Why Does God's Church Today... Have Problems?

Well, thank you, Corral. That was very beautiful. First time I ever had an opportunity to hear that particular hymn, and the words are very rich in meaning. Thank you again for that wonderful addition to God's Sabbath day. Well, anyone who's been in God's Church for a while soon discovers that the Church of God is composed of human beings, and the problems associated with being human.

And at times it can be very discouraging, even challenging, to our faith when we see brethren who suffer premature death or perhaps have problems with doctrines. We see problems with ministers, maybe ministers having problems with ministers. We see people being offended. We see other struggles going on in the Church. Perhaps we hear of a minister that we have a lot of affection for, and we get word that that minister has resigned from the ministry and left the Church. Maybe it's someone that we fellowship with in the congregation who has decided not to fellowship with us anymore.

These can be really challenging. They can be faith-busters. They can be things sometimes that discourage us. Should we allow various troubles within the Church to weaken our faith and commitment to God? How should we respond to the challenges and problems and difficulties that exist in the Church? I think those are very fair questions, and I think to answer that question, we need to go back in history. We need to take a look at the early New Testament Church and see what kind of issues and challenges that it had, and maybe it will help us to put into perspective some of the things that we've seen in our lifetime.

If you've been around for 30 or 40 years, you've probably... what's that? Insurance commercial? You know a thing or two because you've seen a thing or two. And so that being the case, how do we know that what we are experiencing and what we have experienced in the Church today is much different than it's ever been? Well, let's find out. We'll begin by going to Acts 6, beginning in verse 1. This is the infancy stage of the early New Testament Church. The brethren are still in Jerusalem.

The Church is still basically confined to Jerusalem. And let's see what our historian Luke writes, tells us about the Church in its early days of its history, beginning in Acts 6, beginning in verse 1. And let's see if the Church has problems. Let's see if the Church is composed of human beings who sometimes act very human. Now in those days when the number of disciples was multiplied, so the Church is growing, that's good, that's exciting, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists. Now the Hebrews were those who grew up and embraced total Hebrew culture the Hellenists were people of Jewish descent but they spoke Greek.

And not only did they speak Greek, but they also had adopted some parts of Greek culture. So there was a little bit of a divide between the two. So a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. So when they had pooled everything as a community fund, and when they were giving the distributions for each day, those who were Hellenists or Greek culture, Greek speaking, saw that there was prejudice against the widows who were of a different culture, different language than those who were Jewish in origin, Hebrew in culture.

So their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Then the 12 summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, it is not desirable that we should leave the Word of God and serve tables. They acknowledged that this is a problem. This isn't just a perceived problem, this is a real problem going on in the church. And they have a solution. Verse 3, therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business, but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.

And they, being evangelists, were very busy talking and counseling and doing the work of the ministry, and they just didn't have time to take care of the daily distribution. They couldn't do it. So they asked that the congregation would recommend seven individuals who would help to solve this problem, who could serve the widows in that way.

Now, an interesting word here, you may have noticed, it says, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews. This is the Greek word gongumos, and it means a grumbling, a murmuring. So here, we literally see grumbling in the very early church. There are actually two very real problems here. Number one, there's a genuine neglect occurring in the church of the Greek-speaking, the Greek culture, Jewish widows. Secondly, instead of addressing the problem correctly, which would have been for someone to privately go to one of the twelve, or the entire twelve, and say, I'd like to suggest that we have a problem here, and I'd like to bring it to your attention and suggest a solution.

That would have been the correct way to solve this. No, human beings being the way they are, there was mumbling, there was murmuring, there were hurt feelings, there was a feeling of prejudice, and eventually, because of all that, it got to the twelve and they intervened. So there were actually two problems going on here, and this was causing division in the very early church.

The twelve recognized this, and they offered a solution, and among the seven men chosen to serve the brethren included a very gifted individual deacon named Stephen, who most likely was also of a Hellenistic background. It would have only made sense for him to be able to serve the Hellenistic widows. It says in chapter 6 in verse 8, Stephen was full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.

