01-27-2019 – Keith Cozort – Worship: The Apostle’s Doctrine Part 1 (AM Sermon)

Is good to be back home. It’s good to see you. And to be able to be with you this morning, we had a very good trip down to Lakeland, Florida for the Florida school of preaching lectureship. That’s where I attended the school of preaching and had a very good lectureship there. Just so that some of you know, it’s not always in the seventies and eighties in Florida.

Okay. I lived there for 10 years, so I can vouch for that. But there were a couple of nights where it get down, got down into the thirties. And we, we were out a couple afternoons when we had to go to the grocery store for, for some things. And those Floridians were going around with winter jackets on, I mean,

overcoats. And we were there either with a light coat on or nothing at all. I mean that, I mean, no coat, no coat. Sorry about that. But anyway, it did get cool, but it, it started warming up as the week, went long, went along and did get up to about 80 a couple of days, Thursday and Friday,

I think it was, but we had a very good trip down. We were ahead of the front that brought all the cold weather to you last weekend. And, but on our way down, we’d, hadn’t even thought about it until we were actually there that when we got to South Alabama on Friday or no Saturday last week, every once in a while,

we started seeing blue tarps and on rooftops and sheds and things. And it began to Dawn on us that we were beginning to see the effects of the hurricane that came through in October when we got down to I 10 in Florida, and we were West of Tallahassee by 90 miles or something like that. We were within 30 to 40 miles of all the Florida.

And by the way, that’s, misspelt in the bulletin. It’s all for a L T H a Florida rather than Ulta, but we were within 30 or 40 miles from author and just devastation everywhere. We, we couldn’t believe it. And you know, those of you who live around here, we’ve, we’ve talked about the devastation that we had as a result of the ice storm that came through a couple of weeks ago,

especially here in mountain Grove. And it was, it reminded us a lot of the devastation that we had here from the ice, but it was so much worse there. And as we were traveling along on 10, going toward Tallahassee devastation on, on both sides of the interstate, in fact, they were just now beginning to try to clean up the devastation along the interstate.

And there were, there were a couple of places where if you had to pull off to the right shoulder of the interstate, for some reason you would have hit a tree because it was still that close to the interstate where they, they had not been able to clean it up yet because there was so much other work that needed to be done. So I say that to say this,

I understand that we’ve had our own problems as a result of the weather here this month. And yet we were planning to send as much as we possibly could. That was over our, our budget to those brethren down at the Chattahoochee church of Christ. And we are still going to do that. But our contribution has been low the last couple of weeks.

And some of you have made separate checks out, designating it for hurricane relief. And that’s great because it will go toward that, but we don’t want to forget those brethren down there. We, we know that the congregation, there is a sound faithful congregation. We have that confirmed to us by those who know the congregation. And we know that virtually every member of the congregation there was affected in some way from the hurricane.

The church building was affected a little bit, but it wasn’t catastrophic, but several of the members lost everything that they had. And so we certainly don’t want to forget that. And if you are able to help with that, we certainly encourage you to do that. Also, some, some of you asked for me to pick you up a lectureship book and bring it back and I’ve done that.

And those are on the Pew there, but I did bring back one extra. If anybody decides they would like to buy it. And didn’t tell me such, but the theme of the lectureship this year was, do you understand the Christian’s responsibility to the civil state? And it was a very good lectureship covered a lot of different subjects that probably many would not even consider or think about as it relates toward our relationship to the government as Christians,

our responsibility to the government and to that relationship that is there. But they, they covered such things as civil disobedience. When is it right? And when, when is it not wrong or not? Right. And our involvement with, with social issues as Christians and as in relationship to the state or to the government and things such as that. But anyway,

if you are interested in that, it’s up here. I have one left $13 and 50 cents will cover the cost of that. It sold at the lectureship for $16 a piece. So you’re able to get a discount on that if you want it. All right, couple of weeks ago, we started Series of lessons dealing with worship. And this morning, I want us to begin to examine the subject of worship as it relates toward the Apostle’s doctrine,

open up your Bibles with me. If you will, to acts chapter two and acts chapter two, we have the record concerning the beginning of the Lord’s church in the city of Jerusalem and the record that is given to us concerning that. And beginning in verse 36 Luke’s account says, therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made that same Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.

