God has an encouraging word for you and me today through the Bible-based teaching of Dr. Don Wilton, all about growing together in faith. Today Dr. Wilton completes this message from Acts Chapter 4 about what it is for us to grow together in faith. We want to be growing for sure, but the concept of what we can do together is exponentially more powerful than what we do on our own.
So let's grow together in faith. We want to remind you we're connecting with you 24 hours a day in a number of ways. Many are talking and praying with us on our prayer line at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673. Also the place you can order great resources like the My Final Word book you'll see on the website right now at www.tewonline.org. That's www.tewonline.org.
Many resources ready to encourage you. We'd love to connect with you. And now today's message, Growing Together in Faith by Dr. Don Wilton. What is God telling us? He's giving us the key to everything that pertains to our well-being now in this life and in terms of eternal life, to our growth in the knowledge and admonition of the Lord Jesus Christ.
God mandates clearly that we must declare that Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father. This past week, my wife and I took our Australian friends up to the Billy Graham Training Center at the Cove, one of my favorite places in all the world. I want to tell you, friends, if you have not been to the Cove, you need to go. They have seminars going right throughout the year. The staff there are just wonderful. It's a place where God is, I'm just telling you.
It is wonderful. In fact, I'm doing a seminar this year on the prayers of the Lord Jesus Christ. In September, you might want to come and be a part of that seminar as I teach up at the Billy Graham Training Center at the Cove.
But I'm going to tell you this, what happened. We went down into where the bookstore is and all the memorabilia of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, all the crusades and gifts and things. It's a wonderful thing to have a look at all of that and it just inspires my heart. But there was one thing that caught my attention this time. Many of the things that Dr. Graham has been given in gratitude for his life and ministry are on display there. But there was one thing that caught my attention. A religious group, a large religious group, wonderful people, not Christian religious group, gave Mr. Graham a top award many, many years ago.
And it's up there for display. And alongside of it is the acceptance speech that Dr. Billy Graham gave when these people were so kind as to present him with this lovely gift. This is what he said. He said, I want to thank you, I'm summarizing. He said, I want to thank you with all of my heart for this wonderful gesture, this gracious gift that you give me from your religious organization. And I accept it with much gratitude. Understanding one thing and that is that I know that you, this is another religious group, that you would never expect me to compromise on the fact of my conviction that Jesus Christ is the Messiah and that Jesus Christ is the only way to God the Father. I'll tell you when I came away from the Cove this week, I believe that I went up there just to be inspired by those words because I was brought back to the central issue pertaining to the faith of our fathers. And that is simply this, that salvation is found in no one else but in Jesus Christ. Now folks, that's not popular today.
Did you know that? Universalism is gripping the hearts of people in America. There are pulpits even in the evangelical church today who are saying things like this, that yes, Jesus Christ is the Messiah. Yes, Jesus Christ died, but it doesn't matter what you believe. God loves everybody and as long as you're sincere, it doesn't matter. God will accept everybody. I want to tell you something, my friend, that the key to growing together in faith is that we continue to be a people that make no apology concerning the declaration that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God and that he is the only way to the Father. Would somebody say amen this morning? What a savior. Jesus Christ died for you and for me.
God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him shall not die but shall have eternal life. So what about a growing church? It comes to grips with repentance whereby we are refreshed in our hearts, declares that Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father. Number three, a growing church understands the reality of spiritual warfare.
Now friends, you need to fasten your seatbelts and I want you to listen very carefully today. Chapter four and verse 12, chapter four and verse 21, I beg your pardon, chapter four and verse 21 has what the Word says. After further threats, they let them go. That is, they let the preachers and the people of God go. They could not decide how to punish them because all the people were praising God for what had happened.
What happened? God had acted. The man was miraculously healed. We know the story about the lame man, the beggar, that was brought right there into the presence of these men of God and they said to him, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.
And the Bible says immediately strength came into his feet and ankle bones and he went walking and leaping and praising God. Well friends, right in the aftermath of all of this, Satan reared his head. May I say this with all the love in my heart as we continue to grow? Watch out, Satan doesn't like it. I want to say a word to you moms and dads who are building a Christian home. Watch out, Satan doesn't like it. I want to say something to you college students, those of you who are taking a stand for the Lord Jesus Christ on the campuses of our beautiful land, watch out, Satan doesn't like it.
