03-31-2019 – Keith Cozort – Worship: Apostle’s Doctrine Part 4 (AM Sermon)
We certainly appreciate you being here. Beautiful, beautiful first day of the week. Maybe a little chilly, but that’s okay. We are certainly grateful for your presence. If you are visiting with us, we want you to know that we truly appreciate your visit and ask you to fill out one of the visitors cards that you should find on the back of the Pew in front of you.
And if We invite you back, you’d every opportunity that you may have to be with us. We are studying concerning worship And Specifically we are studying concerning preaching and teaching. At this point in time, We’re studying concerning those things that are spoken of as being the Apostle’s doctrine, their preaching and teaching to those in the first century. And as you think,
concerning preaching and teaching, as we’ve been, as we’ve defined worship. And as we’ve been thinking concerning the subject of preaching and teaching preaching and teaching is worship, it is the intention to teach it instruct one another. Yes, but it is also worship to God. And the way that we go about doing that and the reason reasoning that we have for doing that.
And so in order to conclude this particular part of our study, concerning worship, I want us to consider there are preparations that have to be made in order for us to be ready, to worship both in preaching and in teaching. And so I want us to consider that we must prepare ourselves in order to worship God acceptably by doing such. We have to understand that first of all,
the preacher or the teacher has to prepare himself in order to preach and to teach the way that God would have him to open up your Bibles with me. If you will, to Philippians chapter one, we’re going to read verses 15 through 18. As the apostle Paul is writing to the church at Ephesus, the brethren there in the city of Ephesus. And in verses 15 through 18,
he says some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife and some also of Goodwill. The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely supposing to add affliction to my bonds, but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel, what notwithstanding every way, whether in pretense or in truth Christ is preached. And I they’re in do rejoice,
yea and will rejoice. The apostle. Paul makes a statement here concerning the fact that there are some who are preaching Christ, but they’re not doing it for the right reasons. They’re not doing it with the right motivation. And so he speaks here in these verses how that there are those who are preaching Christ out of envy. They’re preaching Christ out of strife.
And with such Paul acknowledges that they are doing this. They’re preaching him out of contention. They’re preaching him, not sincerely. And yet Paul will still say that he rejoices in the fact that he’s been breached, whatever the motivation is of the one doing the preaching. Paul says that doesn’t matter to me. It’s not the way I think it should be.
It’s not the way that it ought to be, but that is not the determining factor. If he’s preaching the truth, if he’s preaching Christ, that’s what counts. Now he says, there are others, of course, who are preaching Christ of Goodwill. They are preaching of love. They are preaching In true. And certainly he commands those who are doing such,
but he is acknowledging that the motivation behind the man doing the preaching is not the determining factor as to whether or not that preaching is true or not. If he’s preaching the truth, but he has the wrong motivation. Then at least he’s still preaching the truth. If he’s preaching the truth and he has the right motivation, he’s still preaching the truth. And so the apostle Paul makes mention here how that he is.
He is one that rejoices by the fact that Christ is being preached turn over to first Corinthians You too Corinthians chapter two is Paul is opening up this first epistle to the church at Corinth. Paul speaks concerning how he was when he came to Korea. And so he says in chapter two, beginning with verse one and going down through verse five and I brethren,
when I came to you, came not with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring unto you, the testimony of God for, I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling and my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power for that face should not stay in the wisdom of men.
But in the power of God, Paul says, when I came to Corinth the first time, and of course this is going to be when he’s going to establish the church in Korea, but he said, I didn’t come to you with excellence of speech. I didn’t come to you with promoting myself before you. I was not one who came in order to make you impressed with me and the way that I spoke and the words that I used,
no, not at all. He said, in fact, when I came to you, the first time I came in weakness, I came in fear and much trembling. You look at the apostle Paul and all the great things that he was able to accomplish. And many times we can’t imagine Paul being one who would go into a city and fear, go into a city with much trembling,
go into a city and, and be one who is, who is in weakness. And yet Paul says, that’s the way I was. And by the way, we know that he’s speaking the truth. And we are sure of that, that he’s speaking the truth here, because when you go back and you read in the book of acts, when Paul comes to court,
the first time, the Lord appears to him and tells him to be strong and to fear, not because he has many people in this city, meaning there are those who are going to be willing to hear the gospel and be obedient to it. And the Lord knew that even though the majority of them would re refuse it. And so Paul is being encouraged as he comes into the city of Corinth,
when, by the way, he was by himself at this particular time, Titus and Timothy had been left up there and Berea and Paul is by himself escaping there because of the reaction of the unbelieving Jews from vessel of Nikah that have come to Berea. And so Paul is by himself and yet God encourages him, encourages him not to be one who is fearful at this particular time,
but rather to make sure that he goes ahead and he just proclaims the truth, the way that he should Jesus in Matthew, chapter six, as he is teaching or preaching there on that Mount says in chapter six, verses one through eight, he says, take heed. The G do not your alms before men to be seen of them. Otherwise you have no reward of your father,
which is inhibit. Therefore, when thou do aside, alms do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets that they may have glory of men, verily. I say unto you, they have their reward, but when now do<inaudible> let not die. Left-hand hand what I right hand do with that. Diane Holmes may be in secret.
