FORTY-ONE YEARS AGO

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   Forty-one years ago, a new congregation of the Lord’s people began to worship on the Beach.

1.    They wanted to be sound.

2.    They wanted to be saved.

3.    They wanted to be soul-winners.

4.    They wanted to be servants.

5.    They wanted to be satisfying to God.

 

B.   When a new congregation is formed there are a lot of thoughts that run through the minds of those who are forming the church.

1.    There is rejoicing in the Lord.

2.    There is responsibility for actions.

3.    There is regard for the truth.

 

C.   It is possible to get so wrapped up in the excitement of that day some of the things that were done that day are forgotten or are pushed to the back burner. 

 

D.   The title of our lesson is:  “Forty-one Years Ago.” Let’s consider several things that were done by the small group of Christians.

 

I.             A TEMPLE WAS ESTABLISHED

 

A.   The church is the temple of God (1 Cor. 3:16).

 

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

 

B.   Two important thoughts regarding this temple.

1.    It is the dwelling place of God (2 Cor. 6:16).

 

…for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

 

2.    It is the place where the saints of God come together to worship and adore their heavenly Father (1 Pet. 2:5).

 

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

 

II.           A HOSPITAL WAS FORMED

 

A.   The word “hospital” has as its root word “hospitality.”

1.    A hospitable individual opens his house for strangers and pilgrims.

2.    These pilgrims enter the guesthouse tired, worn, and sometimes with injuries.

3.    The host does everything possible to care for the needs of his guests.

 

B.   That concept easily translated into an institution where sick and injured people are given medical and surgical treatment, a hospital.

 

C.   The church is a spiritual hospital.

 

1.    Those who are in sin carry a disease that is incurable and will eventually bring death (Isa. 1:5b-6).

 

…the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.  From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores:  they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

 

2.    Jesus is the Great Physician who is on call at all times (Matt. 9:12).

3.    This physician calls those who are in sin to His hospital, the church, in order to have the healing ointment of Jesus blood applied to their sinful lives (1 Pet. 2:24).

 

Who his own self bare out sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:  by whose stripes ye were healed.

 

III.         A BODY WAS CREATED

 

A.   Paul told the church in Corinth that they were the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27).

 

Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

 

B.   A body is composed of two main elements:  the head and the members of the body.

1.    The head is the control center. 

2.    The body carries out the wishes and desires of the head.

 

C.   The church at OceanSide is a spiritual body.

1.    Jesus is the head (Col. 1:18).

 

And he is the head of the body, the church…

 

2.    Every Christian is a member of the body of Christ who is tasked with the responsibility of carrying out His will (Heb. 13:21).

 

Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight…

 

IV.         A SHEEPFOLD WAS ERECTED

 

A.   We are not as familiar and appreciative of sheepfolds as those of the first century.

1.    A sheepfold was group of sheep that belonged to a specific shepherd.

2.    The shepherd directed his sheep by means of his voice.

3.    The shepherd led, cared for, and protected the sheep.

 

B.   John 10:16

 

And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold:  them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

 

C.   Anyone can claim to be one of the Lord’s sheep, but a claim alone doesn’t make one part of the Lord’s sheepfold.

1.    “My sheep hear my voice” (John 10:27).

2.    “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep…” (John 10:14).

V.           A VINEYARD WAS PLANTED

 

A.   A vineyard is a plantation of grapevines designed to produce grapes.

 

B.   Matthew 20:1

 

For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

 

C.   When you drive through Tuscany, there is literally a vineyard on every hill and at every turn.

1.    They beautify the landscape.

2.    Too, they bring forth a harvest of great profit to the husbandman.

 

D.   When OceanSide was established a vineyard was planted. 

1.    The Lord wants His vineyard to beautify the community.

2.    But, He also wants His vineyard to produce an abundant crop (John 15:8).

 

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit…

 

VI.         AN ARMY WAS COMMISSIONED

 

A.   The world is a battle ground.

1.    The devil is the prince of the world (John 12:31).

2.    This world is full of Satan’s fighting forces that war against mankind (Eph. 6:12).

 

B.   Each congregation of the Lord’s people serves at an outpost.

1.    Each Christian is a soldier in the Lord’s army (2 Tim. 2:3).

 

Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

 

2.    We are equipped with armor (Eph. 6:10-17).

3.    We have been provided with a sword, that is, the Word of God (Eph. 6:17).

 

C.   OceanSide has been given this outpost.  Our duty is to

1.    Pull down strong holds, cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God (2 Cor. 10:4-5).

2.    Stand (Eph. 6:13).

3.    War a good warfare (1 Tim. 1:18).

4.    Fight the good fight of faith (1 Tim. 6:12).

 

VII.       A LIGHT WAS LIT

 

A.   The world is described as a place of darkness (John 1:5).

 

And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.

 

1.    Jesus was the light that shined.

2.    Notice, John writes that the light shined in darkness, the world in which we live.

 

B.   Light is essential.

1.    It illuminates.

2.    It makes the path clear.

3.    It manifests dangers that are along the way.

4.    It provides warmth and comfort.

5.    It provides healing.

6.    It provides life.

 

C.   Christians are individuals who have been illuminated by the true light, Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:6).

 

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

 

D.   When this congregation was established, multiple lights came together to shine forth throughout this community and into the world (Phil. 2:15b-16a).

 

…among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life…

 

1.    Door knocking

2.    Gospel meetings

3.    House to House

4.    Clothing Closet

5.    Life Matters

6.    Our sign

7.    Efforts to help in the community:  Bus Stop Breakfast, Food Boxes, Devotionals at Anthem Lakes

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   When we are doing some things, we might fail to truly comprehend the importance of what we are really doing.

1.    We get caught up in the necessity of the thing being done.

2.    We get caught up in the responsibility of the thing being done.

3.    We get caught up in the excitement of the thing being done.

 

B.   We sometimes need to be reminded of what was really done.  When OceanSide was brought into being:

1.    A temple was established.

2.    A hospital was formed.

3.    A body was created.

4.    A sheepfold was erected.

5.    A vineyard was planted.

6.    An army was commissioned.

7.    A light was lit.

 

C.   What is wonderful is that all of those things continue to this day.  And, they will continue as long as OceanSide remains a faithful congregation of the Lord’s people.