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Now, here's today's podcast, From Pathway to Victory. If you want to learn how to be forgiving, if you want to have to learn how to be patient, if you want to learn how to have to control your anger, if you want to learn these things, be around other people. And that's why God created the church. There are both positive and negative experiences that all work together to make us like Jesus Christ. Dr. Robert Jeffress. You know, most Christians indeed understand that being involved in a local church is vital to their spiritual growth.
But what exactly does God do for us through the church that we can't do on our own? Today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffress examines the spiritual energy that flowed out of the first century church. Now, here's our Bible teacher to introduce today's message.
Dr. Jeffress. David and welcome again to Pathway to Victory. One of the beautiful aspects of our Christian faith is that we can point to an actual person who walked on earth and proved his deity through dozens of amazing miracles. Well, to help you visualize these historic events, I've asked our creative team at Pathway to Victory to put together an exclusive resource for you. It's called the Jesus Map. This accordion style brochure opens up and shows you two colorful maps of the Holy Land from biblical times. Alongside the maps, you'll find a list of 52 key events in the life of Jesus displayed in chronological order. Please, while there's still time, be sure to request one. The Jesus Map is my gift to you simply for contacting us at ptv.org. Now, I'm going to say more about our resources available at the end of the program today, but today we're going to discover why fellowship isn't just a nice suggestion. It's vital to our spiritual growth and experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit.
My message is titled, A Winning Church. The Bible says the moment you're saved, the Holy Spirit comes into your life. It's like God places a spiritual generator into your life. He's called the Holy Spirit of God.
But there's some things you have to do to access His power. As we've seen in this series, there are four transmission lines, if you will, four channels, four conduits through which the Holy Spirit's energy surges into your life. What are those conduits?
Well, we first of all said conduit. Channel number one is the Word of God, the Bible. Channel number two is conversation with God, prayer. And last time, we began looking at the third channel that God uses to flow His power, His energy into our life, and that is our connection to the people of God, the church. And we see that beginning in Acts chapter two. Remember this was the account of the early church.
They had just received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God. And you see how God used the early church to generate power into the individual lives of believers. Today's message is titled A Church That Wins, A Winning Church. And that word wins forms an acrostic that gives us the four characteristics of a church that can pour God's power into your life. Notice that this early church, first of all, centered on and the W stands for worshiping God. And even though we can worship God individually and we should worship God individually, worship is best done with other believers corporately. And we saw that last time. Now, let's look at the I for this word wins, the second attribute of a church that God uses to pour His energy into our life.
That I stands for instruction. Look at verse 42. And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching. Look at Ephesians 4 verses 11 to 13. Now here's God's plan for the church. Paul writes, and God gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors, and your translation probably says pastors and teachers. There is no and in the original text.
There's no conjunction. It's one word, pastor, teacher, same office. For the equipping of the saints for the work of service to the building up of the body of Christ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God to a mature man to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. What is it that made this church such an energy packed church? They engaged in worship. They engaged in instruction. And notice third, the N stands for nourishment.
Luke tells us that another priority for this first century church was the emotional nourishment they received from one another. Anne Wortland says that the church can be compared to either a bag of marbles or a bag of grapes. You put a bag of marbles and you start shaking that bag and they make the scratching sound as they bang up against one another. But if you take a bag of grapes and start shaking it, what's going to happen?
You're going to have a mess, aren't you? Because those grapes, they start to meld into one another, they start to ooze into one another where you can't really tell the single grapes from the cluster of grapes. What the Word of God is saying is God meant for us as Christians not to be a bag of marbles irritating one another, offending one another, staying separate from one another. He meant for us to be a bag of grapes, being so closely associated with other believers that we ooze into one another's lives. That's what fellowship is. Why do we need other Christians? What do they do for us we can't do for ourselves?
So glad you asked. Turn over to Hebrews chapter 10 verses 24 to 25. I want us to look at this passage maybe in a little bit different way than you've looked at it before. The writer says beginning in verse 24, and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and to good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near. Let me mention three things that other Christians do for us that we cannot do for ourselves. First of all, other Christians offer us challenge when we are complacent. A challenge when we are complacent. Underline that word in verse 24, stimulate.
