A&D Biker Ministries - "Growing the Kingdom of God . . . one Biker at a time"

July 6, 2024

Russell Forsman - Guest Speaker

“Mom’s Secret Sauce”

What is the secret sauce for successful Christian service? Do you need a special calling revealed during a divine encounter? Maybe it takes a large-scale international organization to make a difference in the world. Perhaps service must be highly visible in order to maintain a good reputation. Or could it be that successful service is measured by the amount of funds collected to fuel the mega-ministry machine? One might get the impression, as I did, that some or all of these things are required for service that pleases the Lord. But such thinking is wrong. I came to understand the most about Christian service from an unexpected source; I learned by observing the good example provided by my own mother. This is the story of how I came to know the recipe for Mom’s secret sauce.

When I was living out of state, my mother decided to write me a letter every week so that I would receive mail regularly and not feel completely detached from home. Many years later, she remained faithful to send those letters. I received more than 350 of them.

When writing so often, it came become difficult to figure out what to say from week to week. Faced with this problem, Mom began to tell me about some of the ordinary events in her life in order to fill up the pages. It was within these seemingly mundane musings that I started to notice a pattern. Here are some examples that typify the events Mom wrote about:

Mom goes to an “older” lady’s house once a week to help her do her hair and to trim her nails. I chuckle at the “older” lady part because Mom herself is retired. However, it also brings back memories from my early childhood, when she trimmed my nails and took care of the basic grooming needs for all her young children.

There are many times when Mom visits someone recovering from illness or injury. She’s not a counselor, but having someone to talk to takes your mind off of your misery. Sometimes, Mom will ask if she can pray for them. This often leads into a discussion of religious backgrounds and ends with an invitation to attend an event at Mom’s church. Most people don’t come right away, but are glad to be invited. Mom doesn’t like to be overly insistent, so patiently waits while keeping the invitations open. I’m sure it helps that Mom and others (like me) pray for these friends.

Somewhere I heard that a need observed is an assignment given. Once, a neighbor lady was shoveling snow without wearing anything on her hands. Mom remembered that she had a new pair of gloves sitting unused and offered them to the neighbor. She was most thankful to receive them.

My favorite stories are when Mom writes about the incredible deals she finds while shopping. She uses her bargain hunting skills to get deeply discounted supplies for the church. We jokingly call this her “spiritual gift of cheapness.”

At first, I didn’t realize that these stories were about serving the Lord. Mom has taken turns helping on church boards and other ministries that are easier to identify as acts of service. When I asked about this possibility, she agreed that they were ways of serving God. This encouraged her to seek out other service opportunities, which she enthusiastically shared with me.

I also had not realized what an active servant my mother was. Reading her stories made me wonder when she became so involved. It was then that my mind was flooded with childhood memories. I recalled stopping off at the church for just a minute while on the way home from running errands. I remembered going along when Mom shared some of our outgrown clothes with a needy family. The memories went on and on.

It turns out that Mom has been ministering right before my eyes for as long as I can remember. I hadn’t noticed because it was already her routine, I wasn’t looking for it, and she didn’t toot her own horn.

There are many lessons about serving that we can take away from my mother’s example. Learn them and you will have the recipe for the secret sauce. Act on them and you will also be successful.

Let’s start out by looking at:

Ephesians 5:15-17 (NIV)

15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

The first thing I learned is to make the most of every opportunity. Someone always needs your help. Look for these opportunities. You don’t have to wait for permission, training, or “perfect” circumstances to act.

Hebrews 3:13 (NIV)

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

Hesitation allows opportunity to pass by. But if a door closes on one opportunity, what is to stop us from acting on one of the many others that present themselves daily? When you help meet needs, doors will eventually open to share the gospel. Persistence and patience will yield their dividends. And the way you live says more than words.

Matthew 5:16 (NIV)

… Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

By serving others, you set an example to be followed.

