So I wanted to talk tonight or preach tonight about the subject of prophesying
to begin with but really what is the purpose of prophesying it's to edify the
church and that is the topic tonight the edification of the church and we'll get
into that in a minute but I did want to go over 1st Corinthians 14 and just talk
about this subject of prophesying what it is and what it isn't so it says there
in 1st Corinthians chapter 14 verse 1 follow after charity and desire
spiritual gifts but rather that you may prophesy so of course he's talked
earlier about all these different gifts how there's many different things that
people can do but he's saying that they should desire most of all that they
would prophesy goes on and says for he that spoke speaketh in an unknown tongue
speaketh not unto men but unto God for no man understandeth him howbeit in the
spirit he speaketh mysteries but he that prophesyeth speaketh unto men to
edification and exhortation and to comfort so why is it that they should
desire to prophesy they should desire to prophesy so that he'd speak unto men to
edify and to exhort and to comfort he goes on to verse 4 and says he that
speaketh in an unknown tongue edify it himself but he that prophesy edify ith
the church I would that you all speak with tongues but rather that ye
prophesied again he's putting the emphasis not on tongues but on
prophesying because prophesying is what's going to edify the body of Christ
for greater is he that prophesyeth than he that speaketh with
tongues except he interpret that he may that the church may receive edifying
saying look there's nothing wrong with tongues as long one as somebody
interprets the tongues and then the church is edified and of course this
isn't the thrust of the message but we understand that tongues are not
what modern you know the Pentecostals today would call tongues the babbling
the incoherent speaking but it's very clear in Scripture that tongues are
actually speaking in a foreign language a language that you have not learned and
you see that in Acts and elsewhere we're not going to go into that tonight but
he's saying here what's more important than speaking with tongues is prophesying
and the tongues are only beneficial unless somebody interprets it unless
it's understood by the church what is said because only then is what set what
is said is edifying to the church so the the the the the emphasis that Paul is
putting here 1st Corinthians 14 is the edification of the church so prophesying
here is how he's he is saying that that is to be done he would write he'd rather
people prophesy than speak in tongues now prophesying that's not something
that we that's not a term we use a lot today and a lot of times you know people
say well prophesying is preaching now I will say it is a it is a form of
preaching you know if somebody would be speaking you know the words of God but I
don't think it's the preaching that we mean today I think what that's that's
something different it's not prophesying it's not preaching in the sense that we
would think of it today like what I'm doing right now I would not consider
prophesying and let me explain why that's simply because of the fact and if
you would go over to keep something in 1st Corinthians 14 go over to mark 14
mark 14 prophesying is a foretelling of the future that's what that is and that's
many times in the scripture that's what you see it as simply somebody telling
something that that is about to come to pass I'll remind us of 1st Kings chapter
22 when Ahab convinced Jehoshaphat to go up with them to war and they called for
the prophets and the prophets you know lied to him and Jehoshaphat says to him
is there not a prophet of the Lord besides that mean we may inquire of him
and the king of Israel said on Jehoshaphat there is yet one man Micaiah
the son of Imlah by whom we inquire of the Lord but I hate him for he does not
prophesy good concerning me but evil saying why doesn't he like him because
he prophesies not good but evil so he's going to give us an example of
prophesying in the scripture and that's exactly what my hot Micaiah does he goes
in on in verse 15 so he came to the king and the king said unto him Micaiah shall
we go against Ramoth Gilead to battle or shall we forbear so he's asking him tell
us what we should do what is the future prophesy to us is what he's saying here
and the king said on him and he said and he answered go and prosper for the
Lord shall deliver it into that hand of the king and the course Jehoshaphat knows
better and the king said unto him how many times shall I journey that doth
tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord and saying look
I know who you are I know how you preach and you're saying the exact same thing
as all these other guys I son tells me you're holding back and he said I saw
all Israel scattered upon the hills as sheep having not a shepherd and the Lord
said these have no master let them return every man to his house and peace
he says actually know what if you really want to know what what's gonna happen
you shouldn't go to war you should go back and what was he doing there what
was Micaiah doing for Jehoshaphat he was telling him what was about to come to
pass he was telling him things that had not come to pass or he was prophesying
he was telling the future he was foretelling things prophesying is you
know not only for telling the future but it's also stating that which one could
not otherwise know stating that which one could not other not otherwise know
it's a supernatural thing I'll remind us of Matthew chapter 26 where it says one
of course this is when the Pharisees had taken Christ and and began to mock him
and it says that they spit in his face and buffeted him and others smote him
with the palms of their hands saying prophesy unto us thou Christ who is it
that smote thee they're not saying preach they're not saying get up and tell us a
message they're saying prophesy who is it that smote thee you're saying why
would they ask in that question we'll look in Mark chapter 14 it says in verse
