It’s Time To Make the Church Great Again!

Some backbone needed! … Apply at the Cross of Jesus.

As I go through the email each day, I have started to eliminate 95% of it, because the election is over and the people have chosen President Elect Donald Trump.  Nonetheless, the Mainstream Media (including Fox, TownHall, and the almost forgotten Blaze of the GB network), simply have the conservative Social Media, in most part simply going over the manufactured news, time and time again, and the more it goes forward the more fake it becomes.  People need to simply see that liberal socialism is in serious trouble in the nation, and just make a stand for making America great again, then simply commit to boycott the organizations and business’ that keep this crap alive.  If you do not react to their mindless stupidity, their evil values.  Stop watching the liberal BS on TV they will not win.

For conservative fundamental Christians, we absolutely must drop the anxieties of the world; grow some spiritual backbone, because the Church of our Lord Jesus is in serious liberal trouble as well.  Nevertheless, Jesus left us some wise counsel on how to deal with the broken church. 

This is a sermon which I preached Sunday before last, and it brought a good response of true Christians, that I am posting it as an obligation of request.

Excited about what God is going to do with the Christian church

in our nation…

Sermon Preached by Rev. R.S. Helms… 11-20-2016– Community Baptist Church.  W. Monroe LA.

There are some things that Christians should not talk about in church, or so it would seem.  One is the vile godless condition of our political front.  It is like a septic pool filled with toxic poison, that draws wretched mankind to drink of that poison, thinking that it is a fountain of utopia, a mystical world of bliss and peace; heralded by the enticing evil wicked beckoning call of the Sirens.

The nation has been under spiritual attack for a long, long time.  and politics is perhaps, the number one thing that has been polluting the pool.  Politics has been growing more and more corrupt and vile.  But it did not get that way on its own, remember, this nation started out with an overwhelming majority of Christians, escaping the rule of the British Crown and the Anglican Church.  They came in hope and promise of their religious liberty, which became a stumbling block to the accelerated corruption of a progressive government.  The Christian values that put character in the very fiber of this nation. soon stood in the way of the political corruption’s progress.

The Christian church was listening to the choir on Sunday morning and for the rest of the week they were listening to the seductive call of the Sirens beckoning the saints to die in the septic pool of corruption, and that is what I would like to address this morning, and time is slipping by.

The intent of the message this morning is for you to look forward with an excited expectation of what God is going to do in his church across this nation, nonetheless, it requires committed and dedicated Christians to do the work.

It is what we may not see that is killing us.  From what I see, Community Baptist Church, is a wonderfully blessed church, we have a pastor who truly loves the Lord and his people and solid in his biblical doctrines – he preaches the word in truth and in the Spirit, the people are not all stuffed with narcissistic pride.  You, and look around you, you are real people who love the Lord Jesus, just regular people who love the Lord gathering together in such a sweet fellowship, and we are not alone, there are many more such churches just like us, we are of the majority in our denomination.  But sometimes, it is the things that we don’t see in the Christian church that is dangerous to us.  So, first the list of the churches of Asia Minor, two of which, Jesus had no quarrel with, he had no condemnation, only commendation, …

Revelation, chapters 2-3. Please. … if you will.

I love this church, and our Pastor Danny, and I find this church is more like the church at Philadelphia, only commendation, no condemnation, so this morning the Lord simply had me stop by on my journey, and give a caution, a caution to watch, and be very careful for we are headed for some good times and some rough times, as I believe God has something great for us to be part of, the revival and restoration of his people the church of Jesus Christ.

1. Jesus gives us a warning.

The first three chapters of revelation is where Jesus connects the beginning of the end, to the end of the church age, that time from the forming of the church, which took place at the ascension of Jesus.  The seven churches represent seven actual churches, and metaphorically the church throughout time as it cycles through these conditions.  It is used for the local church, and each individual Christian as they are the church.

The Seven Churches of Asia Minor and what they were noted for:

1. The church at Ephesus – The Loveless Church –loss of motivation, but mostly the loss of their love for Jesus.
2. Smyrna – The persecuted church – good works, and poverty for Christ’ sake. – No Condemnation.
3. Pergamos – The Compromising Church faithful to Christ – but Tolerance of those promiscuous persons who taught the doctrine of Balaam and the Nicolaitans.
4. Thyatira – The Corrupt Church – Tolerant of the false prophetess Jezebel and her wicked practices.
5. Sardis – The Dead Church – A reputation for life but, in reality, were dead.
6. Philadelphia – The Faithful Church – faithfulness to the word of Christ… no Condemnation
7. Laodicea – The Lukewarm Church – They were neither hot nor cold, and were sickening to the Lord.

These are the church conditions; the churches are both historical and typical.  They refer primarily to the actual condition of the several churches indicated, and now are intended to be used for the instruction, encouragement, and warning of the Church and Churches throughout all time; or the Church age.  They are the measuring plum, which God gave us to see what condition the Universal Church of Christ is in, our Denomination, our local church, and seriously our individual condition.

