S1: How do you encourage saints to serve? God led you
S1: here not just to come and get the word. God
S1: led you here to work, for we are his workmanship,
S1: created in Christ Jesus unto good works.
S2: Welcome to Treasure Truth with pastor and author James Ford,
S2: junior senior pastor of the Christ Bible Church in Chicago.
S2: I'm Steve Hillard. Glad you're with us. As today we
S2: continue a message entitled Get Involved and pastor. Some of
S2: us may hear what you just said and say, wait, wait.
S2: God created us to work. Okay, I get it. I
S2: am supposed to get up and go to my job
S2: Monday through Friday, 9 to 5 or whatever your job
S2: happens to be. Um, but what do you. Because I
S2: know that's not what you're talking about. Totally. God created
S2: us to do work outside of just our vocation. So
S2: what are we supposed to be doing?
S3: Oh, yeah. Well, you know, our vocation is Christian before
S3: it's secular. Uh, so, for example, as a matter of fact,
S3: it was aired here on Moody Network. There was, and
S3: I don't remember which program it was, but they had
S3: a nurse on who was in a local hospital here
S3: in Chicago and had led almost her entire shift to Christ. Wow.
S3: She said something so profound, I've never forgot it. The
S3: announcer said to her, so you are a nurse? And
S3: she said, no, no no no no no no no.
S3: He said, well, yeah, you're a nurse. She said, no
S3: no no no no no no. She said, I'm a
S3: Christian disguised as a nurse.
S2: Okay.
S3: I said wow. And then she went on to explain,
S3: I'm here at this job, first and foremost to lift
S3: up Jesus. And so I'm here to show everybody how
S3: Jesus would nurse if Jesus were a nurse. Yeah. And man,
S3: I mean, I got to look at her. So you
S3: see this goose? Oh, yeah. Now I'm kind of dark,
S3: but there, there, there. Yeah. It always brings me goosebumps.
S3: And that's the attitude that we have. So. So whether
S3: we're in the church or on the job, we understand
S3: that we have a work. Yeah. And so I don't
S3: have a dichotomy for it, Steve. Okay. It's it's like, yes,
S3: if you're at your job site, you're a Christian lawyer,
S3: a Christian doctor, a Christian garbage man, a Christian, uh, laborer,
S3: whatever you are, you know, Christian is in the adjectival
S3: position which modifies the noun. All that does is tell
S3: us that the adjective dictates to the noun and tells
S3: the noun how the noun is supposed to act. So
S3: I'm a Christian. Whatever. Yeah. And my Christianity dictates. And
S3: so that's what I'm talking about now. And that's not
S3: just at the job, but it's extended to the church
S3: that God has called each of us to work together.
S3: Read first Corinthians 12. Wow. It's powerful. We are parts
S3: of a body. And he gives us that analogy, that
S3: metaphor We're the body of Christ. So he has hands
S3: and eyes and ears and man. So if you're a
S3: heart ministry, then do hard work. That's mercy, of course.
S3: The gift of mercy. If you are a mind gift,
S3: you know that's the gift of discernment, word of wisdom,
S3: all those kind of things. So whatever it is, find
S3: your niche and get busy. Bloom where you're planted.
S2: Well, right now we're going to be in Colossians chapter four.
S2: So if you can grab a Bible, join us there
S2: as we continue a message entitled get involved. Here is
S2: Pastor Ford.
S3: We must be resilient. You know what that means. Be
S3: able to bounce back from stuff. Man, too many of
S3: us wear our feelings on our shoulders. First time somebody
S3: doesn't say something or sometimes somebody says something. Here we go.
S3: I ain't coming to church no more. Why? Because one
S3: ignorant person. So if they sit over here. Sit over there.
S3: You ain't gotta sit with them. It's like what would
S3: happen if every leader let one ignorant person stop them
S3: from leading? Wouldn't be no leader. You would never have
S3: a pastor. Because I'm going to tell you this. Somebody
S3: offends me every time I come. Somebody said something to
S3: me that's out the box all the time. Emails, letters.
S3: You know what I do? I file them in that
S3: receptacle beside my desk. That's what I do. Because some
S3: people have the gift of criticism. Now, now, if it's
S3: if it's if it's a valid comment, I always listen
S3: to every valid comment. But but there are people who
S3: they just say things just to hurt you. Yeah. And
S3: so I know those folk. And so I don't worry
S3: about it. Don't worry about it at all. They they,
S3: you know, they come with the territory. You know, if
S3: you ain't ready for that, you ain't ready to do ministry.
S3: So then he says, stand not just against the evil devil,
S3: the evil day, but the every device. And he's talking
S3: about resources that the devil has strategy. That's what the
S3: Bible calls it, from which we get the word strategy.
