Okay, who doesn't listen?
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the St. Paul Baptist Church.
It's simply great to see you all here for our Sunday evening service.
If we could all please have a seat and grab a hymnal and open up those hymnals to the song number 127.
We can begin this evening by singing the song number 127.
Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus.
Just to trust in God is good.
Just to rest on his promise.
Just to go to the safe of home.
Jesus, Jesus, how unjustly
Thou art good in all and all.
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus.
Oh, for grace we trust in God.
Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus.
Just to trust is twenty-one.
Just in seraphim to the King.
In the healing and in fire.
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust in
Thou art good in all and all.
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus.
Oh, for grace we trust in God.
Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus.
Just from sin itself to sin.
Just for Jesus have we taken
Life and rest in joy and peace.
Jesus, Jesus, how unjustly
Thou art good in all and all.
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus.
Oh, for grace we trust in God.
I'm so glad to trust in
Precious Jesus, Savior brand new.
And I know that Thou art good
in all and all.
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust in
Thou art good in all and all.
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus.
Oh, for grace we trust in God.
Amen.
Thank you, brother.
Let's turn our handles to
song number 165.
That's song 165,
or worship the king.
We worship the king,
all glorious above.
And when all is seen,
his wonderful love
our children defend.
The ancient of days,
a very ambitious land,
made for him with praise.
He'll tell of his life
and sing of his grace.
Whose love is the light,
whose hand on his face
His chariot's the path,
the king under the sword.
And our business path
on the wings of the sword.
By the temple care,
what's on every side,
it breathes in the air.
It shines in the light,
it streams from the hills,
it descends to the plain.
And sweetly dispels him
the dew and the rain.
With children of dust,
and people as well,
we'll plead to be trust,
for finding to fail.
Die, for the seas,
bow tender,
bow firm to the end.
Come, maker,
defender,
be deeper and friend.
At this time,
we'll go over the announcements.
If you want to keep your
I'm going to bring you one.
As always, we've got our service times there
on the upper left-hand side,
as well as a church-wide soul winning
and the salvations and baptisms.
We're going to go ahead and count up
the baptisms, or the salvations, rather,
going back to Friday.
So we've got one on Friday.
Amen.
And then we're going to go ahead
and count up the baptisms,
or the salvations, rather,
going back to Friday.
So we've got one on Friday.
Amen.
Did anyone have anything Saturday
outside the group?
And then today was a good day,
I guess, right?
Five.
Amen.
Did you see any Hell's Angels out there?
No.
They were right near their little
compound, so anyway.
So praise the Lord for that.
And then, of course,
we had the baptism this morning,
so praise the Lord for that as well.
We got one on the map.
So I'm going to be keeping this up here,
I think, from now on.
I think it's just good to keep it
in front of us.
You know, to remind ourselves
that we're not just Baptists
to name only.
Like, we are interested
in baptizing people,
so I'm going to try
and work on that here this year
and see if we can get some more in.
And then over on the right-hand side,
don't forget to wish everyone there
a happy birthday.
That's celebrating
the month of March.
You've got the New Testament
90-day challenge,
as well as the weekly
Bible memory passage.
So you've got until next week
to get that done.
And the Mexico Monday
is tomorrow.
Is there anybody here
that's going on the
Mexico Monday trip?
Joanna's going?
That's what I heard.
Okay.
So Brother Segura
is going to be stopping by here
around 9,
so just to give the Tempe folks
a bathroom break.
So if you want to go,
just let me know.
But otherwise, you know,
the ship will sail without you.
Don't forget,
we've got the
Operation Confiscation.
Again, all these Bibles,
if you ever are curious
about what you can win,
you know,
we've got them right here.
You've got your KJEV wide margin.
You've got the
large print.
This is one of my favorites
right here.
That's one I read for a while.
Wore one of those out.
And then the red letter.
So these are all great.
And if you want to come
see them anytime,
you know,
I'll have them just
sitting out here,
or actually just under
the pulpit.
You can take a look.
Just don't write any notes
in it until it's yours.
Don't write your name
in the front saying,
oh, for sure it's mine.
I'm going to win this year.
I'm going to go
and sign it right now.
All right, don't do that.
But that's going to do it
for announcements.
Just keep in mind
that there's going to be
another movie night April 1st
on Friday,
so if you could make it
out to that,
you can go ahead
and start planning
for that as well.
We'll go ahead and sing
one more song
before we get into
the preaching tonight.
Number 164,
praise head and praise head.
Number 164,
praise head and praise head.
And under his holy name,
like a shepherd,
Jesus will guard his children.
In his arms,
he carries them all day long.
Praise him, praise him,
tell of his handsomeness.
Praise him, praise him,
your very joyful soul.
Praise him, praise him,
Jesus all blessed
to be denied.
For our sins he suffered
and bled in God.
We are one,
our hope
will be turned to salvation.
Hail him, hail him,
Jesus the crucified.
Sound his praises,
Jesus to all our sorrows.
