State of the Church, 2023
Introduction
Last year, I started what I hoped would become a habit by giving a state of the church sermon. So, today marks the second year in a row when I preach specifically on either where we’ve been or where we’re going as a church. I’m not sure how many more years I need to preach this before you can say this is a habit of FBC. But I think you can at least say, we’re on to a good start.
The Lord blessed us last year with our first full year after COVID, we started our first VBS in years, and we ended the year with an awesome Christmas celebration. The Lord truly blessed this church last year. Today, I want us to consider how we can work for the Lord this coming year.
The Text
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58
Summary of the text
Our passage today has fairly straightforward meaning about the Lord’s work. First, Paul told the Corinthian church they could be faithful and consistent in their work for the Lord. They don’t have to wait on a particular season to work. It’s not like football season or corn planting season. Working for the Lord never really ends. And it’s an abounding, prosperous, rich type of work.
Second, we must remember our idea of working for the Lord differs from this passage. Many of us probably think the Lord’s work means anything you do at church or with your Bible. It’s a spiritual thing for pastors and the super-spiritual. But we would be surprised at how working for the Lord often involves earthiness and working with your hands. Paul says later in this letter (1 Corinthians 16:10) that he worked for the Lord. We also know from elsewhere that work involved working with leather to make tents (Acts 18:3).
Third, Paul says their toil would not be in vain. The word toil can also mean effort. Imagine working a farm in Kansas for months and right before harvest a tornado destroys your fields. Or imagine working at a telephone book company. One year everyone had a phone book; then after the cell phone, no one has one. Christian does not work in the Lord in vain. It abounds, multiplies, and remains steady.
Fourth, Paul says he has this confidence in their work because of the word “therefore.” When you see the word “therefore” you must ask what it’s there for. In this verse, Paul says “because all the previous stuff I just said is true, now you can work hard not in vain.” Now, what did Paul say previously? All of 1 Corinthians 15 deals with the gospel and resurrection of Jesus. Because Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures and was raised to life again (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), we work eternally right now. Notice, Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, meet the disciples in Galilee and right before He ascended tell them to sit around. The resurrection did not bring Christians a waiting room; it brought us work. The resurrection isn’t where the work ends, its where it begins.
The main point of this text and the point of my sermon today is this: Jesus died for your sins and rose again three days later so you could live a full life filled with work. But not like the work without Christ, which always changes, never satisfies, always diminishes, and ultimately comes up empty. The work for Christ always fulfills, revives, resurrects, and redeems. So, this morning, I’m going to spend a few minutes explaining how the resurrection commissions us to work then I’ll give us some points to work on.
The Resurrected Lord Rules over Everything
He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17
The unbelieving world would have you believe that this universe came into being through random chance. But we know God created the world, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Because God created the world and holds the world, you can learn how to play song on the flute on Monday, and the flute, sheet music, or notes don’t randomly change by Wednesday. Jesus holds everything together. The same Jesus you worship today also sits on the throne this Thursday. The resurrection holds and binds everything under the rule and authority of Jesus.
The resurrection of Jesus from the dead should not be regulated only to Easter Sunday every year or to an invitation call at a revival meeting. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead should define and energize everything we do every day of the year. Our Lord perfectly lived, died, and rose again. He now lives as the resurrected man and the ruling God over all things. All your effort either works for the resurrection or the resurrection works against you and your work.
So, everything we do as obedience for the Lord is part of His work. It’s not just what you do today at church—even though it’s a necessary part. When you live as a godly Christian each day of the week, you’re working for the Lord. So, our church motto, “making much of Jesus” shouldn’t be “making much of Jesus only on Sunday.”
What to work on
Part of my duty as a pastor, is not only to care for the congregation today but also care for it tomorrow, the next day, the next year, and so on. We live in evil days. So, if we want the hope of the gospel to be alive tomorrow, we must work today.
The following application points come from what I anticipate us to work on in the coming days and years. My advice is to listen, be ready, take interest, and seize the opportunity.
The Lord’s Work Starts with Worshipping the Lord
Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Romans 12:1
Worship on Sunday, the Lord’s day, with His people fuels everything we do throughout the week. This isn’t an emotional pick-me up or a brainy lecture. Worship is like gasoline to an engine; without it we’re not going anywhere.
So, expect our services to grow more prayerful, musical, scriptural, and missional.
The Christian Family is Nuclear
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her Ephesians 5:25
All matter in this universe is made of atoms. They’re the building blocks of everything. We all know what happens when you mess with atoms—things go bang!. Scripture tells us the gospel, like atoms, holds everything together and that Christian marriages illustrate that same gospel.
Can I tell you a secret? If I had to choose between on the one hand all the extra ministries of our church busting at the seams—Wednesday night, Sunday night, Trunk or Treat, VBS—or all of our families applying the Christian life to their marriages and parenting, I would without a skip choose godly families. I will always care more how you parent your son or daughter more than how many kids show up at VBS. I will always want you to show your wife Christ-like love than show up on a random Tuesday here at the church. Remember this, most of the Christian ministries and discipleship in the Bible, didn’t take place in an official ministry room. It took place around the dining room table.