S3: And so what we have to do is we have
S3: been given the keys to the kingdom. Now, what do
S3: keys do? Open gates. And what gates? Already open the
S3: gates of hell. So every time hell has a resource,
S3: we have a key. Every time hell puts up a gate,
S3: we have a key. And then at the end, it
S3: says stand at the end. And that is to be resolute. Resolute.
S3: That's always ready to fight. So then next line. He
S3: was a fellow soldier, but not a fellow worker. And
S3: so he was the one that would charge hell with
S3: a water pistol and tell God I'll put it out.
S3: He was a fellow soldier, but not a fellow worker.
S3: Now let me show you. They go hand in hand.
S3: That that that God wants the soldier and the servant
S3: to come together. So in Nehemiah chapter 14, here's what
S3: Nehemiah says. Let me just read it to you. It
S3: says in verse 17, be everyone with one of his
S3: hands wrought in the work. With the other hand he
S3: held a weapon. So they had a shovel in one
S3: hand and a weapon in the other hand. Nehemiah said,
S3: stand on the wall. Be ready to work. Be ready
S3: to war. Every Christian is a warrior, and every Christian
S3: is a worker Occur at the same time. So then
S3: basically then how do you encourage saints to serve? God
S3: led you here not just to come and get the word.
S3: God led you here to work. For we are his workmanship,
S3: created in Christ Jesus unto good works. It's time to work, people.
S3: So how do you encourage them? This one verse and
S3: like I said, we study it on a Sunday before,
S3: but this one verse, listen to it. He says the
S3: first thing you do and say to our shepherds. Stop.
S3: He says the first thing you do is confront them
S3: to instigate them. Confront them, to instigate them. What do
S3: you mean, confront them? To instigate them? Where do you
S3: get that? And say to Archippus, confront them. To Who
S3: instigate them? Say, what are you talking about? Here's here's
S3: what he's. Here's what he's doing. There is what's called
S3: an ox goad. Anybody know what an ox goad is?
S3: Let me tell you what an ox goad is. It's
S3: a long stick that a farmer would use. And at
S3: the end, it had a sharp point. And if the
S3: ox didn't work, the farmer would stick the ox with
S3: the ox. Goad. Stick a stick. Uh, so Paul says
S3: there are people who are oxen. That's that's what he
S3: likens us to. Why? Because oxen will work. So we're
S3: all oxen because we've been given that nature by Christ. Now,
S3: he says, stick em. Instigate them to get busy for me.
S3: So he says that that's what we are to do.
S3: So what happened? Now get this. Think about this. Everybody
S3: didn't have a Bible. So then the pastor got up
S3: and said, we have an epistle, a letter from the
S3: Apostle Paul, and he reads it. Then he gets to
S3: verse 17 and say to Archippus, what do you think happened?
S3: Everybody looked at Archippus. Wow. Paul, in the colloquialism of
S3: our young people, busted him out, pulled the covers off
S3: of him. Wow. He had been apathetic. And so whenever
S3: Paul saw apathy, he dealt with it. Paul always dealt
S3: with what he saw in the church. Uh. I'm not
S3: I'm not going to. Imma drop. I'm. I'm not going
S3: to push him. But in first Corinthians chapter one, verse ten.
S3: Guess what Paul saw at Corinth. Division. And you know
S3: what he said in verse, in verse ten, it has
S3: been reported to me of the house of Chloe. Now
S3: get this. What did he do? He called out the division,
S3: but he also called out the person who told him
S3: about the division. So that you can't tell Paul something
S3: without thinking that you are not going to be held accountable.
S3: What would that do in this church if we all
S3: had that philosophy that you can't come to me and
S3: talk to me about Sister Naomi Sharif, and you didn't
S3: go to her first. Did you go to Sister Naomi?
S3: No I didn't. Well, then you violated the Bible. You
S3: need to go and go to her. Now I'm going
S3: to hold you accountable. I'm going to let her know. Uh,
S3: if you don't go to her by Sunday, I'm going
S3: to talk to her Sunday evening. Imma let her know
S3: you got a problem with her and you need to
S3: come get it straightened out.
S4: Alright? Amen. Amen.
S3: In other words, you can't say. They said some people
S3: are upset. No, because, you know. And I don't get it.
S3: And you want to know why? You know why? I
S3: don't get it. Since you're visiting with us today. I
S3: sound like I'm fussing, but I'm not. Uh, you know,
S3: you know why? I don't get it, sis. Because I
S3: don't accept it. No, no. They. Who's they? I can't
S3: tell you. Then you can't tell me what they said. Yeah, yeah.
S3: Because if there is no accountability, then there's no way
S3: to rectify something. Can't rectify it on they said, because
S3: most of the time it ain't they. It's you.
