The Village Church
Serving Faith: The Fruit That Affects Us - Audio
you may be seated before we go to to lord's word i want to open us again in prayer so let us pray father god as as i'm custom of saying this is not about me it's not about my words or my preparation below it's about you so spirit we ask that you will come and glorify our god that you will take the preach word and apply it to our hearts that when we leave here will we leave change not because of the minister but because of our great god who is forever merciful forever loving forever kind always willing to forgive no matter what we have done there's always grace it's oh father be glorified and i pray for all this in the son's name amen one of the most common things in in childhood is you get cuts and bruises as a kid i mean it's it's it's almost routine you can't escape it and even each of us if you are a parent a grandparent a nephew or i'm gonna uncle or auntie you know what it's like to see a kid fall off their back bike the skin of their knee or to clip their finger or their hand you know what it's like and the kids here i'm sure you know what it's like because it's happened to you probably recently but when those things happen when you get those cuts and bruises you know you treat them if you don't treat some of them they can lead to infection the same is true for us spiritually Hebrews 4 12 says for the word of god is living and active sharper than any double-edged sword piercing the division of soul in the spirit of joints and marrow discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart i believe last week that's what god word did to me and to you it's living an active word pierced us if you were convicted last week if the spirit convicted you last week then you were cut you were cut and a good friend of mine who's a pastor he told me if you used a word of god to open up a wound in someone's soul you also have to use that word to provide healing you cannot just leave it there god provide healing to that wound because if you don't it can lead to spiritual infection god provided healing our cut needs to be treated and that's what we're going to do this morning you see because i left church last Sunday Sunday saying to myself it's not enough for me just to say Jesus wants you to have a serving faith it's not enough just for me to tell you that i was like so what so what if he does want me to have that kind of faith it dawned on me that we need to see what happens to a people who know that god and stand firm and take action what happens to those people what does it look like when i have a saving faith what difference does it make in my life and how i live we need to have something tangible something we can grab holds on to to make it real to make it last and so what is it in Ephesians 2 verses 8 through 10 Paul says for by grace you have been saved through faith and this is not of your own doing it is a gift of god not a result of works so that no one may boast for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which god prepared beforehand that we shall walk in them now if you ever been to a good farmers market it's like being in a fruit and vegetable paradise i love a farmers market i love going there it's amazing and as you walk through the market as you walk through the farmers market you never really think about the process each of those farmers had to go through to get all those fruits and vegetables there it's a process they just don't show up out of the blue they just don't appear there is a forming process that has to take place for any tree and plant to produce any kind of crop there's a process and the same is true of a serving faith it's part of a process that has to take place in our life it just doesn't appear out of nowhere a serving faith it is of the fruit of a saving faith in Jesus it's the fruit of it in Ephesians Paul said what do you say a saving faith is God's free gift and not a result of what you do your good works but it's a gift of God so that no one may boast it's free because Jesus Christ paid the price for all of your sins all of my sins he paid the price for it for we were once dead in our trespasses and sins but God been so rich so rich and mercy forgave us through Christ forgave us through Christ which means you can't put a saving faith on a railway plan what do you mean Alex it means you can't pay off your sin debt by being a good person well God I went to church where God I gave money to the hater relief isn't that good enough if I just do enough good works to outweigh my bad works cannot get my saving faith can I get it off your railway plan God if I just be good no you ain't ever gonna be good enough you can't ever be good enough because Jesus was good for you he was good for you see Jesus he's not a bondsman where you pay him ten percent so you can get out he's not a bondsman he's much much more he pays your debt and does your time for you you see what I'm saying he pays your debt and does your time for you as if he was the criminal that is Jesus that is the gospel that's the gospel and when you receive it when you receive that saving faith it becomes the motivation of a serving faith Jesus says in John 15 5 I am divine you are the branches whoever abides in me and I in him he is it that bears much fruit apart from me you can do nothing nothing means nothing you don't have to go to a commentary for that it means nothing cannot do anything apart from me and so as the spirit helps you grow and become more rooted in your love and relationship with Jesus it produces this fruit of a serving faith it's a process that is at work within all of us who know Jesus also a serving faith it is the good works that Paul talks about hearing Ephesians he says for we are his worksmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them when you come to know Jesus you become a new creation you know that a new creation Paul says in Corinthians that therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation the old has passed away and the new has come what does that mean it means the person you used to be all the things you used to do God it says that person is dead I no longer see the old you I see the new you who is in Christ and when you stand before God he sees Christ's righteousness over you not the person you used to be it's who you are now in Jesus new creation and it's because you are in Jesus you do good works because God forgave that person that person you used to be years ago because of that that leads you to do good things for God out of the overflow of your salvation and so a serving faith always flows out of that saving faith always you see a saving faith in Jesus it's it's like the skeletal system of the Christian life the skeletal system of the Christian life is what it's like and the saving and the serving faith is the flesh that covers it you see our skeletal system the bones in your body if you didn't have those bones in your bodies you were