Sermons
A Primary Identifier
Series: The Way Of SalvationA PRIMARY IDENTIFIER
Sermon By Terry Siverd
Cortland Church of Christ / November 24, 2019
All are invited to join with us for THANKSINGING-ON-THE-ROAD this afternoon at Antonine Village.
This is where Alice Jean Stone lives.
Please do your best to be there at four o'clock sharp.
The flyer on the seats has the address, should you need to use your GPS.
After singing for 20 minutes, we plan to visit for a little while and then have supper together at Cracker Barrel.
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Our baptism into Christ Jesus is an important roadmark (hallmark) in our journey with Christ.
Actually our relationship with Jesus often begins long before our baptism.
If we are blessed with Christian parents they begin, from our days of infancy, to point us in the way of salvation.
We learn to hear the Bible and then we learn to read it for ourselves.
In studying the Scriptures we come to fall in love with Jesus and simultaneously to see our own sinfulness
We come to believe that Jesus is The Way (the only Way) of salvation.
That belief blossoms to the point where we decide to repent (turn from our own ways).
Then we make that bold decision to confess our faith in Christ as our Savior and Lord and to be baptized into Him.
But all that we have described above is only the beginning of our life in Christ.
Our baptism highlights a decisive moment when we turn the reins (the reign) over to Jesus.
From that point onward, our walk with Jesus is being constantly shaped by the life and teachings of Jesus.
What He says, we want to hear and heed. What He does, we long to imitate.
We yearn deep down to be like Jesus in mind and heart - - to be permeated with the fragrance of Christ.
Our aim in life is to teach others with both our words and our deeds.
If we speak of Christ Jesus but fail to live like Jesus our words will ring hollow.
A man named Francis (of Assisi) is often attributed for having penned these words:
Preach the gospel at all times, use words if necessary.
Actually this line cannot be found in his written works, but whoever said these words, they are worth pondering.
Of course we cannot truly preach Jesus without appealing to His Words.
On its face, that is a rather preposterous notion.
But, without being overly critical, I think we are all able to grasp the point:
the emphasis of this statement is that OUR EXAMPLE IS SO IMPORTANT in helping to lead others to Jesus.
I think we can all agree without dissent that our LIGHT includes much more than just words.
Remember these words spoken by Jesus (Mt.5:14 & 16) - -
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden...Let your light so shine before
men in such a way that men may see your GOOD WORKS, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Jesus commanded His apostles and disciples to go and teach others.
The New Testament is a repository of instruction about how to be like Jesus.
Thus we often turn to the New Testament to read from ones like Paul & Peter and James & John - -
ones who knew Jesus up close and personal. From them we can read words of wisdom.
From them, we discover how to implement the teaching of Jesus in practical ways.
So in this extended series on The Way Of Salvation, I have turned to the epistles to help guide us.
Generally speaking, the epistles are the letters written by the apostles and these letters have much to offer.
Open your Bibles and let us read once again from Col.3:12-15
As those who have been chosen by God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness
and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as
the Lord forgave you, so also should you. And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; AND BE THANKFUL.
This morning I want to speak about having an attitude of gratitude.
When we speak of a grateful heart we are not talking about a passing fancy on an occasional upbeat day.
What we all need is be in possession of an attitude of gratitude that continues through thick and thin.
A gratitude that only surfaces every once in a while will not serve us well.
What we are seeking is a SENSE OF GRATEFULNESS that is a settled disposition.
What we are after is a state of mind, heart & soul that is: constant & steady and pervasive & all-encompassing.
In Col.3:16-17, Paul expounds on this kind of gratefulness.
Let the word of Christ richly DWELL within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms
and hymns and spiritual songs, SINGING WITH THANKFULNESS in your hearts to God. And WHATEVER YOU DO
in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, GIVING THANKS through Him to God the Father.
In a similar letter and context, Paul is even more direct (Eph.5:20) - - ALWAYS GIVING THANKS FOR ALL THINGS.
Also in Colossians, a few verses removed from Col.3:15-17 is Col.4:2 - -
DEVOTE yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.
Paul says basically the same thing in Philp.4:6 - - be anxious for nothing, but
IN EVERYTHING by prayer and supplication WITH THANKSGIVING, let your requests be made known to God.
I have titled this morning's sermon, A Primary Identifier.
That may seem like a rather strange sermon topic, but I have borrowed it from a quote from John MacArthur.
“A thankful heart is one of the primary identifying characteristics of a believer.”
In some of my reading in prep for this message I met up with an anonymous article titled,
SOME UNUSUAL THINGS FOR WHICH TO BE THANKFUL.
Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire. If you did, what there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know; it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times; during those times you grow.
Be thankful for your own limitations; they give opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for a new challenge; it will build strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes; they will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're weary from work; it means you've make a difference.
Be thankful for the mess after a party; it means you have friends.
Be thankful for the income taxes you pay; it means you are employed.
Be thankful for clothes that fit a little snugly; it means you have plenty to eat.
Be thankful for a shadow while you work; it means you are out in the sunshine.
Be thankful for a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters than need fixing; it mean you have a house.
Be thankful for the spot you find at the end of the parking lot; it means you are capable of walking.
Be thankful for all the complaining you hear about over government; it means we have freedom of speech.
Be thankful for a huge heating bill; it means you are warm.
Be thankful for the lady behind you in church service who sings off key; it means that you can hear.
Be thankful for the piles of laundry and ironing; it means your loved ones are nearby.
Be thankful for the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours; it means that you're alive.
Be thankful for weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day; it means you have been productive.
To some the above may sound like “spinning” . . . putting a good face on a not-so-good circumstance.
Sometimes spinning things might be an act of denial, like a child attempting to justify poor behavior.
With credibility, some might even say that “spinning” is nothing more than a survival mechanism.
If we are able to put a good spin on bad things life would become full of despair.
But there is also a side to “spinning” that is quite spiritual.
Spinning often equates with TRUSTING GOD.
Like in His sermon on the mount when Jesus exhorts His disciples - - Read from Mt.6:25-34.
Another has written, “No matter what our circumstances, we can find a reason to be thankful.” (David Jeremiah).
This quote echoes the words of Paul in Philp.4:11 & 13 - -
I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am in...I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
A few more words and then we will close with a prayer.
We could add the above list of “Unusual Things To Be Thankful For”:
Be thankful that the preacher is not long-winded every Sunday; for such lessens the risk of snoring during church.
In that list spelled out by Jesus that we refer to as “The Beatitudes”, Jesus speaks about things that bring real JOY.
“Blessed” is sometimes translated “Happy”.
“Joy-filled” might be the best translation.
In our culture we almost always say Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas.
Happy Thanksgiving is a couplet that truly belongs together.
Having a heart of thanksgiving really does bring true happiness.
Blessed are the thankful ones for they will be enriched many times over.
Or, in the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “It is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.”