I want to tell you something, he's alive and he's well and he's after you. By the way, let me just say this, get it out the way. I know it's only December 28th, but when we get to about March or April, I always have one or two or three or four parents come to me and say to me, pastor, could I ask you a question?
And it goes something like this. You know, my son and my daughter is about to graduate from high school, they're seniors. You know, all the seniors are going down to Myrtle Beach come May.
What do you think? Well, folks, I'd just like to with all my heart tell you what I think. Don't allow your seniors to go to Myrtle Beach for senior week. Now, what part of that do you not understand?
Now, I love that here, love Litchfield, Myrtle Beach, love to go down there. I tell you, I love the fun, the fellowship, but I want to guarantee you something, folks. I have seen more parents give permission to their sons and daughters to go to things like that. And what they give permission to do, they give their children, their sons and daughters that they love, they give them permission to go and become partnered into the immoral behavior that all of us know takes place.
Don't kid yourself. And don't give all this booey hooey about, well, they're going to go down with some friends and just take a stand, folks. I'm telling you, there've been many a wonderful young person who has gone down. They've got involved in sexual immorality. There's been unwanted pregnancies.
There's been alcoholism and drugs. I've been called to help get sons out of prison because they went berserk in the middle of the morning. And whenever that happens, of course they didn't mean it. And of course it's always somebody else who got them into it.
And of course they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. And I'm going to tell you, even if your son or daughter do not participate, they are going to get a taste of a world that they are going to hunger after for years to come. They're going to go to college and they're going to have one foot in the world. They're going to want to party all the time.
They're going to want to get in on that group because they've tasted of it. And you are giving them permission to do it. Don't do it. Don't do it.
Satan is alive and well. Don't do it, mom and dad. Don't do it. Now that's not popular. There'll be some people who won't send their children to this church because the preacher got up and said, don't go to these things. That is fine with me.
Don't do it. And it doesn't matter how unpopular you may be with your son or daughter, one day they will thank you for taking a stand for righteousness. See friends, listen, these are biblical principles. A growing church, a growing spiritual people, parents, individuals understand the reality of spiritual warfare. Satan is not some kind of mist or vapor that comes by.
He is real and he is seeking to devour those who follow after righteousness. Don't do it. Forget the interruption, but oh, how we would love to pray you through that opposition that is very real. Know that we're here to pray for you. 866-899-WORD will connect with one of us, happy to talk or listen or pray any time, day or night, that's 866-899-9673. We're also connecting on our website as well at www.tewonline.org.
And you know the culture that we face every single day, whether it be the culture of your neighbors, sometimes the culture of your family members is not always online with what God has called us to be as Christians, as men and women following Jesus. We have a couple of great resources available on our website right now. It's called My Final Word by Charles Colson, friend of Pastor, of course Dr. Colson, Mr. Colson, I don't think he's a doctor, is in heaven right now. But this book based on the unpublished materials written during the final years of Colson's life, it is a powerful insight and gives you and I fuel for responding in love but with clarity to the culture war that we face every day. Again, you'll find that resource and many more on our website www.tewonline.org.
That's www.tewonline.org. Now back to today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. Friends, I've met so many people. I've dealt with unwanted pregnancies and drug problems and alcohol problems.
And all of them have the same story, all of them. I didn't mean it. I just happened to be there. It wasn't my fault. I didn't do anything. And folks, the damage control is unbelievable.
It is unbelievable. I want you to know your pastor prays for you. I pray that Satan will not get a hold of your life. Some of you are so faithful.
I watch people come to church and serve the Lord and you're faithful to the house of God and to the word of God. Satan does not like it. Boy, he'll do everything to destroy you. College students, I pray for you. I pray for you that God's grace would be upon you. You would stand up for righteousness. What about a growing church? Comes to grips with repentance, declares that Jesus is the only way, understands the reality of spiritual warfare. Number four, prioritizes biblical preaching.
Well, there's not a lot I need to say. If you go back to the first sermon of Peter in chapter two and verse 14, Peter stood up with the 11. Raised his voice and he addressed the crowds. Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you.
