Sermon For Sullivan SDA Church

August 19, 2000

Notes

Doing, Not Just Hearing

 

 

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.  James 1:22-24

 

You Must Respond:  The Holy Spirit is Calling You! You Can Not do Nothing!

 

Psalm 39:1     To the chief Musician, [even] to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. 2 I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, [even] from good; and my sorrow was stirred. 3 My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: [then] spake I with my tongue, 4 LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it [is; that] I may know how frail I [am]. (KJV)

 

David said  while I was musing the fire burned

 

Tell the story of Signor Vachi

         The Mill in India Wasn’t doing so good – many details

         Jindal brought Signor Vachi from Taranto to help with the problems

Signor Vachi was from Taranto, Italy. A big man with seemingly all the characteristics of a typical Taranto resident.

         I’ve lived in Taranto – A bad place to develop a Christian Character.

         Italians love their Operatic Music. The three tenors roared in the guest house.

         Mr. Vachi’s side trip to see an orphanage.

         The story of Vachi’s contributions to this orphanage over the years.

         A man who was a “doer of the word” and not just a hearer.

 

Intellectual Christianity: 

 

Paul tells Timothy to “study to show thyself approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

 

Isaiah says “Line upon Line, word upon word, here a little, there a little.”

 

We need to have a sure knowledge of the scriptures and know how to understand what they tell us.

 

However, we don’t need a “Sabbath School Debating Club”

 

Our Christian experience must not be a  “Pride in being a member of a special group”

 

         Isolation into a group so one can set up a “we verses them” mentality      

                  Losing the picture of all the world being our brothers

                  Brothers and sisters needing to know about Jesus and his Salvation.

 

         This was a Pharisee problem!

 

We must not have a “Let the Pastor do it attitude”

 

         I’m not qualified to give “bible studies”

                  Why Not?

                  What have you been doing all these years?

 

         This a general “Secular mind set attitude”

 

Our religion must be more profound than any of these things:  Christ says our religion must be better than the Scribes and Pharisees.

 

Festus said,  Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!

 

But Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”

 

The internalization of Religion: David says, “a broken and contrite heart”

 

 

Ownership: 

 

  A business concept:  The Possom and the Road Painter:

 

         Do you sing with all your heart? Do these songs have deep meaning for you?

 

         What is your concern for other people?

 

 

This is your Church

 

This is your religion:

 

Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus  Rev 14:12

 

This is our God, we have waited for Him, and He will save us!