Not Grow Weary

We’re continuing our series called, I will. Our purpose for this series is to learn how we together can be outward christians. W’ve talked about attitude. How our attitude drives our directions. We learned agouti worship being a daily part of our lives. We can worship in any situation and in any circumstance. We learned about being together. That we’re not only created for worship, but also to be a community.

And to be honest, I believe we are more like Jesus when we are together than when we are apart. He calls us to be the body, and not just any body, but His body, his manifest presence in us reaching though usand serving the world. Then we learned last week that generosity. is more than what we give, it’s a reflection of where our heart is. This week sermon kind of hits home for me.

It hits home because it’s about not growing weary. I love telling this story of when I was a kid around the age of 13 or so. And a friend and I were wanting to go to the pool but my mom was working and his mom said she wouldn’t drive us there. So we did what any 12-13 year old would do in the 90’s… we rode our bikes.

And of course we did so just as any young, thoughtless teenager would do. We rode them in the heat of the summer, in the heat of the day, up and down the Appalachian mountains, without thinking… that we would need something to drink. And when we got into the pool, it should have been absolutely obvious to us, that while we were swimming in a huge hole in the ground filled with nothing but crystal clear water, that at some point we would need water to drink to make it home.

But we didn’t think of that did we… all we could think about was the hot summer bakini girls. On the way home, guess what happened… we got thirsty and I mean we were needing water. So we made that side trip to my moms boyfriends farm, snuck over to the cattle barn, picked up the black hose laying in some sort of farm sludge and we began drowning ourselves in fresh and cool farm water.

When I had gotten home I slept for the rest of today because I was utterly, and totally weary from the entire day. Have you ever had a moment in your life where you just wanted to give up… to just lay down and find a place to sleep? Sometimes that’s a good thing right? Think of Isaac newton who took a nap under a tree and discovered gravity. What about our mental health?

Has these words ever crossed your mind? I don't know if I have what it takes. It's Hard. Life feels like it's caving in on me. I'm losing ground, or im losing my footing. I'm not sure if I'm the one Jesus has chosen for this task. I've messed up or I’ve made mistakes. I don't want to wait. There’s too many obstacles in my way. I'm different than everyone else.

They have better provisions than I have. Everyone and everything seems to be against me. The Bible is filled with Scripture on weariness and how we can overcome. One of those Scripture is found in Galatians chapter 6. Turn with me to Galatians chapter 6, and when you find it, Could I have someone read for our group, Galatians 6, verses 9 and 10. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” This morning I simply want to talk about three things… First, what the doing good is that Paul speaks of. We will explore why one might grow weary in doing good and then we’ll look at looking up.. what happen when we get weary, where do we look for rest?

And lastly, the promise for those who don’t lose heart for us to live out our calling. The first thing we learn is this.. what is “doing good?” Paul write, Let us not grow weary of doing good? Obviously, Paul has never served in a position like VBS, because if doing good, he means to do good things like serving, then I dunno about anyone else, but by day two of VBS.

I’m already wishing it was over because I’m already exhausted. It’s easy to grow weary when we give and give and give. But Paul addresses this text to the churches at Galatia so I think it’s easy to see that the doing good that Paul speaks of is that which believers do. And this doing good is the work we have before us as a church. So what is this doing good as believers—as a church?

Well, if he means by the believers of the church I think in part, this doing is what? It’s preaching and teaching the word of God? Think of it like this.. in Jesus’s command to go and make disciples. How are disciples made? Well, I think it begins with sharing the gospel. Isn’t that what Paul and the early christians did when 3,000 people came to faith? Paul gave the word, he preached Jesus crucified, and resurrected.

People heard the word and responded. And then what did they do? They devoted themselves to the teaching. Why is that important? It’s important because what forms you is what conforms yours actions. And what conforms you, is what you teach. Whether by word or action. Think of what Paul said to young Timothy… Paul said, Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

2 Timothy 4:2 Teach it. Whether it’s welcomed or not. And do it with what? Paul says, with Great patience. Other translations say, with “great suffering.” When was the last time you had to suffer under the weight of the gospel? Let me just say, who have you taught the word this week? How many people have you shared Jesus with this week? One of the saddest phrases I’ve ever heard a pastor make a remark one time when he was asking for help, was that this pastor testified that they were in a board meeting and one of thier board members said, “We pay you to do the things we don’t want to do, and the things we don’t have time for.” When did the church become just one person?

