As much as we’d love the church to be a perfect place, we realize it is still a work in progress. It’s more like a hospital for the hurting than a resort for the righteous.
Last week in our anxiety class, we learned about how to handle problem people and to show them the love of Christ. An audio recording and full teaching notes are below. In this episode, we talk about…
Three types of people you will interact with, and a strategy for each
Why God wants the church to be skilled at biblical counseling
How to get control of your temper and cultivate patience
What to do when someone has hurt you
The secret of peace in every circumstance
This is part 6 of 8 in our “Anxious for Nothing” Bible Study, a series that will help you trust God and overcome worry and anxiety.
My notes and audio are below, or you can click this link to visit my podcast page and find an archive of the entire series. Thanks for listening!
PROBLEM PEOPLE AND PEACE IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES ANXIETY CLASS – WEEK 6
1. Dealing with Problem People (1 Thess. 5:12-22) • A series of instructions at the end of Paul’s letter • The church is full of problems. See quote on p. 93. • Three types of people are mentioned here: the unruly, fainthearted, and weak • God wants the church to be skilled at counseling (Rom. 15:14; 2 Cor. 1:3-4). • Understanding these three groups will help you. • Know what to say “as fits the occasion” (Eph. 4:29)
2. The need for patience • Having a “long fuse” • It is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) • This could be mistreatment, provocation, or simple shortcomings. Remember how patient God has been with you! (Matt. 18:21-35)
3. Do not return evil for evil. • You will be hurt. It’s not a matter of if, but when. Don’t lose heart. Let it go. • The most painful of all is to be hurt by a friend (Ps. 41:9; 55:12-13; 109:4-5; see p. 102) • Don’t seek revenge. God will repay (Rom. 12:17-21). • What about “eye for an eye” (Ex. 21:24)? That’s instruction to the State (government), not individuals. • “That’s not realistic!” • What we should do instead – Matthew 5:43-48. • What are some practical ways we can return evil with good? Be specific.
4. Peace in Every Circumstance (2 Thess. 3:16, 18) • Human (worldly) peace is fragile and can quickly vanish • God’s peace goes much deeper (see pp. 106-107) • In the hospital waiting room • The wicked enjoy no real peace. But God does have pity on them (Jonah 4:11; Mt. 23:37-39) • Peace begins with Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Rom. 5:1). Do you have that peace?
Remember: You and I are trophies of God’s grace! (1 Tim. 1:12-14)
We tend to think of salvation in individual terms. Each of us are saved into a personal relationship with Jesus. This is true, and it’s an amazing reality (John 1:12; Col. 2:6). But it’s not the full story. We are also saved to be part of something bigger than ourselves, called the church. In this study of Acts 2, we discover…
Why becoming part of a church family is not always easy
The only way we can be delivered from sin
Four activities that marked the early church and should characterize us as well
The importance of the Holy Spirit in our worship
How “body” imagery teaches both diversity and unity in the church
Taking the next step in your church involvement
You can watch using the video player above, or find the audio below. For a complete list of all sermon series arranged by both Bible passage and topic, I invite you to visit my “Sermon Hub” page.
Thanks for listening! This is part 2 in our series “Welcome to the Family,” helping people to believe and belong at Immanuel. We hope wherever you are that you will find a church home and plant your roots deep. If you are in the Highland/San Bernardino area, come visit us as Immanuel! We would love to meet you and help you find a place to settle and serve the Lord.
God is our protector. He is our “refuge and our fortress, our God, in whom we trust” (Ps. 91:2). Sometimes, this protection comes in the form of other people — or even angels!