Have you heard the phrase, “little is much when God is in it?” This is the second ingredient. Likewise, “many hands make light work” and “a lot of little things add up to a lot.” Everyone can contribute something, no matter how small. Can you share a smile, your time, comforting words, or a prayer?

Mark 9:41 (NIV)

Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.

Even a cup of water given in the name of Jesus counts. Small works are no less necessary than larger ones and we are not required to serve beyond our capability.

Look at this:

Acts 3:2-10 (NIV)

2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Peter told that lame beggar that he didn’t have silver or gold, but gave what he did have and look at the result.

Even though acts of kindness are good, God must be in it for our works to bear much fruit. There are countless examples in the Bible to show the importance of remaining in God’s love as we share it in our works. Let’s look at some:

Luke 6:43-45 (NIV)

43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

Is not the good man the one who has Jesus in his heart? And what about:

John 15:5-8 (NIV)

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciple.

That’s pretty self-explanatory.

And then we have:

Colossians 1:9-10 (NIV)

9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God

God fills you with the knowledge of his will so you can bear fruit in every good work.

Perhaps the greatest example of Jesus making little into much is the feeding of the 5,000.

John 6:9-13 (NIV)

9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. 12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

Jesus himself distributed the 5 loaves and 2 fishes he had. He made little into much as he served others.

Keeping God in the picture is related to the third and final ingredient, which is to trust God for the increase.

Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

He will make opportunities available to do the good works prepared in advance for us to do.

Philippians 2:13 (NIV)

For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.

Now let’s consider:

1 Corinthians 3:6-9 (NIV)

6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

We know from this scripture that one plants, another waters, but God gives the increase. Thus, we can trust the results to Him without needing to see them. We can trust His timing and His ways. There is no reason to get discouraged if we do what is right.

Genesis 4:7a (NIV)

For if you do what is right, will you not be accepted?

Now that you have the formula for successful service by observing these examples, I encourage you to go and do likewise!

June 29, 2024

Four-in-the-Lord Commands

(A mini-sermon series on Psalm 37)

“REST IN THE Lord”

Psalm 37

Top of FormBottom of FormThis is the final week of our mini-sermon series on the beginning of Psalm 37. Let’s read, one more time, Psalm 37:1-7 . . .

Psalm 37:1-40 (NKJV)

¹ Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. ² For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. ³ Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. ⁴ Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. ⁵ Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. ⁶ He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. ⁷ Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.

We have discussed the first three statements that the Psalmist says to do either in the Lord or to the Lord. We have talked about what it means to Trust in the Lord, Delight yourself in the Lord, and Commit your way to the Lord. Tonight, we will unpack the last piece from the Psalmist . . . we will discuss what it means to Rest in the Lord.

Being silent before the Lord

To really rest in the Lord, we first of all need to realize that we spend way too much time talking.

Have you ever known a person that seems like they won’t just shut up for a while? What did you think of this person? Would you describe them as annoying? Let’s be honest . . . when a person talks to much, it wears on you. Right?

I mean, it feels like they constantly TALK. And, sometimes it’s on subjects that they have little or no knowledge about. But, they pretend as if they were an expert on the subject!

We all probably know someone like this. And, we all probably tend to ignore that person, after they have done this for a while . . . even if they talk about a subject on which they do have fairly good knowledge!

People like this can become divisively opinionated and not be open to discussion with an open mind. They take pride in statements like, “I know I’m right about this.” Or, “I’ve already made up my mind.”

Talking too much leads to a one-sided conversations where the other person, who can’t get a word in edgewise, begins to resent the other.

Ecclesiastes 5:2-3 (NIV)

² Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. ³ A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool.

God is warning us not to talk too much / to NOT be overly talkative. Notice that “a fool’s voice is known by his many words.” This isn’t saying not to have long conversations or anything like that, but rather to really listen to others . . . and not have one-sided conversations.

Also notice that talking too much and too one-sidedly hurts our reputation with others. This is important when we are witnessing to others about Jesus. When our reputation is damaged, so is our witness.

