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OF PREACHING AND SERVING

January 13, 2002 AM

Sermon Outline

1 Pet 4:11

INTRO: The prepared life a Christian lives and of which Peter had just written in the letter we are considering involves not only personal qualities, but also very practical outreaching interests. In verse 10 the apostle Peter mentions two general areas of that outreach ... preaching (or teaching) and practical service. Verse 10 reinforces our understanding that Christianity is not monastic or isolationistic in nature. True, Christians are not to be worldly people. But they are in the world for the express purpose of influencing the world. That influence is exerted through the lives Christians live (vv. 7-10), through Gods word proclaimed and in practical service. Think:

I. OF PREACHING (4:11a)

A. The oracles of God? What are they?

1. note Acts 7:38 & Rom 3:2...words directly from God entrusted to human keeping and propagation

2. here is, then, the limitation of a preacher

3. only what God has spoken is permitted

4. 2 Tim 2:15 handling aright the word of truth (see also 2 Tim 1:14 & 1 Tim 6:20 where keep means to guard0

B. Only truth proclaimed with no apologies!

1. Ps 19:7 law of the LordIsa 55:11 my word

2. note, too, Rom 10:17 faith which saves comes directly from Gods word

3. my responsibilityand yoursis to preach only Gods word...to preserve its integrityActs 20:20,21,27

4. yes, the spirit in preaching is importantEph 4:15

C. Some very real dangers implied in the verse?

1. empty preaching...it sounds good; it entertains; it appeals--but no substance...Rom 16:17,18 (the church is not weak for lack of methods...it is weak for lack of Gods word preached from its pulpits)

2. preaching of error...2 Tim 2:18

3.exalting the messenger and not the message...1 Cor 2:1-5

4. keep in mind Rom 1:16...without this, what?

II. OF SERVING (4:11b)

A. The assumption? a life of serving others

1. the text refers us to deeds of practical kindness

2. this certainly the Lords emphasis in Mt 25:23-40

3. Titus 3:14

4. certainly this is one of the visible, tangible ways in which others can see Christ in us

5. some illustrations: Acts 9:36,39; Rom 16:2; 1 Tim 5:10

B. The strength which God gives us to do!

1. a Christian knows that both opportunity and the means to answer it are God given

2. our talents are gifts to us...to be properly used

3. I love example of Dorcaswho used her talent and ability (gift from God) to assist others (using Gods gift)...she never said, Look what I did for you

4. discover and use that talent you have!

5. Rev 14:13

III. PREACHING AND SERVING TO THE GLORY OF GOD (4:11c)

A. Consider some ifs for a moment

1. if we preach anything other than Gods word, how can He be glorified? yet, I hear so much preaching of theological ideas I wonder if they have been deified

2. if we serve with the idea of applause of/from others for what we did, can God really be glorified?

3. note Mt 23:13-15 & Mt 6:1,2 Pharisees were great preachers, great givers...but it was worthless!

B. We must serve to Gods glory

1. see Jno 17:4; Mt 5:16; 1 Cor 10:31

2. we are Gods workmanship created to do good works-Eph2:10

3. yes, we will receive some credit for what we do...but we must keep in mind Gal 2:20to God be the glory; great things He hath done

CLOSE: The prepared life is not one which has gotten to a certain point in order to stop there. It is a life which goes on teaching of Christ and serving others...as He would do if He was physically present.

Cecil A. Hutson

13 January 2002

God's Plan of Salvation

You must hear the gospel and then understand and recognize that you are lost without Jesus Christ no matter who you are and no matter what your background is. The Bible tells us that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Before you can be saved, you must understand that you are lost and that the only way to be saved is by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:8) Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

You must believe and have faith in God because "without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6) But neither belief alone nor faith alone is sufficient to save. (James 2:19; James 2:24; Matthew 7:21)

You must repent of your sins. (Acts 3:19) But repentance alone is not enough. The so-called "Sinner's Prayer" that you hear so much about today from denominational preachers does not appear anywhere in the Bible. Indeed, nowhere in the Bible was anyone ever told to pray the "Sinner's Prayer" to be saved. By contrast, there are numerous examples showing that prayer alone does not save. Saul, for example, prayed following his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:11), but Saul was still in his sins when Ananias met him three days later (Acts 22:16). Cornelius prayed to God always, and yet there was something else he needed to do to be saved (Acts 10:2, 6, 33, 48). If prayer alone did not save Saul or Cornelius, prayer alone will not save you. You must obey the gospel. (2 Thess. 1:8)

You must confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (Romans 10:9-10) Note that you do NOT need to make Jesus "Lord of your life." Why? Because Jesus is already Lord of your life whether or not you have obeyed his gospel. Indeed, we obey him, not to make him Lord, but because he already is Lord. (Acts 2:36) Also, no one in the Bible was ever told to just "accept Jesus as your personal savior." We must confess that Jesus is the Son of God, but, as with faith and repentance, confession alone does not save. (Matthew 7:21)

Having believed, repented, and confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, you must be baptized for the remission of your sins. (Acts 2:38) It is at this point (and not before) that your sins are forgiven. (Acts 22:16) It is impossible to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ without teaching the absolute necessity of baptism for salvation. (Acts 8:35-36; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21) Anyone who responds to the question in Acts 2:37 with an answer that contradicts Acts 2:38 is NOT proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Once you are saved, God adds you to his church and writes your name in the Book of Life. (Acts 2:47; Philippians 4:3) To continue in God's grace, you must continue to serve God faithfully until death. Unless they remain faithful, those who are in God's grace will fall from grace, and those whose names are in the Book of Life will have their names blotted out of that book. (Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:5; Galatians 5:4)