Today’s message summary of February 16, 2020 from Pastor Gus Brown:
The Word of God promotes education as to how to live an effective life in Jesus Christ. Salvation in Christ is only the beginning. Being educated in the Word helps a person learn how to live. It is ongoing training in the faith.
You don’t go to a class without your textbook. In Sunday school, your textbook is the Bible. It’s interesting that some pastors today will not take with them the Word of God into the pulpit. It is a necessity that the Word of God is preached today.
Christians need to understand that we need to be trained in the Word and continue to be trained in the Word. It is the Word that provides wisdom and knowledge.
The Church needs to be able to declare what is right and wrong. Someone has to set the standards. If man calls the shots as to the standards, you will always struggle in running the race of life.
The Church prepares the people of God for works against the wicked ones of this world. It must use the path of righteousness to prevail against the ways of the world. Christians may complain about what is happening in the world, but we now need to look at solutions.
God didn’t call the Church to act as individuals, but instead calls people to act and work together to overcome the wickedness of this world. The people are educated to be prepared to deal with this issue.
We were saved and placed in the church of God to be His workmanship (what has been made) created in Christ Jesus to do good works, in which God has prepared in advance for us to do.
The people of the church must be willing to be educated according to God’s standards of life. It starts with the Bible, His Word.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
His people are continuing to develop, within this education, to learn more about the work that needs to be done. Note that Satan has work to do, as well, and it is to counter all of those things that believers will do. God gives us wisdom and knowledge to overcome what Satan has to offer.
God knows how He wants to use you.
Satan wants to prevent you from being used of God.
Ephesians 6:13
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
The Church’s stand against wickedness involves teaching and education. No matter where that evil and wickedness comes from, this wisdom helps to equip the believer to be able to stand firm and use the right words to combat wickedness.
How does a believer combat wickedness? By drawing upon the Righteous One, who is God. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Righteous One.
Proverbs 21:12
The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked; he throws the wicked down to ruin.
A believer in Jesus Christ should not be satisfied in being a spectator of life. A believer is to be an active participant in combating the wickedness by reflecting what is right. A believer is to be clothed in the righteousness of the Holy Spirit to be a reflection of Jesus Christ to the world.
God teaches about truth and righteousness in His Word, and trains the Church in this truth in order to defeat those who are wicked. The Church, in God’s wisdom and knowledge, is to show the world what it is to follow Christ and to shun wickedness.
Someone has to stand up and say: “Yes, I want to shine for the Lord.”
God is not glorified by bigger church buildings. He is glorified by the important work to reach and rescue people who are in need of a helping hand.
The righteous and the wicked are always working against each other.
Proverbs 29:27
An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked.
Many people don’t like being corrected when they are doing wrong. Note that it is not the person making the correction as it is really God’s Word.
In order for Satan to achieve destruction of God’s people, wickedness has to be present.
In order for Jesus Christ to achieve effective teaching of His Word, teaching of His wisdom and knowledge must prevail in order to reach success.
You’re either a follower of Satan or a follower of Jesus Christ.
The function of the Church’s education is to teach one to think with intelligence and clarity, because one’s thinking is going to build character that will assist in effective action. Intelligence plus character is the goal of Christian education.
No one can be a godly man or godly woman without godly biblical education.
What is accomplished in this education?
Ecclesiastes 12:9-10
Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
Be wise in selecting who will be your teacher. If you are only learning from a fool, that is what you will be, as well.
Sunday school is an important part of God’s teaching of His people.
What we want to accomplish by teaching is the building of godly character, with wisdom and knowledge, to a present and future generation. This future generation may continue in the work of God and also be perfect in Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:28-29
Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toll, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
2 Timothy 2:1-2
You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.
Are we willing to make the investment?
Dr. Martin Luther King made an investment in all of our lives–in his present and for future generations.
Many others have made an investment in us in order that we may have the life we have today.
When we live by faith, God will hold us up. Successful people have moved from where they are. They had to step out on faith. If there was no movement, there would likely be no success. It is our faith that gives us the ability to move.
Acts 17:28
…for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’
When you find people willing to invest in you, then be ready to move. Making an investment in one’s life takes time, energy, mental commitment and money.
Most of the time, these investments are being made by people with little income to spare. Investment means that a difficult existence may be even more difficult. The investments are made in the hope that there will be long term gains and benefits.
God made an investment in you in the long term.
The long term messages in Scripture:
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
We are educated in order that we might invest our lives into others by teaching the precepts, statutes and decrees of God’s Word, in order that the wicked will not overcome them with sin against God.
2 Timothy 4:6-7
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Those who are running the race don’t need to be concerned about what place you finish in…you are to just finish. Last place, first place, or somewhere in between–just finish.
If we know better, we just might do better.
We will overcome wickedness.
We will do better in the power of Jesus Christ.
Akron Alliance Fellowship 