The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly – B

Luke 9:49-50

Today, Pastor Jack shares with us what a Christian church is supposed to look like. What makes a church good is when the people know they are loved, and they extend their love through worship, prayer, and fellowship.

We need to break down those walls of division.
Christ did so why not go over there and blow them over with just a breath of air, huh?
Well, how come this church?
This denomination doesn’t fellowship with that denomination and it’s all clicked up in the little groups.
And I believe that offends the heart of God. Acts chapter 2: verse 41. Are you offended yet anybody?
Because here we go. Acts chapter two verse 41.
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized and that day, about 3000 people were added to the church.
Man. That’s a good day. And they continued steadfast in the apostles.
Here it is doctrine and what fellowship and in the breaking of bread and in prayers that is awesome.
Praying, breaking of bread being common with each other. Fellowship and biblical doctrine.
First John chapter one, first John one verse six announces to us if we say that we have fellowship with Him, the Lord and walk in darkness, we lie and the truth against the truth.
But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another in the blood of Jesus Christ, his son cleanses us from all sin.
And then the 3rd thing under this is compassion.
If a church is healthy and strong and loving on God and it’s a good church, it’s going to be a compassionate church towards those in need.
Jesus said in mark 14 7, the poor you will have with you. Always, he was announcing to the believers.
Listen, always, always be sensitive to the poor.
The Old Testament is full of verses that encourage us to minister to the poor and take care of the poor.
In first John 3 17, the Bible says, whoever has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need and shuts up his heart from him.
How can the love of God dwell within you? Is that a strong word? This is pure Bible.
I’m a Christian. Praise the Lord, but I’m not going to talk to the Baptist.
I’m not going to serve with the Calvary chapel people. And you know what?
Look at that guy, look at that poor guy in the church over there. One of our brethren.
You know what that guy should be ashamed of himself. You know what?
Here’s an eye opener in every church that I have ever heard of and churches that my friend pastor and there’s communities, every church from palace verdes.
You think there’d be a person hurting at palace Verde, they can buy anything they want in palace verdes.
There are people in churches who are in need.
You want to know why Jesus makes sure he sends those people, precious people to any and every church the poor you will have with you always.
Why number one is to test our hearts. Are they Christ? Like will we love them? Will we bless them?
And how about this? Is there any way that we can get together and pull them up out of their situation and put them on a course.
A lot of people are down and out because they just need a break. They need love, they need grace.
This is a big deal. Does your church minister compassionately to those in need?
Also, this, this is um a second thought under these. What makes the church good?
Number two is this when the soul is engaged, when the soul of that church is engaged, if you look into its eyes, you’ve already taken its pulse.
But if you look into its eyes, there’s somebody there, there’s a passion for holy living in a, in a church where Jesus is alive.
And I want to make this very clear when I say Holy living, that is a requirement of God.
But please don’t think that Holy Living looks like we sucked on lemons.
We sit in the corner dressed in black and we just hum that’s not what Holy Living means.
I think we’d be shocked if we really saw and realized Holy Living.
Holy living means separated, living to God and what God does, it doesn’t mean we climb up in some tower, you know, and sing hymns all day.
It means you get down from the tower, you get out into the streets and you bless people.
Holy living is radical doesn’t mean I have to wear my hair in a bun.
No, that is all important. Is it passion about Holy Living? Philippians three verse eight.
I’m going to give you a lot of verses Philippians 38 says, yet indeed, also I count all things lost.
Paul said for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that, which is from faith or through faith in Christ, the righteousness of God, which is by faith.
Wow, what a beautiful thing I am.
You are righteous because of your faith in Christ God though you and I may not feel like it.
God says, I declare you righteous. What does that mean?
I see you hidden by my son Jesus every time God looks at you and I who are Christians, God, even though we feel so incredibly unworthy.
God says, I see the righteousness of my son upon you. Is that wild? I don’t feel like it.
I have to, I have to agree with you. I rarely feel like it.
If I, if I ever do feel like it, it’s not what you feel, it’s what you know.
And the Lord says, if you’re in Christ, you’ve been washed clean, it’s called atonement.
You know, it’s called salvation. And some of us can’t get past that.
We want salvation, but we go around kicking ourselves all day long because we’re such a bad Christian.
Why do we think that? Because we feel at things all day long, do we not?
Could I have an amen? We feel at things but this is not his grace.
Awesome and wonderful as we go, as you saw a moment ago, if we confess to him, he’ll, he’ll forgive us of our sins.
None of us live a sinless perfect life. 2nd thing under this is prayer.
There’s an effective prayer life, a church that is alive and a Christian that’s alive wants to live a life dedicated to God.
It’s in their blood, it’s in their DNA. And secondly, they want to pray. Now, look, let’s be honest.
I want to encourage you. Is prayer difficult. Yes. Do we not though?
As believers wake up praying, do we not fall asleep? Praying?
We, we seem to fall asleep praying more than we wake up praying.
But hey, I’d rather have you and I fall asleep praying than listening to, you know, something or whatever. Huh?
You’re talking to God prayer all day long. You’re praying, you’re in the attitude of prayer.