When did the church become so comfortable that we would rely on other people, or paid people to love, and serve, and give, and be Christ to others? Isn’t it our task, as a christian body to carry and to give the gospel. At all cost? What does it mean at all cost? Could it mean that my way of life is interrupted to make sure my neighbors know Jesus? I believe that the highest form of doing good is to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

And my heart, is to see the lost come know Jesus. There must also be evidence of our love for people in the way we live among them. Have you ever heard, there’s proof in the pudding. Do you know what that means? It’s an expression that means the value, quality, or truth of something must be judged based on direct experience with it—or on its results. And when it comes to the gospel and loving others, our proof is what?

The transformation of our lives from death to life, because of the gospel message that Jesus lives! What’s our proof in the pudding for us when it comes to loving people… well’ its Loving people where they are, as they are. In the fire company people will be different around me. And I tell them all the time, just be you. Because if you can be your real self around me and I can see where you are, because I know its more work to lead someone that is trying to be something they are not, than someone who’s being true to themselves.

And as Christians, with Jesus in us, We certainly don’t want them to stay the way they are but desire to see God’s work in the lives of those we minister to, is a changing work. Listen, The Spirit of God will do the changing. We are to teach and love and let God do His changing work. And that is certainly doing good. But lets ask this… how does that become wearisome?

If doing good is preaching and living out the gospel, how does that become wearisome? Well, think of Pauls words to Timothy… Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2 He said correct, rebuke and encourage. I dunno about you, but it’s easy to correct those who are easy to correct. It’s easy to rebuke those willing to be repent full.

It’s simple to encourage those who love us in return. But have you tried correcting someone who full of themselves. Have you tried rebuking someone who hasn’t repetend since forever ago. I mean I know people that have never said sorry to me. And if I would rebuke them in some way… they would turn mean on me. Or, how about this… how hard is it to encourage someone hurting you?

To love on someone that doenst love you back. Paul is telling Timothy, there will be times of good and joy, and times of difficulty, but don’t lose heart… care for them with great patience. But it kills us doesn’t it. When someone is against us, it’s hard to make forward progress when there are people anchoring to tradition, or the past, or things that are no longer relevant. It’s hard ot move forward when there’s more people punching holes in the boat than grabbing an oar and helping move the ship forward.

Many times we find ourselves under criticism. A lot of times, may lack support from others in this doing good. And there’s a danger when those moments happen… We could fall into the trap of just going through the motions—it’s no longer a work of love—we no longer have a vision for the harvest that lies ahead. Think of what Paul says to the Phillipians… for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

(Philippians 2:13) It doesn’t say, For God works in me, for my strength to will and do… but His strength. We may be tempted to do the good work in our own strength, without complete reliance on God for strength and wisdom to do the work. And we may be doing good without the faith that God will do His changing work in others—so we’re prone to try to push people in the direction we think is best and we meet resistance.

Have you ever been impatient? A lot of the times we grow impatient because the fruit of our labors is usually not immediate. Thats how we grow weary, growing weary is us stepping outside of Gods will and God’s plan and trying to do the work he calls us into, through our own strength. And it’s so easy to get ahead or behind God. So what does God call us to do in this moments…

He calls us to not give up, but to look up. Paul tells the Galatians what? He said, don’t give up. He’s saying, Don’t lose heart. When things are challenging or trying, guess what is there.. the temptation is always there to give up. How many times have you’ve fund it easier to give up than tops through.. I can t be the only one that finds it easier to give in than t give up…

BUt here’s a even piercing question…. Is there anything in our life that we live in where we’ve given up and it’s take root and control over our lives? Unforgivenss… It’s easier to walk away and give up on others. What about sins in our life that we know are wrong but yet we still let them control our lives? Should we not plead the blood of Jesus upon those strongholds in our life?

What about the local church? Can there be anything in the church where we lose sight of being the church? When it comes to the good work of the church there is always a temptation to give up because the fruit—the harvest—is usually not immediate. But listen to Paul’s word in 1 Corinthians 15:58. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

How many time have we felt quitting was the best answer? Better yet, are there any moments in any part of your life where you said, I’m glad I haven’t quit yet. I read an article the other day with the heading, I’m glad I haven’t hit my goals yet.” I was like, what’s that all about…. They wrote, “When you have a goal, you’ve got a flame refusing to be extinguished inside.” They go on to talk about how this flame fuels this one word…

anticipation. It’s to live with expectation. How many times we know God has called us, and we work, and we try, and we sweat, and we cry all to get to a point and go… I’, done. And we quit. And then what happens… in our weariness we get what… hard on ourselves. We lose our drive. We lose our passion that we once had. This is why I’m so passionate about this unity in community’s and togetherness …

think of 1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” What should we do when others aren’t encouraging us? Well we look up, we look to Jesus. Right? Hebrews 10 tell us: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. Jesus is always faithful. When we look to Jesus, we know he is faithful.