65 and some to began to spit on him and to cover his face and to buffet him so
they put a blindfold on him when they're smacking him and they're saying
prophesy tell us who it is that smote thee how else could he know he had no way
of knowing who it was I'm all being he was God but they didn't they didn't know
that there were they didn't believe that anyway and so they're saying prophesy
tell us something that you could not otherwise know do something super
natural and they're mocking him of course there's an example of this I've
already kind of alluded to it the announcements what the about the you
know this the sign-up sheet Ananias and Sapphira right in Acts chapter 5 a
certain man named Ananias and Sapphira sold the possession and kept back the
part of the price his wife also being privy to it and brought a certain part
and laid it at the Apostles fee okay now he's saying his wife was privy to it
meaning nobody else knew about it but Ananias and Sapphira that the only two
people that knew that they were up to but Peter and Ananias but Peter said
Ananias why has Satan filled thine heart to lie into the ghost that and to keep
back the part of the land whilst there may not was it not thine own and
afterwards it sold was it not in thine power why hast thou conceived this thing
in thine heart and hast thou hast not lied unto God unto men but unto God and of
course Ananias falls down what's and what's Peter doing here he's
prophesying he's telling him something that he you know otherwise would have
no ability to know because he's been giving a supernatural ability to tell
Ananias exactly what's taking place just like Micaiah could tell Jehoshaphat
what was going to come to pass just like the Jews were tempting Christ to do they
wanted them to prophesy now it says here in 1st Corinthians if you would go back
to 1st Corinthians 14 he'd something there go back one chapter 1st Corinthians
chapter 13 Paul said that prophesying would be done away that it would
disappear okay he said in 1st Corinthians chapter 13 verse 9 for we
know in part and we prophesy in part but when that which is perfect has come then
that which is in part shall be done away he's saying look when that which is
perfect has come that which is in part shall be done away now what was in part
the prophesying that's the previous verse in verse 9 for we know in part
there's things that we know we understand and then we prophesy in part
and he says but that which is perfect when that which is complete has come
then that which is in part the prophesying shall be done away now of
course to kind of understand the context here and I've heard different
interpretations of this but I believe what he's referring to here is the Word
of God he's saying look we know in part and what part did they have back then
they had the Old Testament you know this might come as a shock but they didn't
have the New Testament Paul's day right because he hadn't written it yet you
know that was how that's who it came from was them so they knew in part they
had the Old Testament but then they also prophesied in part and that's how you
receive the Old Testament or the New Testament rather and he's saying look
when that which is perfect has come when we've spoken the Word of God when these
epistles have been written when God is done completing his word then that which
is in part prophesying shall be done away so do we have the complete Word of
God today we do so it's prophesied done away I believe that it is because
prophesying as I understand it is not preaching I believe it's something
different now I will say that prophesying serves the same end as
preaching and what was the whole purpose behind prophesying in 1st Corinthians 14
the edification of the local church so today we don't necessarily prophesy
although if you wanted to call it that I wouldn't you know make a big stink about
that but I would just call it preaching because I think prophesying the Bible
is something different but some people say oh he's just talking about preaching
and I see where they're coming from because they both serve the same end to
edify the body in Christ look there in 1st Corinthians chapter 14 verse 3 but
he that prophesy speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort
I mean it's almost verbatim what Paul told Timothy to reprove rebroup and
exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine he that speaketh an unknown
tongue to edify it himself but he that prophesy edify at the church so
prophesying preaching though I don't believe they're the same thing serve the
same end to edify the body of Christ go over to go over to Ephesians chapter 4
actually no I go over to 1st Thessalonians 5 1st Thessalonians 5 1st
Thessalonians 5 the Bible says in Ephesians 4 wherefore he saith when he
ascendeth up on high he led captivity captive it gave a gift gifts unto men
somehow when Christ ascended into heaven it says that he gave gifts unto
men okay and he gave some apostles and he gave some prophets and he gave some
evangelists and some pastors and teachers for what what was the purpose
behind for for what was the purpose of Christ giving these gifts and giving me
these gifts unto man and giving apostles and prophets and evangelists and pastors
and teachers what was the point of that for the perfecting of the Saints for the
work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come
the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God into a perfect man so
the offices of apostle and prophets are just like prophesying do we still have
prophets and apostles in the in the biblical sense the biblical definition
today we have prophets who are the ones that prophesy today we don't now you
could say that a preacher is a type of a prophet and I would agree with you but I
believe there is an actual thing called a prophet in the Old Testament and what
he did was prophesy okay and just like today just like in Paul's day in Christ
Day there were apostles and there was a very select group of people you know
that's a whole nother sermon right there what qualifies an apostle I believe it's
