God’s creation, we lose our ability to flourish. God is smarter than us. He created a world that would maximize human flourishing. Although it has been corrupted now, the children of God still choose to live under the loving rule of our Creator King. For Jesus Christ all things were created. He is before all things and in him all things hold together (Col 1:16-17). When we hold fast to Jesus and His Word, we see a world that is held together in peace and order. When our world rejects Jesus and His Word, we see the unraveling of peace and order. We are not smarter than God. His Word will always prove itself true so that he will be justified in his words and prevail when he is judged (Psalm 51:4).


Let us trust the order and beauty of God’s very good creation, for God saw everything that he had made and behold, it was very good. God knew what he was doing in the creation. Let us not look for new ways to live, but rather let us trust the old way that God gave us in the very good beginning.

The Power of the Mind (Exodus 1)

55 Million. 55 million Americans have lost their lives since 1973. 55 million children have been killed through the legal act of abortion. 55 million. That is almost 6 times the number of deaths in the Holocaust. That is an average of 1.2 million children killed every year, which is twice as much as the next leading cause of heart disease. Abortion is the greatest travesty in American History. Over 55 million children have been aborted. 55 million sons and daughters have been killed. The number almost doesn’t seem real. But, beloved, it is very real. It is easy to become numb to a number like that, but we must allow that number to become alive to our hearts. We must know that every one of those 55 million children was fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God. Everyone one of those 55 million children has an eternal soul that will never die. Everyone one of those 55 million children were precious in the sight of God. Let the number become real to us, for if the number is not real, we will never be motivated to act.

But no matter what we think of abortion, it is not the unforgivable sin. With the number as high as 55 million, it is safe to say that we or someone we know have been impacted by abortion. The statistics show that one of 3 women in America or 30% have had an abortion before the age of 45. This also means that 30 % of men have had a part of an abortion. Abortion’s reach is vast, so before we even go any further, we need to know that God is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. The sin of abortion is not outside the grace of Jesus Christ. For Jesus Christ died to pay for all of your sin; even the sins that you may have a hard time forgiving in yourself or forgiving in others, for even those are forgiven in Christ. Allow the flowing fountain of God’s grace to cover you this morning so you know that all of your past, present, and future sins were paid for in the cross of Calvary. Christian, abortion is not the unforgivable sin for Jesus, himself, asked God to forgive those who crucified and killed him, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34).” There is room at the cross for you.

Let us look at the power of the mind. It is hard to underestimate the power of our thoughts. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says, “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” Where we set our minds is of utmost importance!! Romans 8:5-6, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” Gathered here this morning, there is a variety of people on the political spectrum, but this is not primarily a political conversation; it is a biblical and moral one. My prayer this morning is that you would set your mind on the things of God, for if we do not set our minds on the Lord, it will be on the flesh. And the mind set on the flesh is death, which is our first point this morning; the mind set on the flesh is death.

The Mind Set on the Flesh is Death

Exodus 1:8, “Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.” We remember how God used Joseph to help Egypt during the famine in the interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream. Joseph was eventually promoted to run the Egyptian kingdom under Pharaoh. During the famine, Joseph’s family was brought to the land and lived there under Pharaoh’s blessing. But we see here a new King arose over Egypt that did not know Joseph. In not knowing Joseph, he did not know of Joseph’s God. He did not know of Yahweh and how, through Joseph, Yahweh saved the people of Egypt. So we see a ruler who has his mind set, not on the things of God, but on the things of flesh. Watch the result of the mind focused on the flesh.

Verse 9, “And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel as slaves and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves.”

Pharaoh’s mind was fixed on self-preservation. He wanted to preserve his kingdom and his rule. The people of Israel were growing in number, but they were living peacefully with the Egyptians. Pharaoh saw their numbers not as a blessing to his kingdom, but as a threat. He was worried that as they grew, they would turn from peace to war and fight against them. So in order to preserve his kingdom and the lifestyle of his people, he changed his relationship toward the Israelites. He began to oppress them, but as he oppressed them, the Israelites continued to grow and expand throughout the kingdom. So we see in verse 12, “The Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel.” Why were the Egyptians in dread of the people of Israel? They were afraid of the change in their lifestyle. We, also, can relate to that fear. Isn’t our anxiety often brought on by the same concern; that we may lose some comfort or face an unwanted and unexpected change?