And when we can live in his faithfulness, we learn we can live in his rest as well. Jesus does tell us to come to him those who are weary. He tells us that his heart is one of humility and tenderness. And when we find rest in Him, we can begin to live up to our calling. You see, when it comes to weariness… rest is our foundation. Think of the genesis account…

In Genesis, God created man during the sixth day of the creation story, and on the seventh day God rested. Have you ever noticed that mankind first day on earth began on God’s day of rest? And so what we learn in these moments of rest is this.. Rest becomes the foundation, not the reward. Rest was the place from which all work would start. God’s rhythm of living includes working from a place of rest.

It begins in communion with Him. And after spending time with Him, we leave empowered to do the work we are called to do. How may of us try to work without God time? How may of us try to love others without first letting God love us. So many people aren’t spending time with the Lord, and then wondering why they always feel like falling. Or their tired. Work is valuable, but rest is equally valuable.

It is by definition restorative What I’m trying to say is this… it’s from this place of rest that we live out our calling as Christians… but so many people forget to look up, before they try to live out and they find themselves overwhelmed. Listen, We may not be all we could be as a church but we must not give up, but look up to God and live up His calling.

The good work you do for the Lord right now may be tiresome and difficult but don’t give up—look up to God and live up to His calling. Live anticipating. Live with a fire in your soul. Live expecting God to be in control… Think about this, and then Im done… Long-distance swimming was not new to her; she had been the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions.

The challenge that day was not so much the distance, but the bone-chilling waters of the Pacific. Making things more difficult a dense fog had fallen over the entire area and was so thick she could hardly see the boats in front of and behind her. The boats were there to help keep her on course and to keep the sharks away. Her mother was in the front boat; her trainer was in the back boat with a few others.

She swam on and on never seeing further than the boat ahead. She began to complain about the water—she wanted to get out. Her mother cheered her on—she swam a little further and then she said she was done. Her trainer cheered her on but she insisted she was done. After about 15 chilling hours in the water Chadwick gave up only to discover a few minutes later that she had quit within a half mile of her goal.

Later she told a reporter, “If I could have seen land, I might have made it.” In 1952 she attempted the feat again. Once more a misty veil obscured the coastline and she couldn’t see the shore. But this time she made it because she kept reminding herself that land was there. With that confidence she bravely swam on and achieved her goal. In fact, she broke the men’s record by 2 hours!

(Bible.org) I promise you all… Land is just ahead. The harvest is just ahead. Don’t give up. Sow the seed, press on, keep doing the good work. You don’t serve men—you serve the King! And as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:6 – I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. God has sent you and me out to plant the seeds. This year for us is the year of prepare.

And we have just four more months of it left. And I Just want to say some encouraging words to you that I will share with you for the first time… No one has heard it yet, I haven’t said anything yet… but just last month I bleive the word for us next year is produce. I dont know what means… but if we faithful to plant this year.. I beleive God will be faithful to grow and bring the harvest.

There will be a harvest in His time. God will give the increase. And so I finish with this… let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. F*

Generational Division

The unifying message of Jesus endures generational pressure to divide when all generations love and work together in harmony. When you think about it, I would submit that’s a pretty theologically profound and personally engaging truth. I’m looking across to every person here in this gathering today, there’s not many of us, so it does feel uncomfortable to have someone stare at you but there is a variety of people here today with different ideas and experiences from life, and family upbringings and from different generations.

It’s no easy task to take all of these differences and uniquenesses and experiences and to bring them together to make a unique song of adoring worship. A song that is loving, and where affections are burning with adoration and desire for Jesus. A church body centered on Christ alone, by faith alone. Today I want us to focus on old and young together, unified by the Spirit in ministry according to our Scripture in Acts 2:17.

Let me begin with a question. Are we so different during the final days that unity is impossible? From the moment we’re born, our birthdate begins to define you and me within a generation. Every person here today, whether you’re 8 or 80.. you are a part of a specific group of people that define what you as a group will be known for. You’re either a traditionalist, a baby Boomer, generation X or a millennial.

Where do you fit into this spectrum? Now, I’m not going to split us into who’s young and old. You can do that yourself and it will save me the embarrassment of saying that you’re old when you might believe you’re still young. But what I am going to do is ask you to think real hard about this question… Regardless of whatever camp or tribe or generation you decide to claim to be a part of….