somebody who saw the miracles of Christ and of course believed on Christ and saw
the resurrected Christ as well that was there's a criteria there okay we don't
have those today I don't care what the apostolic Church says none of those
people have seen the risen Christ they're liars okay the awful offices of
the apostles and prophets no longer exist just like prophesying is not
something that we do today just like tongues is something that has gone away
just like certain gifts have seen so of these offices and you say well what's
the point of this what are you getting at what I'm getting at is that you know
it's true that this gift of prophesying has gone away but we still have
preaching going we still have the means by which to edify the body of Christ now
the apostles and the in the prophets they're done away but we still have
teachers and we still have preachers today right to do the same end the
evangelists the pastors and teachers to perfect the body of Saints so here's the
what I'm getting at is that the work has not gotten lighter the load has not
gotten lighter on that which remains it's actually gotten heavier because now
you have less means by which to do it right we don't have the prophesying we
don't have the Apostles anymore we don't have the prophets now it's a smaller
group of people that have been given the exact same work to do and it's it's much
it's a bigger work there's more people that need to be edified today than in
Paul's day that makes that which remains the preachers the teachers the
evangelists all the more important all the more necessary the job of the
edifying of the church still needs to be done are you there in first Thessalonians
chapter 5 look at verse 11 and this is what I want to get at tonight you know
and it doesn't just fall all on the preacher to edify the body he says here
in first Thessalonians 5 verse 11 wherefore comfort yourselves together
and edify one another even as also he do and that's the title of the sermon
tonight that was all introduction right there but edify one another and I went
through all that to explain all that just to lead up to this point that the
the edifying of the body of Christ is something that still has to happen today
we have we don't have more people to do it you know we have less we have less
offices by which to do that it's still a big job and you know what if doesn't
fall all on just the preachers the teachers and the evangelists and the
pastors it also falls on the body itself but the Paul's telling them here edify
one another and that's what I want to encourage everyone in this church to do
to edify one another don't just leave it up to one person to get up and edify you
you know we need to have other people that are capable of edifying the body of
Christ and you know there's different ways in which we could do that but I'm
trying to get at the point here is that it's the job of everyone to edify one
another you know I kind of in this kind of ties in with this morning sermon a
little bit behind the law of kindness you know being long-suffering so on and
so forth I can repreach all that but that would be one way to edify one
another wouldn't it and it's everyone's job to edify one another and I call it a
job because it's it's work that's one thing I've learned in the last you know
however long I've been a year and a half whatever it's been is that getting up
and trying to edify the body of Christ is not always the easiest thing to do to
know what people need to hear know what people should hear you know I we were
talking about this morning you know it's a lot funner to just get up here and
just rip on fags the whole time you know I could do that every Sunday and have
have a grand old time especially with everything that's going on with Ellen
Degenerate right now I mean let me just take a brick I'm just kidding you see
how easily I could just start going off you know mass is coming you know look
out Ellen you degenerate I'm glad she showed up my newsfeed because I got give
me a topic and I would love just go off on that we'd love to just preach about
you know all these different topics and things that people you know we're
entertained by we love we it's good we'd like to hear it but does that always
edify the body is that really what you're gonna need to walk out of here
live a successful Christian life just to hear me rail and rant about Ellen
Degenerate you know we can get together after church if you really really want
believe me I have some thoughts that I would be more than happy to express to
you but that's you know it's it takes work to get up and to actually try to
edify the body to figure out what is it that people really need to hear what is
it gets actually going to help them in the long haul to live the Christian life
it's a job and you know what it's not just my job it's everybody's job look
there in verse 12 he says and beseech you brethren to know them which labor
among you it's hey look what is the labor of them what is it that they're
doing when this laboring it's edifying and who are over in the Lord and
admonish you you know that's the preaching and to esteem them very highly
in love for their works sake I'm not just up you're trying to blow my own
horn blow my own horn or you know get you know you know validate my position
or something like that but I'm just telling you that you know I've come to
learn and have even more respect for the men of God in my life the people that
have preached to me the Word of God the people that have labored among me in the
past the pastor Anderson and others you know that I've since taking on this role
have only more respect for these people because now I understand even more how
hard it really is to know what it is that ought to be preached and to really
edify a body again the positions may be fewer but the job isn't any smaller it's
still a big job there might be no more apostles there might be no more prophets
there might be no more prophesying you know I'm not just gonna get up here and
have the spirit take over and give me some utterance I'm actually gonna have
