As you probably know, there are two ways to read the Bible. One way is to read it for information and inspiration, to take what it says and use the information to live a better life. The other way is to make up our minds what we want it to say, then go looking for scriptures that will back up our point.

The first way, reading for information and inspiration, is the proper use of scripture. It is one of the ways God speaks to us. The second way, reading to make a point, is the wrong way to read the Bible.

Unfortunately, most preachers are guilty of the second method, that is, deciding what they want to say and searching the scriptures to back it up. It is the wrong way to read scripture because while we are looking for scripture that makes our case, we are ignoring those verses that make the opposite point.

For example, I have read essays by our church founders that prove without a doubt that baptism must be accomplished by total immersion. They use real scripture verses to make their point. We are buried with Christ in baptism, thus sharing in His death. In this corner, we will ignore that the body of Christ was never buried, but rather was placed in a cave.

I have also read essays by preachers and theologians that make the opposite point. Those essays are equally convincing that baptism involves pouring – as when the spirit is poured out upon us – or sprinkling – as when we are cleansed by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ.

You’ll find similar arguments throughout church history about communion — some churches are convinced that it must be celebrated at every service, and just as many are convinced that it deserves special occasion treatment. Some churches say it is for all believers, while others reserve it for those with just the right membership, age, or spiritual status.

It goes on and on. Is Christ so strong that once saved, we can never escape salvation, or are we so free that we can walk away at any time? Is the blood of Christ so pure that it can forgive every sin – past, present and future – or is God so holy that we must live pure lives, free of sin and filled with good works? Is every word of scripture an historical fact, or is it a divine alegory that can only be understood by the Holy Spirit? Do all people have equal access to the Holy Spirit, or has God uniquely gifted certain individuals to lead His church? Does the church need restoration to its original New Testament state, or does it need to change with the times to draw more people into faith? Did God’s inspired protection end with the King James editors, or did it also fall on the committee that brought us the New International Version?

These are the very reasons that we have so many denominations. Within the church of God, these debates cause some groups to consider themselves the one true church and all others heretics. We can get very serious about our theology. After all, we don’t want to offend our Lord, do we? I mean, we all want to be the very best Christians we can be. But while we debate the details of our faith, all the outside world sees is a fight.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus said, “If you love one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples.” It looks like the church has spent the last 2000 years looking for excuses to separate. That is why Tropical Sands Church looks for ways to break down the walls between churches. At our Saturday Night Log Cabin worship and our monthly Sunday Night Coffee House, we set aside our differences and encourage worshippers from all denominations.

In our own history, our founders split from the Presbyterians, then joined and split from the Baptists, then split itself into three churches : The Churches of Christ, the Christian Church/Disciples of Christ and the Christian Churches. The Churches of Christ then split into a capella and instrumental branches. So a church founded 200 years on the concept that there are no denominations is now no less than five denominations.

Christ told the early church to go into all the world and preach the gospel. That church was concentrated in Jerusalem, until persecution sent them running in all directions. The persecution that was meant to destroy the church instead served God’s purpose of spreading the Gospel.

In one missionary journey, the apostle Paul split with Barnabas over whether Mark should be with them. In doing so, the gospel spread in two directions instead of one. Again, something bad, in this case, an argument between friends, served God’s purpose, to spread the Gospel to all the world.

I think our church splits have served much the same purpose throughout history, and will continue to do so. If you are looking for a church that follows Jesus Christ, you can have as much or as little ceremony as you like, just by choosing one church or another. You can find a church with screaming electric guitars, or one that has no musical instruments whatsoever. You can worship in silence, or you can shout amen with every breath, just by choosing one church or another.

The church may have divided for all the wrong reasons, but those divisions might still serve God’s purpose, today as in the book of Acts. We have not only preached the gospel to all nations, but to every mindset, age group and cultural divide. The fractured church does something that one denomination alone could never accomplish. The fractured church takes the message of one God and one Lord to all corners of our fractured society.

Our scripture from Hebrews tells us to continue meeting together, in order to encourage one another in love and good works. We do not attend church only to be fed, but also to feed one another. We sometimes feel like we are here to be encouraged by the preacher and inspired by the choir. But our scripture says we are here to encourage one another.