Love unclouded,
wonderful deepest song.
Praise him, praise him,
tell of his handsomeness.
Praise him, praise him,
your very joyful soul.
Praise him, praise him,
Jesus our blessed
to be denied.
Heavenly portals,
levels and a tree.
Jesus, Savior,
reigneth forever
in heaven.
Round him, round him,
prophet and priest and king.
Christ is God.
Over the world victorious,
power and glory,
unto the Lord be Lord.
Praise him, praise him,
tell of his excellent greatness.
Praise him, praise him,
ever in joyful song.
All right, great singing,
everyone.
At this time we'll pass
the altar real quick.
As the play goes around,
let's turn our Bibles to
Revelation chapter three.
That's Revelation chapter three.
As always, we'll read
the entire chapter.
Please follow along silently
as we read from
Revelation chapter three.
Verse one of the Bible
is the angel of the shirt
whose heart is right
and he seems safety
to have the seven spirits of God
and seven stars.
I know that I have
God's name and God
lit us to the dead.
He launched
and strengthened things
in his name
that are right to God.
For I have not found
thy works perfect before God.
Remember therefore
how thou has received
and heard
the whole past and past.
That thou in the focus
shall not watch
but come on me as it be
and I shall not know
that I will come upon thee.
Thou is clean
and is a men sergeant
which is not the
cloud of the darkness
and they shall walk
before the white
for they are worthy.
For I have come
that the sand
shall be cold
and white of the angel
and I will knock
God out of his name
and I will look
light
and I will confess
his name
before my father
and before his angels
he that hath been near
doesn't hear
what the spirit
saying before the church
and to the angel
of the church
before the elephant
are right
these things say
a key that is holy
a key that is true
a key that has the
key of David
a key that opens it
and no man shut it
and shut it
and no man opens it
behold I will make them
and sin of God
his savior
and say they are
demons and are not
with you God
behold I will make them
to come and worship
before thy feet
and to know that
I have loved thee
because I was kept
aware of thy patience
I also will keep thee
from the outer
temptation
which I will come
upon all the world
to try them
to draw upon a mirror
behold I come
quickly
to hold the fast
that which thou hast
that no man
take thy crown
and that I will
come until I make
a pillar
in the name of the city
of my God
which is in Jerusalem
coming down from the
path of my God
and I'll write upon him
a new name
he that man
doesn't hear what the
spirits say at the
churches
and that's the angel
and the church is
allowed to see
and is right
these things say
if they be met
they come true witness
beginning the creation
of God
I know that thou
art not a cold
hot
and without a
cold work
so that because
thou root for me
not as a cold
or hot
and that means
nothing
no it's not
without our wretched
and miserable
and poor
and blind
and naked
and counselled
and by me
won't try
by me
won't try
to define
thou may'st
be rich
and why
maybe
thou may'st
be clothed
and that there is
a shame
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
appear
and nor
deny
that I
may be
this
cannot
what about their works you know we can look down and say oh man they're doing
such a great job I mean look at all the people that are toward him yeah but
auditorium but God is looking down say you know lukewarm churches seem to
attract a lot of people you know churches that aren't really because you
know what they're they're not just gonna come out and say hey we're dead we're
cold you know if you walk into a dead church you're probably gonna go well
this is I know this is a dead church and get out of there right but if you go
into a red-hot church you might say well that's too hot in there you know there's
two there the preachings too heavy in there it's it's too hard of preaching
it's too high I get my toes stepped on too much they're asking too much they
they actually want me to participate in the program they actually want to go out
right and you're just you're gonna feel nice and comfortable the porridge is
just gonna be the right temperature you know what and there's gonna be a lot of
people that are attracted to that but God looks down and says well you know
that might appear to be better because you have a great congregation in the
sense that there's a lot of people there but you know what I know thy works you
know and he finds a lot of those churches wanting you know and that's why
I believe that this congregation we have your why it might not be a great
congregation in the sense that you know we're gonna have people lining up you
know from the entering in of you know Marana all the way down to you
know Green Valley or whatever we're not gonna span you know people are gonna be
lining up the door and just filling up the i-10 or you know north and south
trying to get in here you know we're not going to be maxing the place out but you
know we have a great congregation because God knows our works you know and
I wrote this sermon and today I really couldn't have fell on a better day I
come in here and everyone's talking about how great the soul winning was
today and we had his you know 20 soul winners on sim amen you know we have a
great congregation because you don't just measure a church by its size you
know and if that's gonna be your measure of a great church you know you're one
you're probably gonna find yourself disappointed disappointed one because
you're gonna walk into a church that's actually doing something to say well
there's just not enough people here obviously you know that this isn't this
isn't what God isn't blessing this and then you're gonna go find some other
church that has a lot of people there and you're gonna go in there and you're
gonna get a bunch of watered-down lukewarm preaching and they're not
you're not gonna do anything for God and then that's gonna be a disappointment so
you understand what makes a great congregation is not just a number go to
Acts 17 go to Acts chapter number 17 you say yeah but more people doesn't that
mean that that they're gonna get more done not necessarily not necessarily
look I'm not again don't get me wrong I'm not against having a bigger
congregation I mean would they God we max this place out and you know had to
find a bigger building I'm all for that but you know that's not that's not my
motivation that's not what I'm trying to do is just build some you know Empire
here just you know some church that's just filled with people that don't want
to do anything for God you know when it comes to church when it comes to a great