And I father, which C if in secret, he himself shall reward thee openly. And when thou prayest thou shall not do as the hypocrites Are or be As the hypocrites are for, they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men verily. I say unto you, they have their reward,
but thou when Dow prayest enter into thy closet, and when thou is shut the door, pray to thy father, which isn’t in secret. And I father would see it in secret shall reward thee openly. But when you pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do for, they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking, be not ye therefore like unto them for your father,
know with what things you have need of. And before he asked you, and so Jesus has given instructions to his disciples and to those Jews that are willing to hear him, that they are not to conduct themselves as the hypocrites are. And that goes, as far as they’re always giving is concerned, they’re doing it in order to be seen of men in order to receive men’s praises for those things that they are doing,
they are not to pray like the hypocrites do who are praying and prayed and long prayers so that people can commend them for their great prayers and demonstrate their favoritism toward them. But Jesus says that rather do your arms, givings and secrets, do your prayed in secret. Then God Reward you openly. The point here of course Is, and I’m going to have to get one of these cough drops.
I Can see that already. The point here that Jesus is making is that they are not to be like the scribes and the Pharisees. Remember Matthew chapter 23, where Jesus called the scribes and the Pharisees hypocrites because of the things that they were doing in order to get the praise of men, rather than doing those things that were right, as far as God Was concerned.
And so here he, he speaks concerning these things that even when we are teaching and preaching, we should not be doing it or get the praise of men. But as the apostle, Paul would do it. And as Jesus did it in order to Proclaim the message of the gospel, for those who are wanting to hear, and those who are willing to hear The matters That God wants men to hear.
And so preacher or the teacher has to prepare himself, but it’s also such that the preacher or teacher should also prepare his message that he presents to prepare his message. Paul, when he writes to Timothy in second, Timothy chapter two tells Tim Timothy to study, to show thy self approved unto God, a Workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
And we’ve made mentioned in other times, the word that’s translated study here means to give diligence, to put forth effort. And so Paul is saying, give diligence, put forth effort to show yourself approved, not to your neighbor, not to your spouse, not to your coworkers, but rather to show yourself approved under God, a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing, or handling a right, the word of truth. And so it is such that it takes effort in order to do that in order to be prepared to present God’s word. Now that certainly includes studying Many times, brethren will joke that a preacher only works three hours a week. Well, There may be some that do that, but it takes a great deal of effort and time and study in order to prepare Those Messages to be presented to mankind.
Anybody can stand up and just read the Bible, but to be able to, to proclaim it, to interpret it, to teach others concerning what it has to say and to do such correctly takes a great deal of Effort. Peter, When he was writing his first letter in first Peter chapter three, and in verse 15 says, but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready,
always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. And even as we were talking about in Bible class this morning, how that, that particular passage Peter is not there speaking just to preachers when he says that, but rather he’s speaking to all mankind, to all those who are a part of the body of Christ,
That All of us as Christians are to sanctify the Lord God in our hearts, all of us are to be ready, always to give an answer to every man that asks us a reason of the hope that is in us with meekness and in fear, that is a responsibility of every one of us as members of the body of Christ, because we never know when we’re going to be asked concerning the reason that we have hope,
the reason as to why we do the things that we do. The reason that we believe, the things that we believe and Paul writing first, Timothy chapter four, as he is writing to Timothy year says in verse 13, till I come give attendance to reading, to expectation, to doctrine, give attendance to reading. That takes time. That takes effort,
give attendance to exhortation in order to help, to encourage and to build one another up that takes time, give attendance to doctrine or teaching that takes time. And so Paul is reminding Timothy and by the way, he will tell Timothy that the things he has told him, he is to tell to others as well, meaning it’s not just for you Timothy.