So one of the earliest events that we read in the book of Acts, what do we see here? Why did these problems occur? Well, they occurred because God calls and works with carnal people who are a work in progress. Wherever you have the church and wherever you have the history of the church, you will have human problems. Well, let's continue our story. It wasn't long before the very gifted Stephen was resented by some Jews in the synagogue who were not believers, and ultimately they accused him of blasphemy. Let's pick it up at the end of a very powerful sermon, chapter 7, just to the very next chapter. We'll pick it up here in verse 54. Chapter 7 and verse 54. It says, And when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth, so enraged their grinding their teeth at this man. Now that's angry. I've been pretty angry in my lifetime over a number of things, but never to the point where I literally ground my teeth over being so angry. But he, being filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven, saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. In their ears, that was blasphemy. He was saying that this Jesus, whom they did not believe, was the Savior. He was saying that he looked up in heaven and he saw this Jesus, whom they rejected at the right hand of God, and called him the Son of Man. It says in verse 57, they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord, and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses had laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul, later to become the Apostle Paul, and they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, Lord, did not charge them with this sin, and when he had said this, he fell asleep. He died. Do you appreciate how challenging this would have been for the early New Testament church?

Here was a true gift to the Church of God. Very talented. It said, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people, prematurely died.

Why didn't God intervene? He could have. He was such a gift. Why didn't he intervene and spare Stephen's life? But that's not all. Chapter 8, verse 1, now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time, a great persecution arose against the church, which was at Jerusalem. They were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles, and devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him. Why are they making great lamentation? Because he was such a gift to the Church of God. God, why did you allow this man to die? It just seemed so unnatural. He made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. Therefore, those who were scattered went everywhere, preaching the Word. You know, some in the church could have asked, why do we have these problems if we're being obedient to God? We're doing everything right. We're doing everything God told us to do. Why are we having these problems? Why did God let Stephen die? Why is God allowing our moms and dads to be put into prison, families to be separated, havoc occurring into the Church of God? Why is God allowing these things to happen?

Those would have been natural questions that would have entered people's minds at this time.

Then Peter was led by God to visit a Gentile named Cornelius, to whom the father was calling into the Church of the living God. Let's go to chapter 10 now. Acts chapter 10, verse 43, pick up the end of the story of his visit with Cornelius and his household.

Acts chapter 10, picking it up, to him, all the prophets witness that through his name, whoever believes in him will receive remission of sins. This is Peter speaking here, the end of his sermonette that he's giving that day. While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. Now, this was duplicating exactly what happened on the day of Pentecost in 31 A.D. This was God saying that I am endorsing this. Normally, people are baptized first, and then they receive the Holy Spirit. But on the day of Pentecost, and on this event, duplicating again what happened on Pentecost, because this was God saying, I am giving my stamp of approval that I am calling these Gentiles. The Holy Spirit fell on them first, and then they were baptized. Verse 45, and those are the circumcision who believed were astonished, those who were with Peter, those who were circumcised and just assumed that you had to be circumcised to be saved. They were stunned that the Holy Spirit fell and came upon these Gentiles in a way to these people. They were astonished as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on Gentiles also. Verse 46, When they heard them speak in tongues and magnify God, then Peter answered, can anyone forbid water that they should not be baptized who has received the Holy Spirit just as we have? They're as equal as we are. Though they're Gentiles, though they have not been circumcised, though maybe they don't know everything that we know, though they don't have the rich cultural history that we have, they are just as good as we are in God's eyes. They are full members of God's family. Verse 48, And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord, then they asked him to stay a few days. Shocking! It was shocking to other people, too, as we'll see what happened when Peter returns to Jerusalem. We'll pick it up here in chapter 11 and verse 1. Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the Word of God. And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision, again, those who were believers in the faith, who were circumcised, most likely of Jewish descent, contended with him, saying, You went into uncircumcised men, and you ate with them.

