Holding to Word of Life
Let Your Light Shine Series • Sermon • Submitted
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· 14 viewsTo be a light, have the light in you, apply the light in your life!
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This little light of mine . . .
This little light of mine . . .
We know the song, and it is a fun song to sing, but there is a big truth to it too, isn’t there? (expand)
(Insert slide - - - - little light)
(Insert slide - - - lighthouse)
In this series “Let our light shine” in our passage for this series Php2:12-16 we have seen:
12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,
Php
Work out our own salvation (v.12)
Work out our own salvation (v.12)
Work out our salvation with fear and trembling (v.12)
Work it out allowing God to work in us (v.13)
Work it out without grumbling or disputing (v.14)
Work it out as children of God without fault, being blameless and harmless (v.15)
holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.
To be a shining light, more than just a dim light or a little light it is imperative that we holdfast to the the word of Life (Php2:16)
16 holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.
Word of life instructs us how to work out our salvation
Word of life teaches us the fear of the Lord
Word of life is the sword allowing God to work in us
Word of life help us to not grumble or complain
And Word of life aids us in being blameless and harmless without fault.
We can learn about how to hold fast to the word of life from a great example set in Ezr7:10
10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.
(below not on a slide)
Ezra learned by study
Ezra studied to apply
Ezra applied so could teach
So maybe we can follow that example to take that little light and turn it into a light of the world, a lighthouse, a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden and make is shine bright.
Hold Fast: Through Diligent Study
Hold Fast: Through Diligent Study
Now diligent study is just that, study, it takes effort, it takes longing, it takes receiving (1Pt2:2; Jm1:21; Psm119:11; Jos1:8 and Ps1:1-3)
Longing for the word as a baby longs for milk
1 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
Leaving the things aside that hinder us (v.1) and then longing for the pure milk of the word for a reason, to grow in respect to salvation.
21 Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
We have the word implanted in us, by study, by listening, by the preaching of the word; all of which is able to save souls!
11 Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.
Save souls that treasure the word in their heart study the word diligently so they do not sin against God. They treasure the word
1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.
Being diligent in the study of the word helps you to not walk in counsel of wicked, but it is delight, the delight of the word! The implanted, received word will yield fruit and will not wither and will prosper according to the Word.
Diligent study is necessary so to be able to rightly divide the Word. There is the strong warnings Paul gives (2Tim2:14-16; 1Tim6:3-5; Tit2:7-8)
14 Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. 16 But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness,
The implanted, received word that comes from diligent study prevents being able to be ruined (v.14) and to be one approved by God (v.15) and helps us to avoid further ungodliness (v.16)
We don’t want to shamefully, disgracefully handle the word of truth which can lead others to ungodliness.
3 If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions,
3 If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.
5 and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.
1Tim6:3-5
Without diligent study you can be tricked by different doctrine, we need to know sound doctrine and be careful of those of depraved mind and deprived truth who view godliness is a means of gain.
Prepare our minds, prepare out hearts and hold fast to the word of life through learning and applying.
II. Word of life: Through Application
II. Word of life: Through Application
we need to be careful and not just be hearers but doers of word through application (Jam1:22-25)
22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;
24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.
Being diligent not to be deluding ourselves. Someone who quickly forgets the type of person he was. Being diligent to look intently at the Word by applies it and when we do we are blessed by our doing!
(Insert illustration here: you itch, you buy itch cream, but you don’t apply it)
See we can deceive ourselves, but cannot deceive God, He knows our hearts
We don’t deceive Satan for when we hear and not apply that is right where he wants us to be
We don’t deceive those around us for they would see the hypocrisy in us because they know us.
Don’t deprive yourself (ourselves) of the blessings by doing that we receive in being doers and not just hearers!
We have the needed thing so that we can hold fast to the Word of God when we hold the bible and diligently study and apply it.
Don’t be a Pharisee, there are already enough of those (Mt23:1-3)
1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses;
3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.
(Insert slide “Hypocrisy Free Zone”)
That is people who say all the right things but don’t do them. We need to be diligent to apply the Word of God and practice what we preach (in other words what we say) no hypocrisy allowed. Let the Lockett Church be a hypocrisy free zone!
When we are diligent to apply and we are consistent we then demonstrate the value of the will of God (Rom12:1-2)
1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
The will of God so we can offer a living and holy sacrifice that is acceptable that is transformable, by the renewing of our mind! Renewing so it can be proving what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Let our actions speak just as loud as our words, for sometimes people don’t listen to words they look for actions, hence why to be diligent to apply the word of life.
Others watch, and when we hold fast to the word of life we open the door to teaching.
Hold Fast: Able to teach others
Hold Fast: Able to teach others
So you study to show yourself approved
You apply the word to prove you are approved and acceptable
Next naturally would be taking what you studied, what you are practicing and teaching it to others, remember where we started (Ezr7:10)
10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.
We need to pay attention to the order and apply in order, don’t try to teach, attempt to do then study, study, do then teach.
Remember we need to be workers not ashamed (2Tim2:15); people will want to ask us, and as Peter says we need to be prepared to share the hope (1Pt3:15)
15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
Sharing the hope is proclaiming the praise of Him who called us (1Pt2:9-10)
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Notice what it says so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you.
Look at these other passages too (2The2:14; Col1:13-14)
14 It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Called through the gospel so you may gain the glory
13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Like Peter speaks of being called out of the darkness, Paul says we were rescued from it!
May this be what we are studied, what we are applying, what we are teaching to others the truths of the Word of Life for that is where our hope is in the midst of this wicked and perverse generation (Php2:12).
If we are to Let our Lights shine, and take our little lights and turn them into lighthouse lights that shine bright for Jesus we need the word of life in all areas of our life and be ready to share it other others.
(insert lighthouse slide again)
There is no doubt that this world, this county are heading in the wrong direction, not drawing closer to God and many Christians are not shining bright for Jesus so it seems that the wicked and perverse generation is winning more souls for satan than the Christians winning souls for Jesus.
We need to have the heart for God so we have the word of God so we can do the work of God with the words of God to lead the people to know the God of all hope!
We cannot legislate spirituality, a relationship with Jesus Christ, it is personal, and we can change the heart of man, one at a time. We started this series with saying we are living in a “post-Christian culture” and we can do something about it, in our world, our world right here when we have changed hearts and changed actions we can change the world.
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