FBCWest 406 | Unworthy Slaves
Recorded On: 07/05/2020
Bulletin
FBCWest
July 5, 2020
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him
must worship Him in Spirit and truth.”
“America the Beautiful”
Praise and Worship
SCRIPTURE READING – Isaiah 6:1 - 8
“Good Grace”
“Confidence”
“Lord I Need You”
“Another in the Fire”
Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
OFFERTORY PRAYER
SPECIAL MUSIC – By Pru Hungate
Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“Unworthy Slaves”
PRAYER TIME / Time of Reflection
“Resurrection Power”
THE LORD’S SUPPER
“O How He Loves You and Me”
We do this in Remembrance of Him
“O How He Loves You and Me”
Acknowledgements and Announcements
Benediction “Won’t Stop Now”
Sermon Notes
Luke 17:7 – 10
We just did what you told us to do
Scritpures
Transcript of Service
Today I'm going to take a look at three versus and is my wife just said to me, but in three versus you could take in 1/2 hour so.
I'm not, I'm not promising anything. I'm just telling you.
I'm preaching on 3 verses.
Now.
When God calls us to ministry.
Most people there are a few exceptions, but most people feel inadequate.
They don't feel equipped.
They make excuses.
Moses is in a perfect example. God told Moses that he wanted to do something and Moses said, well I can't talk. I know have this speech impediment.
And you know God's first reaction is who made your mouth.
You gotta problem. I can fix it.
But that didn't seem to placate Moses, and so God said, OK, I'm gonna send your brother Aaron with you. And basically he'll be your mouthpiece. And if you look at the story carefully, you'll see that.
Erin can't get a word in Edgewise because it's always Moses who's talking.
But that's kind of how we kind of start out in ministry. We feel inadequate, we feel.
Up
ill equipped.
In the scriptures tell us that we are.
To whip ourselves that the word of God does that that it equips us for every good work.
And as a result, we tend to not do things for the Kingdom because we make excuses.
Rather than doing with the Lord is called us to do and sometimes.
He let's his kind of wall around, and sometimes he treats us like Jonah and says you're going to do it. Whether you want to or not.
Within there comes a time.
When if you have success.
In Ministry.
There's almost a feeling that you don't need God.
That God is lucky to have you.
Then after all, your International Ministry is such that thousands of people are coming.
To the Lord, because you're such a great speaker.
Or that your ministry is so effective.
Or did your church is so large or whatever that there has that there's this tendency to go the opposite way and say, OK, now I know why God called me 'cause he couldn't do without me.
Both of those extremes are wrong.
God calls.
Those.
Or unqualified.
So that he can show his power in you.
And God wants us always.
To walk with him, humbly.
And so, in these verses, Jesus is going to teach us and remind us.
What are auditude oughta be in ministry?
And so, in Luke Chapter 17, starting with verse 7.
He says this. Which of you having a slave? I want to stop there. This is where it would probably take me half hour.
In our in our culture today, no one likes the word slake. It's it's a word we're not supposed in. Some of the translations.
Well, often change the word slave. The servant 'cause it seems the little less offensive. And because of our culture or background we don't like the word slave.
Let me tell you.
That you are honestly.
You're either a slave of sin.
Are you having purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and had been redeemed and been set free?
But said free to be the Lord Flick.
To do what he has called you to do.
So you can pretend to be free.
But in bad English, you ain't.
You are either a slave to sin.
Or a slave to God.
As Jesus frequently says, you're either with him or you're against them. There is no neutral territory.
And so when Jesus says when you have a slave, what he means is this person doesn't have an option. Is like why quit going to find me a different?
Person to tell me what to do. They are not employees.
As an employee, you can always go in and say I quit now. The circumstances, the consequences of that. Maybe whatever they are. But you have this freedom. The slave cannot go to his master and say I quit.
And so in this, Jesus is going to be very specifically, which of you having a slave plowing or tending sheep? Now I find this interesting because most of the people he's talking to or poor.
They couldn't have a slave if they wanted to. They could afford one.
But he's teaching us something. So which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field? Come in Metally and sit down and eat. He's gone. OK, which of you? If you've got a slave?
When he's done or she's done doing the work that they're supposed to do.