“Are you so different and unique that in the final days, is unity impossible? A unique opportunity was given to Peter once he was filled with the Holy Spirit. In verses 3-4 The Spirit filled the room and then He filled everyone in the room. They walk out from that room and among the community. Every time I read this I just think… isn’t this a beautiful example to the local church of today?

We come in here, we worship, we meet God and then like the first Christians filled with the Holy Spirit, they walked out into the world on fire for mission. My prayer each and every Sunday is that when we leave, we leave here with hearts blazen because we met the God of the universe in worship. But when they exited that room they were confronted by those wandering are they dunk?

So, Peter steps out empowered by the Holy Spirit and he teaches those who would listen and begins by pulling up something they would understand. Which was the Old Testament. He gets their attention and says in verse 14, “listen carefully”. And then he brings out the old Testament from the book of Joel. Verse 17 is our focus verse this morning… Peter says: “ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. What’s the first thing you think of when you think of the phrase, in the last days? The end times, right?. For many the end times reminds them of the hurt and pain and falseness and judgment to come and that’s true…Paul tells young Timothy about the people in the church during the last days….

People will be lovers of themselves (2 Timothy 3:2) People will be covetous (2 Timothy 3:2) People will be boasters (2 Timothy 3:2) People will be proud. (2 Timothy 3:2) People will be blasphemers (2 Timothy 3:2) People will be disobedient to parents (2 Timothy 3:2) People will be unthankful (2 Timothy 3:2) People will consider nothing as sacred (2 Timothy 3:2) People will be unloving (2 Timothy 3:3) People will be unforgiving (2 Timothy 3:3) People will slander others (2 Timothy 3:3) People will have no self-control (2 Timothy 3:3) People will be unusually cruel (2 Timothy 3:3) People will have no interest in what is good (2 Timothy 3:3) People will betray friends (2 Timothy 3:4) People will be reckless (2 Timothy 3:4) People will be puffed up with pride (2 Timothy 3:4) People will be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God (2 Timothy 3:4) People will have a form of godliness but deny God (2 Timothy 3:5) People will take advantage of women, weakened by sin (2 Timothy 3:6) People will always be learning but not coming to knowledge of truth (2 Timothy 3:7) People will resist the truth (2 Timothy 3:8) People will have corrupt minds (2 Timothy 3:8) People will have a fake faith from a depraved mind (2 Timothy 3:8) People will not progress in fake faith and fail miserably (2 Timothy 3:9) That’s just 25 things from one letter.

How can all generations work together for the gospel? How can unity be possible in the last days? If this is true? Well, before we answer that, let's turn to I corinthians chapter 3. I want to show you what happens when we live in a church community of division. Peter is writing to the Corinthians who were all to aware of division. And so, in chapter 3, the first three verses he says: , But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.

2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? 4 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?

Paul begins by saying, You’re not walking in the Spirit. The first division we witness in the last days is this… Fleshly division. When we walk by the flesh we walk in our own & old understanding… The Corinthians were plagued by fleshly divisions among them. Chapters 1-3 they were divided into partisan loyalties and of course the greek/roman culture infiltrated their church to where they had worldly wisdom and culture.

Then the worldly speech got to them. We find in chapter 4 that they were easily swayed by those who slandered Paul when he was absent. They were character killers and murmurers and gossipers. speaking falseness behind each others back. In chapter 5 we find the they were tolerating sexual immorality. Chapter 6 they were suing each other in court. The list keeps going on. But this is people in a local church, living in the flesh, not by the Spirit.

And here is what’s so beautiful… Paul doesn’t call them out and say.. you’re a bunch of unsaved wicked people. The last days said you would be like this, that you’re nit a Christian. We actually find that Paul doesn’t even call them false christians, he called them fleshly christians. They were people governed more by carnal discernment and desire than by the Spirt in many different areas. What we learn is that when it comes to fleshly division, true christian unity can be expressed and maintained only when there is christlike love governing.

Which is why Paul goes in chapter 13 with the list of what love is. Love is patient love is kind, love knows no wrongs.. etc. Peter knows about needing to be loved… 1 Peter 4:8 says: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Solomon knows love and mercy needs to be granted as well.. in proverbs 10:12 he says: “Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.

What these fleshly christians needed was to be loved and they needed to learn how to love one another. The second kind of division we see in the final days is maturity division. Maturity division is usually caused by pride and lack of humility. Any heart filled, evangelizing disciple making, prayerful church will have many levels of maturity among its members. You’ll have different generations, different life experiences, Spiritual knowledge and over all different levels of sanctification.

