Alive Still?
Activity: Sunday Sermon
Anchor Scriptures: Revelation 3: 1-6, 2 Thes, 2: 9-11, 1 Tim. 5: 6
Scripture References: Eph. 4:14, Mark 13: 22, 2 Cor. 2: 11; 4:4; 11: 3, 13-15, 1 Pet. 5: 8, 2 Pet 2: 1-3
Introduction
The tendency in the world today for people, even believers, to be swiftly swept off their feet by charismatic spiritualism is not very uncommon, and the frequency at which this happens variously is very high.
There is usually the temptation to marvel at the outward appearances cum 'service to God.' To this end, many people appear very fervent and spiritually 'hot' but their spirituality, when tested in the light of the Word of God, were very less than ere anticipated because most often their doctrines contains nothing, but what the Bible calls 'the wisdom of men.' I pray, as we go through this sermon together at His feet this morning that the good Lord shall grant us all, both the divine insight and the grace to be what He wants us to be in Him in Jesus Name. Amen.
Message
Jesus Christ, ". . . he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; . . . ." (Rev. 3:1), visited the church in Sardis telling them ". . . I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead." That was a church like many of ours today. Outwardly, and to canal minds both within and without, the church appeared perfect and lively. They were flowing with the tide of time. They were a happening church. The people of the day loved the church and were trooping in their hundreds and thousands, every service day. The church had good choir band with modern musical instruments and they could sing very well. Their drummers were second to none. So, their 'worship services' were always 'out of this world.' The Pastor was fantastic because he understood very well how to blend the Bible with he happenings around them. He was very good at story-telling and his language of communication and accent would wow even any angel in heaven because they were just too flawless. The Pastor was a happening guy. He was very 'current.' he wears very costly and clean attires. His wife and children understood the flow in town. The sermon times were always a time for the congregation to laugh and have a good time in 'God's Presence'. In fact, the church comprise the creme-de-la-creme of the society. Raising millions of cash was always instant because almost all of them were stinkingly rich. That was a major reason many young people were going there because the Pastor was a good inspirational speaker and a motivator. Sin and preachings about the Kingdom of God was alien to their doctrine, and are therefore rarely mention in their services even though they used and read the Bible in their services. Brethren, such, and even more, was the church in Sardis.
So, when Jesus visited them, He found that their 'services' were worthless and contains nothing, but the 'wisdom thought by the philosophies of men.' Their spirituality was therefore vague and fake. When their works were tested with fire, it burned, just as rubbles. When their works were also weighed before the host of heavens, it weighed far less than hitherto anticipated. The church in Sardis, big and popular, with several thousands of people in it was spiritually empty before the Groom Himself. The bride that everyone thought was beautiful, elegant and attractive was declared ugly and highly repulsive by the Groom. What a calamity! The 'happening' and lively church was declared stinking by the impeccable and immaculate Groom because it comprised dead worshipers. The worshipers therein were dead, yet, they craved or wanted the Presence of the Living among them. But the Bible queried, saying, "why do you seek the living among the dead?"
Therefore, brethren, the question comes to you and I also today from the throne of grace saying, Are you alive still? The question is not out of place today because most of our worship houses are not different from the church in Sardis, and many of us worshiping in those places are spiritually dead, even though we appear to be living. We are stinking to the heavens. Our names, despite all our presence at all services and our observance of all religious requirements of our churches, are missing from the Book of Life.
Brethren, what could make one a sure candidate of this kind of untold calamity, after paying tithe in full, paying all other offerings including Pastor's/Prophet's offerings, attending all services, becoming a worker in the church, having gone through baptism by immersion and done very many other religious things as prescribed by both the Bible and the church doctrine?