congregation what you want is quality over quantity you know I'd rather just
have a few dozen soul winners you know just a dozen or so so like two dozen
soul winners whatever we have you know that that are just faithful that service
faithful going out and preaching the gospel then you know 200 people that
don't want to do anything for God because you know I'm gonna have to fight
them every step of the way every side every Sunday I'm have to get up and try
to motivate people and get out of people and and try to get you know when you
have people that just want to get the work done we have a great congregation
like this I mean you set the ball in motion and it just starts taking care of
itself because why because it's filled with quality not just quantity see a
great congregation is not just great in number and again I'm not opposed to big
numbers I mean I want more soul winners I want more people that are serious
about serving God living for God yeah I'm interested in that but I'm not just
interested in you know in just putting people in the pew just for the sake of
having them there you know the end don't take this the wrong way but this is
something I have to constantly remind myself is that more people just means
more problems you know this is the fact that's just a fact of life you know ask
any ask any parents that have you know more than several children you know as
soon as you start that you'd say oh we want lots of kids it's like oh and we do
and look but you know what comes along with that more problems more dental
bills you know more you know more emergency trips to the to the ER more
clothes that have to be about more food out there's more and it's all worth it
don't get me wrong I'm not disparaging the children or anything like that but
it's just a factory a fact of life that if you want more there's more problems
that come with it there's more difficulties so look if I'm gonna have
more of something in a church what do I want just more people or do I want more
you know soul winners more people that are sold out more people that want to do
something for God and look we might never get there we might never have two
300 you know on fire people that come to this church I mean I'm not maybe we
will I don't know we'll see how God leads but what we have to keep in mind
is that you know a great congregation does not just in terms of quantity it's
in terms of quality and that God can use a small number of people to do something
great I mean think about Gideon's army right he will he you know he whittled
them down to 300 people you know he turned to flight the armies of the
aliens you know he delivered Israel he was a great judge look at Acts chapter
17 verse 1 it says now when they and by the way the they there is talking about
two guys Paul and Silas two people you know that's less than we have in this
room now when they Paul and Silas had passed through Epiphilas and Apollina
they came to Thessalonica where was a synagogue of the Jews and Paul as his
manner was went on to them and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of
the Scriptures opening and alleging that Christ must needs have suffered and
risen from the dead and that this is Jesus who might preach unto you that
this Jesus whom I preach unto you is Christ and some of them believed and
consorted with Paul and Silas and some of the devout Greek Greeks a great
multitude and a chief women not a few but the Jews which believed not moved
with envy took them unto certain lewd fellows of the baser sort that's who
they're always getting to do their dirty work right and gathered a company and
set all the city in an uproar and assaulted the house of Jason and sought
to bring them out to out to the people and when they found them not they drew
Jason and certain brethren under the rules of the city crying this and notice
what they said what they cried out these that have turned the world upside down
are come hither also he's talking about two people two people and they're saying
these guys have turned the world upside down I mean you say oh let's talk about
all the Apostles look a lot of the Apostles just stayed in Jerusalem they
did not follow through that's why you know you ever notice acts it starts out
about the Apostles and it just becomes all about Paul because Paul was
actually the one that said you know what I'm gonna take the the gospel to the
Gentiles like Christ told us to so it just becomes all about him you ever
noticed that he's the one that wrote the vast majority the New Testament because
he's the one that actually followed through on you know preaching to all
nations not just sitting in Jerusalem you know and he was somebody that was
known that had a reputation of somebody that did what that turned the world
upside down it was just two guys so again what you know it's not about the
the number of people when we talk about a great congregation because God can use
just a few people God can use two people God can use a dozen people God can use
just a small handful of people to do a great work you know our you know
faithful word Tempe is a great example of that you know so but they're so big
you know and they run probably around 300 I think on Sunday morning which is a
big church especially for an IFB Church that's big folks and that's that's what
that criticism is so stupid oh it's a small church yeah right it's 300
people's big okay but you know was it always 300 people did it start out day
one 300 people no you know there was a long time where it was far less than
that you know less than two dozen I mean I got there seven or eight years ago I
can't remember they hadn't even broken 100 yet you know but they it's you know
what they had done is they had filled in a lot of that map that they had up
there Phoenix they had won thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of
souls to Christ they had baptized hundreds of people before they even
broke a hundred people before they haven't had a hundred people in a
regular attendance they had done all that work because you know a great
congregation is not about the number of people that are there it's about the
quality of those people it's about the work that they do you know two people
can go out and do a great work they can develop a reputation as those that turn
the world upside down I mean why can't that be said of us here there's no
reason why it can't be said of us that eventually will develop a reputation as
oh that's that church that just you know every it seems like every year they're
coming by my door every you know every so often I just keep running I keep
seeing their invites everywhere I go I mean I remember when I was locksmithing