Let us consider how to stimulate. That word literally in Greek means to provoke or to irritate. In Ephesians 6, 4, Paul uses it in a negative way. By the way, this is my children's favorite verse. Fathers do not provoke your children to anger.
That's what the word is. It means to irritate. It means to be as a father so overbearing and critical that you just exasperate your children. You discourage them.
And Paul says don't be that way. That's the word provoke in a negative way. But this word provoke or irritate can also be used in a positive way. For example, what happens when you put a grain of sand in an oyster? That grain of sand will irritate the oyster, but something beautiful comes out of it, doesn't it?
A pearl. And that's the way he's using the word here. He's saying when we get together as Christians, we ought to in a positive way, irritate, stimulate one another to produce something good and that is faith and good deeds. For example, God wants us to be giving. He wants us to give of our personal resources.
How does he challenge us to be more giving with our assets than we are now? He puts us in contact with other believers in the church who have that gift of giving. God wants us to be serving. He wants us to learn like Jesus did, to come not to be served, but to serve and to give your life as a ransom for many.
He wants us all to have a devoted servant's life. We need to be around other Christians who will provoke us, who will stimulate us to be more like Christ. Did you know that even negative experiences in the church can help us become more like Christ? This last week, I've been in two hemispheres preaching the same message. I was down in South America with the choir preaching a message on forgiveness. A couple of days ago, I was in another large church in another state preaching the very same message and I had the same response in both situations.
After I finished the message, people wanted to come up and meet with me privately and they shared the same story in the southern hemisphere and in the northern hemisphere. They said, Pastor, we have been hurt and we have been hurt deeply in the church, but we know God wants us to forgive and tonight we're making the decision to forgive. Now, would they have had to learn to forgive if they had not been wounded or hurt to begin with? No.
No. It was that offense that challenged them to develop that quality of forgiveness that God wants us all to have. And without offenses, nothing positive can come. And that's a great reason to be a member of the church. There's no better place to get hurt anywhere than in the church, okay? I mean, if you want to learn how to be forgiving, if you want to have to learn how to be patient, if you want to learn how to have to control your anger, if you want to learn these things, be around other people. And that's why God created the church.
There are both positive and negative experiences that all work together to make us like Jesus Christ. Secondly, the church offers us encouragement when we are discouraged. Look at verse 25, not forsaking our own assembling together as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another.
That word encouraging means to build up. How do people make it who don't have a church? The answer is they don't make it most of the time. They crumble under the weight of life's problems. But how great it is that we have a church, we have Sunday school classes and departments that rally around people when they have times of need. Unfortunately, too many Christians allow the problems of life to drive them away from the church rather than into a closer relationship with the church. I've actually had people who are going through a difficult storm in their life say to me, Pastor, we don't want you to be alarmed now, but we're going to take a little sabbatical from church for a while until we get through this problem. And once we get through this problem, we'll come back to church. You know, I used to be a lot more diplomatic than I am now. I used to try to hide my reaction to such statements, but now I don't even try to hide it.
I'll say to somebody who says that, that is the dumbest idea I've ever heard. You're going to take a vacation from church when you're going through this storm? And my friend David Jeremiah is much more diplomatic than I am.
Listen to what he says about that. He says, our faith isn't a luxury intended for periods of smooth sailing and neither is our fellowship. When trouble comes along, that's when it's wonderful to be a part of a faithful Bible believing body of people who will rally around you.
They'll pray for you, support you with the resources, encourage you, and counsel you in tough decisions. But get this, the devil is the only one whose opinion is that you should take a sabbatical from church during hard times. The church offers us encouragement when we're discouraged. Thirdly, the church offers us correction when we stray. Remember this book of Hebrews was written to a group of Christians who were in danger of straying away from their spiritual life, falling back into their former way of life. And so there are all of these warning passages in the book of Hebrews about what happens to a Christian who falls back into his old way of life. Frankly, the writer of Hebrews, the Bible offers no hope for a Christian who goes on willfully sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth. Hebrews 10 says, he said, there is no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment to come. There is no hope for a Christian who leaves the faith and falls back into sin, but there is an antidote from falling away from the faith.
