OceanSide church of Christ

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GIVE US A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     Understanding is vital to the Christian’s life.

1.       1 Corinthians 14:20

 

Brethren, be not children in understanding:  howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

 

2.       Ephesians 5:17

 

Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

 

3.       2 Timothy 2:7

 

Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

 

B.      Definition of understanding:

1.       Strong (4920):  to put together, that is (mentally) to comprehend

2.       Thayer:  to set or bring together, to join together in the mind

3.       Vine:  to bring or set together, perceiving, understanding, uniting

4.       Dictionary.com:  the mental process of a person who comprehends

5.       Wiktionary:  the ability to grasp the full meaning of knowledge

 

I.                    FAMILY IS DECRIPTIVE OF THE CHURCH

 

A.     There are many evidences in Scripture that the church is a family.

1.       In 1 Timothy 3:15, Paul refers to the church as the “house of God.”

2.       In John 3:3-5, Jesus teaches Nicodemus about a “new birth.”

3.       We are children and God is our Father and Jesus is our elder brother (Rom. 8:16-17).

4.       Christians are brothers and sisters in the body of Christ (James 2:15).

5.       As God’s children, we have an inheritance that awaits us (Col. 3:24).

 

B.      This concept was not chosen lightly. 

1.       God knew the kind of ties that bind the physical family together.

2.       God knew the love that is found within a physical family.

3.       God knew the trust and loyalty that family members have in a physical family.

4.       NOTE:  He wants these same traits to be found in His spiritual family.

 

C.     The most difficult understanding that some have is that our spiritual family is supposed to be even more important to us than our physical family.

1.       The spiritual plateau is higher than the physical plateau.

2.       The example of Jesus (Matt. 12:49-50)

 

And he stretched for this hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!  For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

 

3.       How often do we allow our relationships with our physical families take precedence over our relationship with our family in Christ?

II.                 FELLOWSHIP IS JOINT, MUTUAL PARTICIPATION

 

A.     In 1 Corinthians 1:9, Paul teaches that we have been called unto the followship of Jesus Christ.

 

God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

B.      The word “fellowship” is the Greek word “koinonia.”  It comes from the Greek word “koinos” which means “common.”

1.       The word involves a joint participation.

2.       It involves a mutual sharing and exchange among members.

3.       Communion, interaction, and association are also involved in the word.

 

C.     1 Corinthians 12:22

 

Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary.

 

1.       Every member of the church is interlocked.

2.       Every member of the church has a part to play.

3.       Every member of the church is dependent on the other members.

4.       Every member of the church has obligations to one another.

 

D.     Illustration:  A car as a system

1.       In order for a car to start, there are many components that have to work together:  fuel, fuel pump, spark plugs, battery, starter, switch, key, and a host of wires and connectors. 

2.       Question:  How do you feel when you get in your car, turn the key, and the car will not start?

3.       Question:  How does God feel when all of the members of the church are not in their places functioning as they should so His church can be successful?  (Note: 1 Cor. 12:18).

 

But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it pleaseth him.

 

a.       God put us in the body of Christ exactly where He want us.

b.      He knows our personality and our abilities.

c.       He knows precisely where we need to be to bring the greatest glory to His name.

 

E.      The fellowship of Christ needs me.  The fellowship of Christ depends on me.  God expects my sharing, participation, interaction, and association in this fellowship. 

1.       Jesus is part of our fellowship.  Is there ever a time, He cannot be found fulfilling His role?

2.       When Paul was alive, he was a participant in this fellowship.  Was there ever a time Paul just checked out and failed in his responsibilities?

 

III.              FEAR MUST NOT CONTROL US

 

A.     Fear is a powerful emotion. 

1.       We view it as a negative emotion most of the time because of the manner in which men react to it. 

a.       Fear brings panic:  multitudes have died in groups stirred with fear.

b.      Fear causes one to act irrationally:  no speaking, deny God.

c.       Fear brings flight:  running from one enemies

d.      Fear makes one weak.

e.       Fear fuels doubt in one’s abilities:  public speaking.

f.        Fear makes individuals doubt God.  (Why has God brought me here?  God is not with me.  God does not love me.)

