Honouring God as a Community..

Welcome to Cornerstone Reformed Baptist Church. Thank you for using and sharing our resources. What you're about to hear is God's Word from one of our teaching elders. We trust that God's Word will inspire, instruct, and bless you. For further teachings or information on our ministry, please visit us on our website at cornerstonerbc.

com. That's cornerstonerbc.com. Brothers and sisters, all together in the Spirit, reading together the Word of God from chapter 4 in verse 12, all the end until the book of 1 Peter. And this is the Word of God.

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you. as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, or an evildoer, or as a meddler.

Yet, if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God. And if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if the righteous is cursely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? Therefore, let those who suffer according to God's will and trust their souls to a faithful creator while doing good.

So I exhort the elders among you as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ As well as I partake in the glory that is going to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God that is among you. Exercise oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you, not for shameful gain, but eagerly, not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Pay attention to verse 5. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders.

Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility towards one another. For God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that the proper time He might exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you. Be sober minded. Be watchful.

Your adversary, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith. Knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever.

Amen. by Silvanus, a faithful brother, as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings. And so does Mark, my son.

Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. Amen. This is the reading of the perfect, holy, all-sufficient, ever-enduring, Word of the only God of this universe, and by His grace, beloved of Christ, we're going to be addressing verses 5, 6, and 7 in light of the context of what the Apostle Peter, in the power of the Holy Spirit, has given to these churches in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. from the beginning of chapter 5 from verse 1 in which this apostle is giving an exhortation to the elders that are among these churches to shepherd the flock that is among them to exercise oversight with this flock of God not to do that under compulsion or obligation but with a spirit given an empowered will that produces in them love not for shameful gain, but eagerly, with desires that come from above, with desires that are not produced in the flesh, with desires that are not manipulated by the mind, but desires that come from the holy abode of heaven, not domineering over them.

the ones that are in charge, but rather being examples to these people. This is the context. It is an exhortation to the elders. And then in verse 5, he says, likewise, you who are younger are to be subject to those elders who are among you, and you're to clothe yourselves with humility. And the exhortation moves until verse 7.

Now brothers and sisters, beloved of Christ, from the very beginning of this message, from my heart to yours, I'm going to put on the table the topic that I want us to meditate upon as a congregation. And that is the importance of the local church in times of tribulation. That is the importance of the local community of believers. That is the local community of saints, of those who by grace through faith have been saved and have been united not to a universal body only, but have been united to a local body. A local body that is not on YouTube, That it is not on Facebook.

That it is not on the internet. A local body that requires proximity in the flesh. A local body that requires proximity to see the face of the saints. To be among the saints. The importance of that local church.

in times of tribulation. And when I say brothers and sisters, the local church, I'm not talking about the local church that is across the road. I'm not talking about the congregation that might be in our neighborhood or in the city where we live. I'm talking about Cornerstone Reformed Baptist Church. I'm talking about our church.

our local body. I'm talking about our community of believers, the believers that the Lord in His grace and in His providence has joined and brought together. I'm not talking about your favorite pastor online. I'm not talking about your favorite ministry online. I'm not talking about the church that is across the road, a church that you know.

I'm talking about us, the importance of our local church in times of tribulation and these times of tribulation are the times that we are living in. These are times of uncertainty. I'm talking about the present time. Times like the ones that we are going through at this very moment. Times of drastic changes.

Unprecedented times in the history of humankind. Times that have shaped the history of the world and that are changing completely the perception of many things. Times that have revealed the real content of the heart of men. Times that have exposed the real substance of the soul, of our lives, everything that we have inside, not only as Christians, but also for the world. Times that, let me submit to you, will continue to change.

times of uncertainty that will continue to be times of uncertainty. Times are changing constantly and the Bible, brothers and sisters, calls us to be watchful, as a church calls us to be Careful, and let me submit to you that the Scriptures, brothers and sisters, is very clear, even gives us specific warnings of the things that come ahead. And in the Book of Revelation, we are told that even there's going to be a time in which the peace of the world is going to be removed and that men will kill one another and will slay one another. This is the future, according to the Bible. Now, you may say, I don't think that these things are going to happen to me.

And I don't think that these things are going to happen in my generation. And I don't think it's been 2000 years and the world has continued. I don't think that these things are going to happen to me. And I would say to you, brother or sister, if that's the thought that you have in your mind, if that's the thought that you have in your heart out of love and grace, I would say that in the best case scenario, you are a fool who does not know scriptures, who has not diligently studied scriptures. And I will, out of love, I will call you to check and research scriptures and the things that we're told.

And in the words of the apostle Peter, I will tell you, that the Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some people count Him and even in the heart think that He is slow to fulfill His promise but He is manifesting His patience towards us Not wishing that anyone of his elect should perish, but that all will come to repentance. That was the burden, brothers and sisters, of the Apostle Peter in the first century for these churches. To show them, to present to them, the importance of the local congregation in times of difficulty. These churches to which the Apostle was writing were churches and congregations and local communities that were heading, that were moving into critical times of tribulation and persecution and shame and loss and difficulty. These were difficult times for these churches.

