Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus. The founder and perfecter of our faith. If you're a believer, the Holy Spirit lives in you. There's an immediate bond between you and another believer in Christ, even when meeting someone you don't know. and even in a foreign country with a language barrier.
That sense of community is evidence that the Holy Spirit is real. From the Moody Church in Chicago, this is Running to Win with Dr. Erwin Lutzer, whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line. Pastor Lutzer, have you ever experienced the Spirit's community with people you did not know? Oh Dave, the answer is yes.
You know, even as you're asking the question, my mind is trying to recall people in countries such as Albania.
Well, also we should include Russia. Belarus and a number of other countries where it was my privilege to minister. It is Beautiful. to be among the people of God from different languages in different parts of the world. And I want to thank the many of you who support the ministry of Running to Win because even as we talk about different parts of the world, I want to remind you that we are in 50 different countries in seven different languages.
And you know, this month is the end of our fiscal year, but also I want to stress that we are in the middle of our matching gift campaign. What an opportunity for you to connect with us and to become a part of this ministry. Here's what you can do. Go to rtwoffer.com. That's rtwoffer.com or call us at 1-888-218-2818.
9337. And you know, I think of the many believers who are listening right now, we may not know your name, but you also are one with us. Thanks so much for standing with us with your prayers. and your gifts. Yeah.
We are members of the body of Jesus Christ, therefore of necessity members one of another. We belong to each other. You know, I've noticed this. It's been my privilege on a couple of occasions to To be in different parts of the world, even in places where they speak a different language. And in many instances, I preached through an interpreter.
But it's wonderful to know that when you meet another believer in no matter what part of the world it may be, Instantly and intuitively By the Spirit there is a bond that you sense. of oneness with this person. person. because we share the same life. Jesus put it this way: He says, I am the vine, you're the branches.
There's a connectivity. I don't know if the word connectivity exists, but people are using it, so let's just say it does. There's a connectivity, a connection. that we have with Christ and with one another That is very clear because we have been put into Jesus and share the same life. Let me emphasize that the thing that draws us together as members and friends of Moody Church and of other churches where the gospel is preached.
What draws us together is not that we're here because we have a common interest. common interests. That's not the core of our unity or identity. You know, you can have clubs, for example a photography club or a health club. Rebecca and I were in Colorado one time staying at this bread and breakfast that's owned by a friend of ours.
And there were 20 people who came who belonged to a fly fishing. Club.
Now, I appreciated them. They were wonderful people. Could I just simply say, however, they didn't sign me up to become a part of that? I mean, you know, fly fishing, what do you do with the flies? What do you do with the fish?
I have no idea. But thank God for fly fishing clubs. Those kinds of things are put together because. of a common interest. And friendships develop, no doubt, and all those other things.
We share a common life. We're connected to one another in Jesus in ways that you can never be connected with somebody. simply because you share a common interest.
Now Do you see then what happens? When we are baptized by the Spirit, that is to say converted, we become members of Christ, we become members of one another. And what does that look like? To understand what that looks like, we're going to go back to Acts chapter 2 now. I promised you we'd go back to Acts chapter 2.
Because in Acts chapter 1, We know that the filling of the Spirit occurred, the baptism of the Spirit occurred. What did it look like? in the early church. And what should it look like? At the Moody Church.
Or any evangelical church where the gospel is preached. Look at what happened. I'm going to pick it up at verse 44 of chapter 2. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. and they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing proceeds to all as any had need.
Number one, they were united economically.
Now, there have been those throughout history who have tried to attempt to do actually what the early church did. In our economy and situation, that would not work out very well, where everybody sold everything and gave it to the apostles or the leadership of the church. You know, it is indeed a different day, and interestingly, this is never repeated in the New Testament, nor is there ever a command that we should sell everything and give it to the leaders of the church. I think that that would be a wrong move to make. But let's not miss the point.
These people were so filled with the Spirit that spontaneously and voluntarily they said, everything I have, I'm going to sell because there are some people who need my resources and I want them to have it. I'll tell you. When a church is filled with the blessed Holy Spirit of God, understanding the baptism of the Spirit, which makes us one, when the Spirit has His way, There's always a spirit of generosity. That is so great that people are looking for opportunities to help others. It is the Spirit of God that enables us to break out of our selfish.
way of living. To suddenly begin to look at other people's needs as if They were our own. That's what the Holy Spirit is like when he is unleashed. in the lives of believers who have become one in Christ. And you can see that economically, generously.
They became one. And they lived out the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Could I say also socially? You'll notice that it says. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes.
I have a friend who wrote a book, and by the way, that's not a reference to communion, that's the fact that they ate together. I have a friend who wrote a book on hospitality, and he claims. That the reason that the early church was the powerhouse that they were is because of hospitality. You know, there's something about eating together. There's something about the deep connection that takes place when we fellowship with other people.