Now, when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart and said, unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do then Peter said unto them repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. And you shall receive the gift of the Holy ghost for the promises unto you and to your children.

And to all that are far off. Even as many as the Lord, our God shall call. And with many other words, did he testify and exhort saying, save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they, that gladly received the word were baptized. And the same day there were added unto them about 3000 souls. And they continued steadfastly in the Apostle’s doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers.

And so here we have in verse 42, that those who have been converted by the gospel of Jesus Christ on the day of Pentecost. And those days afterward were those who continued in the Apostle’s doctrine in fellowship, in breaking of bread. And in prayers, I want us to spend our time noticing concerning the Apostle’s doctrine doctrine simply means teaching the apostles teaching as it relates to worship because preaching or teaching is worship.

We have those who deny that fact, and yet the scriptures that, that is true, that whenever we are together and we are preaching, or we are teaching from the Bible that is worship. Now we’ve emphasized before in the previous lessons that there has to be intent in what we are doing in that we can teach the Bible and not intend to worship.

And somebody says, well, how can you, how can you do that? Well, we, we know of those who are atheist, who teach the Bible in some sort of academic way in schools of various sorts. And yet they have no intention of worshiping God. In fact, they intend to destroy the effects of the Bible, if at all possible,

and to show that it just simply can’t be true. But when we come together as Christians, in order to preach and to teach God’s word, we are coming together in order to worship. That is the very purpose of that. And thereby to learn those things that God would have us to learn and then seek to apply them to our lives. Well,

somebody says, well, brother, Keith, how do you know that? That’s the case? Well, I’m glad you asked turn over to Matthew chapter 15, Matthew chapter 15, verses eight and nine. Notice what Jesus says. You’re very familiar. Most all of you are very familiar with these passages, but notice what Jesus says verses eight and nine of Matthew,

chapter 15, Jesus says this people draw nigh unto me with their mouth and honor me with their lips. But their heart is far from me. But in vain, they do worship me teaching for doctrines, the commandments of men. Now Jesus, here is speaking concerning those who were in the scribes and the Pharisees back up to verse one. He tells us,

Matthew tells us that, that describes him. The Pharisees come to him and they ask him, why do your disciples, why did I disciples transgress the tradition of the elders for they wash, not their hands with a, when they eat bread and Jesus in answering their question, their accusation actually speaks concerning the fact that they are hypocrites verse seven, ye hypocrites,

he says, well, did is ASMR prophesied of you Sayed. He says, the prophet Isaiah spoke concerning you. You go back to Isaiah chapter 29 and in verse 13, and this is exactly where Jesus gets his answer for them. This people draw nigh unto me with their mouth and honor me with their lips. But their heart is far from me.

But in vain, they do worship me teaching for doctrine. The commandments of men notice how that Jesus says that when the scribes and the Pharisees who are hypocrites are ones who are teaching, they are worshiped Jesus, their worship as being vain. It is worthless. It is of no value at all, but he admits that when they are teaching, they are worshiping Well,

if It was worshiped, when they taught that, which was false doctrine, Can It be worshiped when we’re teaching that, which is true doctrine, Right? Doctrine. Why? Of course. And so it is, These were ones who were worshiping. Jesus says they were ones that their worship, including teaching, but they weren’t teaching the doctrines of God.

