OPEN YOUR EYES!

From Flickering Lamps by Henry Blackaby:

OPEN YOUR EYES! 

Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus that “the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so you may know … what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His vast strength … And He put everything under His feet and appointed Him as Head over everything for the church, which is His body …” (Eph. 1:18-19, 22). The problem is not that small churches have few resources. The issue is that many churches fail to recognize the enormous power that is readily at their disposal. If churches would open their spiritual eyes to see the immensity of God’s power that is fully available to them, we would experience revival in our day. 

Our church had spent too many years focusing on what it could or couldn’t do. I taught our people to watch for God’s powerful working in our midst. Whenever we recognized God at work, we would join Him. (pp. 76-77, Kindle version)

Last night gave me a classic example of this. 

Mark and Cherry Brumbelow shared how God had stirred their hearts in a small country church—Grace Baptist—in Wild Peach, Texas. 23 members, mostly senior adults, with no big money givers sensed that God was leading them to pack 500 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. It had been a challenge for them to pack 43 the previous year, along with the money it took to ship them. This would require a miracle—and God came through as they did 532!

The church has not seen mission support drop in other areas, and they have seen the tiny flock grow to around 55 in attendance—not a megachurch, but having a mega-impact! Last year they surpassed 100,000 shoeboxes, and now have their sights set on 119,000!

It is not about making a child happy with Christmas toys—though that happens. It is not for giving some basic provision to a family, though they do. It is about sharing the Gospel. Operation Christmas Child estimates around 10 people are impacted by every shoebox. If 1/4th of those respond to the Gospel, then this small flock in rural Texas has been responsible for around ONE MILLION souls coming to Christ!

Humanly, that is impossible—BUT WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!  Let us seek His direction and then trust His provision. Who knows what might happen in Bethel, Cruso, Dutch Cove, or some other location that people outside of Haywood County have never heard of before!

Will we stop looking back at our traditions, stop looking around at our imitations, and look up for God’s direction?  I am praying the Lord to give us an audacious faith!  Seek the Lord. Listen to His voice. Do not come up with your plan and ask God to bless it, for He is not obligated to do so. Find out what His plan is and as you pray and respond with faith and obedience, He will bless and accomplish His will!

FOLLOW THE LEADER

Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.  (Hebrews 13:7)

One of the first words we learn to say is, “No!”  Now, some children are more compliant than defiant, but we all have this stubborn streak that doesn’t like anybody telling us what to do.  Since all authority flows from God—in the nation, the home, on the job, in the school, or the church—our rebellion against authority is at its core, rejection of God’s authority.  This is the essence of sin.  Isaiah said, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way.”  A mark of repentance is that we have turned from our way to God’s way—and this is evidenced in respect for authority.  Hebrews 13:7-19 focuses here on submitting to church leaders.

We are to follow THE LEADER’S WORDS (v.7-9).  If our pastor’s words line up with the Word of God, and if his conduct is consistent with his communication, then we should follow him.

This will strengthen us in faith (v.7-8).  “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom.10:17)  True faith rests on Christ and not a communicator.  You can follow your leaders as they follow Christ, but ultimately no man is good enough to be the object of faith.  We all have feet of clay.  It is Christ we worship!

Heeding the Word of God preached will also stabilize us in grace (v.9).  This has been a recurring theme throughout Hebrews—the Old Covenant ritual versus the New Covenant grace.  A storm of opposition had come to this church comprised of Messianic Jews.  All that would keep them anchored in the storm would be the grace of God.  There would be the danger of accepting the false doctrine of salvation by works in a religious system—here the false teaching is that eating kosher food was required.  Christ is enough!

We are further to follow THE LEADER’S WORSHIP (v.10-16).  We gather to hear the Word and to express our worship.

This is a sanctifying focus (v.10-14).  Under the Mosaic code, the focus was on the altar at the Temple, the Levitical priests offering bloody sacrifices, and all the ritual accompanying it.  Yet, these could never truly satisfy God’s righteous demands—that demanded the sacrifice of Jesus.  He was rejected by men, and died outside the gates of Jerusalem as an outcast—even God-forsaken as He was made sin for us!  My task is like John the Baptist’s to say, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”  We take up our cross to gain the crown (v.14).  It will be worth it all!

There will be sacrificial fruit (v.15-16).  This will include the sacrifice of a grateful heart (v.15) in which we express our love for God and the sacrifice of a generous hand (v.16) that shows our love for man.  Worship is surrendering all! (Rom.12:1).

Follow also THE LEADER’S WATCHFULNESS (v.17).  The shepherd not only feeds the sheep, he leads the sheep—even willing to bleed for them.  He guides them and guards them.

Pastors have an eternal accountability (v.17a).  Only a pastor understands what a burden this is.  How much value there is in a soul!  What grave matters he deals with!

Pastors can have an earthly profitability (v.17b).  Your response to your leader will determine if he has grief or gladness!  Your choices decide if the sermon is profitable.  Follow your leader!

REJECTING GOD

And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.  (1 Samuel 8:7)

The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is not a monarchy ruled by the pastor.  The pastor is not the lord of the church.  Neither is the church an oligarchy ruled by the deacons.  Deacons are church servants, not church bosses.  Nor is the church a democracy ruled by the people.  The people are the body of Christ, not the head.  The church is a theocracy which means that God rules.  Christ is the head of the church.  If the church is functioning Biblically, the pastors and deacons are taking their lead from Christ, and the members are following according to the direction of the Holy Spirit.  In 1 Samuel 8, we have a time when Israel was a theocracy.  God was their King.  They decided they needed a human king like the other nations, and in so doing, rejected their Heavenly King.  They rejected God, and it is possible we may also.  How does this happen?

They were disappointed with the job performance of Samuel’s sons, and believed that Samuel was too old to lead them competently (v.1-5).  Disappointment with God’s leaders may lead to disillusionment with God’s leadership.  Leaders may fail in their duty—to some degree they will.  Love your pastor, but don’t put him on a pedestal.  Be loyal to your preacher, but don’t worship him.  The finest pastor, most dedicated deacon, or best Sunday School teacher will fall short at times.  Make any mortal an object of faith and you set yourself up for disappointment.

The people responded to the crisis of confidence in leadership by natural reasoning (v.5).  Reason certainly has its place.  A mind is a terrible thing to waste.  God has ordained, however, that revelation be the root of our reasoning.  What they needed was the clear Word of God from His servant Samuel to guide them.  Instead, they turned to the world, rather than to the Word.  Israel wanted to be like the pagan nations around them—ruled by a king.  This is often the tragic choice made by churches today—to employ the world’s philosophy and methodology just because it works in the world.  It is pragmatism and promotes that the end justifies the means.

Samuel felt a sense of rejection (v.6-9).  What did God’s man do?  He took it to the Lord in prayer.  He didn’t bottle it up and become bitter; nor did he blow up and become angry.  He trusted God to handle it.  That is the response leaders must make when the people’s hearts are rebellious.

Rebellion is in our bones.  The desire for personal autonomy and rebellion against authority can be traced back to Eden.  What happened in Samuel’s day, and what is happening in ours, is but the latest edition of the same old story.  Samuel made powerful arguments, but did not persuade them (v.10-22).  They stubbornly responded, “Our minds are made up—don’t confuse us with facts!”  It was an issue of authority.  Would they listen to God’s messenger, and if it was the Word of God and not his own fleshly desires directing him, then follow?  Or, would they think their own logic sufficient and the world’s ways superlative over God’s design?

Trouble would come from rejecting God’s leadership.  Sometimes God’s way of correcting us is by allowing us to eat the bitter fruit we desire.  They did!