And this became so attractive to the pagan world. Remember, in the pagan world, everybody is out for himself or herself. They really don't care. care. As long as their needs and maybe the needs of their family are looked after.
That's why people can win the lottery, $100 million. And immediately they think of how they can squander it by themselves. They never sit down, except in one or two instances that I've known, who said, look, look at all this money. How can we give it away to the people who need it most? There are people who die without a will to give to the ministry of the church and missions.
Because they hang on to their wealth and their own concerns. Here, the people were so generous. We can eat together, we invite the pagans to eat together, we build the friendships, and we have an opportunity to show the authenticity. Of the Christian faith. And so they were united economically, socially, joyfully.
Don't you like this? And day by day, and then it says, verse 47, praising God, well, I should say in verse 46, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts. Praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. What a remarkable.
See, here's what happened. When the Holy Spirit of God came on that day of Pentecost, It took these individual, selfish believers with the same hearts that all of us have. It made him one. The Spirit made them one with Christ. One with Jesus Christ.
Now they become one with one another. And they were so countercultural. In a pagan world that was so cruel and selfish. that they began to attract the attention of others. Did not Jesus say, By this shall all men know that you are my disciples?
if you have love one to another. And an indisputable mark of the Holy Spirit is joy. Joy can't be produced, it can't be manufactured, it can't be circumstances. Circumstances can make you happy, but joyful. Genuine, free, non- Guilt.
Joy. is a mark of the Holy Spirit of God. And the question is whether or not we are a joyful people. Because the Spirit produces that in our hearts. You say, well, why is there so little joy?
I'm sorry, folks, but I can tell you that. I can tell you exactly. Because sin causes the cup of joy to spill a leak. And there are many Christians, or to spring a leak, I should say, there are many Christians. We're like a cup half full.
And they're trying desperately to spill over, but they've got nothing to spill over to anybody because. They are so into themselves, their needs, they're first. The Spirit of God comes and breaks through all that. When he has his way.
Well, they were also united mission. That's a contemporary term that talks about the mission of the church. They were united missionally. The Lord was adding daily as they witnessed people to the body of Jesus Christ. They were united for mission.
United for mission. You know what's interesting that in the early church, You have two reactions to the church. On the one hand, there were those who who feared the church because they feared the holiness of the church. That's what the Bible says. They said there was a time when people didn't join the church because they feared.
There was such a sense of awe. We don't have that today, but in the early church there was.
So on the one hand, you have holiness. Holy living. Really causes the world to be uncomfortable. I mean, if we began to live holy, And if we began to have people who have cheated others to give the money back and to make things right and to confess our faults one to another. It's intimidating.
Because all of us, we desire self-protection.
So, on the one hand, you have that response. On the other hand, people were attracted to the church because of the love. that the early church showed.
So on the one hand you have the fear, on the other hand You have the love. And love won out.
So many times in the early church. Perhaps you've heard me say it before, but the world can outnumber us, the world can outfinance us. The world can out entertain us. But let it never be said that they can outlove us. Yeah.
Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts. By the Holy Spirit. who's been given. onto us. It is the ministry and the work.
Of the blessed Holy Spirit of God. Making us one.
So, what's the bottom line? First of all, In the body of Christ, there should be mutual Dependence, mutual dependence. You know that some of you aren't finding the Christian life very fulfilled. And we all go through periods of dryness like that. You know what you need to do?
Are you a member of the TMC Communities? TMC standing for the Moody Church Communities? If not, you should join. I'll tell you why you should. This is what Paul says in Colossians.
Being knit together in love to reach all the riches, a full assurance of understanding in the knowledge of God's mystery, etc. What Paul is saying is: you can't enter into the knowledge of Christ and all that God has for you unless. You are knit. together. The power of the early church was the connectedness.
And in a large church and so forth, it's so easy to be disconnected. disconnected. But it's terrible to be cut off from the body. Remember that story I told you years ago about the doctor friend in Canada? I mean, it's a true story.
He had a guest staying over at his place, and he said to the guest, I have to go, I'm on call, but you can have anything that you want in the fridge. have something to eat. and the guest opened the fridge door and there wrapped in a plastic bag was a man's hand.
Now According to this guy, he said that um He didn't feel hungry after that. He didn't... He didn't eat anything. What's the problem? The hand is actually quite beautiful.
Look at it. Just take a look. Look at my two hands. I brought both of them with me this morning. A problem is the hand is pretty beautiful, but cut off from the body, it's pretty gruesome.
And if you're a Christian listening to this message and you're not part of connectedness with other believers, It's amazing. It's amazing. how you cannot attain to what Paul says. comes to us through Christ. And um There's mutual dependence, mutual dependence, mutual concern.
You know, sometimes I've stumbled walking. And I have to walk very carefully because, you know, At certain ages, you have to make sure that you go down the stairs correctly. And um But if I were to stumble, if I were to stumble going down these stairs as I did once or twice, My hands would reach out and they'd prevent my head or any other parts of the body. to getting hurt. They are willing to take the blow.
