Sermon for 8/27/2000
I Will Support the Testimony of My Church
Introduction:
A. Testimony= A Public declaration. A solemn affirmation to establish some fact.
B. A witness= One who testifies as to a certain event. One who was at a certain event.
C. These are legal terms. Jury duty. A witness to a certain event comes in and testifies as to what he/she saw and heard, experienced.
D. We are all on the witness stand. Our friends and neighbors are looking to see if what we testify to is real and true. Our whole lives we are on trial for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
E. The gospel. Death, burial, resurrection. How has this made a difference? Does Jesus really live in you?
F. Sometimes the world just observes, other times the world asks us questions as a lawyer would.
G. The purpose of this trial is to have the jurors become Christians.
H. In the church, all of us either support the claims of the church, we practice what is being preached or we do not.
I. A good witness will testify of God, Jesus Christ with his life and with his mouth.
J. A bad witness will not testify of Jesus Christ in his life nor with his mouth.
K. Does the church make a difference?
WBTU:
A. An actor or actress will soak up a subject until at the performance the audience no longer sees the performer, but rather the person or thing she represents.
B. In our life it needs to be that way.
C. Brick streets in Elizabeth City, in Holland. Some brick streets date back to the 15th and 16th centuries. A brick is just a small and unimpressive thing. But when the bricks are put side by side they made a street or a great structure that can last for a long time. A Christian is like a brick, in that a Christian by one’s self is not very impressive. Bricks, however, that are put together in a good and proper way can and will last for generations.
D. In the church are we building a road that will last for generations. A road that will lead them to heaven. Each of us with our testimony is building a good or a poor structure. Helping the traveler along or putting stumbling blocks in their way. Put us together and we are the church.
E. (1 Pet 2:4 NIV) As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him--(1 Pet 2:5 NIV) you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Thesis: I will support the testimony of my church by…
For instances:
I. By attending faithfully
A. Your attendance is a testimony that you believe and are striving to live a Christian life.
B. In New England, even going to church on Sunday morning is a testimony.
C. Now here at the church we have four services… Try to attend as many as possible.
D. Now many of us have other areas of responsibility that require our attention. Work, helping a friend, family time.
E. Not going to be a legalist and say that we all must come to all the services to go to heaven. Ridiculous!
F. Some people work all week Monday through Saturday and then Sunday is only day off. Where is the family time? May need to come on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights or Sunday school and Sunday morning worship.
G. 1 too little, 3 might be too much. My suggestion is 2.
H. Must come at least once a week whether here or elsewhere. How difficult is it to come?
I. Get into a routine. We are creatures of habit.
J. Our priorities must be God first, family second, everything else after. If it is alright between you and God, and you are growing in your faith, don’t let somebody else judge you. If not then make some changes.
K. (Heb 10:25 NIV) Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
L. They even had this problem in the New Testament.
M. In directory of the ministry, we have 200 on the roll and 75 in attendance. Even if 150 still in community, less than half.
N. In marital counseling, the first thing that a marriage counselor will look into is church attendance.
O. Can I be a Christian without going to Church?
P. Yes! It is just as possible as being: A soldier who will not join the army. A student who refuses to go to school. A Citizen who refuses to vote or pay taxes. A salesperson with no customers. An explorer with no base camp. A captain of a ship with no crew. A businessperson on a desert island. An author with no readers. A tuba player with no orchestra. A politician who is a hermit.
Q. Why go to church:
1. In order to be with Jesus. Worship
2. In order to find personal peace and satisfaction.
3. In order to have scriptures open to us.
4. In order to receive the comfort and encouragement which is found in fellowship.
5. In order to feed and exercise our faith.
6. In order to maintain our spiritual fervor. Fire. Dwight Moody illustration.
7. In order to feed our spiritual appetites.
8. In order to teach your children and grandchildren the importance of regular attendance.
9. In order to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
10. In order to be inspired and admonished by the singing of spiritual songs.
11. In order to be strengthened and comforted in prayer.
12. In order to cast your vote for righteousness and godliness and against the closing of the church. Lady who came to church and couldn’t hear.
II. By living a godly life.
A. Mark Twain had a Christian wife and a Christian mother. When he came of age, he never went to church even amongst the pleading of his mother and wife. It was the poor witness of the people in the church especially among the leadership that drove him away.
B. Story has been repeated time and time again.
C. (Phil 1:27 NIV) Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.
D. How should we conduct ourselves. List of qualifications for leaders, but it is for all of us. Striving for this.
E. Look up 1 Timothy 3:2-7- Comment briefly on each of these.
F. What would a godly person not do?
G. What would a godly person do?
H. What Would Jesus do?
I. Not perfect but making an effort.
J. Problem with hypocrites, do not support testimony of the church.
III. By giving regularly.
A. Church would have a powerful testimony if everyone gave a tithe.
B. Some people talk about giving time and talents. This is important and we will talk about this more next time.
C. Some churches are filled with tithers. Other churches are filled with tippers.
D. Can tell a lot by a person’s checkbook. Supporting testimony or not.
E. The average contribution in American churches is approximately 2.5%.
F. If every member in every congregation were to begin to tithe, every budget in every church would increase 400%.
( D. Mal 3:10 NIV) Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
G. A tithe is taking 10% of your income and giving it to the Lord, to the church.
H. Responsibility of members in God’s church.
I. This is in the Old Testament, we don’t have to go by this today.
J. Tithing was common practice to the first Christians.
K. Both Jewish and Gentile Christians alike practiced the Old Testament teaching of tithing.
L. Tithing was not limited to the Law of Moses. Gentile religions require it.
M. Tithing symbolizes gratitude to God.
1. Tithing demonstrates our faith in God to control our finances. Marriage counseling.
2. God will provide.
N. Tithing strengthens our devotion to God.
1. Eliminates unwise spending habits.
2. Amount of good we do.
3. Our treasure is in heaven.
I. Tithing assures great blessings from God.
1. Time and time in my life.
2. Jesus promises to take care of our physical needs, not just spiritual.
A. “We all like the reputation of being generous, and we’d all like to buy it cheap.” We all know that our God is not cheap.
B. (2 Cor 9:6 NIV) Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.(2 Cor 9:7 NIV) Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
C. Don’t give out of guilt. Don’t give out of greed. Give out of gratitude to a God who has been so gracious to you. Consider beginning your gifts to God with a tithe, and see if He is not faithful to your generosity.
Conclusion:
A. If you were put on trial, would their be enough evidence to convict you as a Christian?
B. All of us here are testifying that Jesus rose from the dead.