Remember Christian Education
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. Deuteronomy 6:5–7
Christian parents know that it’s not the government’s job to educate their children. It’s the father and mother’s responsibility.
Churches prove two things by not supporting parents in giving a robust Christian education. First, they prove how ignorant they are of the scriptures that teach it. Second, they prove they love the status quo more than obedience. It takes real sacrifice, devotion, and wisdom to take kids out of a government school and provide a robust Christian education. It’s much easier to pay taxes and complain.
Hospitality is Christian Maturity
contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. Romans 12:13
I think most of us in here would love to be hospitable. A common problem is our busy schedules. In order to obey this verse, most of us my need to repent of busyness.
One reason the enemy can easily pick each of us off is because we isolate ourselves. Hospitality is a remedy for that. So, let’s get to know what each other dining room looks like. Let’s be the kind of people who if Jesus invited himself over to our house (like he did Zacchaeus), we actually know what to do. We are the body of Christ by the way.
Fight with Music and Singing
When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” When they began singing and praising, the Lord set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed. 2 Chronicles 20:21–22
Here king Jehoshaphat went to battle against many enemies, but he sent singers to go before the army. The Lord, also went out before the army and had Judah’s enemies destroyed before the army arrived at the battle field. The point isn’t that we should put gospel quartets on the front lines of an infantry. The point is that singing is warfare.
Christians used to produce the best music. Now, we copy the secular world which has deconstructed and dissected music for decades. Think of the complexity needed to compose classical music. If classical music is like a feast, then modern music is like a microwave dinner. When culture was stronger, music was held to a higher standard.
During the reformation in Geneva, Switzerland, the reformers encouraged congregational singing. But they learned to sing in parts. The men would sing bass and baritone. The women would sing alto and soprano. When we hear this, we make excuses like, well that was back in that day. But here’s my challenge: what’s stopping our church from being a singing people? Demons don’t quake in their boots at the sound of a concert performance but of an army of worshippers praising the Lord who defeated them.
Culture building as Evangelism
Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. Acts 2:46–47
The Lord saved people daily in the early church. One attribute we miss about the church was the culture of the church. Notice how they had customs (“with one mind in the temple”) and cuisine (“breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart”).
If you’ve done any traveling, you’ll notice a difference in culture. Culture is where all the fun is: food, dance, customs, fashion, etc. Chinese cuisine differs from Italian. But how? Both cultures have tomatoes, noodles, dairy, and various meats. The reason we have all this cuisine is because mothers from throughout the centuries wanted to make good food.
Women, this is where you are particularly gifted. This is also where our society has tried to take you. Apparently, there’s a channel on some social media of these old Italian ladies teaching how to make all these dishes. They do this because very few families cook at home anymore. Soon, one wonders if there will be a distinct Italian cooking anymore. We can ask the same question for Christians. Where is our culture?
Work Hard for Your True Boss
Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men Colossians 3:23
Paul told Christians salves that whatever work their earthly masters had them do was actually for the Lord.
Many believe the only true work you can do for the Lord is church work. But that’s not true. Jesus is not just lord of the church, He’s lord of heaven and earth. That means He rules over telescope makers, hardwood floor installers, and kindergarten teachers. He is God of the sopranos in the choir, the fishermen on the Main coast, and the astronauts floating above us.
Personal Repentance Can Save a Church
“I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Luke 13:5
In this passage, the crowd asked Jesus about some men who died wondering if they were sinners. Jesus essentially responded with, “You’re asking the wrong question. You need to repent, or you will suffer a similar fate.” Christians should be repenting people. We confess our sin and work on killing it with the tools God gives us.
Jesus himself tells us in Revelation 3:3 what would happen to the church of Sardis if they didn’t repent—He would come like a thief in the night and punish them.
The Word Does the Work.
So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11
I challenge all of you to keep growing in your study of the word. The more you have your heart and mind shaped by God’s word, the more you will be able to do mighty things for God and His kingdom.
Live a Life Worth Remembering
Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. Matthew 14:28–29
A safe Christianity does not follow Jesus. It stays in the boat. A safe Christianity will not save children from transgenderism. A nice faith will not pull a man out of addiction.
I can tell few of live boldly for the Lord because we fear the future for our children and grandchildren. Doug Wilson said, “stop feeling sorry for your grandchildren. Why would we bring up a generation of dragon fighters and then wish for no dragons?” I couldn’t agree more.
So, take a risk. Don’t play it safe. Yes, be responsible. But be the kind of responsible that Peter was when he jumped off a perfectly good boat to stand on the water with Jesus.
Conclusion
As I prepared this message, the Lord reminded me of Nehemiah. Remember the Lord sent the rebellious southern kingdom of Judah into exile. 40 years later, the exiles began returning to Jerusalem to rebuild what Babylon destroyed. This rebuilding project as recorded in Ezra and Nehemiah takes 100 years. Throughout their work, outsiders would mock and ridicule them. But they continued working.
If we dare attempt to rebuild what previous generations have destroyed, we will be ridiculed and mocked. People will lie and slander us. But do we have the resolved to keep working? Will we toil day after day for the Lord?