to get into the Word of God and read it and study it and know it and sit down and
actually type it out and print it out you know not just the words but how the
words are organized what font to use how many spaces so on and so forth so I can
actually read my own sermon and have actually have a coherent you know line
of thought so that would actually will do what edify the body okay that job
isn't easy and the job hasn't gotten any smaller and I'll say this you know is
that preaching is not the only way to edify one another you know we could do
that you don't have to have I'm not the only one in the room that has to do it
you know you got and I'm sure people do that in fact I know people in this
church do that that they go to one another they encourage one another they
have relationships outside of the day they get together outside of church
times and they hang out together and they you know encourage each other in
the Lord and to live for the Lord and so on and so forth and how to you know be a
godly wife and mother how to be a godly man how to be a godly husband and father
people get together and they learn these things not only just from talking
whether but often even just from observing one another you know sometimes
you don't have to try to edify somebody you know you're just living your life
doing the best living for the Lord and somebody's watching you and whether you
even know it or not you're edifying them you're helping them you're building them
up in their own faith just by your example it's not just a preaching that
does it how you live your life can edify people but on the flip side you know in
the same token you can also discourage somebody if you think about it you know
you could also be very discouraging to people that's not the thrust of the
sermon but how you live your life can edify people now go over to Romans
chapter 14 Romans chapter 14 so preaching is not the only way to edify
each other how you live your life will also edify one another Bible says in 1st
Corinthians 10 all things are lawful for me but all things are not expedient he's
saying look there's a lot of things that I can do that you know are not
gonna be sinful they're all they're lawful for me to do but are they
expedient meaning are they you know necessary are they is it something I
should be doing because it's expedient is this actually going to help in any
way shape or form just because you can do something doesn't always necessarily
mean you should all things are lawful lawful for me but all things edify not
you know there's some things we could do that you know the the others in church
could watch us do and we could say well it's not sinful but you know what it
doesn't edify and it's not building us up look here in Romans chapter 14 of
course he goes into talking about you know the eating of meat sacrificed on
two idols and how it would cause some men to stumble to see a man who is
professing Christ then partake of meat that has been sacrificed and a weaker
brother might see that and say well why I thought you were a Christian I thought
you said the Lord God was was the true and living God and now I see you eating
this meat and he's saying look we know an idol is nothing and we know that mean
is nothing yes everybody's saying look all things might be lawful but you know
if that meat is gonna cause my brother to assemble then I shall know eat no
meat while the world standeth look at Romans 14 verse 12 he says this so then
every one of us shall give us an account of himself to God let us not therefore
judge one another and any more but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling
block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way you know one way you could
really edify your brother in Christ is to make sure you're not gonna put a
stumbling block in front of them then you're not gonna do something or say
something or be something that's gonna cause them to stumble and fall out you
say well that's on them that's their fault yeah but some people come into
church and you know everyone starts out as a babe and and and some people you
know think about how a babe learns to walk you mean I've got one that's almost
two years old and she still hasn't let go of the furniture yet you know some
kids are late bloomers right but they don't just stand they're not like
horses you know horses they give birth or giraffes or whatever these for these
quadrupeds right I hope I say that right that are born and just within hours
they're running around galloping you know because they have to because of you
know survival and things like that kids you know are different you know they
take months sometimes even years to learn how to walk right we're not
concerned but but but I'm using as an analogy it's the same way in the
Christian life not every Christian who gets saved and walks into a church like
this it's just gonna hit the ground saying all the right things doing all
the right things reading the Bible there at all the church service doing the soul
winning and just have all the answers and have it all put together and if
we're not careful you know if we if we start to judge them over that or have a
condescending attitude you know we could actually cause that person to stumble
and then he's saying look that's one way to that's one way to edify your
brother it is to not be a stumbling block to them but rather to be a support
he said in verse 14 I know and it persuaded by the Lord Jesus that there
is nothing unclean of itself but to him that esteem if anything to be unclean to
him it is unclean but if thy brother be grieved with thy meat now walkest thou
now walkest thou not charitably destroy him not with thy meat for whom Christ
died say look we know it's nothing we can eat the meat we understand you know
the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof and that an idol is nothing it's
vain it's dumb it's stupid we're just hungry we just want to eat the meat you
know I can go into rainbow donuts at 35th Avenue and and and the what is it
35th Avenue and whatever road it is and walk in and buy 12 dozen donuts and look