Peter said that scripture is not a matter of personal interpretation. My ideas about what the Bible says are one perspective, but your ideas are also valid. When we share these ideas, even if we disagree on the details, we both have a broader perspective on God’s word. How many times has someone made a point about prayer, or worship, or witnessing, and we say, “Well, I never thought about it that way.” That is how we grow in understanding. That growth cannot occur in a vacuum. We need one another.

This church thing is not supposed to be a purchase, but an investment. As a purchase, we deliver long speeches, entertainment and newsletters, and you buy those things by dropping money in the collection plate. In an investment, you give your time and talent, and yes, some of your money, to make the church stronger. And, since you are a part of the church, making it stronger makes you stronger, too.

I know people who say they are Christians, but they do not go to church. It is true that going to church does not make us Christians. But it is also true that Christ wants us to join with other Christians to work for His kingdom.

People say, “I don’t go to church because it is full of hypocrites.” To that I say, “But if you go to church and take your friends, it will be filled with people like you.” People say, “I don’t go to church because I don’t agree with the preacher.” To that I say, “Then you better get in there and set him straight.” People say, “I don’t go to church because the people are so judgmental.” To that I say, “You should go to church and set a better example.”

In the Kairos prison ministry, people often shout, “Who is the church?” To that, all the inmates respond, “We are the church!” The church is people, not a building. A church can meet in a home, a sanctuary, a tent or an open field. But this much is certain, a church is not a church if it does not meet. A church is not a church if it is not people working and worshipping together. One person is a part of the body of Christ, but no one alone is Christ Himself.

The church needs you. We need you at worship, and in the men’s group, and in the women’s group, and in Sunday school. We need your perspective, but we don’t have it if you don’t show up.

A person does not have to come to this church, but every Christian needs a church. If you have more than one church, that’s ok if you are really part of several churches. And if you cannot go to church, if you are truly too tired or too sick to attend, the church can come to you. But to that, I have to ask: Who is the Church? [We are the church!]

So, every sermon should include a call to action. Mine has three parts. One, come to church. Be a part of the church. I used to wonder what I would do or say when visiting the sick or those in mourning. Jim Burton taught me that ours is a ministry of presence; the important thing is to show up, and God will do the rest. Part of your ministry to God’s church is a ministry of presence. The church is not whole when you don’t attend.

Two, encourage others to attend church. You have this church to offer, but if that does not work for them, encourage them to attend some other church. There is no such thing as a lone wolf Christian. Every Christian needs to be a part of a church.

Third, BE the church. Who is the church? [WE are the church!] You are our missionaries to the world. You are our outreach to those who cannot attend. If the job of “being church” falls on the pastor, the pastor gets stretched pretty thin.

We can’t run the race if we don’t make it to the starting line. We can’t run the race if we aren’t on the track. Church is a fundamental need of every Christian, and every Christian is a vital element of the church. Please don’t let our differences hide our common goal, to serve God under the lordship of His Son, Jesus Christ. The church needs us, and we need the church.

Part of your ministry is a ministry of presence. You must be present to win.

Tropical Sands Christian Church – August 17, 2003

Are you thoroughly convinced of the historical and spiritual existence of Jesus Christ? For some, that’s the definition of faith and a prerequisite to claiming the title “Christian”. And yet, the scripture makes clear that you can doubt and still be Christian — or believe without doubt, and still be lost.

“You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder,” James wrote. “But are you willing to recognize … that faith without works is useless?” (NASB)

Ah, but what of works without faith? That depends on the works, and the motive. In the gospel of John, Jesus said, “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” He also said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

Do you have a New Testament? Then you have the the commandments of Jesus: to love your neighbor as yourself, to follow Christ whole-heartedly, to share His gospel, to avoid worry, to swear by nothing … all in all, a fairly clear set of directions. You can believe with all your might, to the point of passing a lie-detector test, and yet if you fail to keep His commandments, you’re lost.

Jesus says here that IF you love Him, you will keep His commandments. He also says that IF you keep His commandments, he will disclose Himself to you.