Listen carefully to what I have to say. Folks, we have developing here a model for biblical preaching. I am so grateful that God has allowed me to follow in the footsteps of the Dr. Alistair Walker's and the E. Gibson Davis's and the Dr. John Slaughter's and men of God who have stood in this pulpit and have proclaimed the unsearchable riches of God in Christ Jesus. With great boldness and without apology because in today's day and age, it is becoming increasingly unpopular to be a church that is centered around the word of God, this unsearchable riches of God in Christ Jesus.
This is the word of God. And friend, as you pray for your pastor and as we pray for one another, as we go into our Sunday school classes, I pray that our teachers are going to focus everything they do on the teaching of the word of God. Seth, I pray that our discipleship leaders are going to be focused in on the word of God. I pray that our youth meetings are going to be focused in on the word of God. I pray that our senior adults are going to become a people who are focused in on the word of God. Number five, a growing church involves the laity.
Well, we've already spoken about some of them. The laity is you and me, it's everybody in the church, not just those who are full-time ministers of the gospel as I am as your pastor. You go to chapter five and verse 12, for example. I don't have time to read all of this to you, but time without number, God's word tells us. Verse 12 of chapter five, the apostles perform many miraculous signs and wonders among the people and all believers, all the believers, used to meet together in Solomon's colonnade. No one dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, there was a kind of a spiritual intimidation that took place in the house of God, amongst the people of God, because of what they stood for, because of their platform, because of their belief system.
Nevertheless, in verse 14, look what happens, my friends. More and more men and women believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and were added to their number. What was the result of the involvement of all the people? As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered from the towns around Jerusalem and the power of God came down.
Why? Because believers gathered together in service and in leadership for the cause of Christ. You know that there is only one person who can invite someone to church and that's you. I've had people say to me, well, pastor, what can I do? I'll tell you one thing all of us can do is invite people to come to church.
I'm praying this year as we grow together in faith that our problems of seating are gonna become even far worse. We already have three morning worship services. Am I prepared to preach four?
Yes. I will give you my unequivocal promise before God. If we fill these three services up as we are in the process of doing, I will go to four morning worship services and I will not miss a lick, nor will Steve Skinner.
It means it doesn't matter what it takes. If by any means we can reach people for Jesus Christ, let me tell you how they're going to come. You're gonna invite them. You need to go pick them up, sit with them, tell them to come because I guarantee you when they do, they'll hear about the Lord Jesus. Number six, a growing church emphasizes family unity. Look at chapter two and verse 42.
Chapter two and verse 42. A growing church emphasizes family unity. They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe. Many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.
Watch this. All the believers were together. They had everything in common. Listen to the unity here among the brethren, selling their possessions and goods. They gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to do what? To meet together in the temple.
They broke bread in the homes. They ate together with glad and sincere hearts. They praised God together, enjoying the favor of all the people.
I mean, we could go on and on. Paul said in his letter to the church at Philippi, he said, I beg of you that you be of the same mind. I want to thank you as a congregation for striving to be spiritually united. It is one of the remarkable hallmarks of First Baptist Spartanburg.
People ask me all over the country what is going on and I tell them a lot of things. There is one thing I always come back to and that is the unprecedented spiritual unity in this congregation. You say, what is it, pastor?
It means in this church we've made a decision. We don't fuss about color of carpets. We've got too many people capable of taking care of that.
We've just completed in time and on budget a $14 million building program. And folks, let me tell you something. As your senior pastor, to my knowledge, I have not had one single person get bent out of shape or fuss about any item or any aspect at any time in any place to my knowledge. I have not had one person come and say, well, I'm just all bent out of shape over this. Now folks, I want you to think about that. Those kinds of people are suffering with hookworm treatment. And I haven't seen a single hookworm in this congregation. You say, what is that all about?
I'll tell you what it's about. It's the laity, folks. It's because God's people, a massive number of people, hundreds of people in this congregation have gone to work. People have prayed.
They put their giftedness to work. They've spent hours laboring for the Lord Jesus Christ and God has blessed their efforts. We don't have business meetings where people come and fuss and feud. And I'm going to say to you even more than that, just in case you're wondering, we do not permit that in this church. And I want to tell you as we go into 2004, that for the past eight or nine years, there has not been a single cross word in this church. And by God's grace, there will not be. And if there is anybody who thinks of joining this church, who's going to fuss and feud and get bent out of shape, you will be far better served going somewhere else. We will not do that in the house of God. Somebody say, amen. You say to me, pastor, what's this all about?