Now this is a pretty strong Greek word. This is the Greek word diacrono, and it means to oppose, to judge. To be so upset, it's like you're staggered. So they're not sitting down, sipping on tea and crumpets, having a nice conversation over the differences in theological approach. No! The brethren are angry. They're arguing with the minister. They're giving him a hard time. It says in the New International Version, criticized him. In the New Century Version, argued with him is the way that it's translated. So here we see a doctrinal problem. The conservative believers in Jerusalem, or in Judea, are disturbed that Peter would dare to eat with a Gentile. Many Jews considered Gentiles to be unclean, like a pig, literally to be unclean, and they would not eat or associate with them. They thought it was a violation of God's law. And Peter begins to reason with them, and he calms them down. But you know what? This doctrinal problem doesn't go away. It's like some of the doctrinal problems we have today that cycle around and around.

He calmed them down there a little bit, but it never really went away. It lingered for years.

So why did these problems occur? Why do you have members upset with doctrine?

Why do you have church members grilling, arguing with ministers? Because God calls and works with carnal people who are a work in progress. Now let's go to Acts chapter 15 and see where this comes to a head. Acts chapter 15, beginning in verse 1, and certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved. These are church members that are saying this. They would have ignored just regular Jews who didn't believe in Jesus if they were making this criticism. Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question. So they had a conference. They went to Jerusalem in a conference that we believe was around 49 A.D. Verse 3. So being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles, and they caused great joy to all the brethren. And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all things that God had done with them. I want you to notice the strong phraseology here. It says, they had no small dissension and dispute with them. This is another Greek word, stasis, and it means a popular uprising, a controversy, an insurrection. People were so angry over this issue in the church of God that their veins are pumping out of their foreheads. They're getting emotionally invested in this issue. So much of a challenge, they have to call an impromptu ministerial conference in 49 A.D. to discuss this. I'm going to read a couple of other versions here in verse 2. God's word for today, Paul and Barnabas had a fierce dispute with these men. Here's another translation, a new international version. This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So what's going on? There are doctrinal problems. That's what's going on. There are people who are angry with the ministry, people who are upset with the way things are being done. This was a serious doctrinal issue that was tearing the church apart, causing individuals to be offended. Individuals are angry. It required, again, a ministerial conference to address it. And when the highly respected James, the half-brother of Jesus Christ, who was very conservative himself and was a supporter of God's law, when he supported Paul's position, it became clear that Gentiles did not need to be circumcised, to be saved, to be given full, complete membership in the family of God. But did this issue go away? Did this solve this doctrinal question forever? Well, of course not. Many, many years later, in Paul's writings, he's still struggling. He's still making comments about the very same issue, the book of Galatians, many other writings that he has. He's still commenting on the same lingering problems. Some of those doctrinal problems lingered for decades. Now, we have doctrinal questions that have been going around, as I said, for a long, long time.

Why do these kinds of doctrinal problems occur? Why do these human relationship issues occur? It's because God calls and works with carnal people who are a work in progress.