I'd get sent out on service calls to abandoned houses or whatever to go
change locks and there'd be a church invite from faithful word that happened
to me and several and Metro Phoenix I mean what are the chances you know I'm
getting studying all over the valley up there and I'm finding church invites for
my church why is that because it's not just that they had a bunch of people
it's because they had a people there that were serious about serving God it's
not just about a number it's about the people because what makes a great
congregation is the people and the message that they carry that's where the
power is if you would go over to 2nd Corinthians chapter number 4 2nd
Corinthians chapter number 4 you know made me think of the story of Jonathan
and his his armor bear you know he kind of kicked off the the revolt against the
Philistines in Saul's day it wasn't Saul the king who started it was his son
right and remember what he said to his young man that bear his armor in 1st
Samuel 14 he said come and let us go over to the garrison of these
uncircumcised in let's go to their fort let's go into where they've dug
themselves in you know that's what a garrison is that's their defense let's
go over there just me and you you know imagine being his armor bear okay you
us and what army no no no me and you two of us let's go over under this Garrett
the garrison these uncircumcised it may be that the Lord will work for us for
there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few you know God can
save by many or by few God you know we can accomplish this mission of knocking
every door in Tucson and Arizona and seeing hundreds of soul saved we can do
that with a lot of people and one to God that we could or you know what we can do
with a few just gonna take longer we can still get it done because a great
congregation it's not just about the numbers it's about the people that make
up those numbers look at 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 verse 6 for God who commanded
the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light
of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ but we had this
treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God
and not of us look anything that we're going to accomplish in this life for
Christ is not because of who we are but it's because of the treasure that we
have in this earthen vessel the knowledge of the excellency of Christ I
mean that's what you're taking out there that's what when you're going out there
knocking the doors you mean you're you're bringing the excellency of the
knowledge of God the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in this
earthen vessel your body that's what you're taking out there because again
you know what makes it the the message or what makes the the congregation great
is the people in it and the and the message that they bring that they bear
that's where the power is you know we don't go to the door and say hey you
should listen to us because you know we run 800 people in our church because we
have over a thousand people you have a thousand people in your church well now
I'm now I'm interested you know that's not what we say you know we just hate
let me preach you the gospel you know and we have the excellency of the power
of God with us so what makes a congregation great it's not the numbers
it's the power of God if you would go to 2nd Chronicles chapter 7 we're going to
be there for a little bit 2nd Chronicles 7 is a parallel passage to 1st Kings 8
which is where we were Thursday night and I want to talk a little bit or
preach a little bit about you know this this feast that that Solomon has at the
end of his prayer when he's dedicating the temple you know we read it there I
read it to you in 1st Kings 8 that he for seven days and seven days you know
they sacrificed with all these people there's just huge this great
congregation you know but what makes a congregation great is not just the
number of people there it's the power of God that's what's going to make this
congregation great it's not just us it's going to be the fact that God is with us
that God is on our side that we have the excellency of the power of God with us
look at 2nd Chronicles 7 verse 1 it said now when Solomon had made it end of
praying so again this is parallel passage 1st Kings 8 the fire this is the
detail that's not in 1st Kings 8 the fire came down from heaven what's he
talking about he's not talking about lightning some of the fact that God
showed up you know that you know I have everything that happened that day this
is the most amazing thing you know wouldn't be such a great story if you
didn't have this detail I mean 1st Kings 8 is a cool story I mean you read about
all the people are there you know you get some of the same details you get in
2nd Chronicles 7 about all the number of oxen and the number of sheep that he
slays I mean it's it's it's in the hundreds of it's over a hundred thousand
it's a ton it's like hundred and thirty or hundred forty thousand people or not
people sorry it wasn't like it's not that you know animals they get killed
that day you know it's an amazing story but you know the most amazing thing that
happened is the fact that when when he got done praying that fire came down
from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices and the
glory of the Lord filled the house I mean I don't care where that happened
like that could have happened anywhere I mean think about in Elijah's day that
same thing happened you know he called down fire from heaven but it was just on
a pile of stones you know it was just a pile of rocks that him that he had that
you know the the prophets of Baal had set up it wasn't some more Nate temple
and what happened what was the result then you know all Israel fell on their
faces that the Lord God the Lord he is God right and they slew the prophets of
Baal you know that's what makes a congregation great is when you know the
power of God shows up when God meets with that congregation and look he can
meet with tens hundreds hundreds of thousands of millions or you know what
he can meet with a few or he can meet with a small congregation and they can
have power to go out and preach the gospel and do something great for God
that's what makes a congregate upon the house they bowed themselves with their
faces to the ground upon the pavement and worshiped and praise the Lord saying
for he is good for his mercy and dorith forever so this power of God comes down
and it results in them you know praising God when he showed up because here's the
thing no matter how many people are there no matter how many people show up