We all need to learn to listen more.

James 1:19 (NIV)

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry

What happens when we don’t listen well to God?

We may not hear what God is telling us.

Not hearing what God is telling us . . . we might as well be ignoring his Word altogether!

We run the risk of only hearing part of the message.

A partial truth is, sometimes, more dangerous than an outright lie. For example, Satan knew in the Garden of Eden that God forbade eating fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. But, he twisted it into a partial truth when he asked Eve if God had told her and Adam to not eat of any of the trees in the Garden.

We are put at risk of believing false doctrine.

When we don’t completely listen to God, we run the risk of believing only partial truths (which are not the whole truth) and therefore wrong.

What happens when we do take time to be silent before the Lord and listen?

1. We are able to come to a proper and true faith in Jesus Christ

Romans 10:17

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

2. We gain instruction

God / God’s Word instructs us on how are we to serve the Lord . . . how are we to live . . . and what Jesus expect of us.

3. We gain wisdom and instruction

Psalm 1:1-6 (NIV)

¹ Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, ² but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. ³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither - whatever they do prospers. ⁴Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. ⁵ Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. ⁶ For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Be Still Before the Lord

We tend to live in a “go, go, go” life style. People are always on the move and always busy - doing something. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve invited someone to Church service or some Church function only for them to tell me, “I’m too busy to make it.”

Are you too busy for God?

We need to take time to rejuvenate ourselves . . . both physically and spiritually.

Why did God institute the Sabbath?

Exodus 20:8-11 (NIV)

⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

These verses show us that God rested for a day, after his work of creation. Did God have to rest? No. He rested to make an example for us to follow.

We aren’t God and we do need rest. Medically speaking, not resting can cause high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, heart attacks, as well as many other health problems. We need to rest physically!

As important as it is to rest physically, we also need spiritual rest. We live in a society that shoves sin down our throats every single day. (Television, Movies, Magazines, Music, Billboards, etc.)

There is a reason they say “sex sells.” We need spiritual rest from the sin of the world.

So, How do we recharge Spiritually?

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Praying and talking to God will protect us and free us from the world’s sinfulness.

Lay your burdens at the feet of Jesus.

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Spend time in the presence of God . . . in his Word. He promised Moses, in Exodus 33:14, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” So, we must simply acknowledge God as God.

Psalm 46:10

Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!

Finally, we must wait on the Lord.

We can do nothing on our own - and if we tried, it wouldn’t be good enough. God promises to help us, but we must wait on him and be patient.

Isaiah 40:31 (NLT)

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

God’s timing is perfect. ours is not. So, we must not settle for what we can do, but wait on the Lord for his perfect plan.

Today, we have talked about what it means to REST in the Lord . . .

We must take time to listen and be silent before the Lord. We must be still before the Lord. And, we must wait for the Lord. If you DO these things, you will be able to fully rest in the Lord. As we end this series in Psalm 37, let’s take the things that we have learned and apply them in our lives.

Remember, always, to Trust in the Lord, Delight yourself in the Lord, Commit your ways to the Lord, and Rest in the Lord.

June 15, 2024

Four-in-the-Lord Commands

(A mini-sermon series on Psalm 37)

“Commit Your Ways To The Lord”

Psalm 37

Over the last few weeks, we have been working through Psalm 37. Let’s do a refresher on the first seven verses.

Psalm 37:1-7 (NKJV)

¹ Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. ² For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. ³ Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. ⁴ Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. ⁵ Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. ⁶ He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. ⁷ Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.

Today marks the third week of our four week study of this Psalm.

We have previously considered what it means to trust in the Lord as well as to delight yourself in the Lord. Tonight, we consider the third thing that David directs us to do in or to the Lord: Commit your ways to the Lord.

