Kerwin Baptist Church Daily Broadcast

Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our desire is for the Word of God to be spread throughout the world so that all may know Christ.

Join us now for a portion of one of our services here at Kerwin Baptist Church located in Kernersville, North Carolina. Therefore, seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not, but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the Word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. Now that might sound like a little bit of fancy lingo and the average person might look at that and say, see, that's why I can't understand the Bible.

Well, dear friend, if we just put on our thinking caps for a few minutes, we're going to fully understand it in just a second. Look at verse 3. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. In whom? What do you mean in whom? In who? Who are we talking about here? The world. The gospel, if it's been hid, it's been hid to them that are lost.

In the lost, the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. Let's pray. Lord, we love you. Thank you for your Word.

And Lord, help us as we lay some groundwork for the year of 2015. Now, Lord, I'm going to do my best to do your will and share what you've laid on my heart. Now, Lord, what the listener does with it is up to them.

That's between them and you. They will give account. Lord, one day I will give account for what I've spoken to these precious people. And, Lord, one day they will give account to you for whether or not they received it. So, Lord, I pray you'd help me and the precious people in front of me to do our jobs this morning. In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen. I want to look at these four verses very interestingly and you've got to come at it with this thought, the ministry that we have been given. Notice that first phrase, therefore seeing we have this ministry. Before you begin to think that, well, you know, ministry is just for people that work full time. Like, Brother Daniel, you get paid full time here at the church.

That is your only job. So, really, you are the one involved in ministry, not us. You're in ministry.

We just come to church. What's amazing here is that you'll notice in that first part, and we believe obviously here that Paul is speaking, but he says, therefore seeing we have this ministry. It's not just the preacher that has the ministry here. It's all who believe in Christ. That means this we're all supposed to be involved.

You agree with that? I want you to notice number one that it is a privileged ministry. You say, where do you get that preacher? Well, by the word that he uses here, therefore seeing we have this ministry. You know what the word ministry here means?

It means to serve as an attendant. He didn't say, therefore seeing we have this job. He didn't say, seeing therefore even that we have this task. He didn't say, therefore seeing we have this duty.

He didn't even say, therefore seeing we have this headache. He said, we are all privileged to have this ministry. Do you know the fact that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and my sins means that we have been blessed beyond measure and how privileged you and I should feel that we now get to serve the one who died for us. This is a ministry. Do you know all the things that we do in this particular local church, all of the ministries that we have? They're not jobs. They're not tasks.

We really shouldn't be begging people to do them and the people that are doing them shouldn't belabor it or shouldn't feel that this is something I just have to do and it's just taking my time. It's a ministry. It's an opportunity to serve, to give, to be an attendant, to be a representative of Christ. You and I have got to understand that what we do for God and what we do in the local church is not a duty.

We're not owed anything for it. It's a ministry and we're privileged to get to do it. Every person that plays an instrument here, that ought to be a privilege. There ought to be one thing to complain about here. It's a ministry. It's a privilege. There shouldn't be one person complaining about a Sunday school class or complaining about it being an usher or complaining about doing anything at this church. This is a privilege.

Y'all agree with me on that? You have to if you're biblical because that's biblical. Let me tell you something.

I'm guilty sometimes. I'll come home and I'll literally feel that bless God I've got to carry the weight of the world. So and so was mean to me today and so and so complained about this and you know there's just some things you know it's coming.

It's going to be negative and you're going to have to hear how bad of a job you're doing. And there's some days you come home and you just think man alive I just can't believe this and I'm doing all this for the Lord. Let me tell you something. There is not one person that is more blessed in this world than Daniel Haughtry. The fact that I get to do this for the Lord. That I get to pastor the greatest church that I've and you're not just having somebody that's maybe been in three or four. I have been in hundreds of churches in my lifetime. I've never seen a ministry like Kerwin Baptist Church.

And let me tell you sometimes I get in the flesh and I get selfish and sometimes I feel like boy I just you know this person wasn't fair and this and that. Let me tell you something dear friend. That's when ministry becomes a duty and it becomes a job. And I'm here to tell you that what we do for God whether it be full time, part time, volunteer, whatever it is. It's a ministry and we're privileged to do it. Therefore seeing we have this ministry, this opportunity to serve.

