Welcome To The Family Sermon Iii: Attribute Of Dissemination Series

ATTRIBUTES ASSOCIATED WITH BELONGING TO THE FAMILY OF GOD – DISSEMINATION

“With everything around us falling apart, and with the whole world seemingly on the verge of a nervous breakdown, how do you manage to remain calm?”

Let me assure you that it’s not because of my unawareness of situations or an uncaring spirit. If power to control storms of life and to singlehandedly solve huge problems that plague mankind were mine, rest assured that wrongs would be dealt with, and right would prevail.

However, if the power was mine, and it were up to me to act in a way that seems best to me, wouldn’t that make me a dictator and all the rest of you puppets? Methinks you would not like it. Nor would anyone else! Charles in Charge is not the answer!

If you wonder why someone like me manages to remain calm in the midst of the storms of life, be reminded of Who IS in Charge and why we are better off to leave the major issues of right versus wrong where they belong – in the hands of the LORD God - our Maker, Father, and Redeemer! Where does that fact of life leave you and me? Which way do we go?

Living For God is the only way to go through life on this earth and stay calm. The Lord Jesus dramatically made this point when He spoke those powerful words to frightened disciples in the midst of a storm: “Peace, be still!”

And wouldn’t you know it? The very disciple that rebuked Jesus for sleeping while the rest of them thought they were about to perish is the one we turn to for advice on how we ought to live when the storms of life are raging – I Peter 4:1-6 . . .

So simple is Peter’s message: “Be done with sin . . . Live for God”.

“You’ve spent too much time already trying to get along with pagans. Yeah, they think you’re strange for not plunging into the gutter with them. They heap abuse on you. So what? God will take care of them. You take care of yourself by living for God in the true Spirit of Love just as Christ loved you and gave Himself for you.

Folks: Think about the home stretch in which we are living. Would you agree that, whether we’re speaking of the last days of our sojourn here on earth or the last days before the end of time: We are living our lives in the shadow of eternity!

Peter thought so. And for that very reason – in view of the nearness of the end – he thought it best to put forth a plan for making the most of our remaining days – I Peter 4:7-11 . . .

In keeping with our theme, Attributes Associated with Belonging to the Family of God, think of Peter’s plan in terms of The Attribute of DISSEMINATION – a unique ability God has given to His children to “spread far and wide, as in sowing seed” God’s grace which is manifest via agape that covers a multitude of sins.

We are admonished to be disseminators of God’s grace … by which we are saved … which is sufficient for every need. There are three aspects of Peter’s plan for the dissemination of grace: the message . . . the means . . . the motive.

Quite straightforward is the message: Be done with sin . . . Live for God . . . Love your brothers and sisters in Christ. Do this without giving it a second thought inasmuch as your days are numbered - one way or the other.

You be the instrument of dissemination. God will provide the strength for whatever means He makes available to you: spreading good will, supporting each other, speaking kindly of and encouraging fellow believers, serving needs as God gives opportunity - without remuneration.

As you go about this business of disseminating God’s grace in various ways, keep in mind that your avenues of service are the means to an end: glorifying God - whose goodness and mercy are at work through your good deeds to minister to members of the household of faith.

Remember: God is working through you and in all things you do for Him to bring about that which is best for those who love, honor and obey Him - as taught in His Word. After all, why shouldn’t He work through you? You are special . . . !

The Father conferred upon you attributes of discernment and distinction, (1) the unique ability to differentiate between right vs wrong, good vs evil, those who would do good vs those who would do harm; (2) the distinction of sonship, granting you equal status as heir and joint heir with Christ, and with each other.