And therefore there is to be time, effort preparation, as far as the message is concerned. Sure. But I’m afraid what many times we fail to remember is that those who are in the pews also need to make preparation. Also need to make preparation, to be instructed in the word of God, preparation, to be edified by the scriptures and not just think that they can come in with just any kind of an attitude in any kind of a disposition in any kind of feelings in their mind and in their heart.
And thereby they’re going to be leaving with being built up. Sometimes I’ve heard brethren say, I haven’t heard him say it after my lessons. I don’t think they’re that bold, but I’ve heard brethren say after a preacher was preaching, you know, I didn’t get anything out of that lesson. Well, I didn’t get anything out of that worship service Brother,
Franklin camp, Who I knew and respected use To say, When somebody would say something like that, did you bring the bucket? Did you bring something to put it in to where you could get something out of it? The point that he is making is brethren need to make preparations to receive the gospel brethren need to make preparations, to receive the word for edification and for being built up rather than expecting to come and to be entertained.
And certainly That’s what the Bible brings out as well. Notice some passages with me, if you will, Matthew chapter 10, Jesus certainly would teach those in the first century concerning their responsibility and, and refer to the desires of many. When Jesus sends the apostles out on the limited commission, remember they were only to go to, to those who were Jews and here in Matthew,
chapter 10, verse 14, he says, and whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your words. When you depart out of that house or city shake off the dust of your feet. Jesus acknowledged it acknowledged here that not everybody is going to be receptive. Not everyone is going to receive the word of God, but those who do not receive it, who do not want to hear your words.
And Jesus says, when you leave, whether it’s the house where you’re teaching them, or whether it’s the city in which you’re teaching for those who do not want to hear it, and those who do not want to be receptive to it, you shake the dust off your feet. You fulfilled your responsibility by teaching them the word turn over to chapter 13 And Chapter 13.
And in verse 13, as Jesus is speaking concerning parables. Anyway, he says, therefore, speak guide to them in parables because they seen, see not and hearing they hear not neither do they understand. Jesus says, you know, there are some people that would even come to hear him speak, to hear him teach. And he says, they come and yet they have no real desire to hear what the word of God teaches.
They have no interest in what I have to say there. They’re not coming in order to better themselves. And as a result of that, they do not really hear. They do not really see seen, but see not, he says, and they do not understand. They have no intention of trying to understand that’s where the problem lie. The problem was with them.
They were of no real interest. And therefore they were coming just to use uptime is the idea. Jesus does not commend them in that in any way, shape or form. Their motive is wrong. And chapter 15. And in verse 10, Jesus shows us that all need to prepare themselves in order to hear and to understand the word he says in verse,
verse 10. And he called the multitude and said, unto them, hear and understand calls them to hear and to understand it wasn’t enough just to hear many people hear the word of God. They hear the gospel, but they have no interest in trying to understand it. They’re not willing to put forth any effort on their part in order to figure out what God is trying to say,
what God wants man to know, but Jesus calls them to hear it. And to understand it. You look at chapter 17, verse five, Right? Chapter 17 in verse five, Matthew says, while he yet spake behold, a bright cloud, overshadowed them and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, this is my beloved son and whom I’m well pleased.
Hear ye him. Remember this is on the Mount of transfiguration and Jesus is standing there with Moses and Elijah. Moses and Elijah have been dead for many, many years now, but here they are standing with Jesus on the Mount of transfiguration. It was not a lightness of Moses and a lightness of Elijah. It actually was Moses and Elijah and Peter James and John know that When Peter makes the suggestion of let’s make three Tabernacles,
one for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah. It is at that point when God said, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye hear ye hear ye him. He was the one that they were to be listening to in Mark chapter four. And in verse 24, there, Jesus makes a statement to those.
In the first century, he says, take heed. What you hear with what measure you need. It should be measured to you and unto you that hear shall more be given. What does he say? He’s saying to the people you be careful about what you hear you take heed to that. Jesus says not just any kind of hearing, Not just anything that is stated is worthy of hearing following after.
But Jesus says here, take heed. What you hear. We should be desiring to hear the truth. We should be desiring to hear the word of God being presented in its truth and in its simplicity. But then you also turn over to Luke chapter eight and in verse 18. And there, Jesus is also going to make a statement where he says,
take heed. Therefore, how you here for whosoever have to him shall be given. And whosoever hath not from him shall be taken away even that which seem, which he seems to have. And so Jesus makes the statement. Not only are you to take heed what you hear, but now he also says, take heed. How you hear. And as we talked about this morning in our Bible class as well,
that means That We need to make sure that we have ourselves in such a way, and in such a mindset to where, when we hear the truth, when we hear the gospel being preached and presented that we are willing to accept it, to do what it says. So not only are we to be careful about what we hear, Jesus says we’re to be careful about how we hear.