it's some congregation without the power of God and without the presence
of God there is no praise there is no praise I mean they could call it a
praise service if they want well a lot of churches you know they want to call
it a church but all it really is is just a country club love for people to get
together and network you know and hook up and everything else it goes on in
some of these churches it's just for them to come together and you know learn
how to do it start a microbrewery in their bathtub you think I'm joking but
that's that's what they do that's beer night down at the church movie night no
but not they're not showing a new IFB film they're watching some pg-13 are
rated whatever you know that's why there's no power there and I don't care
how many people you get to show up in a place like that if God doesn't show up
there's no power and there's no praise nobody's gonna be in awe of God you know
that's that's what we want we want the power and the presence of God in this
congregation whether it's you know a congregation of a hundred or a
congregation of 12 go back if you would to keep something in 2nd chronicle 7 but
go to 1st Corinthians chapter 15 1st Corinthians chapter number 15 he said in
verse 13 I'll begin reading at 1st Corinthians 15 verse 13 but if there be
no resurrection of the dead that is Christ not risen and if Christ be not
risen then is our preaching vain and your faith also is vain look you know
the power of God is the resurrection and if you know that didn't happen then
our faith is vain you know what we're doing is just pointless yeah and we have
found false witnesses of God because we have testified of God that he hath
raised up Christ whom he raised not up if so be the dead rise not and if for if
the dead rise not then is not Christ raised and if Christ be not raised your
faith is in vain you're yet in your sins then also they which are fall asleep in
Christ or perish verse 19 if in this life only we have hope in Christ and we
are almost men most miserable verse 20 but now is Christ risen from the dead
and become the first fruits of them that slept he's saying you know what if Christ
wasn't isn't risen from the dead there is no power but the good news is that
Christ is risen from the dead and therefore there is power and how does it
what what ends up happening is God is praised look at verse 57 but thanks be
to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ you know
when the power of God is in a place you end up having praise and that's what we
want that's what makes a congregation great you know whether it's a lot of
people or just a few you know we could talk about greatness in the terms of
quantity but really what it's about for us is quality the quality that's what
makes a congregation great is the the power the power of God but what also
makes a congregation is this is it's playing your part you have to play your
part you know it's not enough for us to just show up and and and and and think
that oh we're gonna be great just because we're here you know we're here
because we have work to do you know this is like a this would be like a spiritual
barracks you know if we're if you know if we're like Paul told Timothy if we're
you know enduring hardness as what good soldiers you know if God has chosen us
to be a soldier right if we're in the Lord's army if we're fighting a
spiritual battle which we are by the way the Bible tells us that we are that we
wrestle not against flesh and blood but it gets powers and principalities in
high places that you know we're fighting a spiritual battle we have a spiritual
armor that we have to put on we have a spiritual shield we have a spiritual
sword you know then what is the church house what is what is the meeting place
it's a spiritual barracks you know maybe there's an infirmary ward you know
people come in and there have been beat up by sin you know well we'll patch you
up you know we'll put some gauze on that mean I'm a literal example of that
lately I've got a bandage on every hand on both every hand both hands you know
it but spiritually you know sometimes when you need that hey come over here
let's get the spiritual first aid kit out you know let me find some gauze let
me find some antiseptic you know let's let's patch you up and get you healed up
you know what then we're gonna do is we're gonna put a sword in your hand and
we're slap you know the the shield of you know we're gonna put the the the
helmet of salvation on your head and we're gonna put the shield of faith on
your other arm then we're gonna shod your feet with the preparation the
gospel of peace and we're gonna send you back out because what you know because
why because we have a part to play here what makes a great congregation it's not
just the power of God look without the power of God then you know you know we
are most men most miserable you know our preaching is vain our life is vain it's
all vanity what we're doing but you know what we do have the power of God Christ
is risen from the dead we do have a message to preach you know we do have
the gospel you know which we have the the the gospel which is the power of God
unto salvation that's what we have we have that power of God to go out there
with and preach but you know what if that's not enough to just have that you
have to do something with it you have to play your part that's what makes a
congregation great if you look there in verse 58 of first Christian Chris 1st
Corinthians 15 you know it talks about the power you know that we have verse
57 you get the praise but thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through
our Lord Jesus Christ and then you have you know okay great you got the power
you got the praise but now you got to do your part in verse 58 therefore my
beloved brethren be steadfast unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord
for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain look because we have the
power of God you know our labor is not in vain therefore you know we should
play our part we should always be abounding in the work of the Lord you
know and it's such a and if you would go back to 2nd Chronicles chapter 7 2nd
Chronicles chapter 7 you know I was thinking about the sermon writing a
sermon and then I hop on Facebook you know and brother Fabian's got his story
up there on Facebook of you know and I didn't ask him for the service so he's
probably upset with me right of you know and it's been what's his Facebook story
of it's about all the church you know the church members here going out
knocking doors I thought man what a great congregation that we have here you
know and it was it's not because of how good-looking you are right we all know