right at their stupid little statue their little Buddha with the you know
the donut the half a donut and a six-day old cup of coffee next to it and I can
take that same box of donuts and bring it to church and say hey enjoy because
we know that that stupid you know idol is nothing but you know what if a guy
walked in here and said well was this sacrifice to idols although I don't
think those specific donuts were you know let's pretend they were you know
and he was offended we saw us you know you know a bunch of cream and just you
know going at it you know we what Paul is saying is put the donut down friend
you know put the donuts away if it's gonna cause a person that is weak in the
faith to stumble you know edify your brother that way by not putting a
stumbling block and not giving him an occasion to fall he says here destroy
him not with thy meat for whom Christ died why should we why should we try to
edify the body why should we not cause them to stumble because that same person
is somebody else that Christ died for let near not your your good be evil
spoken of for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and
peace and joy in the Holy Ghost I got some of you second-guessing heaven on
radio yeah it's not meat and drink we're talking about really Corbin right anyway
stupid joke but he goes on in verse 19 let us therefore follow after the things
which make for peace and things wherewith we may edify one another you
know instead of saying get over yourself it's just a donut you know it's just
meat sacrificed on an idol let's put that away and help that brother in
Christ that sister in Christ to grow and to edify them he said in verse 24 meat
destroyeth not the work of God all things indeed are pure but it is evil
for the man who eateth with offense it is good neither to eat flesh nor to
drink wine nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended or is
made weak so again how you live your life will edify the brethren and how you
live your life can also discourage the brethren the things that you do and say
the example you are can make or break some people and you say well that's not
fair that's on them well that's just the way it is because they're weak and if
it's bought you know and he's saying here look if they're offended you know
don't put anything in their way that's gonna cause them to set just be to be to
stumble to be offended or made weak hast thou faith have it to thyself before God
happy is he that condemneth not himself and the thing which he alloweth you know
it'd be better to just take that doughnut and go eat alone you know so
well just let me not see that me doing this you know and enjoy the doughnut and
not condemn yourself and the thing that you allow hopefully you could take the
doughnut example and apply it elsewhere okay you're not just gonna use that one
well he said we could eat doughnuts right and he that doubteth is damned if
he eat but he because he eateth not of faith for whatsoever is not a faith is
sin we then that are strong verse chapter 15 ought to bear the infirmities
of the week it all comes back to that again you know that we that are strong
we that are mature in the Lord we should edify the brought the body we should
edify one another by not putting a stumbling block in their way and if
they're offended by something that we're doing and we say well it's not sinful
but if it's gonna cause them to stumble you know what it'd be better just to set
that aside you know it's lawful but is it expedient is gonna help another grow
or are we gonna condemn ourselves in the thing which we allow and maybe we could
come back to that later when that you know brother or sister in Christ has the
understanding has the maturity has grown to a place where they understand oh now
I see why that is allowed why you can do that why that is lawful you could come
back to it later maybe so he's saying here basically we should act in a way
that will edify one another you know I started out saying you know the
edification of the church is a big job it's hard there's a lot to do and it's
not just all in the preacher it's not just the preachers job to get up now of
course that is his job to get up and edify the body to reprove rebuke and
exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine but we can't say that it's
entirely his job to edify the body the church also has to edify itself in love
we should act in a way that will edify one one another so let me give me some
practical examples very down-to-earth very simple examples how about coming to
church you want to edify your brother in Christ how about show up at the
service I mean like regularly become a fixture in church you know I know I'm
kind of it's Sunday night and I preach into the choir you know maybe I should
have preached it this morning you know where where are the brethren I mean
would be more edifying if there were more and I get it not everybody can be
here people schedules and conflicts and things like that I'm not saying you have
to be here every single time but I am saying you know you should be known as
somebody who's faithful to church why because that will edify the body not
only will the person who shows up be edified by the preaching but just your
presence alone just sitting in a chair and staring at the preacher is gonna
edify your brother your brother in Christ your sister in Christ because
you're there you know and I you know I don't I really don't need it you know to
feel like what I'm doing is important I'll preach to one of you and some of you
know I mean that because I've preached to like two or three of you and I have
preached to one guy before you know and it was I had probably told the story
already up in faith will work north you know I would show up 8 a.m. in the
morning was our service time up there so he can make it back to 1030 service and
down in Tempe so I'm up there eight eight o'clock in the morning and I had a
policy I said if no one's there I'm gonna do the songs the announcements and
then I'm gonna wait 15 minutes to see if anybody shows up and I was in the second