God help me with this project, help me with.
There, there was a man who was doing some work at our house a while back and he was cutting some tile and it was awesome because you can hear he’s got his thing set up and he’s, he’s going.
Ok. Lord. Isn’t that great? What a sweet way to do that.
Ok, Lord, what do you do? What do I do in life? Ok, Lord, get us there. OK?
Lord give the message. Ok? Lord, close this deal. Ok? Lord sell that car or whatever.
It is constantly praying, attitude of prayer.
A church that is alive is dedicated to living for God’s glory and holy living and it is a praying church.
How do we have a praying church?
We if we walk into a building and say, well, I don’t think this, this church is very holy.
I don’t think this church prays enough.
Is God calling you to that church by your witness and by your ministry life to make it a holy church and to make it a praying church.
You know what we do in the 21st century, we go from church to church like a little bumblebee.
Remember bees only live a few days.
We go from church to church and we sample a little bit of this.
A little bit of that. We fly around. We say I like this about that place but not that part.
And those people who do that never grow.
They’re never dependent upon in the body of Christ because they’re never around consistently.
It’s a hit and miss situation with God and listen, they never affect the body of Christ for any good, for any betterment.
Make it better, make this church better find a place that needs help. We need help.
Every church needs help but pray.
The early church, by the way, naturally supernaturally prayed in acts 13 verse one, it says now in the church that was at, at Antioch, there were certain prophets and teachers, Barnabus and Simeon who was called *** and Lucius of Cyrene, a minion who had been brought up with Herod, the te truck and Saul listen verse two as they ministered to the Lord.
Isn’t that an amazing verse and fasted?
The Holy Spirit said separate to me, Paul and Barnabas for the work to which I have called them.
Then having fasted and prayed, they laid hands on them and sent them away.
That’s the model of a healthy, beautiful church and then witnessing there’s a heart and a healthy church to witness.
They want to tell people we can’t be silent when Jesus Christ is loved.
When he’s looked toward and desired, he can’t be quiet about it.
You’re listening to Real Life with Pastor Jack Hibbs, you know, to hear more episodes and maybe catch up in the series, just go to Jack Hibbs dot com.
That’s Jack Hibbs dot com. And for now let’s get back to our teaching once again. Here’s Pastor Jack.
Now, listen, please don’t freak out about this.
If God points his finger upon your heart to stir you up right now about this and we can’t see that happening.
Don’t worry, no one is looking at you.
But would you say that you are a Christian who is alive and these things apply and the church that you attend, whatever that church may be is a church alive because you are actively alive there.
And you do all that.
You can to tell others about Jesus Christ, a witnessing church. Why?
Well, frankly, because God is good, Jesus saves hell’s heart and heavens cool.
Do we tell people?
Luke chapter 10 verse one says, and after these things, the Lord appointed 70 others also and sent them out two by two before his face into every city in the place where he himself was about to go.
Then he said to them, the harvest truly is great but the laborers are few.
Therefore pray that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into the harvest. Go your way.
Behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. I was fine with that verse until that part.
Jesus says, OK, listen, I’m gonna be right behind you.
You guys go first and boy, you’ve got all power. Go do it.
All right, let’s go guys and there’s 70 of them. Let’s go. Come on. All right. And Jesus goes. Yes.
And as you go, I’m sending you out as lambs among wolves.
Well, why don’t you tie a steak around my neck and tell somebody to, you know, sick them or something?
You’re sending us out as lambs among wolves. Did you know that in ministry? As Christians? We’re little, we’re sheep.
But listen, when he sends us out, it’s not that we’re to be sheepish cowardice.
We are to be bold in the Lord because he’s commanded us to go.
And the world out there is difficult and have you not caught on yet? They want to eat us alive.
They won’t eat us alive but they want to eat us alive.
Will that keep us from telling people? Is not there a group heading for France?
Is there not a group heading for Russia? Is there not a group heading for Germany?
He said, yeah, what’s with all these people going internationally? Why don’t we tell people here?
Is there not groups every week going out from this church?
Telling people door to door about the love of God. Why do they do that?
Why would they travel 12 hours on an airplane and try to talk to the French?
Who will not talk to us back? Huh? Why would we be so rudely treated? Why? What’s the reason?
What keeps them going? What drives them Jesus, the love of God? It’s amazing.
It’s awesome. What makes a church good when the spirit is active?
In that church’s life. Jesus said, don’t forbid him. The man is active three things.
Again, I give you under this point. Listen to the heart of the church. It’s beating.
There is a real rhythm beating. I don’t know. Sometimes I, sometimes I wonder you guys this week.
Why, why did the Lord put that on my heart this week and study?
Listen to its heart, the heart of the church. Listen to see if it’s beating, if it’s alive.
I wonder if it came into my mind because what happened last Monday was kind of funny.
You have to have been there.
You’re not going to like this at all, but you have to have seen this.
We have a couple of Yorkshire terriers at home. You know how big those dogs are.
They’re little tiny, tiny things. This one is super tiny and I’m laying down on the, I just lay down on the carpet to stretch out my back.
My back was a little tight.