S4: Yeah.
S3: Yeah. And you want this amorphous they. So. Because nobody
S3: can put their hands on it I don't want to
S3: bust them out. Well, you better if you want to
S3: tell me. I don't even want to hear it. I
S3: won't even listen to it. And so he did that.
S3: What about. What about with sin? First Corinthians five. He
S3: pointed out that there was a young man sleeping with
S3: his stepmother. What are you trying to say? I'm. I'm
S3: I'm not just doing service. I'm saying when we know
S3: somebody's not living right, and they say they're walking with
S3: the Lord, we have an obligation.
S4: Amen.
S3: Say, you know, you know, bro, I'm not trying to, uh,
S3: get in your video and find out what flavor your
S3: Kool-Aid is, but I have to, because we're brothers in Christ.
S3: What you're doing is an affront to God, and it's
S3: a blight on the name of Jesus Christ.
S2: There can be so difficult to hold each other accountable.
S2: But what a powerful reminder from pastor for that. We're
S2: called to do just that. You're listening to a message
S2: entitled Get Involved. Taken from Colossians chapter four. And we're
S2: going to continue this teaching in just a moment. You know,
S2: I know over the summer months, some of us might
S2: be traveling. Maybe you've got family vacations or other trips
S2: coming up. You want to make sure that you don't
S2: miss Pastor Ford's teaching, or you can always listen to
S2: each and every broadcast online. Come to Treasure Truth Radio org.
S2: There you can stream programs, download mp3's, or order copies
S2: of the broadcast on CD. Again treasure truth radio org.
S2: Here is Pastor Ford.
S3: How about when somebody was slack? Second Timothy six he said, hey,
S3: it's like they're not holding up their their end of
S3: the bargain. Nehemiah did it. You know what he did?
S3: He he talked about everybody that was working on the wall.
S3: Chapter three. Didn't you know what he said? Some of
S3: the nobles won't work. He pointed it out. What are
S3: you saying? We going around sin sniffing? No, we're holding
S3: each other accountable. And so he says, confront him. Now
S3: notice something with me. Notice, first of all, letter A
S3: under Roman numeral one. Confront them to instigate. Say to
S3: Archippus it's spoken confrontation. It's spoken and say to Archippus
S3: it's spoken. And so the word is and spoken, not
S3: prayed about, not gossiped, not alluded to. Say is the
S3: word logos. Say logos. What does it talk about? Logos
S3: speaks of the content of what you're saying. So in
S3: in essence he's saying, listen, listen, uh, you know, pastor,
S3: I'm praying about it. You've been praying about for five years.
S3: When are you going to do something? And so here
S3: he's saying, listen, it's spoken and say to Archippus, we,
S3: you know, why is it we talk to Lottie, Dottie
S3: and everybody except the person, why we do stuff like that?
S3: We need to stop. So it's spoken, but then it's specific.
S3: That's letter B, it's spoken confrontation. It's specific confrontation. Say,
S3: what do you mean? Say to Archippus. Paul says, say
S3: to him not to the board, not to the elder,
S3: not to the deacon, not to the brother, not to
S3: the sister, not to the pastor. They mama, they daddy,
S3: they sister, they brother. Say it to them. Say it
S3: to them. You know, I haven't seen so-and-so in a
S3: long time. Okay, so you're telling me, did you call them?
S3: Did you try to find out what's going on with them? Mm. Yeah. Yeah.
S3: Where's the accountability for one another? Cuz Imma tell you something.
S3: We don't always mean what we say, do we? You know,
S3: they say usually means I heard it from at least
S3: one source. But everybody must believe it. You know this
S3: needs to be done. Usually means I'm not going to
S3: do anything about it, but the church ought to. I
S3: heard some criticism. Usually means I'm against it, but I
S3: don't have the nerve to state my belief. How about
S3: this one? The whole church is upset, which usually means
S3: 2 or 3 loud mouths have turned loose their venom.
S3: You know, doing this might bring some criticism. Means I
S3: know it should be done, but it takes too much
S3: effort for me to do it. How about this one?
S3: If my memory serves me right, here's what it really means.
S3: I'm going to say something I'm not sure of whether
S3: it's true or false, but if somebody discovers I'm wrong,
S3: then I can always blame it on the fact that
S3: I didn't remember. Preacher I'll be there if I'm not
S3: providentially hindered. Usually means if I'm not there, blame God.
S3: I'll come every time I can. Usually means if I
S3: don't have something better to do, I'll be there. I
S3: won't promise, but I'll do my best. Means don't expect
S3: much out of me. And so on and on and on. Hey,
S3: I know we're talking about this, but I'm still studying.
