Failing to Prepare is Preparing to Fail
Surviving the Pandemic as a Congregation • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction:
1. We have talk about three problems of individual Christians that we need to be proactive in their resolution.
A. Apathy
B. Very little of the Lord’s work is being accomplished
C. Spiritual lazy Christians
2. Today we are going to move on and discuss the second part of this series.
A. If we desire to survive as a congregation we must be proactive as a congregation.
1. The concise Oxford English Dictionary defines proactive as—creating or controlling a situation rather than just responding to it.
2. We become proactive when the following happens....
A. When we realize we are made up of individuals but we are more than mere individuals we are a body of Christ (The Church).
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
B. When we realize we have to be individuals who work together for unity through edifying one another.
13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
C. When realize we have to be individuals who stop seeing themselves as individuals tossed to and from and carried about with every wind of doctrine.
14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
D. When we realize we have to be individuals who acknowledges their head (Christ) and that He is in control of their individual bodies.
15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
E. Once we realize we have to give in to Christ and give up our desires that toss us to and fro then we are truly joined and knit together (unity) by what each one brings to the table and we begin to be effective as Christ’s body (the Church) in God’s kingdom.
16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
B. Every part of Christ body can accomplish its part only when we come together and plan how that is going to take place because we are individuals in a singular body.
1. In my body my brain tells my arm to move and because I am one individual that plan is followed through with my arm moving.
2. But in a body with multiple individuals it take much more planing for the brain or head (Christ) to effectively move His arm—You and me.
3. In order for this to take place each individual Christian has to replace his own mind with the mind of Christ.
1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
C. With this in mind lets look at how God planned as He is our example.
Body:
1. God had a plan for the redemption of man.
4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
A. From the time in which Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden there was a need for a Savior.
1. Thus God would start working His plan for the Savior to come in order to redeem man.
15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”
A. The plan to redeem man did not start with the first sin.
8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
2. God had a plan for Israel.
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
A. In the English Standard Version or ESV the word plans is substituted for thoughts.
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
1. God worked that plan from Adam to Abraham to Moses to Jesus.
3. God has a plan for Christians.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
A. This plan is the plan of salvation laid out in the Scriptures.
1. To be called by God you must...
A. Hear the word of God.
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
B. Believe the Word of God.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
C. Confess that Jesus is the Son of God.
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
D. Repent of sins in your life.
30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
E. And be baptized for the remission of those sins.
38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
F. Then finally you must live faithfully until death.
10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
4. Jesus had a plan for the spread of His word to the world.
A. Jesus choose twelve apostles
1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.
1. He then sent these twelve to preach first to the lost sheep of the house of Isreal.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
2. He then after His death would bring the Gentiles into the fold by sending Peter to preach to Cornelius.
9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. 10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance 11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” 15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” 16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.
3. To further His plan to save the Gentiles God would blind Paul on the road to Damascus and send him to Ananias to be baptized.
1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” 6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
4. He then commissioned Paul to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.
8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
5. He would then further His plan to save the Gentiles and everyone in the world by inspiring His Word to be written and saved for posterity.
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
5. Jesus had a plan for the prosperity of His kingdom.
18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
A. Peter used these keys on the day of Pentecost when three thousand souls were saved.
41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
1. In using these keys he obeyed the great commission given by Jesus.
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
2. And Jesus ensured that the gates of hades would never prevail against the Church and preserved His kingdom for posterity.
Conclusion:
1. Lets follow our Lord’s example and prepare for the posterity of the Church in Allen, Oklahoma.
A. If we desire to survive as a congregation we must be proactive in our preparation in solving our problems.
B. Last statement I want to leave you with is...
1. Failing to Prepare is Preparing to Fail.
18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: But he that keepeth the law, happy is he.