We are worried about a doctor’s diagnosis because we are concerned with how it is going to affect our lifestyle and our families. We are worried about a new boss because we are concerned with how it is going to affect our lifestyle with a potential job loss. We are worried about our kids living the house or getting married because we are concerned with how it will affect our relationship. We worry because of the potential change to our lifestyle and comfort. This is natural, but it is a mind that is set on the flesh. The Bible says in Proverbs 16:9, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” We have our agenda and our wants for our life, but God is the sovereign ruler over all history. When our minds are fixated on the changes in our future circumstances, we are not putting our trust in God. The Lord allows trials in our lives, the Lord allows difficult circumstances, and the Lord will protect us during those seasons of trial. Romans 5:3-5, “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” The Egyptians were living in dread of the future. We are called to live by faith in our loving and gracious Heavenly Father. God has a purpose in our trials.

So we see that the mind set on the flesh produced a fear in the Egyptians and that fear lead them to deal ruthlessly with the Israelites. The mind set on the flesh is death. Their minds were set on the flesh and their well-being which led them to make others serve them. In their fleshly minds, the seeds of death started to take root: seeds of full of anger and fear which would grow and produce a culture of death.

Pharaoh and the Egyptians grew in fear. Their minds were focused on self-preservation. And as the mind is focused on the flesh, it will only grow to bear the seeds that were planted in the heart. Like a snow ball rolling down a hill, the more the mind focuses on the flesh the larger it will grow. So the seeds of anger and

fear towards the Israelites grew from making them servants with heavy burdens to making them slaves. Their fear changed their relationship with Israelites. So we see that the mind that stays on the flesh will only reap more of the flesh. See the progression in verse 15, “Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiprah and the other Puah, “when you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” The king’s mind was focused on the flesh. He was afraid for the future. He was afraid for the self-preservation of his people. So, he believed, the best way to ensure their safety against future military attack was to kill all the future warriors that could grow up to fight against them. So the King ordered the midwives to kill all the male children in order to preserve the kingdom of Egypt.

The mind that is set on the flesh leads to death. It does not start in death, but grows in the direction. The fleshly mind perverts truth and makes decisions that are not for the good others, but for the good of self. Pharaoh’s fear drove him to enslave the Israelite people and eventually seek their destruction. Fear leads to self-preservation, and a fear-driven self-preservation is one of the leading reasons for abortions. In 2004, researchers at the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-abortion organization, asked 1,209 women why they had obtained abortions. Seventy-four percent of the women responded with “having a baby would dramatically change my life” and seventy –three percent said, “I can’t afford a baby now.” The two most prominent reasons given for having an abortion were to preserve one’s current lifestyle. The fear of a dramatic change in life and the fear of financial difficulty were the two dominant reasons why these women chose to end the lives of their babies. The idea of self-preservation is not only seen in woman, but many men encourage their partners to have an abortion because they do not want to take responsibility for a child. Listen to Phil McCombs, a post-abortive father and a writer for the Washington Post,

I feel like a murderer. I was not by her side to support her. I turned my face away. My behavior was in all respects craven, immoral. The child would have inconvenienced me. I’d had my fun. He didn’t fit into my plans. His name, which is carved on my heart, was Thomas. I still grieve for little Thomas. It is an ocean of grief.

And listen to Jeff Bradford, who didn’t fight to preserve his lifestyle, but his reputation.

I hid and suppressed the realization that the only reason our oldest daughter was not alive today was due to my own cowardice. I went to my wedding, pretending to be an upright, moral young man with my bride dressed all in white. She was beautiful, and we looked great on the outside. No one could see the brokenness we were both hiding so well. We had aborted our first child just a few months before.

The reasons that women have abortions are very complex. It is impossible to know what brings people to make the decision to end a life. The mind is very powerful. And we know that when it is set on the flesh it will produce death. The flesh blinds the truth. This is the testimony of Scripture. Our culture perverts truth because the mind of our culture is set on the flesh. Our culture encourages people to fight and to save their

own lives, but in the end they will only to lose it. For Jesus says, “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?”