collapsed on the floor and there's be a big hump of mush that's what you'd be without your bones it supports us it protects us it allows us to move and a saving faith in Jesus has the same role it's what allows us to serve it's what keeps you serving when life gets hard because you always got to go back to that Jesus to Jesus it is the skeletal system of our life a serving faith it is a fruit it is the good works and also when the Lord called Abraham in Genesis 12 he told Abraham I will make you a great nation I will bless you and make your name great why so that you will be a blessing this is exactly where a saving faith does it blesses other people for all the ways in which you have been blessed by God well the financially materially spiritually you are in return supposed to go out and bless others that's why he blesses us so that we could be a blessing or you're a blessing or you just a blessing to yourself or we a blessing Paul says in Galatians let us not grow weary and doing good for in due season you will reap if you do not give up so then as we have opportunity let us do good to everyone especially to those who are of the household of faith a certain faith that only blesses other believers but also those who don't know Jesus we are to bless our families our church family our neighbors our co-workers our friends we are to bless the poor the widow the orphan the outcast the homeless right aren't we supposed to bless those people why because you have been blessed now let's take it a step further everyone here means everyone I'll say that again everyone here means everyone it is not meaning the people who only knocks till it means the people you don't like your enemies the person who gets on your last nerve you are supposed to be a blessing to that person it's easy to bless people who like you the person who talks behind your back it's not love your enemies Jesus says love those who hate you love those who persecute you right Paul goes on to say we shouldn't grow weary in doing it we should look take up opportunities to bless them even more and here's the thing God's word it's not like going down the rhymes where you pick and choose what you want to believe where you go to the buffet you can get a little bit of dish you can get a little bit of that beef you can skip skip over what you don't want God's word is not a buffet line everything he says we all have to obey it's all of us have to obey love a night anymore it's hard to do in your own strength of the Holy Spirit's at work you can you can and so we have to love people with more than just comforting and compassionate words we have to take action we have to love what our hands and feet to the right actions you see everyone who has ever been to a health department whether here or in other states you know you go there seeking a particular need in the health department and for my experience sometimes you can go into that into this place and you feel less than human because the person who's helping you they see you more as a file on their desk than a person who deserves dignity and respect that's just for my experience I don't know about yours see Jesus never treats us like this he never never treats you like a file he never treats you like a project that he needs to fix your little he's little pet project he never treats you that way he never treats me that way and we can't treat other people that way we can't treat your enemies that way everyone who comes to this church has issues all guys people have issues right and we want this church this body to be a place of healing for us and for everyone who comes through these doors we want it to be a place where people can say this is what I'm doing and we can say brother I'm doing the same thing I need grace to I need forgiveness too you're not here to fix people I'm not here to fix you I'm just a beggar just like you needing great guys grace to live we're all beggars it doesn't matter where you come from no matter what you have the gospel says we all need grace throughout all the days of our life you never outgrow that no matter how spiritual you may come no matter how much you know you ain't ever gonna get away from needing Jesus ever we have to see people with the eyes of Christ with the eyes of Christ not looking past them not looking over them and not avoiding them but licking them straight in the eye showing them the same respect and dignity that we desire you see about now all of you know about the tragedy and hating and the massive relief efforts that are taking place in our country the other night I was watching the local news and I heard the head of report on the relief effort over in Decatur Alabama and the guy that one of the guys that were helping out with this effort he said it feels good to help people this is what he told a reporter it feels good to help people and it does and these relief efforts they give us a picture or what life should look like every day where human beings learn to live more selfless leave and intentionally try to help others that's where life is supposed to be like we're never intended to think about all the ourselves our only our needs and only our resources life is supposed to be a place where we love one another serve one another and help one another it's sad that it takes something like this to bring that out of people whereas every day should be that way because their needs are around you their needs down here there's needs in your community you just have to have the eyes of Christ to sin have to have the eyes of Christ to sin not only just sin but be convicted enough to take action with your hands and feet see life is so much more rewarding when you realize it's not all about you when it's not when it's not all about you see we think life a little girl has a little swimming pool that we that we play with this summer and for a lot of us that's what that's all for your life you're just a kitty swimming pool in the backyard but life is an ocean it's much bigger than your problems most bigger than your circumstances most bigger than your successes and your family it must be bigger than you and so it does feel good to help others and to bless others you see five weeks ago I had I think was five weeks ago a friend of mine brought his whole family down to Lincoln Elementary School and I think they gave out over 200 chicken plates and chicken finger plates why why do they do that I talked with them I asked them why because the Lord placed it on their heart and they wanted to bless the residents in this community and they did they weren't looking for a pat on the back they weren't looking for a newspaper come down rather a report about it because the Lord had blessed them they wanted to bless this community they blessed me because I got mint chicken plate so and it was good you see it's it's hard to explain but it does something to your soul when you serve people this way I mean anyone who's ever served down here you know what I'm