Sermon – No More Slavery (Zimbabwe 5/15/05)

Sermon – No More Slavery May 15, 2005- Africa


Intro
I want to tell you why I am here today. I mean to present you perfect, without a flaw or a single or shortcoming. This is why I am here:

Col 1:28
We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ…

I want you to be perfect because that is what Jesus wants. Listen to the words of Jesus:

Matt 5:48
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

You may be thinking, “This man wants me to be Perfect. Mister you better wake up and look around you. There is no one perfect here; no one without sin; no one with out errors and mistakes. Man, we are in a drought and the farms are closed. There is no food. All around us is turmoil, hunger, and sickness. People have done evil to us and we have done evil to others. Mister, if you want perfect you better stop preaching, walk out that door, and go someplace else.”

Be Perfect
In spite of all that, I am here to tell you how you can be perfect. First, we need to understand this word perfect. Translations often lose some of their accuracy. The Apostle Paul wrote this word “perfect” in Greek. It meant a perfect of machinery. All the parts of a machine were there and working together perfectly. So when the Bible tells us to be perfect it is telling us to be complete, with all our parts perfectly in place.

The first and most important part to have in place is the salvation gear. As Colossians 1 puts it, to be brought from the dominion of darkness into the kingdom of the Son.

Col 1:13
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Acts tells us how to put the salvation gear in place.


Acts 2:38-39
"Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-for all whom the Lord our God will call."

Repent and be baptized. Be sure you have done those things to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Don’t Stop Now
You could stop there, and honestly many do. But you would be not be perfect or complete. You may enter heaven, but with very little reward to share with Jesus for eternity. Eternity is a long time to go without blessings to bring before the One our souls will long to glorify.

1 Cor 3:12-15
If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.

Four More Gears
We don’t want to narrowly slip into heaven with our tail feathers smoking from the fire of hell. We want to be complete; and we can. In addition to the main gear of salvation, there are four others that make the machine complete so it can work perfectly.

§ Worship (Sunday service, daily prayer, singing)
§ Fellowship (Small group, discussing Christ with brothers and sisters)
§ Disciplines (Bible study, prayer, meditation)
§ Service (Telling others of Christ, loving people)

These five gears make a complete and perfect machine of faith. Are you doing something about each of these gears? Can you honestly look at your life and say you have:

The gear of Salvation?
The gear of Worship?
The gear of Fellowship?
The gear of Discipline?
The gear of Service?

I am not talking about doing all of these perfectly. We all slip up. But are you growing in these five graces? Are you in a better place this year than last? The point of our theme verse, Col 1:28, is that we are to be complete in our growth toward Christ, not that we ourselves are perfect. We are only perfect when the perfection of Jesus is transferred to us. This is no small truth because Jesus is absolutely perfect. Listen:

Col 1:15-20
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him…

And to have His perfection transferred to us is huge. Listen:

Heb 10:14
because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

Jesus has made us perfect.

Col 2:9-10
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.

Friends, this is remarkable. First, the gear of salvation transfers the perfection of Christ to us, then we are made complete when the salvation gear turns the other four gears.

Do you remember the story I told last year about the man who inherited an enormous estate. He had a letter to claim his wealth. On his way to make the claim many evil things happened to him. But, he did not mind because he had the paper and he knew he was already rich.

That is just like us. We have already inherited perfection in heaven. We are wealthy beyond imagination. If you are baptized into Jesus, the deposit is sitting in your account in heaven right now. And it doesn’t have to sit there until you get home. Whenever you call home through prayer and ask Him, God will advance some of your funds to your traveling account so you can use it to make your way through this life. The perfection we have stored up in heaven can be transferred bit-by-bit into our earthly account.

Move Out of the Poorhouse
Why live like a spiritual pauper? You say you are poor and your life a mess, but I tell you, in Christ, you are rich. You have at your disposal more assets than the World can ever imagine.

Why do we worry when we have His peace sitting in our account?
Why to we trust earthly belongings when we have God’s promises in our account?
Why do we get help from witchdoctors and talismans when we have the power of God in our account?
Why do we fear many threats when the King of the universe has deposited His love into our account?

When we fear, we show we have not checked our passbook to know the wealth we own. Do you know which command is most often repeated in the Bible? Here is a hint. It is what the angels said nearly every time they appeared to humans.

It is what Gabriel said to Mary:

Luke 1:30
Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
KJV

It is what the angel of the Lord said to Abraham:

Gen 15:1
15:1 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
"Do not be afraid, Abram.”

What the angel said to Hagar:

Gen 21:17
17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid;

What Moses said to the Israelites:

Ex 14:13
13 Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today.

What Elisha said to his servant when they were surrounded by enemies:

2 Kings 6:16-17
16 "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." 17 And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

What David told Solomon as he transferred the throne:

1 Chron 22:13
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.

What David said when the philistines attacked:

Ps 56:3-4
3 When I am afraid,
I will trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can mortal man do to me?

Ps 27:1
The LORD is my light and my salvation —
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life —
of whom shall I be afraid?

What Jesus said to the Apostles:

Jn 14:[27] Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

What Jesus said to the church:

Rev 1:17 "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. [18] I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

It is what God says to us, the true Israel, today:

Isa 41:8-10
8 "But you, O Israel, my servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen,
you descendants of Abraham my friend,
9 I took you from the ends of the earth,
from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, 'You are my servant';
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isa 41:13-14
13 For I am the LORD, your God,
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.
14 Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob,
O little Israel,
for I myself will help you," declares the LORD,
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

Fear not! It is repeated over 400 times.

Rom 8:15-17
For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ,

1 Peter 3:14-15
"Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened." 15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.

1 John 4:18
18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

If you are complete in Christ, you have no reason for fear. You are rich. You are perfect. With all the suffering and problems in your life you may not feel safe and rich, but I declare to you today that you have all the wealth of the God and Christ in your account. Stop cowering. Stop fearing. Stop worrying. Go and make withdrawals from your account and spend your spiritual inheritance lavishly. Enjoy it. Spread it around. You are no pauper. No human can harm your soul, no demon can torment your life. You have spiritual authority. Jesus has God and you have Jesus. Go live like you know what is in your account and rejoice at your good fortune.

Prayer