And I'll remind you here at Kerwin Baptist Church in 2015. It's a privilege to serve God. Whether you feel it or not it is a privilege to be part of this local church.

And if you don't think it is. If you don't think well I just don't think it's a good church to be part of. Then find a good church to be part of. Because I'm going to tell you something you're going to have a hard time finding a better one.

Because this one is the best I've ever seen. Thank God for it. And I want you to know something as your pastor I'm privileged to get to pastor you. And trust me I'm learning every day. Every day I find out what I don't know. Some people the longer they get they find out they think they know everything. I don't think I know anything now. I thought I knew a little bit when I started.

And buddy that went out the window in about a month. I don't know nothing. Excuse the English.

Even my English I don't know right? For those of you sticklers I don't know anything. But God still is letting me do it. And I'm going to do it until he doesn't let me anymore. Because this is a ministry. You know what as soon as you get your eyes off the fact that it's a ministry you're going to get discouraged. You're going to get your feelings hurt. You're going to become selfish. You're going to become critical.

And everything that you do for God be it here or wherever the case can be you're going to find something to complain about. When you forget that it's a privileged ministry. Number two I want you to see it's a personal ministry. He said therefore seeing we have this ministry.

That little two words we have. It means that this privileged ministry God has given to you. It's personal.

It's not just for this person and it's not just for that person. He has given this ministry to us. You are privileged by the fact that we have been saved by the grace of God. And you're not just a number with God. He's personal with you. He knows you.

He loves you. And he has given you certain gifts to do a certain task that he's asked you to do in this local church. It's a personal ministry.

You know I think sometimes you and I get away from the fact that we forget that we have a responsibility. When you join this church you joined with the knowledge that I'm going to be an active giving member. I'm going to give my time and I'm going to give my gifts and I'm going to get involved and I'm going to help this ministry.

And dear friend you and I need to forget this is personal with God. It's a personal ministry. You have to be involved. I have to be involved. We all have to do something. We all have to make our contribution to the house of God. In 2015 I want to encourage you see it as a personal ministry this year. This is something God's given me to do.

Let me tell you something. We've got ministries that need help. We've got a bus ministry. We've got routes.

We could start tomorrow if we had people go pick up these boys and girls. And you're looking at a pastor that doesn't demand a whole bunch out of you. And I don't demand you to go visiting 13 hours on a day and never see your family or anything. Hey I'm a lot more practical than that.

Whatever we can do to make it less work on everybody and still get the job done I'm for it. But I'm telling you we've got a Juana ministry. We've got Uppers ministry. We've got Sunday school classes. We've got youth ministry. Jacob's always begging for people that will come and be faithful and help with the teenagers. Some of you love teenagers and some of you have a burden for teens. And some of you might sit back and think well you know I think we ought to be reaching more teens. Get involved and help them do it.

Maybe we could reach more if you would be involved. Right? Right. That's why we've got to look at things. Some of you are like well you're mean on a Sunday morning. Hey I walked in here trying to be nice and you all were mean to me so I'm going to be mean back. I hope you know I'm picking visitors are like oh my goodness this guy get me out of this place.

Number three. I want you to understand this. It is a provided for ministry. Therefore seeing we have this ministry. A personal ministry and a privileged ministry. As we have received mercy. It is a provided for ministry.

You know what's amazing? Jesus did all this for us and we get saved and we put our faith and trust in Christ and as if that wasn't enough now we are privileged to have a personal part in the ministry to serve him. And as if that wasn't enough you and I ought to be able to do that and serve here without complaining about one thing and we ought to just be happy and just be thrilled and as if he never did another thing for us he's done enough. But if after that he still provides mercy every step of the way to help us do it.

It is a provided for ministry. That means this. That word mercy means to have mercy or compassion on.

It means this literally that while we're serving God he has compassion on us and he gives us what we need day by day to serve him and do what he's called us to do. You know why a lot of people don't really get involved in a church because they look ahead without the help of God and they say I don't think I could do that. Well you can't do that. You can't.