that go ahead say amen did you not hear this morning's room right I didn't say
wow what a great-looking crew you know not saying that you aren't that's not
what impressed me you wouldn't press me is that look there's people getting
together on their Sunday afternoon and they're going out and doing the work of
the Lord they're taking the power of God with them and playing their partners
that's a great congregation that's what you have to do to have a great
congregation you have to play your part I mean it's great that we have the power
of God but if we don't take that message to the world then you know what's so
great about that nothing 2nd Chronicles chapter 7 where we were
look at verse 4 it says and then the king and all the people offered
sacrifices you know it wasn't just the king that offered sac it was everybody
everyone got involved they said the fire of God came down the power and presence
of God showed they said let's all do our part let's all make a sacrifice let's
all bring glory to God let's all sacrifice not just the king everybody
offered sacrifices before the Lord and King Solomon offered a sacrifice and you
know just let these numbers sink in of twenty and two thousand oxen twenty
two thousand oxen he's slaughtering and we know in this time period and in
hundred and twenty thousand sheep a hundred and twenty thousand sheep like I
don't even know I can't even fathom how many sheep that is and it's so much you
know it says that they that they actually ended up having to and what
we'll get to that where they had to move it move the sacrifices out of the middle
court because you know the the the inner court couldn't take it all they had to
sanctify the rest of there just so many animals why because the power of God
showed up and the people said hey we want to do our part let's make a great
sacrifice unto our God and everyone got involved and you know what God was
glorified it says in verse 6 and notice in all the people that are doing their
their part you know they make these sacrifices so the king and all the
people dedicated the house of God and the priests waited on their offices you
know they had their part to do they had to go do all the things that were allotted
unto them they had to tell you their part and who else the Levites also with
the instruments of music to the Lord you know they had to do their part they had
to get the chorus going they had to get the music service going you know and
here's the thing you know God is interested in music I'm gonna start
ringing this bell more often because I know there's people that have and
self-included that that play an instrument and could play an instrument
to the glory of God and make this church even better even greater they
could bring more glory to God you know I'm gonna be building the stage out I've
already planned I'm telling you what I'm gonna bring this stage out you know I'm
gonna be standing right about here and I'm planning about another two to three
feet of the stage coming out you know why it's not because I want to get
closer to you it's not because I want to get some spit on you it's because I want
to set be able to set up some instruments back here you don't want to
have some musicians up here because I want people that can to play their part
in the house of God you know and not just so we could put on some show and
entertain people because it seems to me that you know God is pretty interested
in music I mean that was the Levi's job everything that was part of their job
that was like their full-time job just music you know King date and notice what
it says which David the king had made to praise the Lord you know the book of
Psalms is literally just a book of it's their hymnal it's what they played you
know music is a very powerful thing God's very interested in it you know and
and praise God for the the music program that we do have the people that do play
piano and lead songs here and the people that sing out you know but you know what
we could we could do better in that area you know and if we're just sitting on
our talent if we're just sitting on that and hiding it and not using it to the
glory of God you know that's that's a shame to us you know we should you know
we should want to bring glory to God if we have that ability to do so because
not everybody can not everybody can play an instrument you know cunningly with
and and and skillfully you know that takes skill takes an ability and if you
have that ability you know use that for God you know so everyone here is playing
their parts you know all the people are sacrificing all people are getting
involved in the work the priests are doing what they need to do the Levites
are worried are taking care of the music they're getting that taken care of you
know and it says there and ends and the priests sound of the trumpets before
them and all Israel stood so everyone's getting involved what makes a
congregation great is the power of God and the playing your part in the work
you know that's what we just read about right all the work that went into it I
mean I talked about it you know last Thursday that the work of sacrificing
these animals I mean it's a huge task I mean it's just so much works going into
that I mean the more I think about it like every time I read about this and
just try to envision what's taking place I mean just imagine all the blood right
I know some of you get a little sleepy so let's let's let's get you know let's
get borderline here right this is imagine all the blood that's pouring out
of this place all the blood and all the water it's getting mixed in I mean this
is just just insane let's see if you really think about what's going on all
these because look they didn't just you know bring dead animals they brought
under the door and slit their throat and then they gutted them I mean there's
all this work going on this hard bloody work right and it's good and everyone
you know the singing and the music that's work it takes effort you know
that doesn't just happen there's a lot of work that goes into it so look what
makes a congregation great is playing your part in the work but not only that
not just in the work but also in what in the fellowship in the fellowship you
know fellowshipping in the local church you know is just as important I believe
as the work because as the saying goes you know all work and no play makes Jack
a dull boy right you know same things true in the Christian life and here's
the thing we have a lot of work to do but that's not all we're gonna do you
know this is a spiritual barrack but also you know it's a spiritual retreat
