We must know and understand what God’s purpose is for our church, and together strive to excel in fulfilling that purpose for the glory of Christ.

The Fantastic 4-fold Purpose of the Local Church:

1) Be a Worshiping Body – Exalt the Lord

2) Be a Witnessing Body – Evangelize the Lost

3) Be a Walking Body – Edify the Saints

4) Be a Working Body – Equip the Saints

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Sermon by Cyril Florita

Colossians 3:14–15 (NASB95)

14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.

Theme/Proposition: In light of the Christian’s identity as a new man in Christ, you and I must put on the God-given garments of that new man.

Outline:

The Outer Garments of the New Man:

Garment of Love (v.14)
Garment of Peace (v.15a)
Garment of Thankfulness (v. 15b)

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James 5:19-20 (NASB)

19 My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you strays from the truth and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that the one who has turned a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

Theme: It is the whole church’s responsibility to help restore straying sinners back to the truth.

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James 5:16-18 (NASB)

16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.

Theme: Since the prayer of the righteous is very powerful, we as Christians should be motivated to pray.

1) A Motivation to pray (5:16b)

2) An Illustration of the power of prayer (5:17-18)

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James 5:13-16 (NASB)

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer of faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much.

Theme: Prayer is an expression of our dependence on God in all of life’s circumstances.

1) Times of suffering should lead us to prayer (5:13a)

2) Times of blessing should lead us to praise (5:13b)

3) In extreme sickness, we should call on the elders to pray (5:14-15)

4) In struggles with sin, we should confess to one another and pray (5:16a)

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James 5:12 (NASB)

12 But above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you do not fall under judgment.

Theme: Christians are called to be people who speak the truth and are faithful to keep their word.

Outline:

1) Don’t swear or take oaths to authenticate the truth (5:12a)

2) Make swearing/oaths unnecessary by always speaking the truth (5:12b)

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James 4:13-17 (NASB)

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. For you are just a vapor that appears for a little while, and then vanishes away. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. 17 So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, for him it is sin.

Two big problems with making plans & decisions apart from seeking God’s will:

1) It is foolish to act like you are in control of the future (4:13-14)

2) It is arrogance and evil to neglect God’s will (4:16-17)

How to make plans & decisions in honor of Christ:

3) Seek the Lord’s will in everything you do (4:15)

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James 4:11-12 (NASB)

11 Do not speak against one another, brothers and sisters. The one who speaks against a brother or sister, or judges his brother or sister, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you, judging your neighbor?

It is serious sin against God to speak against or stand in judgement over others.

1) The Command(s) – 4:11a (& b)

2) The Reasons for the Command(s) – 4:11b-12

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James 4:4-6 (NASB)

4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says to no purpose, “He jealously desires the Spirit whom He has made to dwell in us”? 6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

God calls us to be faithful to follow Him and His Word above the ways of the world.

1) The Rebuke of Worldliness (4:4)

2) The Reference to the Word (4:5)

3) The Reminder of the Way Forward (4:6)

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James 4:1-3 (NASB)

1 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is the source not your pleasures that wage war in your body’s parts? 2 You lust and do not have, so you commit murder. And you are envious and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, so that you may spend what you request on your pleasures.

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