I can't. But if God's laid this burden on your heart if you do that it will be provided for. God will give you the mercy that you need. God will give you the compassion that you need.

God will give you the grace that you need. God will give you the gifts that you need to do what he's laid on your heart to do. You don't have to do it on your own. You don't have to try it on your own. You don't have to make it alone. It is a provided for ministry. We're privileged to have it.

It's a personal thing and God has made provision for us to do it. Man has he not covered every base. Number four. Well let me read you this verse before I go to number four. Brother Scott we had our bus meeting yesterday and he read a verse and knowing what I was preaching this morning I want to give you this verse. I'm not going to give you all the background but obviously here I thought this was great and if you want to write the verse down and look at it later on you certainly can. But Acts chapter 26 verse 22 and I love how he put this. Paul says having therefore obtained help of God I continue unto this day witnessing both to small and great.

Did you hear that verse? Having therefore obtained help of God I continue unto this day witnessing both to small and great. Paul said I am trying to serve God and I'm trying to do this and I get help from God every day. And because I've gotten that help I will continue to witness to small and great. By the way Paul did.

Paul witnessed to the person on the side of the road that nobody had any time for and Paul spent time right in the political leaders of his day preaching to them. Let me tell you something if you be faithful to God, God will open those doors. It is a provided for ministry. Dear friend if God's laid something on your heart and you say well I think the church ought to do this and reach out and do this. Hey dear friend I'm 100% for it as long as it's biblical and in line with what God's called us to do here I'm for it. I like people to get involved. I like people to do things and I like to have people involved in ministry. And you know what I believe that there are ministries that this church does not have right now that God has probably laid on the hearts of some of our people sitting right here. But they've not done anything about it and in their minds they're thinking well we don't do such and such. Well there's a reason why we don't do such. God hasn't laid that burden on all the people here. He's laid it on your heart and if you would bring that forth and say you know what I feel like God would have us to do this and I want to head this up and I want to help with this.

Dear friend you have no idea if God's put that and birthed that in your mind that God can provide for that ministry. I've told you the story here before about in the Hot Springs Arkansas brother Eric Pacey's church there years ago. There's a man named James West and I always remember that because I used to like the old Wild Wild West TV program. And y'all did too didn't you? Don't tell me that was a good show. You know how every scene it stopped a still picture at the end you know and all. Okay anyway anybody who can tell me when you were a kid most of you most of some of you were adults when it was on.

But most of you were kids my age you know my favorite thing was that gun that came right out of his sleeve. You know that's what I need is a pasture that's what I do. I've thought about that it's like you don't like what?

Anyway I'm picking obviously. But this guy named James West was in there and in Hot Springs Arkansas is a it's a like a vacation type a lot of tourism there at the springs and stuff. And so he told the pastor he said you know there's a lot of visitors that come tourists and they're there late at nights on Saturday nights up in the wee hours of the morning. And he said that would be a golden opportunity to reach some of these people you know to start witnessing to them probably go out there around 11 o'clock at night probably 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning. People were around there you know just unsaved people and the pastor said that's great you want to do that that'd be great I'm going to be in bed from 11 o'clock at night to 4 o'clock in the morning. And this guy decided it was a need and God had laid on his heart and so he went out and the first Sunday he did it the pastor got up to preach when he gave the invitation. This guy James West came out of the aisle and brought nine people sitting there in the pew with him that had all been saved the night before and they made it public. Well James started getting one or two guys that go with him and before long it became the midnight cry ministry at their church and hundreds have been saved. Because one member of the church God laid on their heart there's a need over there.

Dear friend I want you to know something a lot of times you and I don't do it because we don't think that it's going to be able to be done. If God has laid a ministry on your heart it will be provided for. I want you to notice the fourth thing that this is a persistent ministry.

Look at verse one. Therefore seeing we have this ministry personal privileged as we have received mercy provided for notice this we faint not. A persistent ministry. Listen to me I want you to understand this our persistence is dependent upon God's provision. You and I can't be persistent if God doesn't make the provision. But the Bible says God has provided that mercy that is needed.