Sometimes people will say, well, I don’t care what the Bible says. I’m going to do what I want to do. Well, they’re probably telling the truth. They don’t really care what the Bible says, and they are going to do what they want to do. But the fact of the matter is their heart is not right. Their mind is not right.
It is not open to receiving what the gospel has to say. And when that happens, we should not be surprised when they’re not interested in the word of God when they’re not interested in Christianity, when they’re not interested in Jesus, when they’re not interested in what Jesus said, we shouldn’t be surprised at all. Backing up to Luke chapter five In Luke chapter five.
And in verse 15 there, Luke says, but so much the more went there of fame abroad of him and great multitudes came together to hear and to be healed by him of their infirmities. There were times, many times when great multitudes would go in order to hear Jesus and to hear what he had to say. They had a desire To know what the word of God was.
They had a desire to hear those things that Jesus would teach. No, they didn’t all accept them, But they did desire to hear them. When you go to the book of acts, chapter 13 In acts chapter 13, we read concerning Paul and Barnabas on their first preaching journey. And in verses six and seven, it says, and when they had gone through the isle of paperless,
they found a certain sourcer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus, which was with the deputy of the country. Sergius Paulus, a prudent man who called for Barnabas and saw and desired to hear the word of God here, you have this man who is a deputy of the country. One who is of a 40 in the country.
And he desires to hear what Barnabas and Saul have to say. As far as the gospel is concerned, There needs to be a desire, needs To be a desire on the part of the hearer to truly want to hear the truth. Doesn’t matter whether we like it or not, but to hear what the truth is so that thereby we can make the corrections we’ve made need to make,
to make the adjustments that we need to make to our own lives. So as to be the kind of people that God would have us to be and acts chapter 26, there an inverse three as the apostle Paul is standing there before a gripper King. Agrippa it is stated there in verse three, especially because I know the, to be expert in all customs and questions,
which are among the Jews, wherefore, I besieged the, to hear me patiently. And Paul is going to speak to a gripper. Somebody who is the grandson of Herod the great, And therefore Paul encourages a gripper to hear what he has to say and to hear it, patience Plate. Now grip up Is going to listen to what Paul says. And yet he’s not going to respond in a positive way to what Paul is going to teach him,
but he’s going to hear it. Nonetheless. Yes, the Hebrews writer and Hebrews chapter three in verses seven through 12 is one that shows here that we are needing to plan to hear God’s word Needing to plan, to hear God’s word in chapter three, verses seven through 12, the Hebrews writer says wherefore as the Holy ghost, say it today. If he will hear his harden,
not your hearts. As in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness, when your fathers tempted me, proved me and saw my works 40 years wherefore, I was grieved with that generation and said they do always arrive in their heart and they have not known my ways. So I swear in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest.
Take heed brethren, lest there be in any of you and evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God here, the Hebrews writer reminds these Jewish Christians who are considering going back under Judaism. He reminds them concerning their ancestors and how that their ancestors heard the instructions heard the law that was given to them by Moses, but they were not intent in obeying it.
And therefore, as a result of that, God is going to give them up. In fact, God in his wrath is going to destroy them. He’s going to take 40 years to do it, but he’s going to destroy them because they don’t have a desire to do what God wants them to do. They don’t have a desire to even hear what God’s word has to say,
even though they will hear it, they certainly don’t have the desire to do it. And as a result of that, God speaks concerning the fact through the Hebrews writer that we need to be those who have the right attitude, who have the right kind of mind and to take heed lest there be an evil heart of unbelief in us, which he is acknowledging is possible.
It is possible. Therefore, the guard that we are to put up on our own lives, in our own minds, as we examine the scriptures, to make sure that we are doing those things that God would have us to do. When you turn over to the book of James in James chapter one, and in verse 22, James, the half-brother of our Lord says,
but be doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves. James here is speaking concerning the fact that if we are just intent on hearing the word of God, though, that is good to hear it. But if that is our only intention and we have no intention of doing what the word of God teaches, then we are deceiving ourselves into thinking that we’re something we’re not,
and that we’re going to receive something that we will not receive. When you go back to the old Testament, to the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah chapter eight, As we approach the end of the history of the children of Israel anyway, and Nehemiah chapter eight, Nehemiah says beginning with verse one and all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the Watergate and they spake unto Ezra,
the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel and Ezra. The priest brought the law before the congregation, both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding under the first day of the seventh month or upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read there in, before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday before the men and the women.