2.       Notice that fear has the ability to enslave an individual.

 

B.      Examples of fear moving individuals in negative ways.

1.       Fear almost caused Israel to reject Moses and continue in Egyptian bondage (Exo. 14:10-12).

2.       Fear kept the children of Israel from entering the Land of Canaan (Num. 13:31-33).

3.       Fear cause Saul to disobey the commands of Samuel the prophet (1 Sam. 13:8-9).

4.       Fear paralyzed Saul and the host of Israel on the battlefield (1 Sam. 17:10-11)

5.       Fear entered the apostles, and they all forsook Jesus and fled (Matt. 26:56).

 

C.     Fear will attach itself to other things.  When it does, our fear causes us to rationalize and justify improper actions.

1.       Fear attaches itself to rejection.

2.       Fear attaches itself to loss.

3.       Fear attaches itself to sorrow.

4.       Fear attaches itself to harm.

5.       Fear attaches itself to death.

 

D.     One of the challenges for the Christian is to refuse to allow fear to control him/her.

1.       Fear must be replaced with faith.  “Why are ye fearful?  O ye of little faith” (Matt. 8:26).

2.       Fear must be overcome with courage.  “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7).

3.       Fear must be trampled with hope.  “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord’ (Ps. 31:24).

 

IV.              FAITHFULNESS IS AN ABSOLUTE

 

A.     In the church, we often no longer refer to the five steps of the plan of salvation.  We often tell people there are six steps that must followed in order to be saved.  The sixth step is faithfulness (Rev. 2:10).

 

…be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

 

B.      Faithfulness is

1.       Adherence to the Word of God (John 8:29)

 

…for I do always those things that please him.

 

2.       Steadfastness at all times (1 Cor. 15:58)

 

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

 

C.     What faithfulness is not.

1.       Faithfulness is not fickleness.

2.       Faithfulness is not “doing it my way.”

3.       Faithfulness is not wavering.

4.       Faithfulness is not trying to do just enough to get buy.

5.       Faithfulness is not finding the right balance between pleasing self, pleasing others, and pleasing God.

 

V.                 FUTURE IS CERTAIN

 

A.     Future defined: 

1.       It comes from the Latin and means:  “that which is going to be.”

2.       That which is to come, the hereafter

 

B.      The Bible teaches there are at least four things that are certain in the future.

1.       Death (Ps. 89:48)

 

What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death?...

 

2.       The Second Coming of Jesus (John 14:3)

 

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

 

3.       The resurrection of the dead (1 Thess. 4:17)

 

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air:  and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

 

4.       Final Judgment (Acts 17:31)

 

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

 

C.     Sometimes, the only one of these four things that we seem certain about is death. 

1.       We have heard of it.

2.       We have experienced it.

 

D.     The other three things need to become just as real in our minds as death. 

1.       We need to speak about them with certainty.

2.       We need to live in the present like we have a true understanding about the certainty of the future.

a.       The Lord is coming again.

b.      I will be raised from the dead.

c.       I will stand before God in the judgment.

3.       It is interesting that Paul ties the Judgment to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

a.       The resurrection of Jesus gives the assurance that judgment day is coming.

b.      QUESTION:  Do you believe Jesus has been raised from the dead?  If so, you can bank on the certainty of the Judgment.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     When we lack understanding of things, we often think, act, and live incorrectly.

 

B.      When we have understanding, our thinking, our actions, and our lives are lived in a much different manner. 

 

C.     Our prayer is that is you comprehend some of the things we have studied in this lesson that you will be a much more spiritual person. 

1.       You will put more emphasis on the church since it is your family.

2.       You will participate more in the body of Christ because you understand fellowship.

3.       You will conquer your fears and truly live for Jesus.

4.       You will be faithful and never waver.

5.       You will live in the present, absolutely certain that there is a future awaiting that is filled with very important things like death, the Second Coming of Jesus, the resurrection of the dead, and final judgment.