All of which does help stretch the church and grow the church. For example, a young person might have more experience in a certain area than an older person. Or a long time christian might grow weeds of the flesh in their life and be governed by the flesh than a new convert. Or hebrews 5:12 teaches us that some who ought to be teachers may regressed in maturity by habitually indulging in sin, and they need spiritual milk again.

We put so much emphasis on going from Spiritual milk to Spiritual solid food, but we can fall back and need to be nursed back to being mature again. I believe this is where humility is applied in our lives. Here’s the point though… Maturity diversity is normal within every church but it can lead to maturity division. The positive side to having different maturity levels within the church is that it gives ample opportunities to learn from each other and to grow in grace.

The negative side is this… we just don’t always seize the opportunity and instead of forgiveness and grace, we grow in division. The third and final division is the one that I believe God never wants, but it’s necessary sometimes… And so that is where it gets its name… necessary division. I Corinthians 11:19 says: There must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.

Jesus taught in Mathew 13:24-30 the parable of the weeds in wheat. (Read) What Jesus teaches us is that in the final days, our churches will remain a mixture of Christians and non christians. That’s a fact… and through humility, and grace, and love within the church, our calling is to always be living among the weeds with the hope that the weeds become wheat by the end. But some weeds stay weeds and the danger is, those are the people we call false teachers, and people who cause division among others.

Paul in Romans 16:17-18 warns us, I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles, in opposition to the teaching that you learned; avoid them. 18For such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites, and by fair and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the innocent. Jude 17-19 reminds us, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.

It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. And that’s the main theme of todays sermon… remember I asked us.. Are we so different during the final days that unity is impossible? The answer is no.. You see, Peter is speaking the first holy Spirit filled sermon pointing us to the fact that in the last days, it’s not just division and wrath and judgment that we fearfully wait for…

but in the last days is a day that God will pour out HIs Holy Spirit among all people. It’s a promise… The Spirit is poured out to the old men, and to the young men. The old ladies and the young ladies. They will dream together, and Vision together and prophecy together. It’s a picture of kingdom unity. That’s good news. We’re visioning and dreaming and prophesying together to draw us together so that we make much of the calling to be missional Chsritians that love every single person in this world.

It’s good news because this means that the outpouring of the fullness of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh means it is not to be restricted or held in; God means it to be shared worldwide. We’re living in the great time of mission, not division. Fleshly division is overturned with Spirit filled unity. Maturity division is brought together through Spirit filled unity. And necessary division pulls the weeds of those who refuse to love, who refuse to forgive, who refuse to show mercy, so that those who remain can grow.

When I read acts 2:17.. it’s one of the most amazing scriptures on the fact that in the last days… we have hope of unity because we have the Holy Spirit being poured out! So how do we begin… simple… we begin by repenting. Proverbs 1:23 says: Reptant at my rebuke, then I will pour out my thoughts to you, and I will make known to you my teachings.

The same message the prophet Joel preached, repent, rend your heart and return to me and then I will pour out my spirit upon you…. The same message Peter preached, repent, each of you.. not just me, he said repent all of you, each individual…. I want to believe that every person in the upper room received the holy Spirit because each one individually repented of their own sin, and then the Spirit came and united them together in Christ.

Not because they showed up to church… not because they said they believed… but because they repented. And the Holy Spirit was poured out and they received… freely and fully. I want to look at one more Scripture… it’s verse 40… and it says, then Peter, continued preaching urging all his listeners, Save yourself from this crooked generation. Earlier I asked you, what generation to you belong to?

The worldly generation only leads to worldly living.. Do you know why it’s crooked… because it is a generation that refuses to take responsibility for it’s sin. And that’s not just the traditionalist, the baby boomers, the generation X or even the Millennials. We all must take responsibility for our own sin, and become apart of the greatest generation… generations saved, sanctified and full of the Holy Spirit… because that is the only generation that will inherit eternal life.

What generation do you belong to? “Lord help me to never think that my crooked ways are better than the strait and narrow way of repentance that will always lead me to you. I want to be an offering not an offense to you. Forgive me of my pride, and may those who hold anything against me show me mercy as you’ve been so abundant in showing us all mercy. Help bring us back together in unity.

Let us put all pride and ill thought towards one another away. Let it begin with me. I’ve been hurt, my character has been attacked. Untrue things have been said. But Lord, you know all things. I still believe in unity. I believe in it, because you words tells us we’ll have it when we’ve laid ourselves down and take up the cross to love all. Just as you love all…

help me Lord… to see the sin in others as a calling to love and not a calling to judge… I just want to please you… let that be my song to you today… let my breaking heart of repentance be pleasing to you. Thank you Jesus by faith I believe. Amen. *