Let's see another example right after the ministerial conference. Another human nature issue arises. Chapter 15 and verse 35. It says, Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord with many others also. Then after some days, Paul said to Barnabas, Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they're doing. Now, Barnabas was determined to take with them John, called Mark. And Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia and not gone with them to the works. So there had been a previous journey. Mark quit during the journey. Paul was offended at that, and he told Barnabas, someone he had worked with for many years, No, I don't want him with us. I don't want him going on the journey with us again. So what happens? Verse 38, But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark, sailed to Cyprus, and Paul chose Silas and departed, being commanded by the brethren to the grace of God. This work here, where it says the contention became so sharp, this is another Greek word, parox osmus, which means an incitement to provoke a serious contention. I'm going to read this again, verse 39 from the New Century Version. Paul and Barnabas had such a serious argument about this that they separated and went different ways. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus. So believe it or not, here we see ministers arguing and not getting along. I know that's going to stun many of you to know that that actually occurs sometimes. However, these men were not hirelings or frauds like I've witnessed in my generation. They didn't break up families or divide the church to satisfy their war selfish egos. This they kept between themselves and they didn't wound congregations. Why do these kind of problems occur? Why did they occur back in 4950 AD? Because God calls and works with carnal people who are work in progress. You know what we've seen here? We've seen a number of problems in the first 20 years of the history of the Bible. We've seen a number of problems in the first 20 years of the history of the New Testament church, haven't we? We just examined the time period from about 31 AD to 50 AD. And what have we seen? We've seen brethren murmuring. We've seen some people being neglected. We've seen good people dying prematurely. We've seen men upset with ministers. We've seen members upset with other members. We've seen ministers upset with ministers. We've seen chronic doctrinal problems in the first 20 years of the history of the New Testament church. How about the next 20 years? Did it get any better? A lot of you know the answer because you're already shaking your head no. So let's take a look at 2 Timothy and we'll begin in chapter 1. Now Luke didn't write about what happened the next 20-30 years because eventually the book of Acts is a great history, but it ends. So we have to go into the writings of Paul and John and Peter to find out what happened the next 20 years if there were issues and challenges and problems going on in the church. So 2 Timothy chapter 1, we'll pick it up here in verse 5.

Paul talking to Timothy, whom he loved very dearly, he said it was his mentor. He says, When I called a remembrance, the genuine faith that is in you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. We don't know what exactly is going on here in Timothy's life, but Paul knows he's concerned about Timothy. He's giving him a warning. He sees Timothy losing his enthusiasm, losing his love to serve other people, and Paul is very concerned about it. Let's take a look here. Chapter 1 in verse 13 dropped there to that verse. Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me in faith and love, which are in Christ Jesus the good thing which was committed to you keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

He's going to make a statement in the next verse. It's kind of sad. Again, to give you a little background here, this is written about 66 AD. This is written while Paul is in prison. Actually, the second time he is in prison, just a few years before his death in Rome, about seven, eight years ago, my wife and I had the privilege of going to Rome. We kept a feast in Italy, and we went to Rome, and we actually saw what they claim is the prison that he stayed in. And you went down this winding, it was a hole, you went down into this area that they claim is where Paul stayed, and there's no natural light, and it's very small and claustrophobic, and they claim that this is where Paul was imprisoned. And I don't know if that's true or not, but it certainly wasn't a pretty environment to be stuck in, to be imprisoned in. Continuing here, he says in verse 15, he's telling Timothy, this you know that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phyjalis and Hermogenes. Paul mentions that the brethren in Asia have turned away from him. They're not there to support him. They don't care about Paul anymore. He even mentions two of them by name. They were either ashamed that Paul was in prison for the second time, or they were afraid to be associated with him at all. They didn't want to be arrested or suffer persecution.

So let me ask you a question. Why didn't they give Paul the love and this moral support when he needed it? Why didn't they follow the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew chapter 25, when he said, I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. Why weren't these church members there for him when he needed them?

Why did these kinds of problems occur in the early church?

Because God calls and works with carnal people who are a work in progress.

Chapter 2 verse 14, continuing, he says to Timothy, remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord, not to strive about words to no prophet, to the ruin of the hearers. So he's talking about doctrinal error that's being taught in the church. And he's telling Timothy, do something about it. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth, but shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer. Hermanius and Phileidus are of this sort who have strayed concerning the faith, saying that the resurrection is already passed and they've overthrew the faith of some. I'm going to read verse 16 from the new century version. Stay away from foolish, useless talk because that will lead people further away from God. Their evil teaching will spread like a sickness inside the body. Hermanius and Phileidus are like that. So is there a problem going on in the church here at 66 AD? Are members leaving the church? Are there members who are teaching heresy? Are there members who are not doing what they should do and love and support Paul and are abandoning him and avoiding him? Yes, there are.