So you and I although you say well I don't know how it's just hard and it's difficult and sometimes it gets weary and sometimes I this and sometimes I that. Listen to me dear friend because God is making those provision we have the ability not to faint. We have people that have been involved in ministry for 30 and 40 years right here at this church. We have people in our bus ministry been in bus ministry for years. We have people that have taught Sunday school classes for years.

Dear friend I'm here to tell you God will make the provision but you and I have to be persistent. We faint not that word faint is an interesting word. It doesn't just mean to be physically weary it means to become unfocused. A lot of times when you and I get tired and let me just put it this way like that's why a basketball team that is in better physical shape.

That they'll do better in the middle of the third quarter through the fourth quarter. Because the other team is going to get tired and when you get tired you can't focus. When you're tired you don't make that sharp movement you don't make that best decision. Because you're tired and you begin to lose focus because your mind wonders and you're tired and you're physically exhausted.

And that's what this word is talking about and a lot of times you and I look at me I want you to get this. It's not because the ministry is so hard it's because we are so out of shape spiritually. And if you and I were in God's Word like we should and praying like we should and reading God's Word like we should and close to God like we should.

We would have that strength and we would be in better shape and the ministry wouldn't feel so heavy. But when we get away from God and we quit reading and we quit praying and we get a negative attitude and complain about things and whatever the case that always happens in churches. Then we begin to lose focus and then the ministry feels heavy and then we quit. Dear friend I want you to know this is a persistent ministry.

We faint not. I want to challenge you in 2015 get involved in your local church and don't quit. Just keep going. Hey I'm going to tell you something. You're looking at a guy that is glad we have a music director. Because if he wasn't music director I'd probably have to be the music director again. And I do not like choir practices. I love the choir. They're wonderful. I love directing them.

I'm sure Nick does too. Nothing like church service and the choir singing out and you're up there directing them and you're doing the song that God has laid on your heart to do. But man my recliner feels good about 4 o'clock on a Sunday afternoon. As much as I love the choir and I love the Lord it's hard to get to a choir practice. And you know what for the choir sometimes I'm sure it feels hard and it feels you know I got to do this I got to do that maybe I just won't do it. No no no God said that's a privilege you've been given.

And you have a personal responsibility to it. And you know what God's given mercy so we faint not. There comes those days you can just tell brother Nick you know what brother Nick today was a rough day. And I couldn't make it today. But you get right back you come up the next week. And you come back to practice the next week. And dear friend listen to me you've got to understand you and I God has made the provision for us to keep going.

Why? Because it's not ourselves it's Christ. I want you to notice next that it's a pure ministry. Look at verse 2. But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully. But by manifestation of the truth. You got to understand that one thing that God requires is that when we are privileged to serve him it has to be a pure ministry. There can't be dishonesty.

There can't be craftiness. You cannot mishandle the word of God. Now I find something very interesting you look at verse 2. It requires a pure ministry number one in our walk. Notice this in verse 2. But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness.

What does that mean? That means being one thing at church and another thing away from church. Crafty. Sneaky.

Making it appear like something over here. Coming to church. God bless you sister.

You're going through what? I'll pray for you every day. I have a daily prayer request by the way.

I pray for 43,000 people every morning. You ever met these people? They're just Mr. Spiritual or Miss Spiritual and so godly. And if you analyze their life a little bit you find out during the week it's not that way. God says this if you're going to serve me you've got to be pure in your walk. Notice this secondly in our talk.

Notice what he says. Not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully. Now what does it mean to handle the word of God? It means that I've got to hold the Bible the right way when I come into church?

No. It means when you handle the word of God it means that means you're sharing it. You're teaching it. You're proclaiming it. And he's saying this that you know what when you serve me God says I want purity.

I want you to be real and I want you to be honest in your walk and in your talk. And you and I need to back up what we say by how we live. And we've got to make sure what we say is right and biblical.