This is the lie of our culture. Our culture focuses on our individual needs. The American message encourages us to do whatever we can to fulfill our own individual desires. Watch commercials; listen to politicians, so much of their appeal is how your desires can be met. Fear and self-preservation are very powerful tools, but our greatest desires will never be met when we try to preserve our lives. We only can discover true joy when we delight in the Lord. For those who delight in the Lord will get the desires of their hearts.

Those on the other side of abortion see this reality. They sought to save their own lives, only to lose them. The guilt, shame and regret is crippling to men and women who have had abortions. But by God’s grace, he is continuing to call people to lose their lives, to lose their comfort, to lose their reputations, to gain the true life of peace. To set the mind on the Flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is Life. Second point, The Mind set on the Spirit is Life.



 The Mind Set on the Spirit is Life

The only way to change our culture is to turn people from the fear of suffering and losing their lives, to the fear of the Lord. I believe one of the reasons that women pursue abortion is that they are consumed with fear. Fear of change. Fear of loss. Fear of condemnation. Fear of pain. Fear produces hopelessness, and hopelessness produces awful decisions. We have to help people have the right kind of fear; the fear of the Lord. Let’s look at the courage of two young women who demonstrated the right kind of fear. Exodus 1:16, “When you serve as a midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded, but let the male children live.” The women had a choice. They could choose to save their lives, by obeying the highest authority in the land or they could choose to obey the highest authority in the universe. These women made the right choice. They did not seek to save their own lives, but rather chose to fear the Lord. They knew that it could bring suffering into their lives. They knew that it could have even cost them their lives, but they were willing to lose their lives to save the lives of others.

In this way, the Hebrew midwives lived as an example pointing forward to Jesus Christ. For Jesus Christ laid down his life for his friends. He chose to die that others may live, and because Jesus obeyed the Father, God raised him from the dead. God showed favor to Jesus in the resurrection making him (as it says in Romans 8:29) the first-born of many brothers. God honored Jesus’s willingness to die in that if anyone would call upon the name of Jesus and trust him as Lord then they would be saved. Jesus chose to suffer and die so others could live. This is exactly what the Hebrew midwives did. They knew the cost, but feared God. So they chose obedience even in the face of potential death so that others could live, and God honored them for it.

Listen to verse 18, “So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the

Egyptian woman, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.” The very thing Pharaoh was concerned about was happening. The people multiplied and grew very strong. The actions of two Hebrew midwives helped the people of God grow. God also specifically honored the women by giving them families. They made a decision that should have cost them their lives, but God showed them favor and actually gave them the desires of their hearts.

The arguments put forward from the pro-abortion side are centered on individualism and self-preservation. The world says the decision to keep or take the life of a child belongs to the woman or with the woman and her doctor, but all life belongs to God. “None of us lives to himself or dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord, if we die, we die to the Lord. So then whether we live or die, we are the Lords (Rom 14:7-8). The reasons that women have abortions may be complex, but it is always wrong. Choosing to keep a child will change one’s life dramatically, it will bring financial hardships, and it will costs you, it may even bring judgment from others, but choosing life honors God. And God honors those who chooses life, but brings judgment on those who chose murder. This is grounded in our faith in God. Our faith that He exists and rewards those who love him. Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” So we cannot please God, if we do not acknowledge Him. And when we do not acknowledge Him, we are given over to do things that are unspeakably awful, like the killing of unborn children. Romans 1:28, “And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done…They were are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness.”

The only way to change the direction of the culture is to change their acknowledgement of God, to set the mind on the Spirit of God which brings life. It is not enough to stand on the sidelines. By standing on the sidelines, we are giving approval. Romans 1:32 goes on to say, “Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them, but give approval to those who practice them.” There is no middle ground. You either fear God, like the Hebrew midwives, and choose life, or you choose to give approval to what God hates. And if we give approval for what God hates, we are storing up wrath for ourselves on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. We must set our minds on the Spirit and find life. We must help others turn from self-preservation to lose their lives for the sake of God and the sake of the unborn children made in his image, and you cannot help others until you set your mind on the Spirit.

My prayer is that through this message that you would become advocates for life. My prayer is that your

lives are so filled with grace and mercy that when a woman is contemplating this decision that she would be drawn to you because of your grace, and you give her the word of life. I pray that everyone here today would be an advocate for the Spirit. Set your mind on the Spirit, for the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. Help others find life and peace.