They were teaching the doctrines of men as if they were the doctrines of God and their worship. And teaching Jesus says is that, which is vain. It is worthless. It is of no value at all. As far as God is concerned and their worship and teaching was because the reason that it was vain was because that they were not abiding by and teaching the commandments of God,

Matthew chapter 15, verses eight and nine Jesus’s Explanation concerning them. And so surely if He acknowledged them as worshiping, when they were teaching false doctrine, then surely it would be such that when we teach The doctrines of God, it would be true worship. When you turn over to acts chapter 20 and acts chapter 20 is The apostle. Paul is in the city of TRO.

Yeah, Luke, the writer says beginning in verse seven, and upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them ready to depart on the Morrow and continue to speech until midnight. And there were many lights in the upper chamber where they were gathered together and there was a widow or excuse me, there,

there sat in a window, a certain young man named Sudokus being fallen into a deep sleep. And as all was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep and fell down from the third loft and was taken up dead. And Paul went down and fell on him, embracing him, said trouble, not your cells for his life is in him. When he therefore was come up again and had broken bread and eaten and talked a long while,

even till a break of day. So he departed and they brought the young man alive, and we’re not a little comforted. And so here we read concerning Paul and his group. That’s traveling with you and how that they came to the city of Troas and they’re on the first day of the week. They assembled themselves with the and broke bread. And Paul preached to them until midnight.

Paul here is, is reaching to them as part of their worship and that in the city of Troas with those brethren that were meeting there. And this is when he is on his way back to Jerusalem in order to try to get there for the feast day. But Paul tarried here in the city of TRO as even though he was in a hurry so that he could meet with the brethren on the first day of the week and that he could worship well,

Jesus also commands us to preach and to teach when you turn to Matthew chapter 10 and in verse seven, this is where Jesus is going to send the apostles out upon the, for the limited commission, as we generally describe it anyway, it’s not spoken of it in those terms, in the new Testament, but it was limited in that they were supposed to go to the Jews and go to the Jews only.

And in Matthew chapter 10 and in verse seven, Jesus says, and as you go preach saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand and that’s exactly what the apostles would do wherever it was that they traveled as they were going along, they would preach the kingdom of heaven is at hand. That was a command that God gave to the apostles. When you turn to Mark chapter 16,

and you have the record of Mark’s account of the great commission, this commission is going to be different from the limited commission and that this commission is to be taken to all the world. And so in Mark chapter 16, and in verse 15, Jesus says to the apostles go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Matthew chapter 10,

it was to go to the Jews and go to the Jews only. Now under the great commission after Jesus has been crucified and resurrected from the dead, Jesus commands them that they are to go into all the world and to preach the gospel. When you look at Matthew chapter 28, with Matthew’s account of that great commission there, Matthew says that Jesus instructed them verse 19,

go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy ghost. And so they are to go into teach all nations. What are they supposed to teach the gospel? Just as Jesus said, in Mark’s account, go and preach the gospel to all nations, all people, the, the entire world and such is what they were going to do.

When you look at Luke’s account in Luke chapter 24, we read this in our adult Bible class this morning, but verse 47, Jesus tells the apostles that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And of course, when you turn to acts chapter two, that’s exactly what you’re going to see that the apostles are going to do.

They are going to teach repentance and remission of sins acts two verse 38 as Peter answers. The question that these who now believe that Jesus is the Christ. The son of God who didn’t believe it before asked what shall we do? Peter’s answered there in verse 38 is to repent and be baptized. Every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins,

you shall receive the gift of the Holy. And so it is that Jesus commanded the apostles that they were to go and to preach and to teach his word. When you turn to acts chapter 10, and Peter is there with Cornelius and his household, and we read in verse 42, and he commanded us this Peter recounted, what Jesus had instructed them to do.