I lay down on the carpet, I’m stretching my back and this little one jumps up, sits on my chest, then lays down and then puts its head right where my heart is the ear right there.
And I’m laying there and you know, you can hear, you know, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, you know, and the dog and then when it came time to move the dog that I’m trying to move the dog and the dog wanted to keep the ear on my chest.
It’s just like, and I’m dragging the head across my chest to get it off.
And when I looked at the dog, the dog’s eyes were all sleepy like this.
And I’m thinking, I wonder, you know how maybe mommy puppies bonding the heartbeat when they’re little.
I don’t know. The little dog is listening to me, gets all sleepy and gets all gooey.
You know, I’m not gonna want to stay here.
Listen, there’s comfort, there’s compassion, there’s rest, there’s peace.
When a church has a heartbeat and it’s alive, it’s not a building, it’s your life, it’s my life.
You and I, we are the church. What kind of church are we? Then?
Do we go around quenching ministry or do we promote it very quickly?
What makes a church to be active and a heart beating? Number one, it’s strong in biblical doctrine.
Strong in Bible. In First Timothy 4 13, Paul said to Timothy till I come, give all attention to reading exhortation and doctrine.
Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the lane on of hands by the elder ship.
Second Peter one verse 19 says, and so we have the prophetic word that is the word of God confirmed, which you do well to take heed to as a light that shines in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
The Bible gives us life. Matthew 5 18, Jesus said assuredly, I say to you till heaven and earth pass away.
Not one jot or one tittle. That is of the Hebrew language language.
Not one little apostrophe, not one hyphen will pass away till all things of the word of God.
That is all things be fulfilled. That is an amazing thing.
The doctrine, it is the Bible that gives us life.
God said in the Psalms, I’ve sent my word to them and healed them of all their destructions.
Isn’t that amazing and healed them also, not only biblical doctrine but hungry for genuine worship, genuine worship.
Jesus said in John chapter 4 verse 23, that the Father is looking for people to worship him in spirit and in truth.
Now, look, you guys are at first service. You’re in a, you’re a mighty group of people.
You got up early, you came here and uh my goodness, some of these people that led us in worship this morning had to come up from San Diego area.
What time did they get here? Why?
Because you know what we have to worship the Lord, we have to, I don’t mean you have to, we get to but because Jesus is working on our hearts, don’t you have to, you got to worship him or you’re gonna go nuts.
Great genuine worship.
Jesus said in Matthew chapter 28 he said, I give, I give you now all the authority go out into all the world and preach the gospel.
He didn’t give that to angels, you guys, he gave it to us.
Isn’t that radical Matthew 28, 18 – 20.
In acts chapter one, verse eight, Jesus again said, and you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and all of Judea and Samaria to the ends of the earth power.
In Ephesians chapter 5 verse 18 says, do not be drunk with wine in which there is dissipation, but be filled with the spirit, the power of God.
Wow. So that’s the good.
We’re going to go through the bad and the ugly quickly because it’s bad and it’s ugly.
But before we leave this first point here, do I tell you, can you imagine having lived your life or I do not want to live my life and come to the end and having wasted?
But God has given us among those or ministries or whatever that just don’t care about God in his word.
Well, listen, the good. Here’s the bad. What makes a church bad?
And this kind of comes down to what these apostles maybe were starting to have tempt in their hearts.
When is the body or the church bad?
It is this, it’s when the body is dead, you take its pulse and it’s dead.
It’s in love with itself. It’s not in love with God it is dead because it’s in love with self.
It is a church that is in a closed its doors to anything outside its world. It is dead.
How do we know? Because it is self centered, self focused, self loved. It’s a dead church.
Secondly, it doesn’t have any fellowship.
It doesn’t, it doesn’t venture out a church that is dead has created its little group.
In fact, it’s on the verge if not already of becoming a cult or a Christian type cult.
Look, it’s all about us. We don’t, we don’t, we’re not with anybody else. It’s our thing.
It’s to their glory, it’s to their name, it’s to their promotion.
And by the way, we don’t fellowship with anybody Jesus or excuse me, Paul said in Ephesians 41, I beseech you.
That’s the word begging. I beg of you.
Therefore to walk worthy of the calling, which you were called with all loneliness and gentleness, with long suffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace.
I need to say something about that.
We need to keep the Bible says the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace. Unity. Church.
We’re hearing a lot about unity all around the world.
Unity watch out because the world, you guys, the world doesn’t have the same definition of words that God has.
In fact, again, Ushers barred the doors. Would you?
We are finally now waking up to this tragic scene as a nation in the name of tolerance with a different definition under it.
This nation has gone to sleep and is in grave danger because we took a word that is a beautiful word and perverted it and made it really a terrible thing.
Pastor and bible teacher Jack Hibbs here on real life radio with his message called the Good, the bad and the ugly.
Thanks for being with us today.
You know, this message is part of Pastor Jack’s series called The Gospel of Luke.
It’s a series on the book of Luke and the unveiling of Jesus Christ to this world.
And we’ll continue on the next edition of Real Life Radio.
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Now, a special time with the Lord to both talk to him and listen to him is a great thing to read a verse from scripture.
Let God know what it means to you.
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