talking about it does something to you when you serve without looking for anything in return you see as we walk in this saving faith I mean as we walk in this serving faith we ourselves are being changed and ministered to it affects us no what does it do to us Isaiah 58 gives us a clear picture or what happens to us when we exercise our faith through serving listen to these words is this not the fast that I have that I chosen to lose the bounds of the wickedness to undo the strap to the yoke to let the oppressed go free to break every yoke is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor in your house when you are naked to cover him do not hire yourself on your own flesh then show your light break forth like the dawn and your healing sprang up speedily your righteousness shall go before you the look glory of the Lord should be your regard then you shall call and the Lord would answer you shall cry and he will say here I am if you take away the yoke from your miss the pointing on the finger and speaking and speaking wickedness if you pour out yourself for the hungry and satisfy the desire to the flick of the afflicted then show your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as noon day and the Lord regard you continually and satisfy your desire in the scorched places and make your bones strong and you should be like a water garden like a spring of water whose waters do not fail and your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt and you will rise up the foundations of many generations and you will be called a repair of the breach restore for the streets to dwell in hearing Isaiah 58 the lord is rebuking Israel for having a false sense of piety because they only cared about themselves and yet they thought God was pleased with that because they didn't care about the needs and hardships of the neighbors pastor John Piper says that the pawn of Isaiah 50 said as 58 is this piety that does not produce a passion for God exalted social justice and mercy is worthless it's worth this to put it positively God promises that we would break forth like the dawn if our party produces a passion for social justice and practical mercy if we pour our cell like a drink offering for their press feed the hungry house the homeless close the naked put it in to be littleing gestures and words this is this is what this will happen to us in return our light would break forth like the dawn healing of our wounds righteousness in front and glory God behind God will hear your cry he will give you guidance your soul will be satisfied in scorched places your bones will be made strong for battle and Piper as we would be so worded by God that we become a spring award us others to drink from God will use us to rebuild what has been destroyed and make a place of life and hope you see what Isaiah is doing here when you serve this way it has an effect on your very soul your very life and so as individuals that as a church family we should look for ways to be poured out like a drink offering and we're doing that here we're doing it and we should continue to do it doing the summer of 1999 I spent two months in Johannesburg South Africa I was part of a college team of 15 people and we were going to Johannesburg to minister to college students for the summer the church we worship at was on Sundays it had us a commercial service for the homeless and so after the regular service we would serve the the homeless in the community we're serving them at lunch every Sunday and after this the lunch we would go downstairs and have a worship service and on one of those Sundays I had a great conversation with one of the homeless guys he shared his story with me he was college educated and yet he was homeless and Johannesburg's out there because he can't find a job he said to me something I have never forgotten he said even though even though I sleep on the streets I know God loves me I was like wow really even though I sleep on the street I know God loves me later that summer we also spent a week in Botswana and in a small village and we were going to help them build a church and when I first got there I was like man these people are poor man they don't have anything but I noticed something about them before I left materially they had nothing but they were full of life full of joy full of passion I mean the kids would have run around playing all the time and what I realized is that they were rich in ways that I was not then they have the worries and stress that I had and so I left that summer it gave me perspective that summer in South Africa gave me perspective I was able to see life in the world through the eyes of other people and this is what a serving faith does to us it gives us a better perspective on life because when you begin to see life through the world and eyes of other people who live in very different circumstances than you it changes you it makes you more thankful makes you more content it makes you more grateful it's healing to your own soul so you begin to realize that no matter how bad you got it there's always somebody close by who got it bursting in you sure you should pursue that person love that person befriend that person and serve that person and so it gives you a different perspective the goal here is not for our own glory and praise this is not why we hear this is not why we do the things we do our aim and goal is for the people to praise our God because the people of God are living like the people of God and see none of us here should get self-righteous about being here don't get self-righteous because you're down here and the folks at the church that you left are not down here don't think you're better than them because you're here and they're not because as Paul says in 2nd Corinthians 3 5 not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim as anything coming from us but our sufficiency is from God Jesus brought you here Jesus will use you here and Jesus will be the one who keeps you here not your own strength not your own power not your money not your resources it's Jesus here and it's Jesus here always until we cross over the glory let us pray Father God I do uh thank you that the motivation and the power to live out our faith all come from you and I praise you that you will continue to grow us in our walls with Christ and as a result of that Lord we'll fight for you we'll fight for your church we'll fight for the things that truly matter in life and so as we go out separate ways this week and go out to our jobs and our callings give us a burden for those who don't know you give us the eyes of Christ so that we can see the needs of others and that we will do something about it not so far on praise but because of our love and passion for you Lord we want to help we want people to see how great our God is and so Lord use us continue to use us give us all the things that we need Lord and Jesus name our prayer amen.
Serving Faith: The Fruit That Affects Us