song singing to myself just blah acapella acapella nobody in there in
the thing and the guy walks in and he sees me singing and he looks around and
he's just like and I just smile at him and I just keep right on singing I just
I think I even kind of went like have a seat I just kept right on going went
through the announcement sang another song with him and then preached a
service what I'm saying is this that when you show up to church you know now
would I have been more edified more encouraged and and more excited if we
had a full house that morning yeah sure but I'll edify one person I'm saying
that one way you can edify the body in Christ is to be a part of the body of
Christ to just show up don't think it's just oh you know I don't need it you
know there's probably plenty of people that have grown in their faith that can
that can go without church they don't necessarily have to have church in order
to survive as a Christian that they're still gonna live for God and read their
Bibles and do the soul-winning and praying and everything that are all the
other things that make up the Christian life that they could probably just find
you know indefinitely without church you know you don't need that and you know
you the same spirit which anointing you can teach you all things you not that
any man teach it to you there's nothing you can't learn with the Bible and the
Holy Spirit that I that you know that that I'll teach you you can learn it on
your own that's what I'm trying to say but you know what what it would be
beneficial to the body even if that person who's so mature in their faith
would just show up and just be here and be a part of the church and edify one
another I mean I'm sure everybody in the room feels the same way I'm sure those
those two or three people that I preached to that one night down here
would have preferred to have a room full of people because it feels like man
there's really something going on here now of course there's something going on
either way but doesn't it feel like there's there's more going on when
there's more people involved when you're in a big church when you got a
full house so that's one way you get the church can edify itself by being in
church showing up getting the church Bible says in Hebrews 10 let us hold
fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that promise
and let us consider one another to loved and good works not forsaking the
assembling of ourselves together you know that's a very familiar passage
anytime you talk about church attendance you go to Hebrews chapter 10 and preach
this but it says there consider one another not consider yourself not just
consider well I need to be in church for my sake consider everybody else around
you consider the brethren consider the other people that in your church that
you would edify just by being there then when they see you faithful they say well
he's faithful you know she's faithful I'm gonna be faithful too that would
encourage somebody not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the
manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see
the day approaching so he's saying here you know hold fast the profession of
your faith are we doing that are we edifying about are we holding fast the
profession of our faith or we just kind of hold home about church yeah and I can
make it I'll make it you know but you know and I understand that things come
up but if you're just staying out of church because you're just lazy that's
not good and it's sin and actually it's sinful to do that and that's a whole
another subject in and of itself he said well you know you're just you just you
just want people in church so you could feel like a big shot or something no
that's not it at all that's not it at all the Bible says in Ephesians I'll
just read to you it says husbands love your wives even as Christ loved the
church and gave himself for it you know I think it's important to be in church
because this is the institution that Christ gave himself for that God gave
himself for Christ it says that he might present it to himself a glorious church
I want to be a part of something that God gave himself for and I want that for
other people I think you should be in church because that's what God it says
in Acts chapter 20 God feed the church of God which which he hath purchased
with his own blood I mean think about the price that was paid for church I'm
not just talking about rent I'm talking about the blood of Christ was shed so
that we could get together and edify one another in Christ that was the price
that was paid in order to edify one another here you know get in church how
about this and participate in the program look just showing up is great
just being there in church that's gonna identify people how about participating
in the program and again I'm preaching to the choir here I know that go soul
winning I mean what is this church's program soul winning what else have you
got well we got we got soul winning on Saturday and we got soul winning on a
Sunday you got anything else yeah we got soul winning on Thursday I mean we got
soul winning so any more soul winning and as the church grows and there's more
you know availability and and resources and thing you know what other programs
we're gonna add more soul winning there's gonna be soul winning to the
res trips when they own of the reservations when they own up open up
there's other things that we can do as things open up you know participate in
the program and in case you haven't heard that program is soul winning
that's what we're about and you say well it's hot and those of us that were out
who have been out over the last several weeks you know and even eight months no
it's hot it's hot I mean the hottest July ever recorded in in in Phoenix but
here's the thing I bet if it meant a million bucks you could do it I bet if I
said there's a suitcase here at the million dollars and if you go soul
winning today it's yours yeah I mean you're gonna go out there and feel like
like you're like you're in the Antarctic you're gonna think oh man this weather's