And that antidote is given in verse 24, do not forsake the assembling together of yourselves. The way to keep from being attacked by the evil one, isolated from other Christians, and then to have your faith destroyed, the antidote to that is to make sure you're assembled together with other believers on a regular basis. You see, one of Satan's oldest and best used and most effective tactics against us is to isolate us from other Christians.
Once he has us isolated, then to attack us, and then finally to destroy us. We need to be around other Christians who can watch out for us, and when they see us starting to drift in our relationship with God, we'll have the courage to lovingly confront us. Proverbs 27, 6 says, faithful are the wounds of a friend. We need other believers to correct us if we begin to stray. Notice the fourth ingredient of a church that generates God's power.
That fourth ingredient, the S, stands for sharing. Look at verse 47, they were praising God and having favor with all the people, and the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. These early Christians, they were not content just to sit, soak, and sour on the word of God, as so many people do in other churches. No, they realized that the reason they were worshiping and instructing, receiving instruction from God's word and being nourished, was so that they could take the gospel outside to the unbelievers, and that's exactly what they did. You see, God's plan is for this church, any church, to be an equipping station. Remember Ephesians 4, 12? He gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastor, teachers to do what? To equip the saints, that's you, for the work of ministry to the building up of the body of Christ.
That word equip is the Greek word kartimismon, and it literally means to load up a ship with supplies before that ship sets out on a long journey. Now that's God's plan here. God's plan is for us to meet on Sundays, for me, the pastor, to give you the supplies you need so that you can go out and do ministry six days a week, to equip the saints for the work of ministry to the building up of the body of Christ.
That word building up, or ekonome in Greek, is a word that refers to the physical building of a building. God is building the spiritual structure of the church, and He's not doing it beam upon beam or brick upon brick, He's doing it life upon life. See, the church, 1 Peter says, is a spiritual temple, and it's composed of living stones, individual lives. And every time there's a new convert into the kingdom of God, they are added to the church, and the church is getting larger and larger and larger. That is God's plan. He said we are to equip the saints for the work of service.
You're to go out so that we can build up, not just spiritually, but numerically, the body of Christ. How many people believe here that God would like to rescue as many people from hell as possible? How many believe that about God? That's what God wants to do. He's not trying to save as few people as possible like some people teach. He's trying to save as many people as possible, and He uses you and me to do that. God has commanded His church to be built, but we are the workmen that go out and we gather the bricks, we gather the stones as God adds them to the church.
What happens to a church that's involved in worship and instruction and nourishment, but fails to go out and share the message with unbelievers? Max Locato talks about a fishing trip that he took when he was in high school with his dad and his best friend Mark. This is what Max writes.
The inclement weather kept us from fishing. Instead, we spent several days cooped up inside the cabin, perusing old copies of Reader's Digest, and playing endless rounds of Monopoly. I began to notice a few things I hadn't seen before. I noticed that my friend Mark had a few personality flaws. He was a bit too cocky about his opinions. He was easily irritated and constantly edgy, and he couldn't take any conservative criticism. Even though his socks did stink, he didn't think it was my business to tell him. And Dad, well, he couldn't do anything right. I wondered how someone so irritable could have had such an even-tempered son like myself.
We sat in that cabin in misery the whole day. I learned a hard lesson that week, not about fishing, but about people. When those who are called to fish don't fish, they fight.
When energy intended to be used outside is used inside, the result is explosive. Instead of casting nets, we cast stones. What a contrast to this first-century church. They expended their energy casting nets for converts, fishing for men, rather than fighting with congregants. And the result was the Lord, verse 42, was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. What are the principles from this message?
Let me share two timeless truths from this passage with you today. First of all, principle number one, we should view the church as God's creation, not our organization. I'm amazed at how many Christians fail to understand that the church, the local church, is not our idea, it was God's idea. It wasn't a group of people sitting up at Baptist headquarters in Nashville saying, hey, I've got an idea for a new program, let's create something called the church. And we'll have a pastor and we'll have deacons and we'll do that. That's not how the church was instituted.
It was God's plan. God created the church to fulfill His purpose. But listen to this, He also created the church to provide the things He wants to give to you.