it's a place where after you go out and do the work we can come back and we can
fellowship it says in verse 7 of 2nd chronicle 7 moreover Solomon hallowed
the middle court that was before the house of the Lord for there he offered
burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings because the brazen altar which
see it the Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings and the
meat offerings and the fat also at that same time Solomon kept the feast seven
days and all Israel with him a very great congregation from the entering
into Hamath under the river Egypt so you know they're also keeping this feast you
know and then and and and they're they're they're partaking in the
sacrifices you know they're they're eating because what they're getting look
folks it's a potluck you know basically you want to boil it down to what's
whether they're doing they're getting together they're doing a lot of work
aren't they but they're also a fellow shipping to you know that's important
to have that to play your part to participate in the work and also the
fellowship you know and to be there for the preaching this is what makes a great
congregation you know I say well why are you pointing all this out duh we
know that because you know whether you maybe you haven't realized it yet but we
have all these things here you know we have the power of God we have people
doing the work we have also what what else do we see the the the feasting the
fellowship amen I mean when there were so many hot dogs in the movie night you
guys couldn't even finish them there's still one more doughnut back there from
this morning there's still like three more bags there's a whole bunch of
oranges I noticed nobody's touching the oranges you know I paid my own good
harder money for those oranges you know I guess I'll have to eat a few right but
that we have the feasting going on we have all the elements what I'm trying to
tell you is this is that you have a great congregation that's what I see
well it's not that big though it's meeting in a warehouse is that but
that's not that's not the elements of a great congregation it's not about
numbers it's about the power of God it's about participating it's about the
working and it's also about you know the feasting and the work and also here the
preaching you know that's what also makes up that's what makes a great
congregation you know if we were just all about soul winning and that's it you
know that would be imbalanced you know if we were all about soul winning but
then you know all about fellowship to that would there still be something
missing you need to have the preaching of the Word of God and that's what they
had here and it says in verse 9 and the eighth day they made a solemn assembly
and what a solemn it's it's serious you know it's it's a it's a time of being
you know having some you know being grave being serious being solemn they
had a solemn assembly for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days and
the feast seven days but on that eighth day they made a solemn assembly you know
they were they were it wasn't just a big party you know it wasn't just a let's
just get together and have a bunch of fun you know but let's also be serious
about the things of God you know let's be serious about the preaching the Word
of God to be serious about you know dedicating you know this this building
unto God and doing something for God look we have all these elements we have
the power of God we have people participating we have the fellowship and
you know what else we have is we have the preaching we have all these things
we have this is what this is the solemn assembly right now you know you all look
pretty serious you know how look you're all looking pretty pretty somber right
now you know some of you are looking pretty relaxed right but look why do you
have to have all this because when you have all these things you know you have
balance that's what makes a great congregation is when you have balance
when you have the right amount of work and the right amount of fellowship and
fun the right amount of you know levity and the right amount of being solemn you
know once you have all these things you know you have balance in the Christian
life that's what's going to make a great congregation and that's something
that we have here and that's something I want to keep and maintain and not lose
sight of you know and keep that going forward I'm already thinking about you
know our anniversary service I've already got plans for it and one thing
you know since you're all here in a Sunday night I'll give you guys the
sneak peek right is that what I because our anniversary Sunday falls before
Labor Day every year right because labor isn't Labor Day on Monday it's on the
same day every year it's like it's like that other holiday that does that which
is is that Mother's Day nobody knew Mother's Day doesn't do that I'm in
trouble Memorial Day yeah you know it's just if Thanksgiving they just fall on
the you know the certain day of the week right well our our Sunday you know our
anniversary Sunday falls before Labor Day so I thought well man you know
everybody's gonna have the day off including a bunch of unsaved people
including a bunch of working-class you know unsaved people in Tucson they're
all going to be at home in their backyards cooking up the carne asada
drilling the wings doing whatever you know they're all gonna be hanging at
home so I thought well that'd be a great way for us to reach them so I'm thinking
let's have a labor for the Lord Day not just Labor Day it's where they call it
Labor Day because nobody and nobody does any work it should be called not Labor
Day you know anti Labor Day we call it lazy day is what they should call it
right vacation day I said well hey let's let's let's go do some work for
the Lord that's what I'm thinking so maybe you might you're probably all
gonna go home and make plans for Labor Day now maybe I should have told you oh
I'm out of town that weekend right I'm thinking hey let's go out you know
early in the let's go out let's meet up at 10 o'clock let's you know and get to
our soul winning assignments by 1030 let's go out to about 1230 I mean that's
two hours right I mean we had what 20 soul winners out today let's say we get
that number up to 24 soul winners by labor for the Lord Day in September
first Monday in September right so divide that in half that's 12 you got
12 teams going out two by two right so now you've got 12 man hours for two
hours you just did a whole day's worth of soul winning you know Paul and Silas
doing that for 24 hours you know you just accomplished that in two hours