For if we do not turn people from a mind set on the flesh it will only continue to escalate to death. Look at verse 22, “Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.” The mind set on the flesh will only produce death. For the mind set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God, but we know there is hope, for the next thing God reveals, after the pronouncement of the killing of children, is the birth of the deliverer, Moses. Let me close by quoting Pastor John Piper who says it so well:

   In the very darkest season of the worst child-killing, Moses was born. Moses,.. the deliverer. Moses, the ,    rescuer, the savior of the people. And then the prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15; Acts 3:22)—the   Son of God, Jesus Christ, the final decisive Rescuer, Savior, Deliverer—was born, and barely escaped the   slaughter of the babies in Bethlehem. He lived a perfect life and died for sinners and rose again. And here’s   one of the great differences between him and Moses. Moses delivered the people who were being      oppressed. Jesus delivers oppressed and oppressor. Moses delivered the hated race. Jesus delivers the        hated and the hater. Moses couldn't deliver the strangled babies or babies thrown into the Nile, but Jesus    delivers the babies, the mothers, the abortion providers, the irresponsible boyfriends. He loves and saves  every sinner who trusts in him. So let us join hands and say with a clear voice as one in Christ: there is a  better way to freedom than killing the babies. And that way is Jesus Christ.

No Room for Racism

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27

Beloved,

Christians are people of truth. We love truth and we must stand for truth; all of God’s truth. For when humanity rejects the truth, “they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen” (Rom. 1:25). If we deny that God is the

Creator, we fail to worship him. We trade in truth for a lie. We trade in perfect knowledge for corrupt and flawed lies. When a culture denies the Creator, sin grows and dominates the landscape. Rejecting the Creator undercuts the value of human beings. If we are results of evolution, and not a Creator, then we have no more inherent value than any other species. If evolution is true, then we cannot fight to help the weak or the oppressed, for natural selection will take care of the weak.

The biblical account of creation is the foundation to eradicate all racism. We are one race under Adam and one new race in Jesus Christ. We all were created in the image of God and therefore have inherent value as God’s image bearers. When a person values a group or race above another, they are not acting as Christians, but as evolutionists. Even Darwin said this in the subtitle of his seminal work, On the Origin of Species: The Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life (emphasis added). The underpinning of Darwinian evolution is not for racial equality, but for the propagation of racism. Most modern-day evolutionists are not racist, but their fight for racial equality is inconsistent with their evolutionary beliefs. Unfortunately, this is the same idea propagated in many of our schools.

This week, we honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who fought courageously for the value of every human being. Dr. King fought against the evil of racism because of his deep belief in the Creator God. “God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” This was the lynchpin in King’s quest for equality.

The biblical account of Creation is the only consistent worldview that leaves no room for racism. For all races, all socio-economic classes, all colors, and all sexes are made in the image of God. This is why Christians should be adamant defenders all racial equality and defenders of gender equality (For male and female he created them). Any views that exult the worth of man over a woman or a race over another are not views consistent with the Christian faith.

We must fight for the Creator. We must teach our children of the Creator. If we lose the Creator, who made us in his own image, we lose the foundation of all human rights. Let us stand with Dr. King for the value of all human life, from the unborn to the racially oppressed, for God created ALL human beings in his image. Stand for truth. Stand for the Creator. Do not exchange the truth for a lie and worship and serve the creature over the Creator. God created the world and is blessed forever, so rejoice that you have value because you were created in the image of God.

New City Catechism Question Four Click Here

How  and  why  did  God  create  us?

God created us male and female in his own image to know him, love him, live with him, and glorify him.And it is right that we who were created by God should live to his glory.

God Bless the United States of America

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” 2 Corinthians 13:14

Beloved,

Every January in America is known for two things: football and the State of the Union. George Washington

gave the first regular annual address before a joint session of Congress on January 8th, 1790. This regular address became known as the State of the Union in 1934 when President Roosevelt used the term during his speech. So every January, our government leaders convene and are addressed by our top leader on the “state of our union.” Regardless of the President, the ending of the speech is very predictable: God bless you and God bless the United States of America. We need God to bless the United States of America. But I wonder if Presidents and politicians understand what they saying when they ask God to bless America.

