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New Testament believers can find themselves serving God under the law but it's an error to do so.
I. The wrong way to serve the Lord
A. With your identity tied to the work instead of your identity tied to the Lord.
1. To try and earn God’s approval
2. To try and earn the favor of people
3. To try and salve a guilty conscience by doing God’s work.
II. The proper way to serve God is by the Spirit, not by the law, where you are
A. Abiding in the presence of God to receive
1. grace
2. direction
3. power for service
B. Empowered to step out in obedience
Let's take a look at the wrong way to serve the Lord before we take a look at the proper way to serve the Lord.
The Purpose of the Law to a New Covenant Believer
Galatians 3:24
24So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.
Amplified Bible
24So that the Law served [to us Jews] as our trainer [our guardian, our guide to Christ, to lead us] until Christ [came], that we might be justified (declared righteous, put in right standing with God) by and through faith.
A Problem with the Law
The Law arouses sinful passions
Romans 7:5 For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death.
1. You can’t get God’s approval by observing the law.
Galatians 2:16
know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.
Justified - : to judge, regard, or treat as righteous and worthy of salvation.
Romans 3:28
For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.
2. Trying to Earn the Approval of Men
Galatians 1:10
10Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
The Hireling simulates a person who's serving with the wrong motives and as a result is unable to see their ministry through difficulties. When the wolf attacks the hireling runs away, leaving the sheep vulnerable and thus ending the expression of God through that person.
The Hireling
John 10:12-13
The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
John 10:12-13
The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
Serving the Lord in order to pay some sort of recognized or subliminal penance is an improper motive.
When we have to work something up, in order to do something for God we are probably operating under the Law.
The Correct Way to Serve the Lord
The only thing we need to do is believe on the one God has sent.
John 6:28,29
28Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" 29Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
A. Abiding in the Presence of God
John 15:4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
1. Receive Grace
Titus 2:11,12
11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
Grace, in the context of Titus 2, is the essence of God that gives the believer the internal fortitude to say no to ungodliness and sin. Grace is a sin preventer, empowering the Christian to live like Christ.
2. Receive Direction
John 10:4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
John 10:27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
Romans 12:2
2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
3. Receive Power for Service
Luke 11:9-13 (Amplified)
9So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened. 11What father among you, if his son asks for a loaf of bread, will give him a stone; or if he asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts [gifts that are to their advantage] to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and continue to ask Him!
B. Empowered to Step Out in Obedience
2 John 1:6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
Accomplishing the great Commission
Mark 16:15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
This Sunday was Pentecost Sunday May 23rd 2010 so we talked some about the day of Pentecost as it relates to empowering the believer for service.
Acts 1:4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
The gift of the Holy Spirit prophesied by Joel
Acts 2:15-18
15These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! 16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17" 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
Receive the Holy Spirit
Acts 19:6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
The Promised Holy Spirit is for You
Acts 2:39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call."
In conclusion please read Acts 18:24-28 and discuss the disciple named Apollos. Compare and contrast his method of ministry with that of the early Apostles and discuss any parallels you may see today in the church in America. What does "only the Baptism of John mean?" What does "explained to him the way of God more adequately" mean?
Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit today by simply asking in faith. Our good Heavenly father will bless you with the gift of his Holy Spirit if you ask and keep on asking; seek and keep on seeking; knock and keep on knocking. In the book of Acts what accompanied the gift of the Holy Spirit is speaking in other tongues and sometimes tongues with prophecy.
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Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:00 AM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM Central Standard Time U.S.A. or via internet video on Jubilee T.V. If you live in Batesville please tune into KCCJ - 106.9 FM to listen to contemporary worship music.
Jubilee Family Church
45 Thunderbird Dr.
Batesville, AR 72501
(870) 793-9124
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