Let me submit to you, brothers and sisters, that the times that we live are not so much different from the times that the early church was moving into. And even though I do not know the future, if that was the fate and that was the experience of the church of the first century, I think that the church of the last century, when the Lord comes, is going to experience very similar things. So brothers and sisters, this is the burden of the apostle, and this is the burden of my heart towards you, to meditate upon the importance of the local church in times of tribulation, and more precisely, more exactly, the importance of the local church in the process of preparing or in the process of making ready the saint, the Christian, the believer. for these times of tribulation. You see, the role of the church is so important for the life of the individual believer, the role of the local church, the community of the saints, those that we can see each other, that we can hug each other, that we can see face to face.

It's so important for the Christian that is the natural environment that the Spirit of God has provided providentially for the saint for the Christian, for the believer to be ready, to be prepared for these times of tribulation and difficulty. It is very important that we see this burden in the apostle because it's very clear. Brothers and sisters, from the context of the passage that we have in front of us, that Apostle Peter desires from his heart to exhort the reader to be ready, to be prepared, to be watchful, or in his language, to be sober-minded, or to be self-controlled, or in his words, not to be taken by surprise, but to be ready. Let me just show you the context of the things that I am saying so you will see that this is not the burden of my heart, this is not the desire of my mind, this is not the man-made desire, but rather this is the spirit inscripturated given to Peter's desire for these churches. If you go to 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 7, this is the beginning of this whole section.

In 1 Peter chapter 7, here you can see the burden of or the desire of the Apostle Peter to exhort the churches and the recipients of this letter to tell them that they are to be ready for the end of all things. That the end of all things is coming at hand. 1 Peter 4, verse 7, it says, The end of all things is at hand. Therefore, be self-control and sober minded for the sake of your prayers, brothers and sisters, that we might not be dull, indifferent to these words. When the apostle said those things to the audience, to these churches, He was not writing this in a faithless way, not expecting that this was the end of all things.

He was writing this thing by the inspiration of the Spirit, and he was writing this in full faith and confidence that the end of all things was at hand. And therefore, he exhorted these people to be self-controlled and sober-minded. That is, that times of tribulation were ahead, that difficult things were ahead, so they were to be self-controlled and sober-minded. He also tells them to be ready for fiery trials. If you go to verse 12, there in chapter 4, you can see the heart and the exhortation of the Apostle Peter to these churches when he says to them, Beloved, in verse 12, Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you as though something strange was happening to you.

That is, you are to be ready. You are not to be taken by surprise. You are to be ready because when the fiery trial comes upon you, it will come to test you. But you're not to take this as something that was strange, something that you were not expecting. That means that in the present, you must be ready.

You must be prepared. for these fiery trials that are coming. Not only that, but the Apostle also exhorts these churches to be ready for persecution. Verse 14 in chapter 4, it says, If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed because the Spirit of God rests upon you. And the previous verse also tells us that there is reviling accusations that they are insults from the lost that they are difficulties with the church that this is what the church was supposed to expect you are to be ready for that these are the tribulations these are the difficulties that the apostle wants them to be ready for that the apostle wants them to be prepared for that not only these providential circumstances but also The apostle is going to exhort these churches to be ready for the judgment of God that is to come and is to begin at the household of God.

Verse 17 in Chapter four first Peter's. Chapter 4, verse 17, it says, For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God. And if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? That is, brothers and sisters, the judgment of God will come and it will begin with the household of God. It will start with The church be ready, be prepared.

He was not writing or speaking these words in a careless way, in a faithless way as many times we take them. But he was actually speaking these words. in faith by the inspiration and the guiding of the Spirit. He's telling them to be ready for the end of all things. He's telling them to be ready and prepared for fiery trials.

He's telling them to be ready and prepared for persecution. He's telling them to be ready and be prepared for the judgment of God. And just after the portion of Scripture that we're addressing this evening, just in chapter 5 verse 8, He's also going to tell them to be ready for the attacks of Satan. Not only the end of the things, fiery trials, persecutions, and the judgment of God, but also for the attacks of Satan. Chapter 5, verse 8, it says, be sober minded, be watchful, that is, be ready, be prepared.

Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Brothers and sisters, all of these passages that I have read, all of these passages that I have mentioned, are the surrounding context of the exhortation given to elders and to those who the Apostle calls younger. And the burden of the Apostle, the desire of the Apostle for these churches It is for them to be ready and to be prepared for these difficulties, whatever they are, the end of all things, fiery trials, persecution, the judgment of God, or the attacks of Satan. To be ready and to be prepared. So what I'm saying to you is that my heart for you, beloved, my heart for you is that we will see the importance of the local church in the process of preparing and making ready the saint, the believer, for these tribulations that Scripture says that will come, for the end of all things, for the fiery trials, for persecution, for the judgment of God that will start at the household of God, and for the attacks of Satan.

to be ready as a congregation and the role of the local church, of the community, is of vital importance. That is my burden for you and this is what I want us to see and to answer. How can the local church indeed prepare? the saint or the believer for these times of tribulations or in other words what does the local church need to have or what does the local church need to be in order to prepare the saint the believer for these times of tribulation? And I want us to answer that question from the passage of a scripture that we have from chapter 5 in the context of verse 1 until verse 7, but primarily focusing on verse 5, 6, and 7.