There is one God that exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. When anyone says “God Bless You,” they may not even realize it, but they are testifying to the Bible. For God to bless you is to say God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit bless you. This is what Paul is saying at the end of 2 Corinthians. May God bless you in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and may God bless you in the love of God the Father, and may God bless you in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

The Grace of Jesus Christ- To be blessed in grace of Jesus Christ is to be blessed in the salvation that he offers. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.” We are declared not guilty by the unmerited favor of the grace of Jesus. We are free from the punishment of Hell and experience redemption into God’s kingdom.

The Love of God – To be blessed in the love of God is to be blessed with all things in His Son. The love of God the Father is most clearly expressed in the sending of His Son. For God so loved the world, He gave His Son. And since he has given us his Son, we know that he will also give us all things. Romans 8:31, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things.”

The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit – To be blessed in with the fellowship of the Holy Spirit is to experience the abiding presence of God in life and peace. For the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you (Rom 8:11).”

So this January, I pray that the one God that exists in three persons will bless you specifically in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. So as the president says, “May God bless you and God bless the United States of America,” know that what he is saying, whether he knows it or not, is for God to bless America with message of the Gospel. For God only blesses according to his nature, specifically his Trinitarian nature. So Mr. President please ask God to bless the United States of America, for we want people to know the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Spirit.

In Christ,

Pastor Dave

New City Catechism Question Three

How many persons are there in the one God?

There are three persons in the one true and living God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are the same in substance, equal in power and glory.

There is No Debate

“There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.” Psalm 86:8-10

Beloved,

Although the college football season is ending, the college football debates will only continue on. It seems as

if there is an endless discussion of sports fans proclaiming their team’s greatness. Each side gives their best argument of why their team is the best in the state. South Carolina has beaten Clemson five years in a row. Clemson is the first team in SC to win a BCS bowl game. The debate rages. The reason that the debate rages on is that there is no decisive winner. Both sides have their opinions. They present facts, but the interpretation of those facts are only mere opinions.

But when it compares to the Lord, there is no debating his greatness. The psalmist says, “There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours.” There is no comparison about the greatness of God. He is great and does wondrous things and He alone is God. These are not mere opinions, but these are facts that are revealed in the holy and perfect Word of God. There is no debate. There is one Lord, “he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion” (1 Tim 6:15-16).

In light of God’s greatness above all things, it is wise and right to honor him above all things. We honor him with our time. We honor him with our money. We honor him with our relationships. We honor him with our service. We honor him with every breath. We know that we should honor God for his greatness, but the question is how do we honor him? We honor him by obeying His Word. Jesus says in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” God is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. God’s greatness is not impersonal, but his greatness is personally extended to us in the life of his Son. The greatest being in the Universe, invites you into His Greatness through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. In view of this great God, is there any higher aim in than to honor the only God with all our being? There is no debate. Our great God deserves all praise and glory.

New City Catechism Question 2

What is God? 

He is the creator and sustainer of everyone and everything.  He is eternal, infinite, and unchangeable in his power and perfection, goodness and glory, in his wisdom, justice and truth.  Nothing happens except through him and by his will.

New City Catechism

Beloved,

Happy New Year!! I pray the Lord continues to show you His kindness in this new year.  I am hopefully for you individually and hopefully for us as a congregation that we will continue to grow in the Lord in 2014.  One of the things that I want to be more intentional about is developing our congregation in the doctrines of the Lord.  To that end, I want to continue putting forward the question and answer catechism we started last year.  The New City Catechism  is a great resource for families to pass on God's Truth to the next generation.  My hope is that each week we will look at one of the questions together to ground us in sound doctrine so then, we can then share what we learn with our others including our families.  The website is full of resources, commentaries, videos, prayers that can enhance your study.  I hope to provide more insight into those questions and be a resource for you if you have any questions regarding the question for the week.

So check out the catechism here New City Catechism and my first attempt at the commentary below. You can also download the New City Catechism as an app or print our the pdf  Here

What is our only hope in life and death? That we are not are own, but belong, body and soul, in life and in death, to God and to our Savior Jesus Christ.

I am praying for you.