Jesus told us that many “believers” will not make it into the Kingdom of Heaven. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you…'”

He must have known that we would turn things upside down. Too many of us see John 3:16 as a shortcut: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” If we accept that as true, then we must accept the rest of John’s gospel as well.

Christ said that if we follow His commandments, He will disclose Himself to us. Faith comes through following, if not vice-versa. So if you have trouble believing, I say give up on trying to convince yourself. Focus instead on obedience to His commandments, and belief will follow.

You don’t have to know every detail about Jesus. Maybe you’ve felt His spiritual presence, or maybe you’re interested in His historical existence. Maybe you admire His philosophy and way of life. Any of these can serve as your mustard seed of faith, because they can inspire you to learn and follow the commandments of Jesus.

I invite you to study every word attributed to Jesus in the New Testament. That’s where you will find His commandments. I don’t care if you love the Man, the Spirit, the Book or just the Idea of Christ; follow those commandments and He will disclose Himself to you. Follow those commandments, and Jesus will call it love.

We will not be judged on our level of faith, or our level of doubt. We will not be judged on the possession of spiritual gifts or spiritual power. We will be judged rather on our love for Christ, and He measures that love by our obedience. His commandments are readily available for everyone to read.

His yoke is easy and His burden light, for those commandments are filled with love, compassion, kindness and hope. Learn them, follow them, and you will be blessed — believe it or not!

Some of you know that this is an unscheduled appearance. Brother Jim is alive and well, at least, I think he is. He’s in the cabin with our Youth church. When we realized that I couldn’t play bass here and have church there, I graciously volunteered to let him take the youth group. I think he knows as well as I do that I got the better part of that deal.

Whenever I get to speak on Memorial Day weekend, I use at least part of today’s scripture. It’s John’s account of Christ teaching at the last supper, and it is essential reading for every Christian. Let us hear the word of the Lord:

John 15:11-17

On Memorial Day weekend, we remember those who gave their lives for us in defense of our freedom. Sadly, we have far more fallen heroes today than we had even last Memorial Day.

Those we have lost, soldiers and pilots, police and rescue workers, shared one trait with our very Lord and Savior Himself: They gave their lives for both friends and strangers. Greater love has no one than this.

It is interesting to look at the original language on John 15:12 — Greater Love has no one than this, and we read it, that he give his life for his friends. But another way to read the Greek, and maybe a more literal reading, says that anyone should put his living spirit over his friends. That’s spirit the sense of an animal spirit, i.e., his LIFE.

You know, we don’t have to worry about what this or that version of the Bible says. The original Greek New Testament is what it is and anyone can look back over it. But notice the nuance of that. To GIVE one’s life implies death. Certainly, we aren’t surprised to think Jesus said that at the Last Supper. But what does it mean to cover your friends with your life spirit? It might mean giving your life FOR your friends, or it might mean giving your life TO your friends, in love and service. Jesus certainly did that too, didn’t he?

I think it’s very western of us to always be looking for the big play, that Hail Mary pass that will make our lives count. Sometimes we’re hot dogs going for the home run when we should be team players bunting for a base hit.

You might have heard of Legion, the gaggle of demons that possessed a gentile in the new testament. The man lived in the graveyard and could not be chained, until Jesus cured him. The man wanted to give up everything and follow Jesus, but Jesus told him to stay back and tell his friends what God had done for him. His assignment was to give his life to his family and friends, to be a living testimony to God.

It can be difficult to know what God wants us to do. Jesus tells this one to sell everything and follow Him, but He tells that one to go on with their lives. Is there some overriding principle that can reconcile those seemingly different instructions?

Yes, there is. One translation calls it, “The Core Commandment.” In our scripture, Christ says of it, “This is My Commandment.” And what is it? “That you love one another.” He says that over and over. I hammer that same point time after time. I don’t dare ignore it.

Let me tell you a sad story of two churches. Now these churches have nothing to do with other, but they are both Disciples of Christ churches, just like us. I think we can learn from these churches.

Now one church was doing okay until the pastor went to the National Assembly. Now as a denomination looks for direction, it test flies all kinds of ideas, and at the National Assembly, committees read their reports to see how they fly with the churches.