Last week in our Wednesday night study on anxiety, we talked about the role of angels and people in helping us trust God more and overcome our worry and anxiety. Doing a study on angels may seem surprising in the middle of a study on anxiety, but the Bible makes clear they are one of God’s forms of protection, and should give us courage and joy. My teaching notes and an audio recording are below, or you can click this link to visit the podcast. In this lesson, we talk about…
An entire spiritual realm of angels and demons
How God sometimes uses angels to protect and deliver us
The different types of spiritual gifts and how the Spirit uses them in the church today
How to reconcile God’s promise of protection with the evil, injustice, and persecution that believers still face
ANXIETY CLASS – WEEK FIVE KNOWING OTHERS ARE LOOKING OUT FOR YOU
1. Welcome, Announcements, and Prayer 2. Introduction • Review: Laying aside every weight (Heb. 12:1-2) • A close call in the desert! For every close call we’re aware of, there may be hundreds we don’t even know about. There are so many dangers, so many threats. We can’t begin to list them all, nor should we try. Don’t crawl into your shell. Just trust God. • Thankfully, God promises his own protection (Ps. 91:1-2; Heb. 13:5-6) Two of the ways he protects us is through his angels and through other people 3. Angels • What are angels anyway? Wayne Grudem explains, “Angels are created spiritual beings with moral judgment and high intelligence but without physical bodies. Angels have not always existed; they are part of the universe that God created. In a passage that refers to angels as the “host” of heaven (or “armies of heaven”), Ezra says, “You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host … and the host of heaven worships you.”… they cannot usually be seen by us unless God gives us a special ability to see them (Num. 22:31; 2 Kings 6:17; Luke 2:13). In their ordinary activities of guarding and protecting us (Ps. 34:7; 91:11; Heb. 1:14) and joining with us in worship to God (Heb. 12:22), they are invisible. However, from time to time angels took on a bodily form to appear to various people in Scripture (Matt. 28:5; Heb. 13:2).” (Systematic Theology, p. 516) • We know Satan and the demons tempt and attack us. But don’t forget there are also angels of light who have their attention on us, except for our good! • They help care for our needs (1 Kings 19:1-8. See quote on p. 80) • They protect us from danger – both physical danger and our spiritual enemies (Dan. 3:28; 6:22; Ac. 27:21-24). In a missions trip years ago to the Philippines, the roads were muddy and it would have been easy to get stuck in the jungle or slide off into a ravine. We could almost feel those angels protecting us! • They deliver us from times of trouble (Ac. 5:19-23; 12:2-4). “It’s exciting to know you can’t ever get yourself into a situation that God can’t remove you from if he so chooses. Let that truth help melt away any anxieties you have about a situation you currently dread” (p. 83). • They’re used by God to answer our prayers (Ac. 12:5; Daniel 9-10). • They serve us. • They may even guide us (Ac. 8:26-27) • Conclusion – see page 84 4. Fellow Believers At Your Service • Two types of spiritual gifts active today – speaking and serving (1 Pet. 4:10-11; Rom. 12:6-8). These spiritual gifts can help us battle fear and anxiety! • There was a third type of gift given to some during the New Testament (Mt. 10:1-4; Ac. 19:11; Eph. 4:11; 1 Cor. 12-14; 2 Cor. 12:12). These were used to authenticate God’s messengers and help quickly spread the news of Christ. • Fellowship and the one-anothers (Gal. 6:2; Jam. 5:16; etc). 5. A Final Question – What if God doesn’t protect us? Is that even possible?? God’s Word acknowledges that suffering is part of this world, and that all who are godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. We may not understand in the short run why God allows suffering in our lives, but we can rest assured he is still with us guarding and protecting us, and that he will work all things together for our good.
I have a friend who just finished his first month as a new pastor, and I wanted to send him a quick note of encouragement. As I reflected on some of my own lessons over the years, I thought I’d link him to some of the posts I’ve written here on this blog, sharing pastoral advice and charting God’s faithfulness.
Here are links to some of those articles, along with short excerpts. It’s fun to see things written a decade or more ago, that still ring true and express my heart for leadership and the church. I pray it’s an encouragement to my friend — and to the rest of you out there in hard places shepherding God’s flock!
“This month marks the three-year anniversary of my role as full-time pastor of our church. These have been some of the most wonderful years of my life, because my wife and I have finally been able to fulfill our calling and devote ourselves entirely to the church, using all the gifts and training God has given to us. This morning, I feel the need just to jot down a few thoughts on a young man’s first years of ministry, including some things to do and things to avoid…” [continue reading]
“I am confident the Lord has called me to full-time ministry in a local church. There’s nothing I would rather be doing. I love teaching and preaching, love serving and shepherding God’s people, and love making an eternal impact for the glory of God and the spread of His kingdom. Sure, there are days when you grow discouraged and long for more visible fruit, but a big part of ministry is acting in faith and being diligent in the work God has called you to do…” [continue reading]
“The public spotlight of pastor can seem glamorous at first and is especially dangerous for our pride. But Christ reminded His disciples that true greatness is servant leadership (Matt. 18:4). Spending time with the Lord in His Word and in prayer helps keep me humble. Watching, learning, and listening to my wife helps me identify my own sin, selfishness, and lack of wisdom. Also, as much as possible, I try to stay realistic, “not thinking more highly of myself than I ought to think” (Rom. 12:3), but recognizing my own limitations. I try to share authority and responsibility with others and realize that everyone in the Body of Christ has been uniquely gifted by God…” [continue reading]
“People’s opinions will shift from one minute to the next. You have to learn in ministry not to take yourself too seriously, nor the compliments and criticisms of others too seriously. If you live and minister for God, it is a wonderfully liberating thing, because He alone becomes the audience you are concerned about. To avoid discouragement or hypocrisy, I frequently have to remind myself I am here to please God, not men…” [continue reading]
“The other day, a friend asked a group of us pastors how leaders can better listen to input from others, including women in the congregation… Here was my response…” [continue reading]
“I was completely new to the SBC when I became pastor of First Southern Baptist Church eight years ago. I quickly discovered that our SBC identity was important to some of the people in our church, and thus it needed to become important to me. In the process, I learned more about God’s goodness to our convention and both opportunities and threats that loom on the horizon. What I found helpful was to learn more about the convention on my own while also taking advantage of times to meet and build relationships. Some things you may want to do…” [continue reading]
“A friend of mine shepherds a small church, and by small, I mean less than 50. They’ve faced some unavoidable changes recently, and he asked me if I have any advice for doing a Church Evaluation. Think of it as a healthy church check-up. Here’s what I told him…” [continue reading]
“During our weekend sitting on those musty couches in the mountain air, we discussed ministry and prayed for the future of our church. We also used the SWOT method to do some strategic planning (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) and laid out a long-term vision for the ministry. It was too early to share some of these ambitious goals with the whole congregation, so early on, they were just desires of our heart, expressed through prayer. Now, exactly ten years later, I’m overwhelmed to see God’s goodness, and the fruit of those prayers…” [continue reading]
“I am a mere 32 years old. If the Lord tarries, and blesses me with good health, I have perhaps another 30-40 years of vibrant ministry ahead. Compared to the age of some in my congregation, I’m still a “kid.” But ironically, the time to start planning my succession — and to be training up the next generation — is right now…” [continue reading]
“Al Mohler recently met with a group of young pastors and spoke very positively of his experience. What characterizes these rising leaders in the church? In particular, what are the marks of young pastors in their 20s and 30s? Mohler shares eight features of this new generation…” [continue reading]
Faith is the essence of the Christian life. We “walk by faith, not by sight,” Paul says (2 Cor. 5:7).
