Sermon Central
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Lesson Vc4: Let The Word Of Christ Dwell In You Richly Series
Contributed by John Lowe on Aug 21, 2019 (message contributor)
Summary: Pliny, the Roman governor of Bithynia, who sent a report of the activities of the Christians to Trajan, the Roman Emperor, in which he said, “They meet at dawn to sing a hymn to Christ as God.” The gratitude of the Church has always gone up to God in praise and song.
The Word of God is actually Jesus, for Jesus was God in the flesh (2 Cor. 5:19{3]). He was the Word wrapped up in flesh, and brought down to man; He saved those who heard Him and received Him, and today He saves those who hear Him through the Word and exercise faith brought by the Word. Faith in the finished work of Christ and in His shed blood brings salvation through the grace of God. If we have experienced the grace and the peace of Christ, then the Word of Christ will feel at home in our hearts. We will discover how rich the Word is with spiritual treasures that give value to our lives. From this, the Word of Christ is to be constantly living in your heart, mind, and spirit along with His Spirit, along with His Wisdom, in an abundant wealthy manner. As it dwells richly in each member of the church, it will dwell richly in the church fellowship. From this, your life, your words, and your actions will be teaching folks and placing His Word, His peace, His wisdom, and His Spirit into the minds of one another. A spirit of creativity will bring forth psalms, hymns, poems, and spiritual songs within the grace He has give, and there will be a song in your heart which continuously sings to Him. This is not a religious activity, but a way of being, and it should characterize the entire community. Three words, teaching, admonishing, and singing, leave little doubt that Paul is thinking of the corporate worship of the church and of the Christian community.
This may be surprising to some but listen: “There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day” (John 12:48). We will never know this side of eternity the importance of God’s holy Word. No wonder the devil is trying so hard today to destroy the Word of God!
A Message to America!
America needs men today who will stand behind the pulpit, open God’s Holy Bible, and preach all the Word of God just as it is written, looking to the Holy Spirit as their teacher, studying diligently and faithfully to show themselves approved unto God, not unto their denomination nor people in the pew. Paul said to young Timothy, “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with unsound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear” (2 Tim. 4:1-3).
“Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” No person can teach, preach, or instruct another in the things of God unless he is himself literally saturated with the Word of God. America needs ministers who are saturated with the Word of God rather than teaching from denominational seminaries or the doctrines of man.