Even during the lifetime of Paul. It's kind of sad, but it's the reality of what was occurring. These two individuals were heretical teachers who asserted that the resurrection had already occurred. They had strayed from the truth. They were teaching this error to others. They were influencing, in a negative way, other believers. But why are brethren straying from the truth and teaching error? Why do these problems occur? Because God calls and works with carnal people who are a work in progress. Chapter 4, verse 9. 2 Timothy, chapter 4 and verse 9. Be diligent to come to me quickly. For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world and has departed for Thessalonica. Do some people give up to faith the truth of God because they love this present world? They're attracted to something going on in the world, whether it's sex or drugs or money or prominence or whatever it is. Do some people abandon the faith because they love the present world? You bet they do. They did then. They still do today. Continuing. Christens in Galatia. He's talking about those who have abandoned him, those who have forsaken him. Christens in Galatia, Titus for Demacia. Only Luke is with me, and in a remarkable statement of irony. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry. This is the same Mark whom he refused to travel with in Acts 15, who he now has found that he misjudged because he says, send him to me because he's very useful to me in my ministry.

Antichicus, I've sent to Ephesus, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come, and the books, especially the parchments. These may have been some of the very writings of what we now call the New Testament. Verse 14, he says something interesting. Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm, and the Lord repay him according to his works. You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words. At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me may it not be charged against them. I'm going to read verse 16 from the New Century version. The first time I defended myself no one helped me, everyone left me. May they be forgiven.

Here's the Apostle Paul after a career of self-sacrifice, decades of service to the church, all alone, persecuted, abandoned by long-time friends who once called him brother, avoiding him.

Why did these problems occur? Because God calls and works with carnal people who are a work in progress. They're not perfect. They're nowhere near perfect. They're individuals struggling with their own issues, their own challenges, their own faith on their own journey.

Some scholars believe that Alexander the coppersmith, that he was the same Alexander, mentioned in two other places in Scripture in Acts chapter 19 and 1 Timothy chapter 1. And although we can't be sure, since Alexander is a common name, the impression is that he was a former believer. And that's one reason that Paul tells Timothy to avoid him. A former believer who may have testified against Paul at his hearing, or may have incited the Roman authorities to even arrest him. And notice Paul isn't bitter. He says very simply here that I'm going to leave him in God's hands. Paul was saddened, even frustrated, that trusted brethren had forsaken him in the church of God. So let me ask this question. The kinds of problems we've experienced the last 10 or 20 or 30 or 40 years in the church, are they new? No, they're not new. To be honest with you, they're not even that different. The names may have changed, but the actions, the behavior, the problems are identical. They're the same kind of actions, behaviors, and problems that occurred in the very early New Testament church.

Let's take a look at what the Apostle John said in his writings. Maybe he experienced something a little different than Paul did. Let's find out. Third John we'll go to. The book of Third John, this is close to 90 AD when this was written, so this is near the end of the century, many, many years later.

Well over 50 years since the church had been founded. Third John chapter 1 verse 9. He said, And I wrote to the church, but the atrophies who loves to have the preeminence, he's talking about a minister here, the new Revised Standard Version says, who loves to put himself first.

Another translation says, who loves to be in charge among them does not receive us. You mean to tell me that a minister is not receiving the Apostle John, one of the original disciples who was with Jesus and touched him and heard him with his own ears and saw him with his own eyes, that he's not even being welcomed by a minister in the Church of God? Yes. The answer to that is yes. That's exactly what John says is happening here. Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds, which he does, prating against us with malicious words. Other translations have, he just lies against us maliciously. He purposely maliciously lies about us. That's what John is saying about this minister.

And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the Church. Are you trying to tell me that this minister is taking good and faithful Christians and not allowing them to attend his local congregation? That's what the Bible says.

Putting them out of the Church, beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good.

He who does good is of God, and he who does evil has not seen God. So, John had the prospect of facing a literal confrontation. If he got there, if he was able to travel there with another minister who had turned against the Church's teachings. The Church's teachings are that you should not be an egotistical juror as a minister. The Church's teachings are that you should exercise love as a pastor. That you should welcome Christians into your congregation, not put them out.

And John had to look forward to this confrontation.

Some can be put in leadership positions or even ordained, but never really know God.

