R1658 The Believer’s Qualifications

God has an encouraging word for you and me today through the Bible-based teaching of Dr. Don Wilton, all about the Believer's Qualifications.

Yes, it's the Believer's Qualifications that Dr. Don is bringing to light today from the book of Colossians chapter 1 as we open God's encouraging word, the Bible itself. Dr. Don would love for me to invite you to not only study along with us, but know that we're here for you 24 hours a day, connecting a number of ways, both on the phone at 866-899-WORD, 24 hours a day, ready to pray with you. That's 866-899-9673 and online as well, TEWONLINE.ORG. Yes, TEWONLINE.ORG will connect you with a myriad of resources. You'll be able to hear today's message, watch some of the videos and more.

That's TEWONLINE.ORG. Now today's great message with Dr. Don Wilton. Open your Bibles to the book of Colossians. We're going to be in chapter 1 and we're going to focus on one verse. Colossians chapter 1, I'm going to read to you three verses, but we're going to focus really on one verse.

And I'd like you to open your Bibles. Paul puts it like this in Colossians chapter 1 and verse 25, and he puts himself in the center. He says, I, verse 25, I have become its servant. By the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness, the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and for generations, but is now disclosed to all believers. To them, the believers, God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles, the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

May God give us an understanding of his word. I want to speak to you today on the believers qualification. Who's qualified to serve the Lord?

And I'm already telling you what the answer is. Every person who calls on the name of the Lord is qualified. Everyone, you have a role and a function in God's economy to be a major part of the blessing of the body for the sake of the church, as Paul said in verse 24. So let's unpack what Paul does. Paul is a great leader, and this is the apostle Paul looking at a group of people, believers, and he shares with them his qualifications. He's telling the church at Colossae the basis upon which he, Paul, is authorized to do and to say what he is saying. And he gives four wonderful qualifications. The first thing he lets them all know, according to Paul, is that he was a changed man.

Qualification number one, to serve the Lord. He was a changed man. There's a phrase there in verse 25, I have become. That's such a beautiful phrase, and you and I know so well the life of Paul the apostle. Remember back before he became? Bible tells us, you can read about it in the book of Acts, for example, Paul actually, he was leading in every other way, but not God's way. He was a blasphemer. I'll guarantee you with Paul, want me to give you a guarantee? I'm telling you, Jesus Christ would have come out of his mouth as a blasphemy, like you hear everywhere around us.

Even from politicians and, oops, I didn't know I was on the microphone. You know, Paul was persecuting the church. He was against the church. He was not a saved man. He hated God's people. He hated Jesus.

He hated the church. Now, he was an extreme. By the way, God uses people who were extreme against him, God turns them into extreme for him. And you know, the Bible says he was on his way. Actually, he was going to Damascus and he had a mission.

He was going there to go and get a hold of a lot of these Christians and put them in jail. And what happened to him? We know he ran headlong into the Lord Jesus. And he fell on his face before the Lord. And when he gave his heart and life to Jesus, here's what happened to Paul.

He did a complete about face. He was a changed man. In fact, the Bible confirms that in 2 Corinthians 5, 17, the Bible says, if anyone, any man or any woman, boy, girl, is in Christ, that person becomes a brand new creation. You know, has anyone ever asked, come up to you and said to you, how do you know that you're a Christian?

Well, the Bible's got a lot of ways in which you can attest to your Christian faith. But you don't really need to go much further than changed. Changed what?

Everything. You're just different. You changed. Not about cussing or not cussing and just your heart is different. Change.

How do you, anyone try to explain that? That's you, isn't it? What are you doing today? Why you? Why are you worshipping the Lord on a day like this?

Excuse me, half the world is not. Why are you bothering? Why do you bother to get dressed up and drive all the way and get in the traffic and go through five million red lights that are all out of sync with each other? Even at six o'clock in the morning. I don't need to see Kentucky Fried Chicken again.

I've seen it. Why did you do this? May I tell you why you did it?

Because you changed. Number two, he was an appointed man. He wasn't only a changed man, he was an appointed man. The Bible says, I have become God's servant. Every believer gets appointed by God to be his servant. Is there any believer who's not the servant of Jesus Christ?

Can you name them? All right, here's another way to put it. If you're here today or listening, if you do not serve Jesus, but you believe that you're a believer, would you please stand?

I'm being funny, you know. How do you know Jesus and belong to Jesus? And for in any other way, posture yourself to be anything other than his servant.

And that's all believers. Now, if we were going to unpack the meaning of servant, in fact, in this context, the word here really is the word steward. It carries the idea of serving the greatness of God in all of his glory. But the word there is in the Greek text, doesn't matter to you, is oikonomia, which brings together house and manager. God calls all believers to be managers of his house, to serve his house. Be stewards. And if you unpack the word steward or servant in the text, it means that a servant seeks no self glory. 1 Corinthians 4 says that a steward is trustworthy. All of us have people, many of us who work for us, the greatest distinction of someone who serves you, who works for you in your office or your home or wherever is that they trustworthy.