perfect because there's a million bucks now fortunately for me all it takes is a
couple of spottos for you you know if there's a there's a Macedonia waiting
for you it's an Ornan delights you're there right yeah well anyway and you
know what even if you didn't have that I know people in this church would go out
because they love souls then they're willing to do that so participate in the
program of the church and I'm just trying to encourage us today you know to
to to edify one another and these are just some practical ways we can do it
you know it's not just all my job to get up and do the edification now is that a
huge part of my job of course it is I understand that but let's not just get
an attitude of well you know that's that's the preacher's job we should be
conscious and thinking how can I help another brother or sister in Christ what
can I do to encourage them what can I do to help them grow in Christ or be you
know helped them a blessing to them you know and I've watched this happen in
this church and it's been a blessing to me to just sit back you know after
service and see people getting together ladies talking about things guys getting
together and fellowshipping and people are helping one another even outside of
our regular you know service times and that's what is that that's the body
edifying itself so I'm not you know this isn't like a harping sermon like you
need to fix this I just want more of the same you know I just want to see that
continue because that's really important that's something because again it's a
big job that one man can't do on his own it's not this churches are going to
be built just by me just by me being me you know it's gonna take you being you
in Christ and of course it's gonna take the Lord but here's another one I want
to touch on before we wrap this up here and it's gonna be a little bit of a
shorter sermon I think but how about this be willing to preach if needed be
willing to preach if needed you know I recently asked a guy not here I said hey
you know I'm gonna have opportunities coming up to preach in Tucson do you
want to do it yeah I'll do it but you know I only want to do one service at a
time I was like he was like and this is and I'm not trying to bash the guy you
know he came around and saw my perspective but this is an attitude that
I just you know we shouldn't have of this he said I want to just dip my toe
in it and see what it's like I said nobody you need to do a cannonball I
mean you need a you need to belly flop into the preaching I mean you just go
down there both services do the soul-witting you just just you know take
that thing by the horns you know and I would encourage the men in this room as
well you know any of the men in here that desire to preach or have have done
anything you know guys in the preaching class other people have already have
already filled the pulpit before are you ready to do that again because I'm
telling you it's you think that'll never happen and then it does and then I do
have to make that call hey there's a you know there's a wreck on the ten I'm not
gonna be there it's shut down for you know I'm an hour behind now you know or
whatever you know blue have a blowout some kid starts throwing up or who knows
you know any number of things could happen on an hour and a half journey
down here on a Sunday morning the question is are you willing and able and
ready to edify the body or is it just my job only or am I the only one that
should be ready willing and able to do that and you say well I don't know it
just makes me nervous tell me about it you think I'm not I'm nervous you know
I'll just confess my I don't want even say it's a fault but I'll just tell you
right now I'm nervous before every single service down here in case you
couldn't tell you know I get then I get the knots in my guts and you know and I
here's what I tell guys when they ask me about nerves they say well you know what
do you do to stop being nervous I'm like you don't you know I asked pastor
Anderson you know what do you guys say the same question and he was just like
well you got to preach about thousand sermons there's your answer just preach
a thousand sermons and then you'll be more at ease and you know what the more
you preach the more it easy to get but what I've noticed so far is that you
just get used to being nervous you say up there my hands are my palms are
sweaty again my I'm sweating on my brow I'm having a hard time breathing my
diaphragm is constricting I might you know I'm getting tunnel vision I can't
think straight I don't even know what I'm trying to say up here anymore
everyone's staring at me you know the voice shakes so I support I get it right
but that's just part of learning to preach that's just part of going through
it and I don't care how nervous a guy is if you get up and preach the Word of God
you're gonna edify the body because it's not about us it's not about me it's not
about whoever behind the pulpit it's about the Bible preach the word be
instant in season out of season you know if you just preach the Bible the body is
going to be edified that's the best tip I can give any preacher that's that's
what anybody should ever strive to do is just preach the Bible you know and
here's the thing guys think well if I fill in for preaching you know I gotta
just I gotta bring down the house you know I gotta rock everyone's theology
and just blow their minds it's like no you don't just get up and preach what
you know preach some simple sermon I mean I preached about being nice to one
another this morning is that the most profound thing you've ever heard in your
life oh what a what a radical concept to be nice to each other now maybe to
some people it was no I'm just saying look you don't have to you can get up
preach what you know preach something simple you know preach about sin preach
about whatever you know I mean you say well I don't know if I could do that you
know it makes me nervous you know I don't like the idea just you know having
to preach on a moment's notice I want it's I want to know how many days I'm
