The Lord’s Day Requires the Lord’s Strength

As I prepare to preach today, I must admit, I’m nervous. If I am honest, I’m nervous every Sunday. I think, though, that this is a good thing. It reminds me that I can’t depend on me, and I must depend on the Holy Spirit. I say this because I don’t want to toot my own horn, but I know that, across this nation (and, indeed, the world), men are preparing, as I am, to proclaim and preach the Gospel. There’s a problem though; while many are in the same boat I am (preparing to preach in the Spirit and not in their own strength), thousands of preachers are dead men behind pulpits preaching to dead people in pews. I do not say this lightly. I say this because people want to depend on knowledge, their own personal charisma, personality, presentation, and more. They are not preaching the Gospel, about sin and Jesus’ plan to rescue us from it, about repentance and New Life. And thousands, if not more, do not desire to hear the Gospel, they want to hear affirmations, back pats, and encouragements.

Loved ones, are we being transformed daily by Jesus Christ? Is the power of the Cross, and the blood of Christ over our lives? Are we walking in our own steam or are we seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness? Beloved, even as I write this, tears are forming in my eyes because too many people are going to church with concerns only for the here and now: “will the music be to my liking?” “will the air conditioning work today?” “will the preacher be wearing a suit and tie?” “I hope it doesn’t go over, I don’t want to be late for lunch/the game.”  Often, I am distracted by the hear and now. Too often, I’m concerned with the things of man, as opposed to the things of God. I let the temporal cloud the eternal when it is eternity with Christ that should be at the forefront of my mind! Lord, forgive me! Help me, not only to preach, but to think, act, walk, seek, and all other actions in Your strength!

Christian, how are you walking? What are you concerned with? Whose strength are you relying on? My prayer is that Christ wakes us all up from our dead stupor, and that we may walk, always in His strength, beginning this Lord’s Day.

Philippians 2

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.