Oh, I can trust so and so. Above reproach is another word. It's just above reproach. Titus tells us that of overseers need to be above reproach. Paul, here talking about his own call to serve the Lord, spoke of this obligation in 1 Corinthians chapter 9 verse 16. He said, listen, I am obliged to preach the gospel.

You know, my family always get tickled with me because I will tell my kids many, many times, well, have a nice time. I've got to go to church right now. I'm obliged.

You know, you can look at me and say, well, you know, you preach all the time, every week, every Sunday, and it just never stops, never stops. I get that, folks, but I want you to know God called me to do this, and I'm obliged to my Savior. Now, that obligation brings me such joy. For giving me this privilege, for allowing me to carry out my obligation as God's servant.

Are you with me there? Thank you, church. When you called me here, you afforded me the privilege and the opportunity to carry out my obligation. Because for me, for Don, servant, that's what I was called to do, amongst many other things.

It's never singular, and I'm going to show you that. So Paul here is talking about the qualifications for us, for believers. Number one, change. Number two, appointment. Number three, he was commissioned. He uses the word in the text, commissioned by God. He was a commissioned man. Now, guys, let's just get this. God did this.

I'm being personal all the time. God, God called me. God commissioned me. It wasn't my daddy. I remember the phone call.

My parents lived 500 miles away. I remember calling, saying to my mother, Mom, I believe God's called me into the gospel ministry. My mother said, yeah, I know.

Thank you. I wish she had told me a few years before. By the way, Karen said the same thing to me. She was married to me. She said, oh, I can see, you just took a little while to listen to what God was commissioning you to do. Some of us are a little slower than others.

I'm sorry. God is a commissioned man, and the word commissioned means that God has produced you especially designed to be a servant to the body. He's produced you especially designed, commissioned for a specific purpose. You may be gifted and play a piano. You may sing in the choir.

You may serve tables. You may be engaged in missions. You may be gifted at writing books like so many in our congregation.

You may be gifted. Listen, folks, that little word commission there, it carries with it in a sense. I love watching all the stuff with the queen and all these knights and that, personally I've always wondered why I haven't had a call to get knighted. I'd love to be called Sir Don.

I think it's got a ring to it. But you know, when people who are knighted by the queen in the British empire, they kneel down in front of her in the palace and she gets a sword and she taps them on each shoulder and she bestows that on them. It's a great honor.

How much more of an honor? When God commissions us, there is a very real sense in which you and I are kneeling. We're face down in the ground before a holy and a righteous God and by His grace, He is commissioning us, all of us. Forgive the interruption. We'll be back with the rest of today's message, the Believer's Qualification from Dr. Don Wilton in just a moment.

But Dr. Don wants me to remind you that this is not a presentation, it's a conversation. And the joy of technology being online has given us the opportunity to talk and pray with thousands of people across the country and now around the globe as we connect, both on the phone line at 866-899-WORD. You can call that number anytime, 24 hours a day, 866-899-9673. We'll connect with one of us, happy to talk, listen, pray, and connect with remarkable resources that will help you grow. As a matter of fact, there's a remarkable resource about the power of prayer on our website right now at www.tewonline.org.

Here are the details on how you can get your copy. Satan is seeking to devour your grandchildren. Evil runs rampant in the streets.

It's pouring out of social media and online streaming, seducing young people with false promises of worldly satisfaction. But the Word of God is stronger than anything that comes from the world. With your gift of support to the encouraging Word this month, you will receive Dr. Wilton's message, Standing in the Gap, along with the bonus book, prayers that avail much for grandparents. Use these Bible-based resources to guide younger generations to Jesus Christ, the only one who can save and satisfy.

It's a remarkable resource, and though in some ways it's specific to grandparents praying for their grandchildren, it's true about parents and any of us who want to step into a deeper attitude of prayer and become intercessors with a joy that knows no end. Again, the details are on our website at www.tewonline.org. While you're there, be sure and sign up for the daily encouraging Word email from Dr. Don. Again, just click on Devotion on our website, www.tewonline.org.

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That's www.tewonline.org. Now back to today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. So Paul here is talking about qualifications. Number one, change. Number two, appointment by God. Number three, commission. And number four, number four, he was a driven man.

Look what he says here. He was a driven man. It says here, God gave me to present you.

That's what he does. He drives you to the point of his good pleasure. God enters your life by his Spirit, takes over as the captain of your body, of your life. And God now in charge of the wheel, he's the engine that drives you. He drives you to where he has determined you best fit to serve him. Now we've got to get into spiritual giftedness because all of us are gifted and God has no giftless children.

None. There's not one of us that's not gifted of the Lord. You can have one gift, you can have multiple gifts. It's no different in a secular way when you look at your own children, moms and dads. I began today in Genesis dedicating two of the most beautiful little boys, Emmett and Shepherd Williams, twins. Only reason I knew which one was Emmett and which one was Shepherd is because their mother, Kate, had them so, they were just, I mean, it's a surprise I'm here right now. They were just so beautiful, these little fellas. And one had an E and the other one had an S, that's how I knew which one was which. And you know, you can go and talk to Todd and Kate who are just choice couples serving the Lord here in our church.