The things you most need in your spiritual life, challenge, encouragement, correction. The church is His instrument for pouring those things into your life. Yes, the church is filled with sinful people, just like you and I. The church is filled with sinful people who create all kind of messes. I remember what my friend and mentor, Howard Hendricks, used to say. He said the church is a lot like Noah's Ark.
If it weren't for the storm on the outside, you couldn't stand the stench on the inside. That's true. Yes, we do need the church. It is God's creation, not our own organization. Secondly, we should choose a church that is based on God's principles, not our preferences. Let me suggest that these four ingredients of a winning church really form a checklist for the kind of church we ought to look for. Worship, instruction, nourishment, sharing. For example, is the Bible the foundation of the pastor's message and all the teaching in the church?
Does the music, regardless of whether it's contemporary or traditional, does the music direct our attention toward God? Does the church offer small group opportunities like Sunday school or other small groups that enhance our fellowship with other believers? Does the church care for and pray for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of all of its members?
Is there an active evangelism and missions program that takes the gospel outside the four walls of the church into the city and into the world? And is there something supernatural that is happening in that church that cannot be explained any other way than through the working of the Holy Spirit of God? That's how to choose a church, based on God's principles, not on our preferences. You know, to paraphrase John Dunn's word, no Christian is an island unto himself.
We're like those porcupines. We need one another, even though we occasionally needle one another. The church is not some necessary evil. It is God's provision in your life for worship, for instruction, and for nourishment, so that you can experience the incredible power of the Holy Spirit.
The church remains God's chosen instrument for our spiritual nourishment. Whether you connect with your church online or you're able to fellowship with your friends in person, I hope today's study has convinced you of what an important part of the Christian walk church really is. To help you take your next steps in growing deeper in Christ, I've written a bestselling book to help you.
I titled my book, I Want More. This is the perfect complement to our teaching series on the Holy Spirit. In my book, I've outlined four various channels, including the church through which the Holy Spirit pours his power into our life.
It's possible, even likely, that you've come to dry patches in your spiritual life and you wonder why you're feeling unsatisfied with your spiritual life. My book, I Want More, explains why God has given every single Christian a relentless spiritual hunger for something more. When you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory, I'll be pleased to send you a copy of my book called I Want More. Your generosity will help us continue to encourage and equip listeners and viewers like you, while speaking biblical truth and hope with boldness to men and women all across our great country. I can report to you that your gifts truly are making a difference, whether it's over the phone, through a letter, or in an email. We're getting feedback from people in all walks of life who find Pathway to Victory to be their spiritual lifeline. So, thank you for your generous financial support, as together we pierce the darkness with the light of God's Word.
David? Thanks, Dr. Jeffress. You're invited to request a copy of the book I Want More when you support the ministry of Pathway to Victory by giving a generous gift. To make your request, call 866-999-2965 or give online at ptv.org.
Now, when your gift is $75 or more, we'll also send you the complete CD and DVD teaching set for this month's series called Unleashed. Again, call 866-999-2965 or go to ptv.org. If you'd prefer to write, here's that mailing address, PO Box 223-609, Dallas, Texas, 75222.
One more time, that's PO Box 223-609, Dallas, Texas, 75222. One last thing, Dr. Jeffress is working on a new teaching series about miracles. So, if you have a story about God's supernatural intervention in your own life, you can share it with Dr. Jeffress by emailing miracles at ptv.org. That's miracles at ptv.org.
I'm David J. Mullins. There are four channels through which the Holy Spirit empowers our lives. But is there anything that could actually prevent us from experiencing God's power?
Discover four dangerous spirit quenchers. That's Wednesday here on Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory with Dr. Robert Jeffress comes from the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. If you enjoy listening to Pathway to Victory, you can also experience the powerful biblical teaching of Dr. Robert Jeffress on television. Watch Pathway to Victory weekdays on TBN, the Trinity Broadcasting Network, weekends on both TBN and Daystar, as well as numerous other television stations across the country. Pathway to Victory's mission is to pierce the darkness with the light of God's Word, and we're doing it through the most effective media possible. For complete program information and viewing options, visit ptv.org.
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