He commanded us to preach under the people and to testify that it is he, which was ordained of God to be the judge of quick. And did Peter says Jesus commanded us to preach the gospel. And that’s exactly what they had been doing when you turn to acts or second Timothy, rather second Timothy chapter four. And in verse two, the apostle Paul and his second epistle to Timothy tells Timothy,

preach the word, be instant in season, out of season reprove, rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine here, you have the apostle Paul who now is telling Timothy his risks possibility is to preach the word. He used to preach it in season or when they like it. And out of season when they don’t like it. But his responsibility is to preach the word,

which is exactly what Christ commanded, the apostles that they were supposed to do. And so Paul is continuing on making sure that Timothy and others like him understand that it is now their responsibility as being those who are Christians to teach the word and to preach the word in second, Timothy chapter two, back up just to page, probably in your Bibles. And in verses two through four,

Paul says to Timothy and the things that thou has heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man, that Wharf entailed with himself with the affairs of this life that he made him who had chosen him to be a soldier.

And so Paul says to Timothy previously in this very same letter, that those things that you’ve heard of me and been assured of by others, those are the things that you are supposed to teach. Well, what were those things? Those were The gospel. Those things Timothy had traveled with Paul extensively by this point in time. And Paul is simply reminding him that he is to preach and to teach the very same things that the apostle Paul preached and taught when he was with you.

And he is to be willing to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, which means things aren’t always going to be well things aren’t always going to good, go good for you, but you continue on preaching the gospel. You continue on teaching others as well. And when you compare what Paul instructed Timothy to do here, and then you turn over to the book of second job.

Yeah. Apostle John says in verses nine through 11, whosoever, transgressive and abideth, not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ. He has both the father and the son. If they’re come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house. Neither bid him. God speed for he that bid with him.

God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. And so John tells Brethren that If somebody comes and he is preaching and teaching the gospel, the doctrine of Jesus Christ, then you don’t even bid him. God speed. You don’t bring him into your house and, and treat him as a Royal. Yes, because if you do that, then you are promoting and encouraging his false doctrine.

Different from what Paul tells Timothy to do, Timothy is to preach the gospel. John Says, there’s going to be those who are going to come along, who are not going to preach the gospel. You don’t treat them like they’re a faithful gospel preachers Or not. And if you do do that, then yeah, You are going to be ones who are going to be recognized as assisting them in teaching and preaching there Doctrine,

by the way, He acknowledges that they will be teaching and preaching, but it’s going to be false doctrine that they’re going to be teaching just like the scribes and the Pharisees were teaching false doctrine. And Jesus described them as being hypocrites. So every servant of the Lord Is to be able to teach, to be able to teach others concern concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ.

But again, what is to be preached. Okay. Well, when you look at the new Testament, we’re going to do this very quickly and very briefly. But when you look at the new Testament and look at what we are told in those Books, the church Is established before the day of Pentecost. What do you see? Well, you see in Matthew chapter 10,

verse seven, Luke chapter nine, verse two, and in verse 60, where they were preaching saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand John, the baptizer was preaching concerning the kingdom of heaven. Jesus is going to be preaching concerning the kingdom of heaven. And he’s going to tell the people that the kingdom of heaven, which is the church, is it hand again.

And we have those in the religious world today that say the kingdom never caved. Jesus came in order to set up the kingdom, but he was not able to do that because the Jews rejected him. That is his fault as faults can be, even though the majority of the religious world believes that the fact of the matter is man has never been able to stop God from doing what God intended do.

We are not that powerful. All right. And such is the case that Jesus would preach and to teach. And the apostles would preach and teach in the limited commission that the kingdom of heaven is at hand and such. It was because it acts chapter two. The kingdom of heaven came into being when the church is established Mark chapter one, verse four,

chapter six, verse 12, John, the immerser preaches the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And remember Jesus told the apostles in Luke chapter 24, that they were to preach repentance and remission of sins beginning at Jerusalem and into all the world and such was what they did in Luke chapter four. And in verses 18 and 19, Jesus says he has sent me to preach deliverance to the captives and to preach the acceptable year.