Well, as you can imagine, one committee raised certain lifestyle and racial issues in connection with a move for church unity among several denominations. As pastors sometimes do, this pastor disagreed with the conclusions of this committee, and could not endorse their activities with the home church.

Now that should have been the end of it. As Disciples of Christ, we are free to disagree with the home office, and with each other. But when this pastor reported back to his congregation, his over-sized staff split into camps of “accept the national assembly’s recommendations” vs. “fight this thing at any cost.”

In the end, some three associate pastors left the church. With their families, they made up half the congregation. Now they were all good people, and they all had strong Christian convictions, but they just couldn’t agree to disagree. Instead, they splintered into half a church.

This is my commandment: love one another, just as I love you. Will I cover my friends with my life spirit? Can I accept them as less than perfect? Do I have to win everyone over to my specific point of view? Maybe I must give up my life for my friends. Or, I may be called to give up my pride for my friends.

This doesn’t say, Win one for the Messiah. It doesn’t say, Be all YOU can be. This is my commandment: love one another.

Now, let me tell you about another church. This one was Disciples of Christ, too. It was a lot like us, nice people and lots of retirees. The neighborhood started changing around it, but the church was content to stay just like it was. They didn’t reach out to the people around them. They were just a bubble of people in a neighborhood of people from somewhere else.

That church hasn’t fared so well, either. As you might imagine, that church is shrinking fast. They love one another, all right, but in a way, they haven’t lived their testimony. Jesus came to save the lost, and told the saved to seek the lost. Jesus said love your neighbor as yourself. So whether you’re saved or lost, you’re supposed to be in the life of this church.

This is my commandment: That you love one another.

It has been said that church, like family, is just common ground for mutual greed. A church doesn’t exist just to serve itself. The love of Christians for one another is a testimony, but a testimony to no one is no testimony at all. We must love one another, and we must also love our neighbors.

Jesus said the we are the branches, and that when God loves us, he prunes us to bear more fruit. Search the scriptures for yourselves, please, but from all I read, it’s always God who does the pruning. We do not prune ourselves, and we certainly do not prune each other.

This is my commandment : Love one another. This is the greatest commandment : Love the Lord God with all your heart, mind and soul, and your neighbor as yourself.

Are we trying to prune others to fit our standards for Christianity? Are we trying to prune ourselves to serve some isolated part of our community? Thank God, we are not, but churches do these things. We are the branches, and our job is to bear fruit, not to be pruning the branches. Let God prune the branches.

I was in a church one time that was big on pruning. Church leaders tried to whip everyone into shape, and they tried to encourage this kind of people and discourage that kind of people to make it a certain kind of church. Those church leaders were desperate to bear fruit, but they wanted to be gardeners and not branches.

At that church, we prayed loud and long, but I felt like my prayers were bouncing off the ceiling. We really believed what our scripture says, that whatever you ask of the Father in Jesus’ name is yours. But we forgot something else that Jesus said : I chose you and appointed you. You did not choose me. Jesus decides who’s in the church. God does the pruning.

I have prayed some very lofty prayers since joining this church. And you know what? God gives me whatever I ask for in Jesus’ name. He lets me preach! He heals and inspires my friends! He brings me new friends! I’m starting to believe what Jesus said, that if we obey his commandments, we will bear fruit. God does the pruning. Jesus is the vine. All we have to do is love one another.

Let our goal not be to be a young church, or a rich church, or a big church, or a musical church, or a modern church, or a primitive church. Rather, let our goal be to be a loving church. This is my commandment : Love one another.

I have a lot of lofty goals still on my prayer list. I think that God responds to people who sincerely try to follow his Son. So I invite you to add these goals to your prayer list as well.

I pray that when our neighbors visit, they may continue to feel right at home and just keep coming back.

I pray that each of us might feel uplifted and encouraged at church.

I pray that the greatest among us will be a servant to all.

I pray that we will be empowered to love our friends, our enemies, and our neighbors as ourselves.

I pray that we will continue to bear much fruit — in friendly visits, courtesy calls, kind words, generous giving, and encouragement.

This is my commandment : Love One Another.

