Rock or Sand - 2

I.Introduction

A.Previous Sermon – Rock Solid – Building a Foundation for Life

  1. Jesus Sermon on the Mount – Mat. 7:24-27 – Two Builders
  2. Three Building Blocks
  1. Reality in Jesus – Building a Relationship with Him
  2. Stability in Jesus – Provides Comfort and Security
  3. Eternity in Jesus – We are built forever – Our Choice where we will be forever.
B.Ended with a promised discussion regarding LTC – Leadership Training for Christ
  1. LTC which is national in scope, run independently in regions.
  1. Some regions may run in a scriptural manner.
  2. Kansas City LTC is not being built on the solid Foundation of Christ.
  1. Series prompted for three reasons:
  1. The concern of others and myself regarding LTC.
  2. A need to establish scriptural fundamentals.
  3. A desire to present ourselves as pure and Holy to God.
  1. Today, we will begin a Series on the Fundamentals of our Faith
  1. I care very much for our youth.
  2. I really appreciated the efforts they put in to last year’s LTC.
  3. I appreciate the parents desire to engage the youth of this congregation.
  4. It is sad that those in control of LTC have to bring in sinful aspects and ruin it.
  5. Aim is to convince you to do something different this one weekend. 12- other activities Ex. PTP.

II.Establishing a Concern Over LTC

  1. Spiritual Activities the Church has authority to be engaged in are:
  1. Evangelism - Recruiting
  2. Edification – Training
  3. Benevolence – Caring for our own
  4. It is my contention that the Kansas City LTC has failed in all of these areas.
  1. Rom 10:2 - For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
  2. I do not question the motive or spirit of those involved, but I do question their lack of truth.
  3. John 4:24 – “They that worship Him must worship in Spirit and Truth”

B.Establishing a Record of Concern – Finding Facts

  1. I have been to and observed LTC
  2. I have spoken to board members of LTC
  3. I have spoken to a number of the churches involved in LTC
  4. I have spoken to a number of the churches who are familiar with the Churches who attend LTC
  5. I have spoken to past members and folks within our own church and community.

C.So What’s the Big Deal?

  1. First aspects of the programs of LTC
  1. Clapping
  2. Swaying
  3. Whooping
  4. Waving of “holy hands”
  5. Drama
  6. Engagement in enactment of a Denom. Worship Program meant to “praise” God and entertain

  1. The Leadership of LTC
  1. I have spoken to 3 of the 7 board members
  2. One member had no problem with denominational worship and hand clapping, waving, swaying.
  3. 2nd member openly supported female leadership in worship, instrumental music in worship, hand clapping.
  4. 3rd does not agree with our understanding of silence of the scriptures, our understanding of Bible Authority, believes clapping, dancing, waving of hands, swaying are acceptable.
  5. Leadership!Same kind of leadership brought about Golden Calf. High Places of Jeroboam.
  • Reason more changes were not brought about was fear of losing churches. Numbers game. Not salvation Concern.
  • Mat. 15:13-14
  1. Member Churches of LTC – I called and researched a number of them.
  1. The ministers, youth leaders, or staff I talked to supported:

  • Instrumental music worship
  • Praise teams
  • Mik’ing singers
  • Clapping
  • Spirit Led Worship
  • Waving of holy hands
  • Swaying
  • Dancing
  • Female leadership in the worship
  • Use of Denominational literature for teaching
  • MDR
  • Ecumenical Activities

  • If these activities were not in their worship, they were teaching the youth these concepts.
  1. Churches not participating
  1. Have interacted with these churches to correct their error in doctrine.
  2. The offending churches have not turned back.
  3. The program of LTC and the churches involved are labeled as Liberal.
  4. Our congregation has been labeled liberal.
  5. We as individuals are labeled for our apparent approval of false teachings/Worship.
  1. Folks within our own community and church
  1. Have identified us as a liberal group
  2. Have identified our past troubles with clapping and swaying and hand raising
  3. Some do not see a problem at all with the things I have mentioned.
  4. Past preachers from here are teaching that instrumental music is ok.

III.Personal Concerns?

