•9:00 AM
taken from Wooddale Church of Christ
John 13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
Keep focused on THE man, and not A man.
One of the major complaints of non-believers is that Christians are hypocrites.
Those who don't even know the great stories of the Bible, can tell you in great detail the stories of Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart, and the preacher down the street who ran off with his secretary. It is one of the most common objections of an unbeliever, that he would be a Christian, but those who claim to be a Christian don't act like Christians.
I am sure there were many in the first days of the church who said, "I would be a Christian, but look at what Peter did. This man who claimed to be a follower of Jesus denied him. Not once, but THREE times."
It is a valid point.
Even though those of us who are saved, we are still frail, prone-to-sin creatures living in a sin-filled environment. That in no way excuses our sin, but it is the reality we live in.
The quickest way to fall away from the faith, is to put too much emphasis on a man of God.
God uses human instruments to plant the seeds.
He uses human instruments to help us grow in our new found faith. He uses human instruments to impact our spiritual lives at all levels. In a society that is prone to idolize others, such as entertainers, athletes, and successful people, we take that into our Christian lives as well.
We place on pedestals our spiritual leaders.
We normally only see them when they are "on", when they are doing what God has called them to do.
Because of that, we almost tend to forget they are humans.
Men who walk in the same frail clay bodies as we do.
Prone to the same weaknesses that we are.
Since we rarely see these spiritual leaders other than the times they are doing the Lord's work, we lose sight that it is only a part of their life. They have lives outside of their work for the Lord.
Because they are in spotlight, when they fail, when they sin, it is often made known to the public.
Our first reaction is "how can that be possible?"
Nobody is immune to sin.
No matter who you are, your life flows from your relationship with Christ.
A minister, a spiritual leader is only as close to God as his daily walk. Like anyone, if they neglect their daily time with the Lord, they get farther away from God. It is only possible to minister to others from your own personal walk with Christ. As you neglect that daily time with the Lord, you start to be disconnected. You may have some spiritual gasoline left in your tank, but eventually you will use that up. Those spiritual leaders who fail, fail because they have neglected their time with God. Someone who is in the Lord's work, has to guard more than anyone else against neglecting their daily time with Christ.
There is a very real enemy who is out to kill, steal, and destroy.
The enemy is very wise in the art of warfare.
Why waste time working on taking out people one by one, when if you can take out a leader, you can wipe out many people at once.
The enemy knows that to take down the minister of a local church, he can take out many people at one time.
We well continue with this tomorrow, Lord willing.