Our scripture says that Jesus gives his commandments that our joy may be complete, and that we may bear much fruit. His will is for our good, and for our good pleasure.

You want to be a leader? Then follow the leader : Love One Another. You want to get organized? Then let’s focus on priorities : Love One Another. You want to be legalistic? Then follow the greatest commandment : Love One Another. You want to serve Christ? Then serve the least of these : Love One Another.

Jesus called us friends, and covered us with his life. Can we do as much for our friends, and for this friend Jesus? Yes we can, if we abide in Him.

This, then, He said, is what I command you : Love One Another. Greater love has no one than this.

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Tropical Sands Christian Church
 – May 26, 2002

Timothy 2:1-7

So brother Paul says pray for all
the governors, lords and kings
That we may worship God in Peace.
Paul says God loves these things.

For it’s in God’s plan that every man
and woman might be saved.
So Paul would pray for rulers all,
don’t ask how they behave.

Now Jesus said we’d all be dragged
before governors and kings
To testify of Him to them —
that’s Matthew, 10:18.

Jesus said obey the Pharisees —
that’s Matthew, 23:2!
Because they sit in Moses’ seat —
but don’t do what they do.

They tax the poor and all the while
go easy on each other.
They take high seats and eat high sweets
and rob their own father and mother!

Woe, scribes and Phaisees, hipocrites, all,
with their glorious prayers, loud and long!
While the law they espouse,
they devour widows houses.
They’re damning will be twice as strong!

Blind guides, Jesus called them,
who swear by the temple
while they honor its silver and gold.
They tithe mint and cumin, but are not illumined
by justice and mercy from old.

If they do good, you know
that it’s all just for show
cause they don’t really know right from sin.
They’re self-righteous vultures,
just painted sepultures.
And they’re full of uncleanness within.

Now that’s what the Lord said,
but He could afford
to rattle a cage or two on his way
from Galilee to eternity, yeah,
Why should He care what church leaders say?

And He had a word
for the civic law, too
with a man who came after his father.
That was Herod of Herod,
Ceasar’s King of the Jew.
Jesus called him a fox and a bother!

And of Ceasar on High,
Jesus gave him his due,
saw his face on the coin to pay taxes.
So just let Ceasar have it,
but make it a habit
to also give God what’s in fact His.

In Romans, 3, Paul said that rulers
are a terror to evil, not to good.
So just do what’s right
and when they see your light
They will glorify God, like they should.

Yes Paul said that rulers
are chosen by God
And they carry God’s sword of correction.
Now these are the rulers
who had Paul in chains.
— not his men in the general election!

And to Timothy, Paul says
to pray for all kings,
That we might have peace in our day.
He said that’s what God wants —
the peace of mankind
Cause the Gospel spreads better that way!

Pray for peacefulness, godliness, honesty,
Cause that’s what our God wants to see.
His Son came to save, and not to enslave,
because God wants his Children to be free!

Now, God’s not saying y’all go start a war
and force everyone to believe.
He didn’t tell us to kill infidels,
Nor to celebrate when they grieve.

No, He said labor for them, like a neighbor,
and treat them like family and friends.
He said don’t reject them, but rather, respect them.
And let your good deeds bring them in.

Now I wonder why we will not testify,
Read our Bibles, or pray to the Man
When the world turns away to pray five times a day
and to memorize the Koran.

The wrath of God! The wrath of God!
This world knows full well how to fear.
The Love of God! The Love of God!
That’s what this world needs to hear.

God grants his blessing on those who seek Him.
Be they Christian, or Muslim, or Jew,
Or Hindi, or Buddist, or pagan, or Sikh
I say God Bless the Agnostic, too!

God’s gifts are his business. But what of his orders?
Didn’t God give us something to do?
“Declare my Gospel to all of the nations.”
Yes, that was his message to you.

But your cross to bear isn’t something you wear,
and it’s more than a word on twenty.
Your cross to bear is to love the unloved.
And to share when the Lord gives you plenty.

So pray for peace. Obey for peace!
Let us pray for our governors and kings.
Let us pray they are vigilant, wise and strong.
So we don’t have to fret over things.