gonna have look if you're gonna be at if the body is going to edify edify itself
in love if we're gonna edify one another and not just me there's gonna be have to
be guys even in this room that it can stand up and preach a sermon on a
moment's notice meaning you have a sermon written with you ready to go and
you know preferably printed on a piece of paper okay I'm just throwing it out
there have it ready have it in your pocket throw it in the pulpit have it in
your glove box put it somewhere but be ready to edify the body because again
it's not just about you preaching a sermon it's about the body edifying
itself edifying one another I'm just trying to give us some practical ways
that we can do that tonight and say well I don't know I just don't like that I
don't like the idea of just you know you having to call me you should just and me
having to preach all of a sudden well what's worse let me just you know and
I've tried to think of a way to illustrate this and this is the best way
that I know how okay imagine what would be worse at Sunday morning you just
you're you think it's a regular day you're going to church maybe there's
even gonna be some visitors there who knows you think it's gonna be a great
day at church we're gonna preaching so winning and I call hey you know whatever
happened I can't make it down there until later this afternoon or maybe not
at all can you preach for me and then then and I've gotten that call you know
you're like yes and you're not really sure that you can I mean you have a
sermon you're ready to go but you don't really know if you can and as terrible
as that feels imagine walking in here and seeing this and just you sit down
and this is all you see for the rest of the service maybe some of you can still
see me again kind of big but this I mean what's worse you having that being a
little nervous or having an empty pulpit and people walk in well where's the
preacher yeah we haven't got anybody well who's gonna lead the songs I don't
haven't got anybody who's gonna preach the sermon well we don't have anybody
though what are we doing here so be ready you know I'm just trying to
encourage guys to preach if needed so the again edify one another that's the
title of sermon there's some practical ways to do that coming to church
participating in the program being willing to step in where needed you know
with the preaching making friendships praying for one another praise God
that's already happening you know that's something that takes place you know not
everyone can preach you know we read first Corinthians 14 you know the women
were commanded to be in silence so the ladies you know they might even be able
to do a great job at it but it's just forbidden in the in the scripture for
them to get up and preach it's the man's job but hey is that the only way you can
edify somebody no of course not there's other ways you can edify people you know
by by praying for them talking them just beating a friend to people you know
that's a big another big one so let me just end by saying this you know don't
bury your talents use them how are you gonna edify the body tonight use your
talents that God has given you if you have musical ability are you are you
ready to step up or add to the music program if you if you can preach can you
can you hate a sermon ready just in case it's needed you know even if a guy came
and say hey I've got a sermon the Lord's laid something my heart I really want to
preach it I would even make time I would say you will you can preach some
night you know I'm not sure if I'm ready to preach I'd like to get some practice
well why don't you take a service and it won't even be last minute I'll let you
even pick a date you know we won't tell anybody else because we wanted to come
back now just kidding oh that's me but hey don't hide your talents what I'm
saying don't be like that sloth will serve it you know that the Lord gave
everything gave the one guy ten talents gave another guy to gave another guy one
you know the other when he came to receive that which was his you know
they put it to usury and brought him back even more talents except for that
wicked and slothful servant right he was given one talent he just had one thing
he needed to do and he refused to do it and what do you do he buried it and when
the Lord come I love that part of story he says this low the there thou hast
that is thine and he was so lazy he couldn't even bring the one talent he
buried it said you go get it well there thou hast that is thine it's buried he
didn't even want to dig it up and bring it that's how much he didn't want to do
anything for God he said thou art a hard man I was afraid you know what is he's
being slothful and he's full of excuses right but you know that's not good
enough and he said the whole wicked servant you know and he and rebuked him
harshly that's not you know the job of edifying one another falls on all of us
it's not just the preacher's job it's everybody's job and these are just you
know you could probably think of other ways that you could do that you know not
just the preaching filling and preaching or whatever all the things that I've
talked about tonight you could probably even be thinking about another person or
another way or another situation where you can edify the body I mean think
about you know the painting that's going on here that's gonna edify the body
once we get this place painted I think and I think people are gonna look at
that and be hey that was a nice nice thing that is something that that people
are doing that is edifying the body and I'm just using example there's so many
other ways we could probably think of you know but the point being is this is
that God gave you a talent you figure out what it is that you need to do to
edify the body to edify one another because here's the thing if you don't do
what you can do to edify the body it's gonna leave it undone it's gonna leave
the body un edified in that area so again it's not the job of one person we
need to edify one another let's go and pray