Say OK, OK, you put in your nine to five or Seven to five or whatever you get the rest of the day off. No, he says which of you when you have a say when he comes in and immediately sit down eat. Nope, he says, will you not say to him? Prepare something for me to eat an properly close yourself and serve me while.
I eat and drink.
So not only is a slave to prepare.
The meal for the master East to do it in proper attire.
He's not to come and serve the master with the.
Dirty clothing plowing the field or the smell of sheep as he's tending sheep. He's to clean himself so that he properly served the master.
And afterwards.
You may eat.
And drink so once the Masters.
Needs are fulfilled.
That's when you get to worry about your knee.
Which is very contrary to our culture.
Our culture is God fulfills my needs and after I'm done then God can do whatever he wants to do. But it's all about me.
And Jesus. And no, no. It's the other way around.
Then he says he does not think the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does He?
I tell you to do something. You did it, but I don't need to offer you thanks 'cause you only did what you did. what I told you to do.
You didn't do what I told you to do. Then there would be condemnation.
Not, thanks.
So after seeing this whole thing, he says so you too. So now Jesus is going to say OK when we're talking about human contact and conduct. This is what would happen. So now you too.
When you do all the things which are commanded, you say we are unworthy, slays we have only done that.
Which we ought to have done.
Now.
I'm gonna expand on this a little bit.
What?
Have you done in ministry?
That God didn't tell you to do.
Let's start off with.
Well the love the Lord Our God with all our heart online also long string Oh yeah.
He told us to do that. I know. Love your neighbor as yourself.
No, it does not. Only that he expanded who neighbor is.
OK, I got it. Love our enemy. Jesus taught us to love our enemies and pray for.
OK, I know that's forgive.
Now, even in the prayer he taught us.
Forgive us as we have forgiven others.
He taught.
How many times are we do forgive one person?
And Peter thinking.
I'm going to be magnanimous 7 times, Jesus.
The baseline, the minimum is 70 * 7.
OK, I know.
Will make disciples.
Oh yeah, he said all authority has been given to me both there. There therefore and make disciples.
Teaching it.
Baptizing them.
Doing all the things.
OK, let's go back to love.
Maybe if we loved each other as he loved us.
We set a new commandment I give to you that you love one another, and this commandment is so important. He says people will know that you are my disciples, 'cause you love one another.
The way I have loved you, which meant I gave myself for you.
Well, what else could we come up with?
Will.
What pastor a church?
Well, that's what he called shepherds.
Well, there's deacons. He made us. He made it possible he has told.
What to do? So there is nothing that we can come up with is not that he has already told us to do.
We are.
Unworthy
'cause we only did.
But he told us to do. Now I want to branch off into area.
Are we unworthy slaves?
By that I mean, are we doing the things that he told us to do?
Are we for giving the way he forgave? Are we loving the way he loved?
Are we teaching the way he taught?
Now this isn't.
Focus on anyone person.
But why does the church have such a bad reputation?
In our culture.
Either we have a very bad branding problem.
Or they have not seen us.
They think we're all hypocrites, and we probably all papers.
But they've never seen us.
Love each other because they generally don't come in here.
Which means you need to go out there and show love.
So that they understand that you are like Jesus.
Are we unworthy?
Are we forgiving?
Well, it's my right. They hurt me it's.
How dare they do that?
And as Jesus said, father forgive them, they do not know what.
Well, you know I I prepare for teaching Sunday school.
And I go and I'm all prepared.
And very few or no one shows up.
Lot of people showed up for Jesus and he would comment.
Have I been with you so long you don't know who?
Jesus knows.
That there is frustration in teaching because either the crowd doesn't get it or the crowds not there or the crowd has its own ideas.
But he continued to teach.
And teach.
And teach.
Now Maine.
Vitamin Jesus and thank God I'm not.
I think you should thank God I'm not.
That, uh.
I just seen this Miley Group of.
Sinners and tax collectors and fishermen.
And how they just?
Storms would happen even though he.
Did other miracles and they just didn't get it. He would teach things and they thought other things I could. Maybe I'll find another group.
Let me start over.
But Jesus was patient and teaching.
And you know he knew something.
After his resurrection, everything would change.
His disciples would get.
All the things that he taught would suddenly lock in because their faith was ignited because he rose from the.
So we need to have more patience. The scriptures are always saying to be patient.
Being patient is being patient with other people.
We also need to be.
Endurance long suffering. That means they just keep hanging in there no matter what the circumstances are.