A.Some may be worried speaking about this will cause division
  1. The Gospel is Polarizing
  2. That there is a problem has been identified in the past
  3. There are brothers and sisters here concerned about the problem.
  4. Christ knew the truth would divide mankind
  1. Luk 12:51-53 Think ye that I am come to give peace in the earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: for there shall be from henceforth five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. They shall be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother; mother in law against her daughter in law, and daughter in law against her mother in law.
  1. The division the Bible condemns is that from False Doctrine.
  1. Rom. 16:17-18
  1. Gal 4:16 - So then am I become your enemy, by telling you the truth?

IV.Tackling the Problem

  1. Engage in a Series of Lessons on the Fundamentals of our Faith – Throughout the Year
  1. Fellowship
  2. Bible Authority
  3. Silence of the Scriptures
  4. Instrumental Music
  5. Clapping
  6. Holy Hands
  7. The Role of Women in Worship
  8. The Holy Spirit
  9. Etc. Other Fundamental Concepts Taught by the Bible
  1. Today – Establish a Standard for Examining These Issues
  1. There is a standard to determine what is right and what is wrong.
  1. There is a standard to determine how to approach LTC.
  1. We have to agree on a standard if we are to be faithful Christians

a.Rom 3:1-6 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, "That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged." But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) By no means! For then how could God judge the world?

b.The Standard is the Word of God!

  1. Does God give guidance through the Popular Opinion of the World?
  1. Mat 7:13-14 - "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
  2. NO!
  1. What if a Solid Preacher leaves for something more Popular? Larger numbers of members because of Praise Bands, Instrumental Music, and Spirit Led Worship?
  1. Is His trust in man or God?
  1. If I had my way, I would find scripture to make the practice of the LTC churches acceptable.
  1. If I did so, I would be following man and perverting the scripture.

C.Accepting the Standard

  1. We must believe the Bible is from God.
  2. We must believe we can understand it.
  3. We must believe we can understand it alike.

a. 2 Cor. 4:3-4

V.There are Many who Call Themselves the Church of Christ

A.Have Created Confusion of Christians

  1. Maybe these folks understand something I don’t.
  2. How can I be sure that I am right?
  3. We claim we have the truth
  1. Should we change what we are doing?
  2. Is it us? Are we wrong?

4.Do you Trust the Book?

  1. How much do you trust the book?– Enough to change one weekend of your life?

B.Basics
  1. Things we know we are not wrong about:
  1. This is the Word of God
  • Mat. 1:18-23 (Is. 7:14) Prophecy
  • Mat. 2:1-6; Mt. 2:17-18 Prophecy
  1. 2 Tim. 3:16
  • This takes us to the next level
  • Ecumenical folks give us a book they think we cannot understand

-Book is subject to interpretation - Thus, we are all O.K. in our beliefs.

-I Cor. 14:33, I Cor. 1:10, Gal. 1:6

  • We have famous preachers who went from the Truth – Lucado, Shelley

-Own words they became acquainted with Denominational preachers.

-They asked, how could such good people not be saved?

-We are asking the same thing with LTC… How could such good people not be right/saved?

c.Trust in the Bible

  • Trust in it more than anybody else.
  • Trust in it more than yourself.

C.False Teachers Sowing False Doubts

  1. “How do you know you are right?”
  2. “You are arrogant to stand on doctrine as if you cannot be wrong.”
  3. They Twist and Turn the truth.
  4. We are not trusting in ourselves, but in God.

5. True Humility is trusting in God and not us.

  1. We Trust in His Book.
  2. The Bible is the Standard

D.Standing for the Truth

  1. Sometimes I don’t want to stand for what I need to stand for
  2. Jeremiah 10:23
  3. Prov. 14:12
  4. I must put me aside. My desires, my emotions, my fears.
  5. Go back to the Book and Follow it.

VI.Conclusion:

  1. I don’t know why you are here.
  1. Are you here because of family? Friends? Events?
  2. Are you here to be identified with a group follow a trustworthy standard?
  1. We are Going to Spend a lot of Time this year Examining our Foundation.
  1. Are we building in on Rock or Sand?
  2. Using the correct Standard we are going to make certain we end up on Rock.
  3. Eph 6:16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
  4. This is how we are going to deal with Doubt and falsehood. We are going to use our Faith in God’s Word to Overcome.