The Lord Jesus received instructions from the father that this is what he was supposed to do. And in verse 43 of chapter four, I must preach the kingdom of God. It was required for him to do that just as it is required in us to preach concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news as he gave it to the apostles. When you look at those passages,

following the day of Pentecost after the day of Pentecost, beginning in the book of acts, you find that in acts chapter four, and in verse two, they taught, preached through Jesus, the resurrection from the dead. So you have the apostles, Peter and John, and the other apostles after the church has been established that they taught and they preached concerning the resurrection of the dead through Jesus chapter five.

And in verse 14 to teach and preach. Jesus was Christ was, was what they were instructed to do chapter 10. And in verse 36. And this again goes to Peter with who is there with Cornelius as to what Jesus instructed them to do, preaching peace by Jesus Christ. And then in verses 37 and 38, Jesus anointing and power were to be published abroad.

And that’s what the apostles were preaching and teaching there in verse 42 of acts, chapter 10, they preached Jesus as God who was ordained to be the judge over the quick and the dead, the living and the dead. That’s what the word quick there means living the living and the dead and acts chapter 14. And in verse 15 there, Paul would say,

we preach unto you, that you should turn from these vanities under the living God. And so they were continuing to preach chapter 16, verse 10, preaching the gospel. Well, the gospel, that’s what Paul talked about. Romans chapter one, verse 16 for I’m not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes to the Jew first and also do the Greek.

And so Paul says the gospel is that which contains the power of God in order to save men from their sins. There’s nothing else, nothing else that can be preached. Second Corinthians chapter two. And in verse 12, Paul says, furthermore, when I came to trow as to preach Christ gospel and a door was opened unto me of the Lord, and he’s going to continue on how that he’s going to,

he was told to go into Macedonia. He was called to go into Macedonia in order to preach to them, Preach the gospel, preach the kingdom, preach Jesus Christ preach Jesus as God acts chapter 17, verse three, which is, Was also in found in acts chapter eight. And in verse 35 preach whom I preach under you are Jesus. Whom I preach unto you is Christ.

Paul says there in the city of vessel Fessel Nikah Acts chapter 18, Verse 25. He spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord. Here we have concerning a policy, a policy in the city of emphasis, who is one who only knew the baptism of John. We find out, and yet he is going to preach And to teach there in emphasis,

Romans chapter 10, verses eight and 15. There, we read that the word of faith, which we preach. Paul says, as he’s writing to those Roman brethren, verse 15, preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things. He says to them. First Corinthians chapter one verses 18 and 23, Paul says preaching the cross. That’s what he did.

He was reminding them concerning. When he, he came to the city of Corinth, that’s what he would do. He would preach the cross to them, but we preach Christ crucified verse 23, he says second Corinthians chapter four. And in verse five, we preach Christ Jesus, the Lord chapter 11, verse seven, I have preached to you the gospel of God freely.

Paul says Galatians chapter one, verse 23, the apostle Paul says that he now preaches the faith. Well, was he not preaching the faith before? Why? Certainly he was, when he was preaching the gospel, he was preaching the faith. When he was teaching the gospel, he was teaching the faith. And that’s exactly what Paul is continuing to do.

First Timothy chapter six. And in verse three, Paul says, teach wholesome words. Where do you find wholesome words in the gospel? That’s what he’s talking about. Second Timothy chapter four, verse two, as we noted just a few minutes ago, preach the word. Paul says be instant in season and out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine Titus chapter one.