S3: The question usually means I want to stay in a
S3: position that I can agree with both sides. And so
S3: here notice it's a responsibility. It's the responsibility of the
S3: body to encourage the body. It is not my job alone.
S3: So I tell you all the time, if you see
S3: somebody missing call the office. You know I haven't seen
S3: brother or sister so and so in a long time.
S3: So that somebody can get in touch with them and
S3: find out if they need some help. Hebrews 1024 he says,
S3: provoke one another. The word is paroxysm, from which we get,
S3: you know what a paroxysm, a paroxysm is, right? When
S3: somebody has a paroxysm, it's like an epileptic seizure. It
S3: just comes on suddenly and here he's saying it's like
S3: a sudden outburst. You know what a mother Eagle does
S3: when she wants her eaglets to fly before she does that?
S3: Before she does that. Because she. What? She pulls out
S3: all of the feathers and everything that made it comfortable.
S3: Because she makes it out of thorns. And then if
S3: they don't get out, she turns the nest over. But
S3: usually all she got to do is take out the
S3: animal skin and and all the things that made it
S3: comfortable and soft. And when them baby eagles sit down
S3: and get stuck, they they try to fly away. I
S3: got to get.
S5: Away from here. I thought mama loved me.
S3: But it's time to fly. Come on. Come on people.
S3: It's time to fly. And here's what I hear all
S3: the time. Well, I don't think I know enough. Who
S3: said you had to know enough? Who said that? The
S3: woman in John chapter four. And so what happened? I'll
S3: tell you what happened. She got saved and then went
S3: to Moody Bible Institute and took the course in evangelism,
S3: then went back to the city and said, uh, the
S3: Roman road said, is that what she did? No, she
S3: got saved. And she went into the village and said,
S3: come see a man who told me everything I ever did.
S3: That's what he did, huh? Yeah. So you don't need
S3: a whole lot. Here it is. Secondly. Secondly, says confront
S3: them to instigate them. Notice. Secondly, challenge them to involvement.
S3: It says it say to our churches, take heed to
S3: the ministry. The word is depot. It literally means to
S3: look to something. In other words, here's what he's telling.
S3: Here's what he's telling us. Archippus. He was the pastor
S3: of this church. Something caused him to look away from
S3: the ministry. And Paul says, tell him to look back.
S3: Look at what God had committed to his care. We'll
S3: see that in a minute. So something had turned him away.
S3: Some decision. Maybe somebody damaged him. Maybe some board meeting
S3: got out of hand. Maybe he felt like he was unappreciated.
S3: Maybe he was doing too much. Maybe he was trying
S3: to make up for some of the 50% that was
S3: doing nothing. And so. Sometimes we have to realize like
S3: Habakkuk had three chapters one, two, three. And so you
S3: look at the book of Habakkuk and what you'll find
S3: is chapter one. He's looking at the storm. Chapter two
S3: he's looking through the storm. Chapter three he's looking above
S3: the storm. Now you have to ask yourself, what are
S3: you doing right now? No, no, I'm not talking about
S3: your neighbor. I'm talking about you in terms of your
S3: ministry involvement in this assembly. Are you looking at the
S3: problems you're looking through, or are you looking beyond because
S3: I submit to you? Unless you're looking beyond, you'll never
S3: make it. Because the only way to make it is
S3: to look beyond, to see what God has called us
S3: to do, that we haven't finished.
S2: Pastor James Ford Jr and a message called get involved
S2: while you're listening to Treasure Truth. And I hope that
S2: as you've been tuning in, you've been discussing these messages
S2: with someone who can help you take these lessons that
S2: you're learning and figure out how to apply them to
S2: your life. You know, treasure truth exists to make a
S2: difference in your life. We don't want you to just
S2: hear these messages and then walk away unchanged. We want
S2: you to be transformed over time as you encounter God's Word.
S2: You know, it's listeners like you giving faithful donations that
S2: keep us on the air. And today we're saying thanks
S2: for your gift with a book by Pastor Ford called
S2: Seven Reasons Why God Created Marriage. You know, we're experiencing
S2: a marriage crisis in our culture, and so much of
S2: it stems from the fact that people no longer understand
S2: the biblical foundation of marriage. When the sacred covenant is
S2: treated like a secular business agreement, marriages can be broken
S2: with no thought to the consequences. But God has a
S2: much greater desire for our marriages. And in the book
S2: Seven Reasons Why God Created Marriage, Pastor Ford explains what
S2: God's will is. So contact us today, give a gift
S2: of any amount and request your copy of seven Reasons
S2: Why God Created Marriage. Call us at 880 844 7660
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S2: I'm Steve Hiller, our producer is Amy Rios. Join us
S2: Wednesday on Treasure Truth. A production of Moody Radio, a
S2: ministry of Moody Bible Institute.