A CAUTIONARY TALE

Sermon Notes, August 19, 2012

Pastor Phil Perkins

 

Pastor Phil’s message was titled “A Cautionary Tale.”  His text was James 2:26 “…faith without works is dead.”  In Jesus’ time, the Pharisees were the most religious, the most apparently righteous; they were the church leaders.  They kept the letter of the Law.  They even tithed their spices.  Yet Jesus said that if your righteousness is not greater that the Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.  In Matthew 23, Jesus calls out the Pharisees, who do everything for men to see, shutting the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces.  They wouldn’t enter the kingdom of heaven themselves, by becoming servants, but they kept others from entering.  Unfortunately, some today have the same attitude as the Pharisees, doing things to be praised and recognized by people, rather than pleasing God.

Who is receiving the glory?  If we have to ask, we’ve answered the question.  In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus tells us that just doing good works is not enough.  It’s what’s in your heart, not just doing the right things.  When Jesus performed miracles of healing, he often told people not to tell anybody.  He knew people would misinterpret the miracles, and God would not be glorified.  In Matthew 20:28, Jesus says that the Son of man didn’t come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Are we doing God’s will?  Or are we doing what we THINK is God’s will?  Our vision must come from God.  If we say “God is my co-pilot,” we’re still at the controls, and we will crash: He must be our pilot.  In 1 Samuel 9, Saul is anointed the first king of Israel.  By chapter 15, Saul began serving Saul’s plan, rather than God’s plan.  God gave him specific instructions to destroy the Amalekites and everything that belonged to them. (v. 2-3) But Saul spared the king and some of the cattle: he ignored God’s specific plan. He did what Saul wanted. (v. 9)  

Like Saul, we’ve been given specific instructions.  Matthew 28:19-20 tell us to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

What is the condition of your heart?  We are called to have passion for the lost, hurting and dying. We are to have passion to share what He’s done for us.  We are to have passion to know God’s will and do it.  Our service is an overflow of thanks to God. (2 Corinthians 9:12-13)  Our compassion should be defined by our passion. (Luke 9:13-25)  It is all to be done for the glory of God.

Is what we do glorifying God?  He asks us “What did you do with the gifts I gave you?”  Luke 6:38 tells us to give and it will be given to us.  Our God is a God of hope and the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)  We are saved by grace to do good works. (Ephesians 2:8-10)