Did you see the movie, “Saving Private Ryan.” It’s a very graphic movie, but it’s also a very accurate representation of what our fighting men went through during WWII. A group of soldiers is dropped onto the beaches of Normandy, France, on D-Day. Just after D-Day, a group of soldiers is given the task to track down a Private Ryan - to send him home - since all his brothers were killed in action and he was the last surviving son in his family. The soldiers went through awful things. A few of the soldiers, even the commander of the group, lost their lives trying to find and rescue this man. They went through horrific things, but they were totally committed to their task to bring this man home alive.

How committed are we to the Lord? Are we committed to the Lord like the soldiers in “Saving Private Ryan” . . . or do we just show up to church to make ourselves feel better? I want to talk about three ways that we can be truly committed to the Lord in our lives. If we commit ourselves to these three things, we can be truly committed to the Lord:

1. Commit Yourself to the Church

How much importance do we, as Christians, place on going to church? A Lot? Somewhat? Not much?

What example did the early Church set?

Acts 2:40-47 (NIV)

⁴⁰ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” ⁴¹ Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. ⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴³ Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. ⁴⁴ All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵ They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. ⁴⁶ Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Do you go to church every week? How many of us get “tied up” in other things, on the day we’re to be worshipping the Lord? What do we allow to take precedence over God’s day / time in our lives?

Do you serve in the church?

When we serve in the Church, we are serving God. How can you serve in the Church?

Can you help run the Audio / video equipment?

Could you sing / play an instrument on our worship team(s)?

Are you qualified, men, to be an Elder?

Are you willing to lead a Bible Study?

The Bible warns us NOT to forsake the Church . . .

Hebrew 10:24-25 (NIV)

²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

What happens when we don’t fully commit ourselves to the Church? When we forsake God’s Church, we are forsaking the Body of Christ himself!

Acts 5:1-11 (NIV)

¹ Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. ² With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. ³ Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? ⁴ Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” ⁵ When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. ⁶ Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. ⁷ About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸ Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” ⁹ Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” ¹⁰ At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. ¹¹ Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

Notice that Ananias and Saphira weren’t committed to the Lord - they were committed to themselves. When we are only committed to ourselves & worldly things, God warns us that it will NOT end well!

2. Commit Yourself to God’s Word (the Bible)

What does it look like to be committed to God’s Word? Psalm 119:9-16 is what it looks like to be totally committed to God’s Word . . .

Psalm 119:9-16 (NIV)

⁹ How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. ¹⁰ I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. ¹¹ I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. ¹² Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees. ¹³ With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. ¹⁴ I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. ¹⁵ I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. ¹⁶ I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

Verse 11 shows us that . . .

Hiding (committing) God’s Word in one’s heart guards against sin.

God’s Word identifies what sin is.

God’s Word shows how much God hates sin.

God’s Word shows the punishment for sin.

God’s Word shows that when we sin, we are disappointing God and going against his will.

Verse 12 . . . God’s Word teaches us God’s decree that The New Covenant is in Jesus Christ.

Verse 13 reminds us that God’s Word shows his judgements on right / wrong.

People are quick to tell Christians not to judge . . . but, when we use scripture, we aren’t judging by our own measures, but rather, we are simply repeating the judgement that God has ALREADY MADE.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

“All Scripture” means the Old and New Testaments. So, what is scripture good for?

Doctrine (theology)

Rebuking (of our wrong thoughts)

Correction (of our wrong actions)

Instruction in righteousness (teaching)

Matthew 24:35 (NIV)

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

- Jesus -

God’s word will outlast all of us. It is eternal. Everything will pass away, but the Word of God will not. God’s ordinances are eternal . . . until God, himself, lifts them.

Hebrews 4:12-13 (NIV)

¹² For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ¹³ Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

God’s Word is completely accurate and completely true. It is “sharper than any two edged sword” and able to teach us completely the difference between right and wrong.

3. Commit Yourself to the Great Commission

Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)

¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

These words of Jesus lists three things that we are supposed to do:

1) Make Disciples

We’re not just to make “believers” but “disciples.” There is a BIG difference between a believer and a disciple. A believer simply believes that the Bible is correct and that Jesus is the Son of God. Do you know who are examples of being just “believers?” Satan . . . and his demons!