That makes sense doesn't it? That's what a church ought to be. And in 2015 I want you to know something we're trying to put some things in place and I'll explain more hopefully maybe a little bit later this morning but we're trying to put some things in place for you to get in the word of God more and the word of God to get in you more. And we want to rightfully divide it and we want to teach it and we want to share it.

We want it to be right. But dear friend it doesn't do any good to act real spiritual at church and live like the world when we leave church. God wants pure ministry. The only way you have pure ministry is to have pure ministers.

I want you to notice number six. We're almost done this morning. It is a proclaiming ministry. Alright okay I'm going to serve God. Now that means I'm privileged to get to do it and it's a personal ministry. God has something he wants me personally to do and he has promised that he's going to provide for that. Yes all in verse one. In verse one God says he expects for you to be persistent.

We faint not. Okay. And so you're telling me that he wants me to have a pure ministry and the way I walk and the way I talk. He doesn't want dishonesty. He doesn't want me to manipulate or fool people. He wants us real and he wants us honest.

Yes. Now what do you mean proclaiming preacher? Look at verse two.

But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully. Notice this. But by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. Notice that. Commending ourselves.

What does that mean? Commending ourselves. I want you to know that this is a proclaiming ministry. Do you know how you commend yourselves to people?

You talk to them. Dear friend look at me as much as I love you. God did not save you for you to sit and do nothing. God saved you to minister to others. Now I want you to notice that there's three statements he makes commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. Those are three things. Notice number one I want you to see the way of the savior. He said commending ourselves.

That means this. Jesus was our example to follow and Jesus how did he commend himself to people? He gave himself to people.

He literally sacrificially gave himself. How do you and I commend ourselves to people? We give ourselves to people. We serve them. We do what it takes to reach them.

How we can help them. That is how we commend ourselves to people. That is the way of the savior. That's the example he taught.

He said you watch me and you follow what I do and what Jesus did when he saw people that had need he gave himself. I want to challenge you in 2015. This is a ministry you're privileged to be involved in. Give yourself to people. Even when you don't feel like going to do outreach. Even when you don't feel like coming to do a ministry that you've committed to do here. Even when you don't feel listen it is Christ not you. So we've got to give ourselves.

That's the way of the savior. Secondly I want you to notice this the work of the spirit. He said commending ourselves. Notice this to every man's conscience.

This is great. Oh Lord please help our people to understand this. When you commend yourselves to people sometimes you don't see the fruit right away. But when you give yourself to people the way of the savior then the work of the spirit starts. And it gets into their conscience. Do you see that? Do you understand it? That means this that you know what when I commit my life to the way of the savior then the work of the spirit takes over.

I do something. I witness to somebody and they might say no and they might not act interested. But because of what I did and what I said it gets in their minds. To every man's. That's why the apostle Paul said that he believed he was free of the blood of all men. Because he made sure he got something in the mind of everybody he crossed. Commending ourselves to every man's conscience. That means this they might say no to you and they might dismiss you but they can't dismiss what's in their mind. When you have given them the gospel when you have spoken about Jesus they might get rid of you.

But it's in their mind. I have an aunt in heaven today. Because my mom kept giving her tracts. She was Catholic. Good person.

Wasn't any of that. But what she believed is not what the bible says how you get to heaven. My mom would give her tracts and she'd get mad and she'd ball it up and throw it away. And I've told you this story before.

There's one tract my mom gave her finally and it got her nervous. She balled it up and threw it away and it missed the trash can and she cleaned the trash out later. And it was sitting there on the floor. She saw it she opened it up and kind of read it again. And she balled it up again and threw it. And missed the trash can again. And the third time she read it and got saved.

Why? Because the Holy Spirit was working. All that was needed is for one of God's servants to commend themselves.

To give. Thank you for listening today. We hope you received a blessing from our broadcast. The Kerwin Baptist Church is located at 4520 Old Hollow Road in Kernersville, North Carolina. You may also contact us by phone at 336-993-5192 or via the web at KerwinBaptistChurch.com. Enjoy our services live and all our media on our website and church app. Thank you for listening to the Kerwin broadcast today. God bless you.