And I hope that doesn't shock you, but I've seen that over and over again in my lifetime. And here's another example of it right here. So that's John's example. How about Peter? Maybe Peter didn't experience the kind of things that John did, or the kind of things that Paul did, or the kind of things that Luke writes about in the book of Acts. Let's find out 2 Peter 3 and verse 13.

2 Peter 3 and verse 13. 3 Peter writes here, he says, Nonetheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent, be found by him in peace, without spot and blameless. And consider that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation, as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you. Verse 16, as also in all of his epistles, speaking in them of these things in which some things are hard to understand. And of course, we know that Paul oftentimes wrote in extended paragraphs. Sometimes his thoughts aren't very well connected for English ears, the kind of reading that we do of Scripture. He says, of which some things are hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction as they do the rest of the Scriptures. So Peter, what is Peter saying here? Is he saying that some in his day take the writings of Paul, which can be very difficult and challenging sometimes, take the writings of Paul and twist those Scriptures like they do the rest of the Scriptures for their own agenda, for their own doctrinal emphasis, for their own belief system? Absolutely. Things haven't changed much in 2000 years, have they? Still occurs today, every day. Peter himself acknowledges that there are some teaching doctrinal error in his day. Sadly, it wasn't unusual for people to leave God's church in Paul's time, in John's time, in Peter's time, or in our time.

So knowing that this is the legacy, the history of the Church of God, how should we react when we see these problems occurring today in the Church of God? What should our reaction be when we see these things occurring? Let's answer that question as we begin to conclude the sermon today. 2 Timothy 4. Let's go back to the fourth chapter of 2 Timothy and see what Paul was telling Timothy was important in his life, because he saw all of these things. He felt these things. He saw people go astray. He saw contention. He saw doctrinal issues. He saw it all. And here's what he had to say, chapter 4 and verse 5 of 2 Timothy. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions.

Do the work of an evangelist. Fulfill your ministry. All of us, all of you have been given a ministry. It may be the small letter M, but all of you have been given a ministry.

You are stewards of a very precious truth that God has given you.

You have the truth and the knowledge of God, the knowledge of His Sabbath day, the knowledge of His holy days, the correct doctrines that are from the Word of God. You've been given that.

Fulfill the ministry, the mission that God has brought you to. He says, for I am already poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. Some translations say the course, as if you're running laps and a course, like around a football field. I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge will give me on that day, and not to me only, but to all who have loved His appearing. Paul finished his race. You're in a race.

He wasn't racing against anyone else. Neither are you. He was running a marathon against the devil, who threw many obstacles in his path. He wasn't competing against other human beings. He had a life mission that he needed to complete. How about us, brethren? Have you ever seen a race that's called running the hurdles? What they do in that race is they put up barriers, little hurdles, that you have to jump over in order to get to the finish line. You don't finish the race until you keep going forward and get to the finish line. If you've ever seen anyone run the hurdles, you will know that sometimes you totally jump over a hurdle. That's great! Sometimes the edge of your foot catches that hurdle and it may slow you down. It may stagger you. The hurdle may even fall over.

But you know what? You don't win the race. Even if you've been stunned and staggered, and I can tell you I've seen things in my lifetime that stunned me, that were faith busters, that staggered my faith. But when you're running the hurdles, you keep going forward. Even if you fall flat on your face from tripping over a hurdle, you get up and you keep running towards that finish line.

And that's what Paul was willing to do. All of these things I have talked about today are hurdles that are there to trip you up in your journey of discipleship.