The book of Galatians 6: 7-8 is very instructive here. Many of us are sowing but to the flesh while our spirits are left to hunger as orphans. The book of Romans 8: 5-8 has admonished us very well. See brethren, all those razzmatazz in our services, the dancings, the clapping, the singing and worshiping of nothing that we do and so on, the things that our flesh enjoy are nothing but perilous things. The heavens are angry with many of our acts of worship. They are not acceptable to God because they are just too fleshly and or carnal for Him to behold (Hab. 1: 13, Rom. 8: 8)
Alive still? Jesus Christ Himself, the Husband of the church, declared in John 6: 63 that "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." And the Holy Spirit declared further through the Apostle Paul in that book of Romans 8: 6, saying, "For to be carnally minded is death . . . ." That was the reason the 'beautiful' and 'happening' church in Sardis was declared dead by the Master Himself. As long as our acts of worship are designed to please the flesh, they profit nothing in the Spirit realm. As long as the message of the cross (Rom. 1: 16-17) has become outdated to us and in our services, both we and our churches are dead, even though we are alive. As long as the messages coming from the pulpit are only both inspirational and motivational unto things fleshly without a recourse to a broken and a contrite heart, we are dead, even while breathing.
Ephesians 5: 26 says, "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word," The only thing that cleanses us as believers is but THE TRUE UNDILUTED WORD OF GOD which is painfully absent in many churches today; hence their dead state. That is why they are rotten and stinking to the Master Himself, even though the congregation are enjoying themselves and their services. Are you still alive?
Conclusion
Christians, and indeed believers, need be aware of the wiles of the devil (Eph. 6: 11). I told a group of young believers just yesterday in one of our meetings together, what Apostle Paul meant by "But I keep under my body . . . ." (1 Cor. 9:: 27). It simply means displeasing the body in order to enhance the Spirit. It is indicative of denying the body of its desired pleasures both in church services and outside it.
As earlier said, whatever is designed and meant to please the flesh cannot please God. Such things kill us dead and make us a stinking rot before God.
Brethren, are you alive still? If a test of spiritual aliveness is ran on you, will you prove to still be alive in Christ? It is advisable you don't deceive yourself (Gal. 6: 7)I pray God will help us in Jesus Mighty Name. Amen.
This Thursday, God says He would love to expand this message by running His test of Spiritual aliveness on us in our Bible Exploration activity called "Lord's Banquet". Please, make it a date with us. God bless you.
Till we meet again at His feet to learn, please, Keep keeping on in Him!
Anchor Scriptures: Revelation 3: 1-6, 2 Thes, 2: 9-11, 1 Tim. 5: 6
Scripture References: Eph. 4:14, Mark 13: 22, 2 Cor. 2: 11; 4:4; 11: 3, 13-15, 1 Pet. 5: 8, 2 Pet 2: 1-3
Introduction
The tendency in the world today for people, even believers, to be swiftly swept off their feet by charismatic spiritualism is not very uncommon, and the frequency at which this happens variously is very high.
There is usually the temptation to marvel at the outward appearances cum 'service to God.' To this end, many people appear very fervent and spiritually 'hot' but their spirituality, when tested in the light of the Word of God, were very less than ere anticipated because most often their doctrines contains nothing, but what the Bible calls 'the wisdom of men.' I pray, as we go through this sermon together at His feet this morning that the good Lord shall grant us all, both the divine insight and the grace to be what He wants us to be in Him in Jesus Name. Amen.
Message
Jesus Christ, ". . . he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; . . . ." (Rev. 3:1), visited the church in Sardis telling them ". . . I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead." That was a church like many of ours today. Outwardly, and to canal minds both within and without, the church appeared perfect and lively. They were flowing with the tide of time. They were a happening church. The people of the day loved the church and were trooping in their hundreds and thousands, every service day. The church had good choir band with modern musical instruments and they could sing very well. Their drummers were second to none. So, their 'worship services' were always 'out of this world.' The Pastor was fantastic because he understood very well how to blend the Bible with he happenings around them. He was very good at story-telling and his language of communication and accent would wow even any angel in heaven because they were just too flawless. The Pastor was a happening guy. He was very 'current.' he wears very costly and clean attires. His wife and children understood the flow in town. The sermon times were always a time for the congregation to laugh and have a good time in 'God's Presence'. In fact, the church comprise the creme-de-la-creme of the society. Raising millions of cash was always instant because almost all of them were stinkingly rich. That was a major reason many young people were going there because the Pastor was a good inspirational speaker and a motivator. Sin and preachings about the Kingdom of God was alien to their doctrine, and are therefore rarely mention in their services even though they used and read the Bible in their services. Brethren, such, and even more, was the church in Sardis.
