The Church Garden – 2nd September 2007 pm
This is the time of year that we come before the Lord to thank Him for His provisions. I think we take harvest for granted… What if our lives depended upon a harvest (like farmers etc..) maybe we would be a lot more thankful for what God has given us.
Who likes gardening? I’m not talking about plants and flowers, I’m talking about growing your own food. My Bamp’s garden was awesome. I remember how organised it was. Every section of the garden was set aside for a particular vegetable.
There are certain things we need to have in our church garden.
I. Three Rows of Squash
A. Squash Indifference (Rev 3:15)
Indifferent means – not concerned for or against something. The Bible refers to this indifference as being lukewarm.
Imagine a doctor being “lukewarm” about a disease. You are in pain, you feel sick, and so you drag yourself to the doctors. He feels you pulse and takes your temperature and then says goodbye. You ask him what is wrong with you. “Oh nothing to worry about,” he says, “It’s just bubonic plague.”
“What!!” you say. “Shouldn’t you give me something? Isn’t it contagious? I can’t just walk around, what about my family, what about the people in the waiting room? Don’t people die from this?”
“Well you have to die someday don’t you?” is his reply. Imagine a doctor being indifferent / lukewarm about a disease. Imagine the church being the same way about Christ!
B. Squash Criticism (Romans 14:19 / 1 Thes 5:11)
A serviceman once wrote about a moment of comedy he had witnessed in the army. It happened during a company inspection at the Redstone Arsenal in Alabama.
The inspection was being conducted by a full colonel. Everything had gone smoothly until the officer came to a certain soldier, looked him up and down and snapped, "Button that pocket, trooper!"
The soldier, more than a little rattled, stammered, "Right now, sir?"
"Of course, right now!" was the reply.
Whereupon the soldier very carefully reached out and buttoned the flap on the colonel’s shirt pocket. The officer had been quick to note the youngster’s uniform problem, but hadn’t noticed his own.
For some reason, we seem to be the same way. The faults of others stick out like a missing tooth, while our own are often hard to spot. A Mote (dry twig / straw) in other people seem major, while the beam in our own eye seem excusable (Mat 7:1-5).
Let’s quit dwelling on the faults of others all the time. The church needs builders and workers-not a demolition crew. Work on our own faults, then seek to help others in a spirit of gentleness.
C. Squash Gossip (Leviticus 19:16)
Causes friction – Prov 16:28 A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.
Called Talebearer – Prov 11:13, 20:19
Called Talkers – Ez 36:3
Called Whisperers – Rom 1:29
Called Tattlers – 1 Tim 5:13
Why is it that people like to gossip? It used to drive me mad in work – it was worse than soap operas.. I can almost understand it from a lost point of view – but we as Christians should not entertain gossip at all….
The next time you are about to talk about someone, or someone is about to talk to you about somebody else use the following acronym..
T.H.I.N.K. Is it:
True? – Ex 20
Helpful? – Ps 69:1-12
Inspired? – Mat 12:34
Necessary? –
Kind? – Prov 18:8
II. Four Rows of Turnips
A. Turn up for Meetings (Hebrews 10:25)
In this passage of Scripture Paul has been emphasising our responsibilities as brethren.
Who can remember coal fires? Our coal fire had a door on it, but I remember staying up my grand parents and helping them light their fire – it was open, and now and again it would require a poking to stir up the fire. Every now and again a coal would fall out onto the hearth and would initially be glowing red, then after a little while it would loose its colour and turn black. It would be cold enough to pick up by hand.
This is the idea of this passage. We are to exhort one another, stir each other up to keep the fires of the Spirit burning brightly. We need to be kept close together so that Christian warmth can be communicated back and forth from one member of the fellowship to another.
What a shame it is when we begin to stop attending the gathering of those of like precious faith. We soon begin to lose our fervour, we begin to grow colder toward the things of God until, at last, we are no different from the unsaved people around us.
B. Turn up with a Smile (Psalm 9:1-2)
This is the kind of victory that must really bug the devil, what can he do with a man who is able to praise the Lord? Not just praising the Lord with the lips but with the whole heart.
Verse 2 glad = to brighten up, gleesome: - cheer up, be (make) glad, (have make) joy (-ful), be (make) merry.
Smiling is contagious. If you come to church with a smile you might help someone else by passing it on to them – What would people think if you were to come to church all doom and gloom – I realise that we are to be serious about sin an the fate of sinners etc…
Let me put it this way – when Wales won the Grand Slam people were happy for weeks, because their team won – Christ has won the greatest victory EVER – that should make us smile.. Come and rejoice and praise His wonderful name.