Doctoral issues, ministers' problems, organizational problems, problems among people, all of these things are simply obstacles intended by the enemy to trip you up, to stop you from finishing your race, the course that God has put you on. You know, if we decide that we're going to give up on the faith, if we decide that maybe the pleasures of this world are more important to us, or maybe we decide that we have some doctrinal agenda, some spiritual opiate, and because the church won't embrace my opiate, won't allow me to spread it around, won't allow me to sell it to people that I'm just going to quit and I'm going to give up. And you know what? You can take that crown and you can put it on that chair and you can walk out this building. But I can tell you what I've learned over 40 years. It may be two weeks, it may be a month, but I can assure you that someone else will walk through that door and they'll come in and sit down and Jesus Christ will put that crown on their heads. That's how precious that calling is. Are we willing to be like the apostle Paul? Do we understand that he has laid up for us a crown of righteousness? Can we be so eager or so unwise to allow ourselves to stumble because we see things going on here? Or we hear rumors going on over here? Or we have someone we admired and they stumble and fall by the wayside? Or we hear rumors or rumblings about things that are unfair or people that aren't doing things right? Of course that happens because God in his great mercy has decided to work through human beings. He always has worked through human beings and we are flawed. We are a challenging people for God to work with. But we should never lose sight of the fact that we are being offered a crown of righteousness and we should let no man, nothing, take that crown from us. Philippians chapter 2 and verse 12. He'll turn there with me. Philippians chapter 2 and verse 12.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure, do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you shine as lights in the world. On that day of judgment, we will face Jesus Christ one on one. We can't use the conduct or poor example of other peoples as an excuse. We're responsible for our own lives. We are not going to be able to blame people, doctrine, church organizations, sad events, or anything else for our lack of endurance or faith.

We are not going to be able to calm Jesus Christ by saying, I quit the race because I saw this going on. I quit the race because I heard that this was happening over here. I quit the race because this minister had problems and I admired him. Jesus Christ isn't going to buy those excuses.

I'd like to give you an idea how I came to understand some of these things from a personal perspective. I came into the church around November of 1971, and within the first month, it was announced as services the death of a young boy to a church family.

This was a young boy who was in a crib, got sick, parents had him anointed, went back to his crib the next morning he had died. Hmm, that was a faith buster for me. How could God allow this innocent little child to die in his crib? Within the first month, I learned of a former minister who had left the church because of a doctrinal issue over new moons. Started his own church in Akron, had his own radio program. I couldn't understand that. Why would people, why would ministers of all people leave the church of God? Within the first three months I was attending in January of 1972, a very prominent evangelist who was on radio and television was put out on the ministry for adultery. This man had had a powerful impact in my life. I had heard him since age 13 on the radio and a lot of what he said made sense and he was in many ways used as a tool for my calling. I was very attracted to his speaking and his preaching. Within the first year I witnessed our pastor whose name was Bob Steep. I saw his health decline and it was a chronic thing and pretty soon he was having back problems and then he had to sit on a chair when he gave sermons and eventually it became totally debilitating. He died around 1976 in California. Why would God allow a faithful minister of his, which Bob Steep was dedicated, young in the prime of life, maybe 40-ish, why would God allow him to have this kind of... everyone prayed. We all prayed for him. We loved the man. We wanted him to be healed. He wasn't healed. It got worse and worse and eventually he died. Within the first few years, the pastor of the Cleveland Church, who happened to marry my wife and I, he left the ministry to sell gold coins. I should have known something was up when he gave us a gold coin as a wedding gift. Two years later, in 1974, I witnessed my first church split, and 10% of the ministry of the church that I was with left the church over doctrinal issues, over Pentecost, and over government authority, and it was a terrible split in 1974.