A month or so ago, I knew that this election would come down to one or the other candidate.  It would not matter so much who would win, because I was thanking God for whoever won, I just was excited to have it over, knowing whichever the winner, God had a plan for the outcome.  And now that it is finally over, except for the crying… God has a plan for the nation, and a plan for the church; both are opportunities.  Both, are opportunities of restoration, revival, and even more so another great awakening.

Should the election have come to a different end, then God would allow the nation to continue in a seemingly death spiral; until our people woke from their slumber or delusion and cry out for god.  But he would have the plan for the church the same plan for the church, either the outcome, Revival, to bring about an awakening – and I for one am so thankful that I have been allowed to see his mighty hand set to revive his church. – one could say I am excited in my thanksgiving because I know that God has a plan.  We chose who the president would be, but I knew, that God would use whoever we chose because he had a plan for the church, and a plan for the nation.  I am happy with the outcome because of what he is committed to do, and one of the most important to me, is he will protect our church.  He will protect the church.

The Southern Baptist Convention had a split in 1991 over the claim of theological and philosophical differences, this division started 12 or so years earlier with the ‘moderate’-liberal faction.  The split created the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, and at that time it was called moderate/liberal Baptists. I will not get into all the Christian denominations in the nation; however, so that no one gets the idea that my beloved Southern Baptist Convention, is not without its share of liberalism, it should be known that our convention does have some liberal theologians, teaching in our seminaries, and in our leadership, perhaps it has to do with the political correctness that has been used to not only persecute Christians, but to get them to jump into liberal theology, or try to hold the flock from going liberal.

One thing I will say is that Jesus has given us the eyes to see, and the Holy Spirit has given us the ears to hear (spiritual ears), that we may understand and recognize what condition his church is in at any given time.  In America and around the world, we have more than a multitude of “Christian” branches, groups, cults, denominations, and that is why I am so thankful that God put seven churches at the beginning of the book of Revelation and the Apostle John as the journalist (if you will).

Today we still have the seven churches in the Bible, and praise God we have the Holy Spirit who quickens our spirit and convicts us into participation; not of this world but of the Kingdom of God and merely as sojourners are we, on our way home.

Now two churches (remember the church is the people), that I will briefly look at this morning.  I trust you will find a study Bible or commentary and look at these churches as conditions of today, and what God will require from his people to fix the broken Church, even if our church is not broken, we will need to pay attention and get excited about what God is going to do.  Then again, he may do nothing, except let us continue along the broad path, the Bible tells us that the broad path leads to destruction.  Personally, I pray for revival … revive us again lord Jesus!

I believe, there are people in this church, which are anxious … some a lot … some not so much, about not only the vileness of the campaign cycle, and now the unrest and vile thuggery of protesters.  I can understand, — it takes a special godly man like brother Danny, to project the peace of God as he does.  I don’t want to project anxiety, or fear – that is wrong, but perhaps hope in Jesus for those who feel anxious, and fearful of the future.  God is still God, he is still on his throne, and still, he will quiet the raging sea.

2. The first Condition.

The churches at Pergamos and Thyatira, …

Pergamos: The Compromising Church.  Why should I call it a compromising church?  Well, my, my, my … it is a church that is faithful to Christ, nonetheless, at the same time is tolerant of those promiscuous people in the congregation.

1. Please notice that Jesus is telling Paul to write to the angel of the church not the world, it is a concern in the congregation.  Not the nation.  during the campaign, some of the notable Christian leaders, were making it known who they were supporting, and some were condemning them for giving Trump a slide, or tolerating his sin… well, — Trump was not running to be head of the Christian church, … and, we are commanded to be forgiving, his sin of lust is a forgivable sin. So, ask yourself, why would a Christian leader publicly denounce, pastors willing to forgive the actions of someone eleven years prior?  But apparently, some are better than God and just will not forgive. They use words like tolerate sin, not knowing if Trump who is perhaps a different denomination (Presbyterian), and don’t feel he needs to confess his sin to anyone but God or like a whole lot of Christians don’t think their sin is sin. … but he could have done that at any time during the last eleven years.  I don’t know and neither do they.  One reason that we listen with the ears of God not those of some denominational leaders.  Although they are supposed to be our leaders, and examples, they at times sound more like Pharisees.

1. b. King David, committed lust, he committed adultery, he committed murder. David confessed, to God, he confessed and repented of the wrong, and God forgave him and called David a “Man after my own heart” …

1. The church at Pergamos, was tolerating promiscuous persons within the congregation. This is what upsets Christ is to have his church compromising the faith, and allowing sin to be tolerated IN the church. The condition of the church, was allowing promiscuous persons, and or false teachings, it was allowing meat sacrificed to idols, it was a plea for freedom in the church to take part in the idolatrous rites, and for introducing heathen orgies into the Christian ceremonies. The doctrine of these antinomian teachers was “the doctrine of Balaam” because, like Balaam, they prostituted their influence to the seducing of God’s people into idolatry and impurity. The similarity of this doctrine and that of the Nicolaitans is obvious; —- but that of Nicolaus (which is equivalent to “conquering the people”) is intended as similar doctrines is only conjecture. Fact is, there were two sects side by side at Pergamum is the meaning of this passage; and though their doctrines were alike in being, to control the people by the people’s compromise.