C. Turn up with a Visitor (Proverbs 11:30)
There is no joy in the entire world like the joy of leading someone to Christ. We have the responsibility of taking the Gospel to a lost and dying world. Imagine how many more pews would be filled tonight if each one of us brought someone with us.
So many people knock on our doors – selling phone services, internet providers, vacuum cleaners, JW’s, Mormons. When was the last time you answered the door and it was a Christian telling you about Christ or even inviting you to church?
D. Turn up with a Bible (2 Timothy 3:16)
The doctrine of the inspiration of Scripture is vitally important, and a doctrine that Satan has attacked from the very beginning. God has given us a Word, His Word, and it is a Word that we can trust because it is the truth.
The Scriptures are profitable for doctrine (What is right)
The Scriptures are profitable for reproof (what is not right)
The Scriptures are profitable for correction (how to get right)
The Scriptures are profitable for instruction in righteousness (how to stay right)
A Christian who studies the Bible and applies what he learns will grow in the things of the Lord and will avoid many pitfalls in this world.
III. Five Rows of Lettuce
A. Let us Love one another (Romans 13:8)
Love one another is the basic principle of the Christian life. It is the “New Commandment” that Christ gave us (John 13:34). When we practice love, there is no need for any other laws, because love covers it all. If we love others we will not sin against them.
Our motive for obeying God and helping others is the love of Christ in our hearts.
B. Let us Welcome Strangers (Hebrews 13:2)
Where there is true Christian love, there will also be hospitality. Christian compassion reaches out, not only to the saints in the local fellowship but to strangers too. This verse was true in the experience of Abraham. The three wayfaring men visited him, two were angels, and the other was the Son of God Himself.
We should welcome strangers in our church – and I know that when we have had visitors this church does reach out its arms and gives people such a warm welcome. I was talking the other day and somebody said that when they came here that they remember the first person to speak to them and make them feel welcome, and it makes abig difference and leaves a lasting impression.
I have been to a church, as the speaker, and not one person has spoken to us or even introduced themselves to us – it is uncomfortable.
C. Let us be Faithful in Duty (1 Thessalonians 1:8-9)
Our duty is to serve God; He has given us the commission to preach the Gospel. In this passage of Scripture we see how the Thessalonians were spreading the Gospel.
The word for “sounded out” refers to the sounding of a heralds trumpet; such was the boldness of their witness. They did not hide timidly behind closed doors and whisper the Gospel into the ears of their closest friends. They preached the Good News loudly, and they told it to everyone. What they had discovered in Christ was too good to be kept to themselves.
Timothy had brought the good news to Paul at Corinth. But, by the time Paul came to write this letter he was hearing the same story from everyone. All of Macedonia and Achaia were ablaze. The Thessalonian believers were setting the world on fire. The Gospel was sweeping across the heartland of Greece like wildfire.
Are we ashamed of the Gospel or are we faithful in our duty to tell others about Christ?
D. Let us Truly Worship God (Psalm 29:2)
Henry Ward Beecher, the famous pulpit orator, once had to be absent and his brother was invited to speak for him. The church house was crowded, but when it became evident the eloquent Henry Beecher was not going to appear, many started to leave. Beecher’s brother was not disturbed. He stood up before the murmuring crowd, called for silence and said, "All who came this morning to worship Henry W. Beecher may now leave. The rest will remain and worship God."
What are we doing in our Churches? Some come to hear the preacher say something nice. "Is it relevant?" "Is it positive?" Some attend to judge the singing, the prayers, or the friendliness of the congregation. These go away with a host of criticisms, perhaps, or even pride, but worship has been forgotten.
Why do we gather for worship? Some come to "get it over with for a week"; to get their tickets validated once more. But those who come because they need strength in carrying their crosses know the value of true worship.
Worship has nothing to do with the singing or the preacher. It has to do with you and God. Let people do what they will to please themselves. "The rest will remain and worship God."
E. Let us Give Liberally (2 Corinthians 9:7)
We reap as we sow with right motives. Motive makes absolutely no difference to the farmer. If he sows good seed and has good weather, he will reap a harvest whether he is working for profit, pleasure or pride. It makes no difference how he plans to use the money that he earns, the harvest will come just the same.
But not so with the Christian. Motive in giving (or any other activity) is vitally important. Our giving must come from the heart, and the motive in the heart must please God. We must not be “sad givers” who give grudgingly, or “mad givers!” who give because we have to; but we should be glad givers who cheerfully share what we have because we have experienced the grace of God, He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed Prov 22:9
Cheerful – Greek = hilaros. If we cannot give joyfully then we must open our hearts to the Lord and ask Him to grant us His grace. Certainly God can bless a gift that is given out of a sense of duty, but God cannot bless the giver unless his heart is right.
Conclusion:
How is our garden tonight?