But what of world leaders who seek our demise?
I say we should pray for them, too!
Not for their success, but that God will bless
them with something constructive to do.

For how shall we win them? Not by our might.
Nor with words, no matter how wise.
For words without deeds can only deceive.
They’re a front. A facade. A disguise.

Can our strength protect us from those who reject us?
Drop our guard, and we might pay the cost!
The question becomes have our hearts grown numb?
Or can we still reach out to the lost?

Where others declare God’s wrath, be aware
that the love of God hasn’t been spoken.
That message preceeds us in the life of Jesus,
who said it with deeds, not in token.

Oh, say, did we hear it? That message so clear
that it shook our lives to the core?
Did we pass it along? Or have we heard the song
till we can’t hear the words anymore?

The love of God: Who carries that message
in medicine, water and bread?
Who gathers His chicks beneath her wings?
Who’s clearing the road up ahead?

The Jews have Law. The Greeks have Wisdom.
Pagans have symbols and signs.
What do we have if not God’s love?
What’s our place in this design?

Our place is to love, to feed, to teach,
to encourage, to learn, and to heal.
Our role is to set the captives free,
to enrich, to evolve, to reveal

God’s love for a fallen planet.
In Christ, we are blessed to know it.
But He said by the fruit they will know the tree.
If we follow Christ, we will show it.

Let the world be astonished by our mercy and love
and our selfless and generous giving.
Let the world be puzzled by a joy we can’t muzzle
And amazed by the wondrous life we’re living.

Now they won’t be amazed if we hide in a cave,
And they won’t be impressed by our spite.
And they won’t be impressed by a big candlestick
If it doesn’t give off any light.

And they won’t be impressed if we keep each other stressed
or if we can’t take care of our own.
No, they don’t want our noses in their business
when our business smells funny here at home.

So WHEN will the World know that Jesus is Lord?
When they see him as Lord over us.
And WHAT will the World see when Jesus is Lord?
People faithful, merciful, and just.

And when will this be? And when will we hear
the end of this rambling rhyme?
As Paul said, Christ is the proof sent by God,
In good time, friend, all in good time.

Tropical Sands Christian Church – June 30, 2002

As the scripture says, “Everyone who calls out to the Lord for help will be saved.” But how can they call to him for help if they have not believed? And how can they hear if they have not heard the message? And how can they hear if the message is not proclaimed? And how can the message be proclaimed if the messengers are not sent out?

–Romans 10:13-15 (tev)

Where our Good News Bible says Messenger, the old King James Version, and a lot of other versions, uses the word Preacher. A Proclaimer, if you will. Kerooso is the word in Greek. And that’s just one aspect of ministry, or diaconos. But here, in a letter to church congregations in Rome, Paul is talking about an assigned Preacher. When he says they must be sent, he is not saying you should run the preachers out of town to spread the word.

It’s a good summary of the conversion process:

How can they call ON the Lord for help, he writes, unless they believe IN the Lord? And how can they believe IN him unless they hear OF him. In other words, you can’t believe in the Lord unless you have some information. And you might have to say everything, two or three times, before you trip the switch that turns a seeker into a believer.

OK, so we’re trackin, right? Can’t believe if you don’t know. Can’t know if no one tells you. Now, Paul says, you got to have SOMEONE doin the tellin! He calls that a Preacher, or a Proclaimer, or a Messenger.

And how shall they preach, except they be sent?

Do you ever feel like talkin back to your Bible? I do. I want to say, well, Paul, he or she can just up and start tellin! What’s the big deal? How shall he preach? On a soapbox, I guess.

Sent. Which came first, the Preacher or the Sender? Does that mean we have to send them out of town before they can call themselves Preachers? I don’t think so. We should look closely at this word “Sent”, because here it loses something in the translation, and that includes every translation I can find.

You might have heard that our New Testament Bible was originally written in Greek. The Greek language has more than one verb that we translate as “Send”. For instance, there’s the word PEM-po, which means to dispatch, as in dispatching an employee to run an errand. It carries the strong sense of moving from one place to another.

That’s the word Matthew and others use to say that Herod SENT the Wise Men to Bethlehem to find the Messiah. That word is PEM-po, which we translate as “SEND”.