They say, We'd rather have broken fingers than for you to hit your head. Could you imagine a church where we had that kind of protectiveness and that kind of concern for one another? Let me take the fall for you. Let me bear your burden as if it is mine. That's the way the early church functioned.
Why? Because the Spirit was within them, but also they were in Christ. The Spirit in me for power, Christ. In me for power, I in Christ. Four.
My position. and privilege. That my identity is, I am in Christ. For by one Spirit have you all been baptized into one body. whether Jews or Greek, whether black or white.
whether rich or poor, whatever. We are united. And that's what the Spirit does to all who believe. You don't remember. that you are baptized by the Spirit.
When you receive Christ as Savior, you become members of the body of Christ. It's a gift given by the Spirit. You enter into a new community. And please keep that in mind. It is through faith in Christ.
Alone. Yesterday, I was flying back from Minneapolis and I was sitting beside a man, and I sat there only a few minutes because the seat on the other side of me was free and. you know, the elbow room thing, so I I did move over. And so forth. But I talked to him for about 10 or 15 minutes.
Bottom line, okay, he was raised in a Christian church. But he pretty well turned against it because he said that all that this church had was rules, rules, rules, rules. And then he made this statement. which I wrote down in my notes this morning. He said, They were so full of rules, now I'm quoting.
They found so many different ways. to go to hell. The only thing I said to him, and I didn't really spend a lot of time witnessing to him, I should have, but I thought, well, he does know the gospel, but.
So that was my fault, but I thought that was an interesting statement. The only thing I told him was that it's a matter of relationship, it's not a matter of rules. I said, what people forget is it's your relationship with Christ. But that was his perception of the church.
So many different ways to go to hell. This morning, as I was reflecting on it, I thought Actually, another response might have been: actually. There's only one way to go to hell, and that is just be who you are. Period. Because you're born in Adam, you die in your sin.
If you don't receive Jesus Christ as your Savior, That is ultimately The only way for you. To be lost forever, because salvation is in Christ. As I mentioned a moment ago, you either die in Adam and you die in your sin, or you die in Christ. and you are welcomed into heaven. You were Jesus.
But the bottom line is this. Do we understand what the Holy Spirit did when He baptized us into the body? In a moment, we're going to be singing Make Us One, Lord. And I was thinking about that and thinking, you know, we're already one, we really are. What we're doing as we sing is saying, Lord, make it a reality.
Let us show it through our generosity, through our commitment to each other, through bearing other people's burdens. You'd be surprised what would happen. If the spirit had his way. Are you ready for that? Is your life open to the ministry of the Spirit to fundamentally change your attitude?
About others. about your priorities. Look at the early church. It's there transforming. Community.
Let's pray together. Our Father, we want to thank you today that we are joined to Jesus. and that we share his life and the very life of Christ. is within us. We thank you, Father, that we are joined to Him and that In grace, He is even within us.
We're sitting on all of this power and all of these possibilities. Would you open the life? and the hearts of this congregation and my heart. that we might understand what would happen If the Spirit truly had his way. We ask That you'll help us to demonstrate the oneness we have in Him in Jesus' name.
Well, this is Pastor Luther, and of course, I wish I could get to know all those who listen to this ministry. I can't do that. But what I can do is to thank you so much for our many partners who pray for us and who support this ministry. I'm holding in my hands a letter. It's a testimony from someone in prison.
He talks about the fact that even Christians in the prison population often lack discernment. And then he says this, prayer, communion, and staying rooted in the Word of God is how we survive. The Holy Spirit uses you Daily. That, my friend, is a testimony to your support and your prayers.
Now I am well aware that there are many ministries who share the word of God and oftentimes it is very difficult for us to know exactly where our resources should be placed. Would you pray about the possibility of helping us? We're in the middle of what we call our matching gift challenge. That means every gift that you give will be doubled. Of course, you can do the math.
$25 becomes $50. $100 becomes $200. And you can go up, up, up as high as the Lord leads you to commit to this ministry. But here's the info. You can go to rtwoffer.com.
That's rtwoffer.com or you can call at 1-888-218-9337.
Now, because this month ends our fiscal year, I'm going to be giving you that info again. Go to rtwoffer.com. Or right now you can pick up the phone and call us at 1-888. 218-9337. Thank you for partnering with us.
You can write to us at RunningTowin 1635 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois, 60614. Many people are happy to live with no sense of accountability to God. Their sins don't bother them in the least. But when unbelievers hear the gospel, the Holy Spirit works in their hearts, convicting them of the reality of their need for God's forgiveness.
Next time I'm running to win, another ministry of the Holy Spirit, that of conviction. Running to win is all about helping you find God's roadmap for your race of life. Thanks for listening. Running to Win is sponsored by the Moody Church.