A disciple is one who molds his or her life based on the Bible. He or she changes, turns away from the way of the world, and FOLLOWS Jesus.

2) Baptize Believers

Acts 2:38 (NIV)

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Baptism is paired with repentance in forgiveness of sin and the gift / the presence of the Holy Spirit.

3) Teach others to observe Jesus’ teachings

After one believes, and is willing to make the change in their lives and be baptized, it’s time to help them mature spiritually and grow in their walk with Christ. This step NEVER ENDS. If it does, something is very wrong!

WHEN are we supposed to follow the Great Commission?

Well, the world tells us that we should only do this within the confines of our church building. And, that we aren’t supposed to spread the Word of Jesus in school, malls, grocery stores, or anywhere that someone might be “offended.”

God’s Word says that we are to follow the Great Commission, even in the face of great adversity.

Acts 5:40-42 (NIV)

⁴⁰ His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. ⁴¹ The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. ⁴² Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

Notice what the Apostles reaction was, to being beaten for the sake of Jesus Christ . . . they were filled with joy that they were counted worthy to suffer for the Lord!

They didn’t just stop when times got hard; they kept preaching and teaching and would not stop!

Are we willing to suffer for the Lord like the Apostles? Are we willing to go to the grave / to die for the name of Jesus, like the Apostles did?

I want to close by offering you an invitation. I simply want you to take time this week to examine your commitment to God. How committed to the Lord are you? Are you committed to the Church? Are you committed to God’s Word? Are you committed to the Great Commission? I think we all can, myself included, work on something. That’s just the way life goes. If you aren’t improving, you’re going downhill.

So with that said, I invite you this week to resolve to, more than ever before, commit YOUR WAYS TO THE LORD!

June 15, 2024

Four-in-the-Lord Commands

(A mini-sermon series on Psalm 37)

“Commit Your Ways To The Lord”

Psalm 37

Over the last few weeks, we have been working through Psalm 37. Let’s do a refresher on the first seven verses.

Psalm 37:1-7 (NKJV)

¹ Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. ² For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. ³ Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. ⁴ Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. ⁵ Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. ⁶ He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. ⁷ Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.

Today marks the third week of our four week study of this Psalm.

1. Commit Yourself to the Church

How much importance do we, as Christians, place on going to church? A Lot? Somewhat? Not much?

What example did the early Church set?

Acts 2:40-47 (NIV)

Do you serve in the church?

When we serve in the Church, we are serving God. How can you serve in the Church?

Can you help run the Audio / video equipment?

Could you sing / play an instrument on our worship team(s)?

Are you qualified, men, to be an Elder?

Are you willing to lead a Bible Study?

The Bible warns us NOT to forsake the Church . . .

Hebrew 10:24-25 (NIV)

What happens when we don’t fully commit ourselves to the Church? When we forsake God’s Church, we are forsaking the Body of Christ himself!

Acts 5:1-11 (NIV)

Notice that Ananias and Saphira weren’t committed to the Lord - they were committed to themselves. When we are only committed to ourselves & worldly things, God warns us that it will NOT end well!

2. Commit Yourself to God’s Word (the Bible)

What does it look like to be committed to God’s Word? Psalm 119:9-16 is what it looks like to be totally committed to God’s Word . . .

Psalm 119:9-16 (NIV)

Verse 11 shows us that . . .

Hiding (committing) God’s Word in one’s heart guards against sin.

God’s Word identifies what sin is.

God’s Word shows how much God hates sin.

God’s Word shows the punishment for sin.

God’s Word shows that when we sin, we are disappointing God and going against his will.

Verse 12 . . . God’s Word teaches us God’s decree that The New Covenant is in Jesus Christ.

Verse 13 reminds us that God’s Word shows his judgements on right / wrong.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, r