But in the letter to the Romans, in today’s scripture, the verb is not PEM-po. Here, When Paul says, how shall they preach, except they be SENT?, he uses the word apostello.

It’s a verb form of the word Apostollo, or Apostle. The word comes from two words, one apo, which usually denotes separation or completion. Our word apart comes from the Greek Apo. The second half, stello, means to strengthen, or set fast. And how can they Proclaim the Good News if they aren’t Apostello, or set apart for strengthening?

So how can they preach unless they are set apart for strengthening?

If you want to see what “set apart” means, look at Paul’s letters to Timothy. Now Timothy was a young gentile who was raised by a godly mother and grandmother, and Paul had left him in charge of a church.

The letters tell Timothy how to select leaders, how to care for widows, how to work with his elders — lots of practical stuff. But woven through all that is an instruction of how Timothy is to see and live his very life as a Minister.

That first letter told Timothy to live as an example to others, quote: “In your speach, your conduct, your love, faith, and purity.”

This is where it says “The love of money is the root of all evil,” and Paul tells Timothy just forget about making much money as a minister.

Now, Paul was a full-time evangelist, but that isn’t how he made all his money. The book of Acts says he was a tentmaker, and he would settle in with the tentmakers of a region to earn money for the next journey to spread the Gospel. His letters to Timothy were written from prison. So even though Paul was a lay preacher, I think he was advising Timothy on a full-time position. He clearly wanted Timothy to study, pray, minister, teach, administer the church and study some more. Sounds like a full time job to me.

And in the second letter, he goes even further. Look in your pew bibles on page 288. Second Timothy 2. Start with verse 3. “Take your part in suffering, as a loyal soldier of Christ Jesus. A soldier on active duty wants to please his commanding officer, and so he does not get mixed up in the affairs of civilian life.” And the rest is like that, too. Work. Suffering. Striving. Focus.

These are letters to a preacher, and they are not like Paul’s letter to the congregations. Paul’s letter to the Romans was not to a preacher, but to a whole congregation, or maybe more than one.

“How shall they preach, except they be sent?” Or, set apart? Paul’s letter to Timothy tells him to set himself apart for the work of God. His letter to the congregations in Rome encourages them to set people apart for the task.

You have the power to set people apart for the ministry. It might be no news for you to hear that our church faces a Preacher shortage. Did someone say hallelula? Don’t say that. Let’s make that, a Minister shortage.

I have sermon notes that I wrote more than 10 years ago. I just knew that some day a church would call on me to give a sermon. That finally happened here, in February 2001.

So as soon as I knew that I could be a preacher, really about 10 years ago, I could have started preaching on the street corner. but this preaching stuff is ominous business. Few people dare to do it without a sign from God, and the most convincing sign from God is someone who actually wants to hear you. So this congregation and brother Jim sent me from the back pew to the pulpit. And how shall they preach, except they be sent?

Now some of you remember God’s timing in all this. There was a lot going on in the Church when I got started.

Thank God, I had time for fill-in services, a lot of hospital visits, and a couple of funerals. But I was able to help, and God is good.

When the rush ended, so did my free time. For a season, I’m spending a lot more time making tents than studying the scripture. I always thought the price of being a Minister was just too high, like a vow of poverty. But sometimes I wonder if the cost of another path hasn’t been even higher. How can they preach, except they be sent?

Looking forward, our denomination will shortly experience a shortage of ministers. The Christian Church ministry is not the most lucrative career choice you could make.

But I remember every Minister I ever had — Tucker, Coppette, Sharpe, Cosper, Smith, McGee, Turner, Frierking, Speakman, Sempsrott, Tobey, Burton . . . I remember every one of them. Some were full-time and some were part-time, but they were all on call 24 hours a day.

Our youth group is raising funds to try a mission trip. If we help them with that funding, we are sending them out. Maybe one or more of them hears the call of God to be a minister. If we help that one along, we are sending out a preacher. And if we do that, we may be saving souls.

How shall they believe when they have not heard? …

And, how shall they preach, except they be sent?

Tropical Sands Christian Church – October 14, 2001