Well, I wish I had given you that point, but God evidently said a lot about it. Being unified in Christ, I thank God for the leadership of our deacons. For our directors, for our chairpersons, of all the teams in our church, for the men and women who go to work and seek God's face. A growing church emphasizes family unity. Number seven, a growing church practices personal evangelism.
Love the story in chapter three about the lame man. Wish I had time to get into it, but I think what God was giving to us here at the institution of the New Testament church is that as we look forward, that an integral part of our vision for the future is the mandate to be engaged in personal evangelism. But friends, personal evangelism has three equal components. Number one, it means soul winning evangelism. That's why we have faith evangelism through the Sunday school. That's why we believe in leading people to Jesus Christ.
It is our priority mandate. Number two, it's discipleship evangelism. If soul winning evangelism is leading people to Christ, discipleship evangelism is growing people in Christ, but that is incomplete because we know that evangelism is incomplete until the evangelized become the evangelists. We are a disciple making church and the third component of New Testament evangelism is disciple making evangelism, whereby those who have come to know Christ, who have grown in Christ, are themselves willing to go out for Christ.
These are the carriers out of the Great Commission. These are the ones who take what Jesus said to be literally true and they go to work. They say what Jesus Christ has done for me, I'll do for others.
That's why we have master life. That's why we have youth discipleship. That's why we have programs ad infinitum that help us to grow in our faith. What is this all about? Growing together in faith. Oh, it's about repentance. It's about Jesus the only way. It's about spiritual warfare. It's about biblical preaching. It's about involving the laity. It's about family unity. It's about personal evangelism. But there's one more hallmark that we mustn't overlook as we grow together in faith. A growing church anticipates a response.
I love that in Acts chapter two and verse 38, right throughout the book of Acts, every time the name of Jesus is mentioned, people responded to him. That's why we invite you to come today. I'm gonna ask you to come in just a moment to leave your seats. I'm gonna ask you this year to turn your heart and life over to the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm gonna ask you in the name of the Lord Jesus to be willing to do whatever it takes to be the complete person, even if that means selling a piece of property, even if that means giving your dollar, even if it means shaking a hand, even if it means revising what you're doing, even if it means saying you're sorry, even if it means asking someone to forgive you, even if it means whatever. Lord Jesus, we have this year 2004.
I don't want this just to be another year. I want to be refreshed, don't you? I want the power and the grace of God to fall upon me and how much I pray that for you. What are you willing to do for Him?
That's a powerful question. What are you and I willing to do for Jesus, for God? I pray that you've heard Dr. Wilton clearly as he's been teaching and preaching, but now I pray even more so as he steps into the studio, you hear him share from his heart next. Again, we want to rejoice with you in your decision.
If you'll call us at 866-899-WORD, we'll send you those free resources Dr. Wilton wants you to have. 666-899-9673. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ? Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now? Dear God, I know that I'm a sinner, and I know that Jesus died for me on the cross. Today I repent of my sin, and by faith I receive you into my heart. In Jesus' name. My friend, I welcome you today into the family of God.
This is exciting news. Remember, we have free resources we want you to have if you gave your life to Jesus Christ or rededicated your life with Dr. Wilton moments ago. Call us at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673.
Or meet us on our website, T-E-W online dot O-R-G, where you'll discover great resources like this. Jesus Christ is the final authority. He is the only standard by which Christians should live their lives.
He's the only solution to everything that we face in life. As you give a gift of support to the encouraging word this month, you will receive the message, The Final Authority, by Dr. Don Wilton, along with the bonus book, My Final Word, holding tight to the issues that matter most, by Chuck Colson. These resources will equip you with the assurance and reliance and knowing the power of the God you serve. The encouraging word is a viewer and listener-supported ministry. Thank you for listening today. And thank you again for the many of you who financially and prayerfully support this ministry every single day. Lives are being changed, and you're investing in that. If you'd like more information on how to do so, you'll find it on our website, T-E-W online dot O-R-G. ... ...
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