Church, we need not compromise on the faith, nor on the word of God being inerrant and infallible.  If you believe one verse, you must believe them all, if you fault one verse you must fault them all … oh well it is a good book and some of it may help me through this life.  That is the difference in conservative “traditional orthodox” Christian theology, and liberal theology.

The second Church of my selection

2. Thyatira – The Corrupt Church.  Again, we have the word Tolerance – Tolerance of the false prophetess Jezebel and her wicked practices.  The church, condition, here projects the word suffer and there is a right and a wrong suffering, — a… the suffering of tribulations, or persecution, — and the suffering or tolerating — allowing a whole lot of wrong to go on.  The church at Thyatira had both, and the rebuke is aimed at the wrong.  The enduring of tribulation, (persecution) is commended, while the toleration, or enduring, of evil is rebuked.  It is not said that Jezebel receives sympathy or encouragement, but merely that she is let alone; her wickedness is left unchecked, and that is sinful.  It is not worthwhile to speculate as to who this individual woman is, she was there and she may be a person or a false doctrine.  It is my studied opinion that Jezebel is not her real name but a symbolical name of reproach, and what her actual name and status was we have no way of knowing.  Whatever, what is critical in this church is the suffering of this as false doctrine, akin to that of the Nicolaitans and to the doctrine of Balaam.  Whatever the detailed difference may be, all three made ‘Christian liberty” a plea for antichristian license which claimed to be above the moral Law.  And she taught and seduced.  This is an independent statement and not be made to depend on the “thou sufferest.”  In the original language, the word for seduce, and lead astray, is the same and used often in the ‘active’ sense, in Johns writing. Here it implies seduction into error of a very grave kind.  Be it fornication (literally) or metaphorically to mean spiritual sense of idolatry.  The Christian church needs to look at itself, and not fail Christ by allowing false doctrines and worldly influence and persecution to corrupt the foundations of our faith.

 

In closing,

1. Please remember, that compromise leads to corruption, and vice-versa, and as the church we must look past the plea of liberalism as Christian liberty; Christian compassion and tolerance, and hold fast to the doctrines of the word of God; if we compromise on one doctrine of the Bible we corrupt the whole thing. And that relates to our salvation by grace alone, in faith on the work of our Lord Jesus. You, yes each professing born again Christian must affirm the Bible as being the very word of God, without error — being infallible in its instruction and teaching, which is interpreted by the Holy Spirit…  and so far it is still valid in the Southern Baptist Statement of Faith. … what you need to do is examine yourself and our church, and other churches and denominations to see if that is in their personal and church statement of faith.  If it is not? Then why not?  Where did you first compromise on your Christian faith?  And why? … has the liberal world intimidated you to compromise on the Word of God?  … thank God he is a God of second, third, fourth, 7 times 70 forgiving grace.  Do not be afraid of the liberal world calling you hurtful names, and slandering you and your faith!  It is time to pick up your cross and grow a backbone and stand firm in the faith of the Apostles!  A bunch of liberal theologians, preachers of false prophecy, teachers of false doctrine, are not going to intimidate me!  I will stand unto my death for the cause of Jesus and the justice of God … my faith in ‘the faith’ in the belief and conviction of the Holy Ghost on my heart.

Folks … we must fix The church — starting with me, then our church, then the universal church. it is broken and only God can fix it, but he will use only the willing, committed Christian the true disciple of Christ.  The nation is badly broken, and it will take God, working through Trump, and a willing congress to fix it and make it great again; and it cannot happen unless the church goes into revival and sets the stage for a great awakening,  when the delusional and misled people see God at work restoring His church, cleansing it from the liberal theological lies.  then it can happen, and God will heal our land.

My sincere caution to our church is to examine ourselves, and cling to the Bible as our authority, it is inerrant and infallible and we are to test any other doctrines and church traditions by the scripture. We need to prepare our hearts for true Christian revival, unity, and the authority of God’s word.  God said you are either with me or you are against me.  There is no middle ground, you are not to be luke warm, or simply halfway committed to Jesus, it is critically important that each of us have a personal love relationship with Jesus, and if you have never surrendered to Jesus, if you have never known that personal love relationship with him, please take care of that business right now, you don’t know when we will be taken; and that will be too late.  It is that urgent, and such a simple free thing to do. I will open the alter for you to come and pray, or to take care of business with God.

Deacon of the Week, would you please close in Prayer for us all.