OceanSide church of Christ
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THEY THAT TURN MANY TO RIGHTEOUSNESS
Wayne Rodgers
TEXT: And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the
firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and
ever (Daniel 12:3).
THESIS: To encourage all to shine as the wise turning many to
righteousness.
INTRODUCTION:
1.
There is at least one preacher, elder , deacon, or member of the
Lord’s church in the audience that has had some rough times, some difficult
times, times when you were not quite sure if you were going to make it through,
maybe even thought of quitting the church or at the very least quitting
preaching?
2.
We should ask ourselves, “In the face of adversity, what will we
do?” “Will we continue to preach,
to work, and to elders will you continue to
oversee?”
3.
In both good times and the bad, the children of Israel were
admonished by the prophecy of Daniel to remain faithful…to shine as the
brightness of the firmament and as the stars for ever and ever.
4.
Through their actions: namely, teaching the word of God to the
generations to come, to tell of the mighty works that God has done & to now
live faithful lives to God, influencing those around them as a light shining in
darkness.
5.
Today, in the church of our Lord, we are “spiritual Israel” – the
seed of Abraham (Gal.
3:29), and there is great application for us
today.
6.
Consider Paul’s words to the church at
Philippi:
Php
2:12-16 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always
obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out
your own salvation with fear and trembling. (13) For
it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (14) Do
all things without murmurings and disputings: (15)
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke,
in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in
the world; (16)
Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ,
that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
DISCUSSION:
L/S:
Shining as lights
today…
I.
ELDERS WHO TURN MANY TO RIGHTEOUSNESS
A.
The work
of elders.
1.
George Bailey said, “Elders provide the direction and distance of
the church.”
a.
How do they do this?
b.
Wise elders work!
2.
The work of elders is leading.
a.
Elder or Presbyter is the one is older (wiser) in contrast to the
younger and inexperienced; a leader; one who is spiritually
mature.
b.
They give the direction and it’s easy to see, b/c they are
leading.
c.
They can help go the distance, b/c they are
going.
3.
The work of elders is overseeing.
a.
Bishop or overseer according to Thayer: “a man charged with duty of
seeing that things to be done by others are done rightly, like a
curator.”
b.
The idea: one literally “watching over” the work entrusted to him
by God.
4.
The work of elders is watching for the souls of
men.
a.
Pastor or Shepherd is the one who is giving care as a shepherd
would do to the flock.
b.
Jesus is referred to as the “good shepherd” (John
10:1-14).
5.
We can see various uses of the words in Acts
20:28; Eph. 4:11; Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:1; 1 Pet. 5:3-4.
B.
The
POINT: The elders that work are
wise.
1.
These are men qualified to serve in this capacity according to
1
Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9.
2.
As children of God, the elders are to continue their work of
turning many to righteousness in a world of darkness and despair, shining forth
as the sun itself.
3.
We need elders today who will stand in the gap, make up the hedge
and do their work of leading the church.
L/S:
Shining as lights
today…
II.
PREACHERS WHO TURN MANY TO
RIGHTEOUSNESS
A.
The work of preachers.
1.
Brother Tom Holland made the following points in his book, The Work of The Preacher is
Working:
a.
Since the work of the preacher is working, it is important for
God’s preachers to know various aspects of the work they are expected and
exhorted to do. God’s preachers are
to:
a.
1) do the work of the Lord,
b.
2) work with the Lord,
c.
3) work for the Lord,
d.
4) be the workman of whom the Lord is not
ashamed.
b.
I appreciate what is and has been said concerning the preparation
of a man who is going to preach the Gospel. He has to become acquainted with every
aspect of the work of a preacher and prepare himself for the task at
hand.
c.
Implied in the word “work” is the meaning of “activity, labor
expended, lit. “to effect by toil.”
2.
Paul charged Timothy with his parting words, inspired by God: These are the words that we need to
heed, preachers! “Do the work of an
evangelist!”
a.
(1)
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge
the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; (2) Preach the word; be instant in season,
out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. (3) For the time will come when they will
not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to
themselves teachers, having itching ears;
(4) And they shall turn away
their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (5) But watch thou in all things, endure
afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy
ministry. (2
Tim 4:1-5).
b.
To Titus, Paul would say, “in
all things showing thyself an example of good works” (Titus
2:7).
B.
The
POINT: The preachers that work are
wise.
1.
Brethren, of course it goes without saying that there is “office
work” which has to be done, but our computers do not have a soul!
2.
We must understand the value of the soul—that is where our work
is.
3.
There is both office work, but the real work (where it’s all put to
the test) is in the field itself.
a.
John
4:35 [ASV] say
not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh the harvest? behold, I say
unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, that they are white already
unto harvest.
b.
Remember the Great Commission!
4.
We need preachers today who will do the Lord’s work, teaching,
evangelizing and proclaiming, as we go, shining forth the light of God’s
Word.
L/S:
Shining as lights
today…
III.
MEMBERS WHO TURN MANY TO RIGHTEOUSNESS
A.
The work of
members.
1.
The beautiful thing about the church of our Lord is that there is
enough work for all; thereby implying that all have work to
do.
a.
Eph
4:16 From whom the
whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint
supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part,
maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in
love.
b.
Eph
3:21 Unto him be
glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.
Amen.
c.
1Co
12:12 For as the body
is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many,
are one body: so also is Christ.
2.
Verses like these teach us that every member has work to do in the
Lord’s church.
3.
For the congregations to succeed, there must be those who have
turned to righteousness to help in turning others to righteousness—it only seems
logical to me that this is how the work of the Lord continues on through the age
til the Lord returns.
4.
Paul reminded the brethren at Corinth to “be
steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye
know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord”
(1
Cor. 15:58).
B.
The
POINT: The members that work are
wise.
1.
Understanding, of course, that every member of the Lord’s church
has different abilities, talents, specialties, etc.
2.
Some are in the process of training to better themselves at
teaching others (FOM)
3.
Some are able to preach; some do not have that talent, yet are very
involved in the work of preaching the gospel, by their support (prayerfully,
financially, etc.) making themselves available for whatever might be
accomplished in the Lord.
4.
Paul thanked the church at Philippi.
a.
Php
1:5-6 For your
fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; (6) Being confident of this very thing, that
he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus
Christ:
b.
Paul
called this the work of God.
5.
We need members who are serious about doing the Lord’s work, as
they go about their daily tasks shining even as the stars of
heaven.
CONCLUSION:
1.
We have made the point that those that work for the Lord are
wise.
2.
What is wisdom?
A.
Ability
to apply
knowledge or experience or understanding or common sense and insight; the
quality of being prudent and sensible.
B.
Simply put: Taking that which we know to be true and practicing
it.
C.
Let us take what we have learned through this lesson this morning;
if we have a problem being motivated to work in God’s kingdom, then we have a
serious problem.
3.
We have a heart condition (it involves
sin)
4.
And
they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that
turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever
(Dan. 12:3).