because you got 12 teams you know 12 times to 24 right just did a whole day
of soul winning you know in September you know do two and a half hours call
it you know travel time you know but I'm not saying hey let's just do that all
day and I look I'm not against that I'm not and I've been out and I have and
will participate and we'll plan other days you know where we do go soul
winning morning and afternoon but I thought hey have a labor for the Lord
Day you go out in the morning then let's all come back here and have you know a
cornhole tournament and let's have a ping-pong tournament and we'll have the
kids room set up out front and they can have a checkers tournament or whatever
they do right and we'll grill up some whatever will eat so we'll have what
we'll have work and we'll have fellowship and you know it'll come right
after a day of preaching our solemn assembly we'll have all of these things
won't we that's what's gonna make a great congregation that's why I think we
have a great congregation it's not because we're busting you know bursting
at the seams with people but because we're in a church where there's people
that understand we have the power of God that are about participating in the work
of God and that have a balance in the Christian life that's gonna make it
great because when you have this balance you know you you have a good life you go
away glad and merry that's what it says here verse 10 and on the three and
twentieth day of the seventh day of the seventh month he sent the people away
into their tents glad and merry in heart after you know two weeks of this
of them you know leaving their homes and staying in tents and coming down and
and and offering sacrifices and partaking in those sacrifices and
fellowshipping and meeting for the solemn assembly and seeing the power of
God you know after they did all that work and all that fellowship you know
they left they didn't say I'm just exhausted I don't everybody that again
they left glad and merry in heart for the goodness of the Lord that the Lord
had showed unto David and to Solomon Israel his people you know that's that's
when we when we look at all this you know we should see what we should see
the goodness of God that's what I see in this congregation it just makes me want
to praise God when you have a great congregation it should make us glorify
God we understand that we have his power that we're participating and that it's
not just all about work but it's about work and fellowship it's about work and
fun it's about preaching and part it's about all of these things about striking
that balance and that's gonna give you a good and merry heart you know and people
think no no no what's gonna make me happy is if I just don't have to work at
all it will make me happy is if I could just entertain myself 24 hours a day no
it won't that will not make you happy and look that's that's the world we're
living in where people just they just want to you know they want they want to
just you know scroll through you know their social media and just get dopamine
hit after dopamine hit after dopamine hit and your poor little you know
dopamine valve or sack or whatever it is up there is just it's running dry you
know you got to keep getting another hit another hit you keep chasing that
because people just want to be entertained all the time but what they
find out is that that never satisfies you know what satisfies is when you
have work and and play when you have fellowship and participating when you
have when you make a strike a balance that's when you're gonna walk away glad
and merry and heart when you when you got some work done look I I have no
doubt that you know a lot of you are gonna leave here to home leave here
today leave the church tonight feeling glad and merry and heart because you
know you came to a the solemn assembly and then and then I know what you did I
know that works you know I saw what went on today I heard about it you went to
brush fire a whole bunch of you didn't you you went to eat some barbecue you
went ate a bunch of meat right hmm it sounds familiar right I mean you could
have gotten a smoky nose but whatever you know that's your mistake but you
went you had some good barbecue then you went out and served the Lord took them
you know he took the excellency of the power of Christ with you you know and
then he came back for some more fellowship playing ping-pong and hearing
it's more preaching you know it's the power of God it's the preaching and it's
ping-pong how's that for a literated sermon there's two of them right there
ping-pong right but look if you're gonna you know you're already glad you're
already marrying heart what I'm trying to get across tonight is the fact that
you know this is what it takes to have a great congregation and I'm just you know
newsflash you have one you know that's something I try to keep in front of
myself that's what I always remind myself like we have a great church we
have a great congregation you know if I you know if I walk in here and it's the
numbers are down and people are sick or people are gone or whatever you know
it'd be really easy just go hold this you know there's not there's not many
very many people here tonight and just get all down in the mouth about it and
be all sad and have a bad attitude but is that what makes a great congregation
or you know what we should remind ourselves is what makes a great
congregation is what we already have here you know as people that that love
the Lord that have the power of God in their life and want to serve him you
know and have some fun while we're doing it has some fun along the way has some
fellowship that's what it takes to have a great congregation you have to have
people you know check you got to have the power of God check and you got to
have the people participating check you know so I'm looking down the list I'm
thinking you know what praise God you know I'm you know I'm gonna go home glad
and Mary of heart I'm gonna go praising God for what for a great congregation
in Tucson let's go and pray dear Lord again thank you for this great church
that you've given us thank you for the people here that desire to serve you
that that love you that love your word that love lost souls and Lord I prayed
help us to just continue in that Lord to to understand what we have here that
it's not just about a building or but it's it's about the work that you've
given us to do and the friendships that we can form and well I pray that you
would just bless this congregation continue to bless it and help us to
praise and honor you and all that we say think we do asking Christ ain't
amen all right we'll go ahead and sing one more song before we go
Oh