Qualities Necessary For The Lord's Work
  1. INTRODUCTION:
    1. DEFINITION OF WORDS:
      1. Qualities = An essential characteristic; Or distinctive trait.
      2. Necessary = That which is essential to Christian service; Or it would be impos- sible to serve without.
    2. SCRIPTURE READING: Matthew 5:13-16.
      1. Salt = As evident from verse 13, there is good salt and useless salt.
      2. Light = There is light verse 14-15, that is hidden and useless and there is light that manifests it’s presence of helpful service to all about it.
    3. WHAT ARE SOME OF THESE QUALITIES?
      1. That enable us to:
        1. Serve the Lord in good works.
        2. Glorify the heavenly Father.
      2. We turn to God’s Word to find out about these qualities. II Timothy 3:12-17 = "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof , for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."
  2. DISCUSSION:
    1. FAITH THAT PRODUCES THE FRUIT OF SELF DENIAL.
      1. Moses. Hebrews 11:24-25 = "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;"
      2. Paul. (Philippians 3:4-15). Notices these verses: (Philippians 3:4-7) "Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ." … (Philippians 3:13-15) "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of god in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you."
      3. Jesus himself spoke of the need of self denial to his disciples: Matthew 16:24 = "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."
    2. SPEECH THAT REVEALS THAT ONE HAS BEEN WITH JESUS.
      1. Not like that manifest by Peter before others while the Lord was being put on trial.
        Matthew 26:73-74         = "And after a while come unto him they that stood buy, and said to Peter, surely thou also are one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man, and immediately the cock crew."

        NOTE: What Peter later had to say: I Peter 1:15 = "But as he which hath called you in holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation." …… I Peter 3:1-2 = "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear." Comment: If wives are to be careful of their conversation to win husbands – Isn’t it just as important that every member of the Church be careful regarding his conversation to win a sinner to Christ?

      2. Luke wrote this about Peter and John. Acts 4:13 = "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."
      3. Paul in his writings said: Ephesians 4:22-25 = "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another." …… Philippians 1:27 = "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;"
    3. LIBERALITY:
      1. Paul wrote to the Corinthians. (I Corinthians 16:1-2) = "Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come."
      2. Paul went on to say in praise of these Corinthians that:
        1. Even while they were "…in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, …" II Corinthians 8:2-4.
        2. Even before they gave liberally out of their poverty that they "…First gave their own selves to the Lord, …" (II Corinthians 8:5)
    4. An uncompromising spirit like that possessed by John the baptizer.
      1. He did not back down to please someone when the truth was at stake.
      2. Herod had taken unto him Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife (Matthew 14:3-10).
      3. Herod had put John in prison because he said to him: "It is not lawful for thee to have her."
        (Matthew 14:4).
COMMMENT: A sin is a sin, and we must call it what it is. This is where a true soldier for Christ will speak truthfully no matter what.
      1. Proverbs 8:7 = "For my mouth shall speak truth: and wickedness is an abomination to my lips."
      2. Wouldn’t it be great to have said of the Lord’s followers what the disciples of the Pharisees and Herodians said of Christ: Matthew 22:16 = "And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men."
    1. GOOD SPIRITUAL HEALTH:
      1. Walking in truth. III John 1-4 = "The elder unto the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health , even as thy soul prospereth. For I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."
      2. Paul prayers in regards to the Ephesians in chapter Ephesians 3:14-21:
        1. That they would be strengthened by God "with might by His Spirit in the inner man" (Ephesians 3:16).
        2. "That Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith;" (Ephesians 3:17)
        3. That they would be "rooted and grounded in love". (Ephesians 3:17)
        4. That they would "be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." (Ephesians 3:18-19)
    2. A CONSCIOUSNESS OF BEING IN DEBT TO ALL MEN AND BEING A CHRISTIAN.
      1. Like the debt Paul felt. Romans 1:14-16 = "I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."
      2. I Corinthians 9:16 = "For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel."
    3. A LOVE FOR SOULS TO LIVE AND ACT IN A MANNER TO REACH THEM:
      1. I Corinthians 8:13 = "Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend."
      2. I Corinthians 9:22 = "To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some."
  1. CONCLUSION:
    1. WHY SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED WITH THESE QUALITIES? PAUL ANSWERS THIS WELL:
      I Corinthians 9:23-27       = "And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."
    2. THERE ARE MANY MORE QUALITIES THAT WE SHOULD HAVE TO BE OF SERVICE TO THE LORD.
    3. DO YOU WANT TO BE A WORKER FOR THE LORD?

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