And in verse nine, holding fast, the faithful word as he had been taught, Paul says to Titus the faithful word, preaching the gospel, preaching the good news preaching that, which is the doctrine. The Apostle’s doctrine acts chapter two, verse 47 or 42 rather. And so it is that we have them commanded by Jesus as the apostles to preach the gospel,

taking it into all the world and the apostles in turn continued to preach and to teach to others that they are to do the same thing. And that message continues on. Even to today, we are to preach and to teach the truth of God’s word. And when we preach and teach the truth, we are worshiping God. We are doing what God has required through the Lord,

through the Holy spirit, through the apostles, and has given even to us through those things, which they have, We’re not merely to preach, But we are also instructed that we are to preach specifically the gospel, the good news concerning Jesus concerning the kingdom of God, concerning the church of Christ concerning those things, which the apostles preached and taught that,

which is the revealed mind of God. To us that is found in scriptures. These messages Use do not allow for preaching. A social gospel. As many are wanting to do today, they are, will not allow for preaching a political gospel or political doctrine. Even with the lectureship that we were at this last week. There were a lot of things political that were discussed,

but it was always pointing back to, we have to abide by what the word of God teaches. It doesn’t matter what political party you’re a part Of. Even if You are not a, a part of any political party, what’s important is what does gospel teach? What does God’s word Teach and preaching? What we have studied Already as it relates toward the Apostle’s doctrine will in fact magnify.

And it will glorify God. It will glorify deity, which is exactly the very purpose. Oh, it is that the Christians, as they are converted there on the day of Pentecost and those days thereafter, they are ones who<inaudible> in the Apostle’s doctrine in fellowship In breaking of bread and in prayers. And by the way, let me just make this point Right here.

And it won’t be the last time we’ll make that point. And that is when you read there in acts chapter two, concerning what the Christians did. They met daily in The temple. We Have those who have the idea that we don’t have to attend anything, but Sunday, The morning that is false is false. Can be according to the scriptures, They’re met on a daily basis in order to continue to learn God’s word and to know those things that they were in then to teach to others because they didn’t live in Jerusalem.

Many of them they’re going to go back to their own communities and therefore they would have to know those things that they would be able to teach others concerning the word of God they met on a daily basis. Was it wrong for them to do That? No, Absolutely not. And having been converted by the gospel of Jesus Christ, they had great willingness to come together in order to learn those things that God would have them to learn in order to teach others the same kind of attitude,

the same kind of willingness that David had when he rejoiced, When it came time to come together in order to worship God in the temple With the other Jews, every Sabbath day, he looked forward to that opportunity just as Jesus did Forward to that opportunity when he was here on this earth. So we should look forward to every opportunity that we have in order to come together,

to learn more of God’s word, because that’s what we come together to preach and to teach so that we can have greater knowledge and information. So as to be able to teach, There’s also, it is extremely important. And when we try To say, it’s not important, we are diminishing The very gospel itself, right? As well as diminishing from Christ and God and the Holy spirit with what they’ve taught us,

that is our response It’s ability to do. If you’re outside the body of Christ this morning, Our emphasis is what does the Bible teach? What is it that the Bible tells us that we are to do? The Bible tells us what one must do in order to become a Christian. Then one must hear the word and believe it, John six, verse 45.

Then one must be willing to repent acts two verse 38. That one must be willing to confess his faith in Christ before men, Matthew chapter 10, verse 32, and the one must be baptized to be immersed in water in order to have their sins washed away. Acts chapter two, verse 38 38, Matthew chapter 28 verses 19 and 20 Mark chapter 16,

verse 16, acts 22 verse 60 and other pastors. That’s how one becomes a Christian. Okay. When you become a Christian through baptism, putting your Lord on in baptism, you will then be added to the body of Christ added to the church by the Lord himself, acts chapter two, verse four Seven. Are you willing to obey the gospel and put your Lord on in baptism In order to be added to the Lord’s church?

Not any denomination. There’s no denomination that is acceptable. As far as God is concerned. As far as Christ is concerned, are you willing to be added to the Lords, That church that he purchased with his own blood when he died there upon the cross, The invitation song has been selected to encourage you to do that. If you need to, if you’re already a member of the body of Christ,

which you’ve turned your back upon God, turn your back upon the church, turned your back upon being faithful. We plead with you to come back and Repentance, praying to God For forgiveness. And to begin again, walking in the way of righteousness, If we can help you, we come as together, we stand and as we see.