And those that could understand, and the ears of all the people were attentive under the book of the law and Ezra, the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for that for the purpose. And beside him stood Messiah and Shima and Anya and Urijah and heal Kiah. And may Asiah on his right hand and on his left hand,
podiatry and Michelle and mal Kaia and Hasham and has-been, but Dana Zachariah and mil shot Mushy Tulum And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people for he was above all the people. And when he opened it, all the people stood up and Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God and all the people answered, amen, amen with lifting up their hands and they bowed their heads and worship the Lord with their faces to the ground and Jeshua and Bay NY,
and share a Baya and Jaman and ACU and Shabba thigh and Hoda, Jah, and Meda, SIA, and Kalita and Azariah and bad and Heman or Haman and Palladia. And the Lee bites caused the people to understand the law and the people stood in their place. So they read in the book and the law of God distinctly and gave the sense and caused them to understand the reading here,
you have great respect that is shown by the children of Israel, who after 70 years in captivity have been allowed now to return to Jerusalem in order to rebuild the city and to rebuild the temple. And now much time has passed to where Nehemiah comes and he re rebuilds the, the, the Gates to the walls of the city in order to make it a secure place.
And he and Ezra are there together. And Ezra is going to read the law to the people. There has been such a long period of time where they’ve not heard the law, that they have such great interest in hearing the law of Moses here in this old Testament time that they showed great respect to Israel. They showed great respect to the law. They showed great respect to God himself in the manner in which they listen to God’s word.
And here they’re going to stand from the time that Israel is going to begin his reading, which would have been from about the time of the morning, sacrifice about nine o’clock in the morning. They’re going to stand until midday hearing Ezra, read the word of God. They have that kind of respect for the word. And that kind of respect for hearing God’s word.
When you turn over to acts chapter 10 and in verse 33, there you read concerning Cornelius, the Centurion and how that he says that we are all gathered here to hear what Peter has to say. They had a great, intense desire to hear what Peter would tell them concerning the gospel. Finally, we also see in acts chapter two and in verse 41,
where those who gladly received the word were those, those who desired to do those things, which were recorded there in that word and desired to be those who would Do according to what the word of God taught as far as being obedient to the gospel. And so there is preparation that has to be made on everyone’s part in order for the truth to be effective.
Did you make preparation this morning? Did you make preparation this morning to come and to hear God’s word in order to understand it, to believe it and to do it? Preparation is necessary. Preparation is essential, but real quickly. It’s also important for us to make sure that we do not try to alter it by adding to it or taking from Paul brings that out.
Galatians chapter one, verses six through 10, when he condemns those Galatians brethren, because they’re following after a perverted gospel, a perverted gospel, rather than holding to the gospel of truth, that they were converted by. We are not to change it. We are not to alter it. And we read various examples where there were those Jesus himself who didn’t change his message because of knowing people were not going to like it.
We’re not going to accept it. Peter didn’t change his message any of the times that he preached and taught beginning there in acts chapter two, even though the mass majority are not going to accept the gospel, he doesn’t try to alter it in any way shape, or Are you one who is willing to obey the gospel? Having heard the truth, if you’re outside the body of Christ.
And you’re one that if you were to die today would not be prepared to meet your Lord in the judgment, but having heard the word, do you believe it? Are you willing to repent Ax tubers 38? Are you, Are you willing to confess your faith in Christ that you believe that Jesus truly is the son of God? Matthew chapter 10, verse 32.
Are you willing to be immersed in water to be baptized in order to receive the remission of your sins to be saved from your sins? Mark chapter 16, verse 16, acts chapter two, verse 38. Are you willing to obey the gospel in order to have your sins washed away and thereby to be allowed to be added to the body of Christ by the Lord himself,
striving to live faithful unto death. The invitation is extended to you and Kurt to encourage you to do that before it is too late. If you’re one, who’s a member of the body of Christ, but you’ve wandered off, you’ve gone back into the world. You’ve brought reproach upon the church. Will you come back and repentance, praying to God for forgiveness,
begin to walk in the way of righteousness. Once more to be the shining lights, the God that the Lord calls us to be before others, if we can help you, we plead with you to come as together. We stand and as we see.