What if?
This church.
What if this path?
Decided to say.
I'm going to be an unworthy, Sir.
I'm going to do everything you've commanded me to do.
I'm not gonna complain. I'm not going to gripe. I'm not going to say I'm tired that somebody else do it, but I'm gonna say God, you are worthy of it and so much more because you redeem me from sin.
Return alive.
You want to rest.
It happen.
Apparently, while you're still breathing and occupying space, God has something for you to do.
Even if it's only to show your neighbor how much you love.
Only have to show your neighbor who's an idiot and makes all kinds of racket that you forgive.
Even if it's only.
To teach that one child.
Or that one idiot adult.
We just never seem to get it.
The one day.
The Holy Spirit will turn a light on.
And I'll get it.
And I think.
If we were a church.
Of unworthy slaves.
Not only would we.
Be here.
On time.
But be here early.
Only to be here early, but hope that Sunday comes after Sunday.
And that you would be pasture.
We gotta meet Monday.
In sending money is not enough. We gotta meet Tuesday and we gotta be when we we gotta just be together because it is awesome to be with the people of God loving the people of God for giving the people of God and expressing just how awesome our God is.
And maybe, just maybe, if we were that kind of church.
Other people would hear about.
And get the idea.
Yeah, we Christians are a bunch of.
Mean.
Hypocritical judgmental.
Do nothing.
But the actually look.
Like the sun.
Because we are to be in his image and there will come a time when we will be.
Change into his image.
And I've said this from early on in my ministry, if that's what I look like at that wall, as Joe Davis. And that's what I'm gonna look like at that wall as Jesus.
When Jesus gets here, there should only be maybe one or two tiles that I got a crossover.
What am I going to make him work so hard? I'd be more like him and more like him and more like him and more like him more like him in more like him.
So that when he comes.
I'm almost just like.
And you're almost just.
And in a moment.
We're going to do the Lord Supper.
Again, nothing you that we thought of on our own.
He took.
Passover.
And took part of what passed over is in the meaning and told us.
To remember him.
Told us that he is the Passover Lamb.
Sacrificed for us.
Then just as the Passover Lamb, the blood placed on the door post in the lentil would cause the Angels have passed over.
That his blood applied to our lives would cause it to pass over and we would be considered, right?
That he is a manner, which is what is it?
That he is the bread of Heaven. To what is it?
That
We consume.
We remember him.
And we don't do this because it was our idea.
He told us.
To do this?
In Remembrance
so even in this.
We're only unworthy.
So my call.
Is not there for you to come down at front.
My call for you.
Easter determined.
What's holding you back?
From doing.
Will you commanded us to do?
Is it?
A sense of.
Inability.
And study the word God to be equipped.
If it is a sense of.
Inability.
But if he called you.
He will give you the power to do it.
Ask Moses.
Ask David.
Ask Dan.
Ask.
Every single person that God has ever called to do anything for him.
That he empowers him today.
And if he's done it for all of those.
And he will do it for you.
And then.
I want us.
To be mindful.
That's the only reason we are special 'cause he called.
But as we minister.
And as we tell people about who he is.
And we love and forgive and teach.
Baptize
that none of those things that happen.
Or because of us?
One last person and I'm going to use him because.
Most of you are old enough to remember this person.
Some of you are getting to the point that you don't.
Name is Billy Graham.
When Billy Graham started his ministry.
He was.
Converted by a person.
Then think that they were all that successful.
And early in Billy Grahams Ministry.
Billy Graham would preach Hellfire and damnation. I mean he.
Let it rock.
The later in his ministry.
And I was fortunate enough.
2.
We at Angel Stadium when he preached.
It wasn't that great of a preacher. I'm sorry.
Basically said.
I love you. I love you. Jesus died for you can be safe.
How's it?
And there would be people who have come down to the counselor.
But there would be thousands of.
With common response.
Not because of what Billy Graham said of what the power of the Holy Spirit did in their lives.
Is he understood that by praying at 1st and getting the churches in the community to pray and to come, that the power of God could be tremendous?
So I think Billy Graham very well understood.
That he was an unworthy.
It was it with God was lucky to have.
Billy Graham I think really understood.
He was lucky to have God.
So are you.
Sorry.
So.
Let's get this.
Doing
work of God.
All God's People said.