Within just a few months of that, in 1974, I was stunned when the church closed one of the Ambassador College campuses in Brickedwood, England. I just couldn't understand, how could you tell me in 1960, when you opened this college, that it was due to God's direct intervention, that this just fell in our hands, that it was God's will, and that God had opened this up, and God had made this property available, and God had provided all of these things, and then 14 years later, you just close it down. Goodbye! That was a real faith buster for me. And I can tell you that as you go through your life as a disciple, you will see things that challenge you, things that bother you, things that frustrate you, as they did Paul, when everyone abandoned him. But those are just hurdles. They're just obstacles. They're a test. They are meant to make us stumble. They are meant to get our eyes off the ball, or to get our eyes off the finish line, and to be distracted by something that eternity in the realm of eternity doesn't matter one way or another. Just a test. Just another obstacle that's thrown in our way. Romans chapter 2 and verse 4, if you'll turn there with me, Romans chapter 2 and verse 4. Here in the book of Romans, Paul is contrasting unrighteous evil with those who are righteous and faithful. He's drawing a contrast between the two. And he says here in verse 7 a very powerful phrase that is the key to not stumbling, key to not being distracted by one of those hurdles. He's saying, or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and long suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? That's what the goodness of God does. It leads us to repentance. It leads us to baptism. It leaves us to receiving that wonderful gift of God's Holy Spirit, where he literally makes his home inside of us. He's continuing here in verse 5, but in accordance with the hardness of your impenitent heart, you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God who will render to each one according to his deeds. So he's saying if we don't have a repentant heart, instead of storing up treasures in heaven, we are storing up wrath. And there's going to come a judgment day is what he's saying. There's coming a time when we are called to account for our sins. And then in verse 7, he flips to talking about the righteous, those who get it. Eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality. I want you to focus on that word, who by patient continuance. You see these things going on?

Don't overreact. Don't panic. Don't get angry. Demonstrate patient continuance. God is in charge. God knows all of these things are happening. God knows this person left the church. God knows that these problems exist in doctrinal situations. God knows all these things that are going on because he controls the universe. He's not surprised. The fact that he allows these things to happen should tell us that it's only a test. When you hear about these things, when you see these things, they're simply obstacles to stop you from finishing the race. Continuing here. Eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality. But those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, and wrath, tribulation, and anguish on every soul of man who does evil of the Jew first and also of the Greek. But, verse 10, glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Keep the race. Don't quit. Even if you've stumbled, even if your foot has caught that hurdle and the hurdle has fallen over and you've been staggered and your faith has been wounded and you don't understand why these things happen, why these things occur, keep going forward. Keep finishing your race. Our final scripture, Psalm chapter 62, beginning in verse 1. Psalm chapter 62 verse 1, our final scripture today.

Psalm chapter 62 verse 1, the great psalmist wrote, truly my soul silently waits for God. I'm not going to allow these things to disturb me. When these obstacles happen, problems occur in the church among people, among ministers, among organizations. I'm not going to let these things disturb me. I'm going to silently wait for God. He's in charge. He knows what's going on, and when the time is right, he'll intervene and he'll fix it. Truly, my soul silently waits for God. From him comes my salvation. I have to keep my eye on the ball, not look to people, not look to buildings, not look to organizational names, but I need to realize that from him comes my salvation. Verse 2, he only is my rock and my salvation. People aren't my salvation. Buildings aren't my salvation. Doctrines alone aren't my salvation. My salvation comes from the rock, and that's Jesus Christ, who shed his blood and allowed me the precious privilege to come to the throne of grace and to wear that crown of righteousness. He only is my rock and my salvation. He is my defense. I shall not be greatly moved. Yes, I may see some things in my lifetime that will stun me.

I may see some things that set me back. I may see some things that make me question God temporarily. On what's going on and why, but I shall not be greatly moved because I'm going to finish my race, and I'm going to keep my eyes on that finish line. And I'm not going to allow any of those obstacles to trip me up or to stop me from finishing this journey of discipleship that God started me on many, many years ago. And the same is certainly true for you. Don't allow anyone to hinder your faith or commitment towards God. Remain steadfast and always remember, as Jesus said in Luke 21.19, by your patience possess your souls. Don't be greatly moved. Don't be rattled. Don't allow your faith to be destroyed by, frankly, the same old things that have been going on since 31 A.D.

All the events are exactly the same. Only the names have changed. So stay focused on what God is doing in your life, and please understand that the Church of God is composed of flawed, imperfect human beings. There is no perfect church. We saw that today beginning in the book of Acts.

There is no perfect organization. Therefore, I encourage you to follow the examples of Luke, and Paul, and John, and Peter, and love God's Church. Support God's Church. Not because we're perfect. We're far from it. Because it is here that He placed His name. And it is here that God's Holy Spirit resides. Have a wonderful and fulfilling Sabbath day.