So, when Jesus visited them, He found that their 'services' were worthless and contains nothing, but the 'wisdom thought by the philosophies of men.' Their spirituality was therefore vague and fake. When their works were tested with fire, it burned, just as rubbles. When their works were also weighed before the host of heavens, it weighed far less than hitherto anticipated. The church in Sardis, big and popular, with several thousands of people in it was spiritually empty before the Groom Himself. The bride that everyone thought was beautiful, elegant and attractive was declared ugly and highly repulsive by the Groom. What a calamity! The 'happening' and lively church was declared stinking by the impeccable and immaculate Groom because it comprised dead worshipers. The worshipers therein were dead, yet, they craved or wanted the Presence of the Living among them. But the Bible queried, saying, "why do you seek the living among the dead?"
Therefore, brethren, the question comes to you and I also today from the throne of grace saying, Are you alive still? The question is not out of place today because most of our worship houses are not different from the church in Sardis, and many of us worshiping in those places are spiritually dead, even though we appear to be living. We are stinking to the heavens. Our names, despite all our presence at all services and our observance of all religious requirements of our churches, are missing from the Book of Life.
Brethren, what could make one a sure candidate of this kind of untold calamity, after paying tithe in full, paying all other offerings including Pastor's/Prophet's offerings, attending all services, becoming a worker in the church, having gone through baptism by immersion and done very many other religious things as prescribed by both the Bible and the church doctrine?
The book of Galatians 6: 7-8 is very instructive here. Many of us are sowing but to the flesh while our spirits are left to hunger as orphans. The book of Romans 8: 5-8 has admonished us very well. See brethren, all those razzmatazz in our services, the dancings, the clapping, the singing and worshiping of nothing that we do and so on, the things that our flesh enjoy are nothing but perilous things. The heavens are angry with many of our acts of worship. They are not acceptable to God because they are just too fleshly and or carnal for Him to behold (Hab. 1: 13, Rom. 8: 8)
Alive still? Jesus Christ Himself, the Husband of the church, declared in John 6: 63 that "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." And the Holy Spirit declared further through the Apostle Paul in that book of Romans 8: 6, saying, "For to be carnally minded is death . . . ." That was the reason the 'beautiful' and 'happening' church in Sardis was declared dead by the Master Himself. As long as our acts of worship are designed to please the flesh, they profit nothing in the Spirit realm. As long as the message of the cross (Rom. 1: 16-17) has become outdated to us and in our services, both we and our churches are dead, even though we are alive. As long as the messages coming from the pulpit are only both inspirational and motivational unto things fleshly without a recourse to a broken and a contrite heart, we are dead, even while breathing.
Ephesians 5: 26 says, "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word," The only thing that cleanses us as believers is but THE TRUE UNDILUTED WORD OF GOD which is painfully absent in many churches today; hence their dead state. That is why they are rotten and stinking to the Master Himself, even though the congregation are enjoying themselves and their services. Are you still alive?
Conclusion
Christians, and indeed believers, need be aware of the wiles of the devil (Eph. 6: 11). I told a group of young believers just yesterday in one of our meetings together, what Apostle Paul meant by "But I keep under my body . . . ." (1 Cor. 9:: 27). It simply means displeasing the body in order to enhance the Spirit. It is indicative of denying the body of its desired pleasures both in church services and outside it.
As earlier said, whatever is designed and meant to please the flesh cannot please God. Such things kill us dead and make us a stinking rot before God.
Brethren, are you alive still? If a test of spiritual aliveness is ran on you, will you prove to still be alive in Christ? It is advisable you don't deceive yourself (Gal. 6: 7)I pray God will help us in Jesus Mighty Name. Amen.
This Thursday, God says He would love to expand this message by running His test of Spiritual aliveness on us in our Bible Exploration activity called "Lord's Banquet". Please, make it a date with us. God bless you.
Till we meet again at His feet to learn, please, Keep keeping on in Him!
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