I'm just telling you, I'm telling you folks, I'm telling you something some of you won't understand. Those two little lads, Emmett and Shepherd, are absolutely identical. They're this big. They look exactly the same to me.

I cannot figure out, it'd take me a year. My twins are 10 years old, I can't tell them apart. Who's who? I guarantee you go to their mother, Kate. I'll guarantee you she can already tell you.

Excuse me? Dad, you're out of this because most dads are just dummies, okay? Just right now, if I can just tell you, I promise you their mother knows. You go and ask Jordan Kramer, he goes through this all the time with these two little ones. Laurie knows all about them and he just goes, and he just accepts it. But he sure loves them.

He loves them. Where is God driven you? What's your giftedness? You know, when God takes you and he uses you, you know what it implies when you are driven by God into a specific zone? It carries with it the idea of a concerted effort, single-minded devotion, direct focus on a task.

This is good stuff here. It carries with it a commitment to the whole counsel of God. It also carries the idea of understanding your limits.

Just get that one for a minute. Understand your limits in the church. There is something some of you are not good at. You're not gifted at. You do yourself, not only in your family, as a husband and wife, determine your greatest strengths and tap into those.

You'll miss one of the greatest blessings ever. You spend your whole life trying to figure out because you have to do it all. There's some things you and I can't. It's not that we can't do it. Let me tell you in a body of Christ like this, folks.

We've got gifted people in almost every, from finances to buildings to construction to colors to communications and to worship and to preaching and to teaching. I mean, where do we stop? Where do you stop? Missions.

All of these things. And watch this, this is the body all coming together under the headship of Jesus because we are his servants and he puts all of us to work and the body functions according to his glory. So he gives to us four qualifications here. For me, you know, I know it sounds awfully haughty. I know God called me. I'm a changed man. He appointed me to be his servant for the sake of the body. He commissioned me and he drove me to the point of my giftedness. This is the assignment that I have for you. And by the way, gifts grow and as you mature in the faith, you develop more and more gifts and abilities and you are so valued, we need each other standing together as one people in this world. Otherwise, we're just the United States Congress. Give me a beach.

You never get anywhere. Jesus said, let me show you how the body of Christ works. We've got two zones of thanksgiving today in one church like this.

I pray this is true of every church, Bible believing church. Number one, all our thanks goes to Jesus. Can I give you number two? Thank you.

Thank you. Would you bow your heads with me for a minute? Are you part of this body? Have you trusted Jesus as your savior? Give your life to him. You might say to me today, well, pastor, how do I become part of the body of Christ? Word of God says, that's right, confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and you will be saved. You're looking for change.

You want something more in life. Jesus changes us. What he's done for me, he does the same thing for you and then once he does that, he deploys us, uses us in such a wonderful way. What a powerful time of teaching and preaching with Dr. Don Wilton. And moments ago when Dr. Wilton was leading in that prayer, was it you in your heart agreeing with the need to say yes to Jesus Christ? Maybe for the first time or maybe rededicating your life, coming home to the body of believers that is the church. We want you to know we're excited for the decision God is making in your life and the power you are seeing to become a new creature in him.

Dr. Wilton has wonderful resources. If you've given your life to Christ or rededicated your life that he wants you to have, resources that will help you grow in your faith, just pick up the phone and give us a call at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673 to receive your free information on what's going on in your life as you develop this relationship with Jesus Christ. And maybe if you have questions, we'd love to walk through those and pray for those as well at 866-899-9673 or on our website at www.tewonline.org.

That's www.tewonline.org. Before we get away, closing thoughts from our pastor, Dr. Don Wilton. Now just before we go, the Lord has put in my heart today to pray for you.

You know, that's something that I can do, that we can do for one another. But I just want you to know that prayer is so critical. You know that the Lord Jesus not only hears our prayer, but he answers our prayer too. I'd like to pray for you today.

You love the Lord, I know, but there are things going on in your life, aren't there? Let's talk to the Lord Jesus. Heavenly Father, right now, I want to present to you my friend who is searching, looking, longing, needing, crying out to you. I just pray, Lord Jesus, even through the lens of this camera, that by your Spirit you would touch this person's heart. Answer that prayer right now, fulfill that need.

Come down in the power of your Spirit and manifest yourself. I'm praying this in the strong name of Jesus. We believe in prayer.

You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. God, hear my prayer for my friends. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. And please know we'd love to pray with you anytime, day or night, as Dr. Don says we all need 2 a.m. friends. So when you call 866-899-9673, anytime, day or night, you'll find one of us ready to talk and listen and pray with you and connect with wonderful resources. Again, like I mentioned earlier, like the book from Dr. Don Wilton called Saturdays with Billy, you'll find the details on our website at www.tewonline.org.