Welcome to Refinery Life Australia.
Today start a new series titled The Spiritual Struggle for the Renewal of the Church.
We need to cooperate with the Father God, who would prune out those branches, attitudes, ambitions, and actions that are counter productive, so that the church might bear much fruit.
Today we are talking about Renew My Church.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we come to offer our thanks to You for this church, which is our church.
We thank you for what it means to this community and to Your work around the world.
We rejoice now in the opportunity to bring our tithes and offerings to You that the ministry of Your church in this community might be prosperous.
Bless these offerings also to the coming of Your kingdom into the hearts of men and women beyond this community.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
Text
Romans 12:1-2 AMP
Dedicated Service
12 Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.
2 And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].
Scripture Reading
Romans 12:1-6 AMP
Dedicated Service
12 Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.
2 And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].
3 For by the grace [of God] given to me I say to everyone of you not to think more highly of himself [and of his importance and ability] than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has apportioned to each a degree of faith [and a purpose designed for service].
4 For just as in one [physical] body we have many parts, and these parts do not all have the same function or special use,
5 so we, who are many, are [nevertheless just] one body in Christ, and individually [we are] parts one of another [mutually dependent on each other].
6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them accordingly: if [someone has the gift of] prophecy, [let him speak a new message from God to His people] in proportion to the faith possessed
Introduction
The church is struggling for renewal today.
Romans 12 spells out the nature of the struggle, conformity to the world or transformation according to God’s will.
It is the struggle of the Corinthian church between the carnal and the spiritual.
It is the struggle of Laodicea between the cold, the lukewarm, and the hot.
The burning question today is what will we do with the church?
Will we attack it, criticise it, neglect it, or quit it?
Not even Jesus did that, although He saw the churches in deep trouble.
What is our response?
Our prayer should be the prayer of Francis of Assisi when he knelt in the empty and forsaken chapel in San Damiano, “Renew my church!”
If that prayer is to be answered, three truths must be used as steps to the survival of the church.
- Admission that the church is in trouble.
Jesus really only promised those who follow Him three things, they would be incredibly happy, entirely fearless, and always in trouble.
The trouble I’m talking about, relates to the churches effectiveness.
Church leaders could list several areas where the church is in trouble.
- The problem of divisions.
Only Jesus Christ could bring unity between Jews and Gentiles in the early church.
Today the divisions in the church are activists verses pietists, the social gospel verses the personal gospel, and evangelism verses the deeper life.
In each of these cases we need balance.
B. The problem of inconsistency.
There is a gap between what we profess and what we produce.
The Christian life is “the way of life,” yet the way we walk isn’t always consistent with the way we talk.
Christians ought to be leading the way!
C. The problem of irrelevancy.
The outside world says that the church is concerned with programs, not people, and that even the programs are irrelevant.
If the church, possessing salvation and hope, does not witness by life and word, its existence becomes irrelevant.
D. The problem of inability.
We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
We have the power to preserve society and dispel moral darkness, but we fail to use it.
E. The problem of isolation.
Often the church is isolated geographically to a particular place, a building.
It is isolated temporarily to a particular time, Sunday morning.
It is isolated in personnel, limiting responsibility to the Pastor.
We have lost contact with people.
F. The problem of irreverence.
The church lacks reverence for the Lord of the church, for His Word, and for His plans for the church.
In the light of its problems, our prayer is “Renew our church!”
2. Affirmation that there is hope for the church.
God is not finished with the church yet!
There are some powerful Scripture passages that proclaim the victory of the church.
- Matthew 16:18
18 And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades (death) will not overpower it.
This is a promise for the life and victory of the church.
This is the church on the offensive, beating down the strongholds of Satan.
Let the church take heart!
B. Matthew 18:20
20 For where two or three are gathered in My name [meeting together as My followers], I am there among them.”
The Lord Jesus is our hope so we need not despair.
C. Revelation 2 and 3 contain these words.
“He that has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches.”
As long as these words exist, there will be salvation and survival for the church.
D. Revelation 3:20.
20 Behold, I stand at the door [of the church] and continually knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him (restore him), and he with Me.
Let Jesus into His church!
Let Him give us renewal and resurgence!
E. John 12:24.
24 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone [just one grain, never more]. But if it dies, it produces much grain and yields a harvest.
Death is the key to the life of the Christian and the life of the church, death to our will, our goals, our plans, our self existence.
Christ then gives life!
Hunger for new life in the churches growing.
People believe the church is worth saving, and God’s Word says it can be saved.
There is one thing however we must have.
3. Awareness that the time is short.
Time is short because the church is losing spiritual sensitivity.
Time is short because Jesus is coming again.
Time is short because people die without the gospel in their hearts.
Conclusion.
I have hope for the church because our hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ.
As He is, so are we in the world.
The time is now that we are to present ourselves to Him for His usefulness.
If we build the alter, He will send the fire!
Until next time
Stay in the Blessings
I really want to encourage you to be diligent with your Bible study time, because God has so much more for us than we can get from just going to church once or twice a week and hearing someone else talk about the Word.
When you spend time with God, your life will change in amazing ways, because God is a Redeemer.
Theres nothing thats too hard for Him, and He can make you whole, spirit, soul and body!
You’re important to God, and you’re important to us at www.refinerylife.org
When it comes to prayer, we believe that God wants to meet your needs and reveal His promises to you.
So whatever you’re concerned about and need prayer for we want to be here for you! Or even if you just want to say Hi, you can contact us
2021 IS A YEAR OF REFORMATION
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