Stop and think about that for a second. Paul is saying that most of the time, we will not be able to see the full picture or know all that God is doing. Even as we make plans and carry out our daily routine, we can expect surprises, setbacks, frustrations, and fears. But we know that God is working all things together for good, to those who love him! (Rom. 8:28). We can simply take God at his word and cling to him by faith.
Last week in our anxiety class, we looked together at Hebrews 12:1-2. We learned that worry is a besetting sin that easily creeps into our lives and impede our growth. Like barnacles on a ship, anxiety can slow us down and prevent us from being fruitful and effective. Instead, we must fix our eyes on Christ, and learn to praise him.
You can listen to the recording here, or read through my outline below. This is part 4 in an 8-week study on the topic of anxiety. To learn more, we recommend the book Anxious for Nothing by John MacArthur.
LIVING A LIFE OF FAITH & TRUST ANXIETY CLASS – WEEK 4
1. Introduction
Faith is the essence of the Christian life. We “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). Even just our trip to Kentucky this week was filled with setbacks and opportunities for faith.
Think of the story of George Mueller. What tragedies do you see doing on that you’d like to have faith to help change for the better?
Read Hebrews 12:1-2
The great cloud of witnesses testify, “Don’t give up! Keep trusting in God! Any temporary sacrifice is worth it.” So many mentors that have poured into us.
2. Lay Aside any Encumbrance
Lightening the Load.
Besetting Sins. See quote by R. Kent Hughes: The specific sin(s) each of us, individually, is most likely to commit—a “besetting sin” as it is termed in the older translations…”
Galatians 5 provides a helpful sample of common sins to avoid and virtues to pursue.
Anxiety, as a besetting sin, can weigh us down in any number of ways.
When we first detect signs, what can we do?
3. Look to Jesus
“Fix our eyes on” is more literally “look away to.” It thus denotes both the deliberate ignoring of present circumstances and a reference point beyond them, in the person of Jesus, perhaps envisaged as standing at the finishing line (R. T. France, EBC)
See quote by Warren Wiersbe: “Looking unto Jesus describes an attitude of faith and not just a single act…”
John 20:24-29 – The blessing on those who believe and yet do not see.
How do we do this? Read the Gospels. Observe the faith of others. Read good books. Sing songs dripping with good theology. Do a Study of the Names of Christ. I suggest using a Topical Bible such as Nave’s Topical Bible. Here’s just a partial list: Resurrection and life, John 11:25. Redemption, 1 Cor. 1:30. Righteous branch, Jer. 23:5. Righteous judge, 2 Tim. 4:8. Righteous servant, Isa. 53:11. Righteousness, 1 Cor. 1:30. Rock, 1 Cor. 10:4. Rock of offence, 1 Pet. 2:8. Root of David, Rev. 5:5; 22:16. Root of Jesse, Isa. 11:10. Rose of Sharon, Song 2:1. Ruler in Israel, Mic. 5:2. Salvation, Luke 2:30. Sanctification, 1 Cor. 1:30. Sanctuary, Isa. 8:14. Savior, Luke 2:11. Savior, Jesus Christ, 2 Tim. 1:10; Tit. 2:13; 2 Pet. 1:1. Savior of the body, Eph. 5:23. Savior of the world, 1 John 4:14. Scepter, Num. 24:17. Second Adam, 1 Cor. 15:47. Seed of David, 2 Tim. 2:8. Seed of the woman, Gen. 3:15. Servant, Isa. 42:1. Servant of rulers, Isa. 49:7. Shepherd, Mark 14:27. Shepherd and bishop of souls, 1 Pet. 2:25. Shepherd, chief, 1 Pet. 5:4. Shepherd, good, John 10:11.
What can we anticipate at the “finish line” of our faith?
Pinch Of Clay 