Wednesday, November 29, 2017

November 26, 2017 , Sunday Morning

ONE TIME A WEEK RELIGION
  
I want to talk to you about the tragedy of Sunday morning religion. Now, this passage of Scripture that I've just read to you talks about praising the Lord, and it talks about our communal—our common—praise, in verse 16, where it says: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Colossians 3:16).

Now, that's what we have done as we have worshiped the Lord here today. But, the real proof of our worship is not primarily here today on Sunday, but it is tomorrow morning. I want you to notice the bridge that verse 17 makes here:
"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed..." Now, Paul's been talking about our words up here in verse 16. And now, he begins to talk about our deeds, in verse 17: "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him" (Colossians 3:17).

Again, I want to say that the curse of 20th-century Christianity is Sunday morning religion. Somebody wrote these words: "They're praising God on Sunday; they'll be all right on Monday—it's just a little habit they've acquired."


So, let's look at this list here: Verse 18

Wives, tomorrow morning, when you submit to your husband, you'll be worshipping the Lord—thank God that you can submit to him.

Husbands, tomorrow, when you love your wives—they are not the bitter half, but the better half—you will be worshipping God—give God thanks for that.

Children, tomorrow morning, when you obey your parents in all things, and give God thanks for it, you will be worshipping the Lord.

Fathers—verse 21—when you deal with your children with such understanding and tenderness that you encourage them, rather than discourage them, you'll be worshipping the Lord.

Employees, when you go to your job tomorrow, and you work for your boss as if he were Jesus Christ—not being a clock-watcher—then you will be worshipping the Lord, and give God thanks for it (Colossians 3:18-22).

To me, as a Christian, there is no ground that is not holy ground and no time that is not sacred time. 

A Christian is naturally supernatural and supernaturally natural. And, every place is holy ground, and every day is spiritual. 

Now for the practical...
Anything that I do tomorrow, I have to ask it to pass three tests, and all of these have to deal with the name of the Lord Jesus. And, if it will not pass these three tests, then I cannot do it. I have no business doing it. It is wrong for me.

1…TEST ONE: IS IT CONSISTENT WITH THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST?
The name of Jesus has a meaning to it—it speaks of the character of Jesus. It literally means, "Jehovah saves." And so, I'm to do something in the name of Jehovah saves.

There'll be a lot of things that I can't find anything in the Bible about which has been written. I can't find anything in the Bible, for example, that says,

·       Thou shalt not drive through a school zone at 60 miles an hour." It's just    not in here.
·       I can't find anything here in the Bible that says, "Thou shalt not smoke      pot."
·       I don't find anything in the Bible that says not to go to an X-rated movie.
·       I don't even find anything in the Bible that says I should not look at          dirty pictures.

I can find some principles, but I cannot find those things spelled out.

Christianity is not a rulebook religion; the Bible is not, primarily, a list of dos and don'ts. The Bible is not a book of minute laws; the Bible is a book of great principles. 

The things I do tomorrow, I must ask myself, "Does this fit with the character of Jesus?" What this literally means is that, when you do everything in the name of Jesus, don't do anything to which Jesus couldn't sign his name. 


2…TEST TWO: CAN IT BE DONE IN THE AUTHORITY OF CHRIST?
Not only does the name Jesaus stand for character, it also stands for authority. When a person puts his name on something, he's actually putting his authority behind it.



3…TEST THREE: WILL WHAT I DO RESULT IN GLORY TO JESUS?

We're to do everything we do in the name of Jesus. And so, here's the third test that I can put to anything that I can do—or should do: Will it bring glory to Jesus? Can I do it in His name so that it will it bring Him glory? Now, if it brings Him glory, then I can do it. If it doesn't bring Him glory, then I can't do it.





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