How can the local church, how can Cornerstone Reformed Baptist Church prepare each one of the saints, each one of those believers, each one of those sons and daughters of God through Christ that had been joined to our community? What do we need to be or what do we need to have in order to prepare the saints that are among us? And I'm going to answer this question in just simply four things that I want us to see in this passage, and I'm doing it this way because I don't want your mind to go and wander to different places, but I want you to have a structure and you see how this is so important for us as a congregation. This is what Cornerstone Reformed Baptist Church is the local community that in the providence of God is the place where you fellowship and the place where the Lord has placed you. These are the things that this church, Cornerstone Reformed Baptist Church, should have and be in order to prepare your soul, in order to prepare your heart as a believer, for these times that are coming ahead, for these times of tribulation.

Four things that I want us to see, four different points that I want us to see in these verses. The first thing is that the local church should have a biblical structure. that the local church should have a biblical structure. That is the first thing. The second thing is that the local church should have biblical relationships.

So the church should be biblically structured and once the church is biblically structured the relationships within the church should also be biblical. Biblical relationships. So if the church is biblically structured and the church has biblical relationships then we move to the third point which is that the church should have a biblical heart. The core of the church, the heart of the church should be biblical. The church should have a biblical heart.

heart and by having a biblical heart, a biblical core as a congregation, the fourth thing that I want us to address is that the church, our church, should have a biblical faith. That it is not only individual faith, but a biblical covenantal community faith we should have a biblical structure we should have a biblical relationships we should have a biblical heart and we should have a biblical faith and of course when i say biblical i means as it is given in scripture so that the church will be able to make ready To prepare the saint for these times of difficulties and tribulations, of fiery trials, of the judgment of God coming, the attacks of Satan, all of these things that are written, not only in 1 Peter, brothers, But also throughout the New Testament, the first thing, brothers, that I want us to meditate upon is that the church should have a biblical structure. And I want you to see how it is implicitly given to us in text. We are told of elders. And we are told of other people that here Peter calls younger.

So we are told of elders in the first five verses, in the first four verses of chapter five. And also we are told about these younger people who are to be submitted to these elders. And these are the structure of the church. That is that in the church, you need to have biblical elders. If the church is going to be the environment that is going to prepare the saint for the future times, if the church is going to be the environment that is going to make ready the saint for the times that come ahead, then that church is to have biblical elders.

And these biblical elders are pastors, shepherds, overseers. They are not senior pastors or associate pastors. They are not youth pastors or children pastors, as if those things or those categories would exist. They are not to be women pastors as if there were women pastors, but they are to be elders, male elders, male in gender and in plurality. They are not to be elder.

They are to be elders as the Lord allows in his providence this is to be a plurality of elders that it is looking after the congregation, not a CEO model of a church with a solo pastor and some other people that are around him that do not do anything, but rather male elders appointed by God that come together in plurality to serve the Lord and these collectively are concerned for the feeding of the flock by the preaching of the word they are collectively together it is not that there is a person that is in charge of teaching the congregation but rather the heart of the shepherd Biblically, organically, spiritually, it is moved and it's taken to collectively feed the flock of God. Not a feeding of their egos and their pockets, not a feeding of their bank accounts, not a feeding of their reputation, but the feeding of the flock of God by and through the preaching of the Word. These elders, brothers and sisters, have been called by God. They have not been called by men. They are not doing these things because of their own instincts and because of their own desires or because their own plans or their imaginations or because their family members or their friends said that they would be good pastors.

Not because they are the result of a seminary degree or something like that. These people, these elders, are to be called spiritually by God. The desire to serve and to feed the flock of God has to be inscripturated by the power of the Spirit in the heart and in the conscience of these people so that they will serve the church. elders who do it not because this is what they are used to do but as Peter says that they are examples to the flock and that they are awaiting the reward not in money that is coming or not in reputation or not a status but they are awaiting the unfading crown of glory that it is promised by the shepherd of the flock the high the high priest the Lord Jesus Christ So the biblical structure brothers and sisters of our church should have biblical elders and the prayers of the saints should be that those who call themselves to be elders should be elders according to what I have just said. that it will be not an external manifestation and pretending externally to be what the Scripture says, but rather for the benefit of your soul, for the benefit of the soul of those who love, for the destiny of your soul, that together as a congregation we should be praying that those among us who call themselves to be elders will correspond to the biblical status and not to man-made pretensions and man-made intentions.

These are the elders. But in verse 5, brothers and sisters, we are now introduced to another word. It says, so likewise, in verse 5, just as I have given this exhortation about the elders, likewise, he's going to speak now about these younger people. this younger among yourself and now brothers and sisters let me tell you that many believe that this passage here in verse five is speaking of younger namely those who are younger in years of age you see that the word that is given to us as younger there is a word that can indeed be translated as younger when it comes to years of age. So namely a person who has lived less years than the elder.

But I'm also going to submit to you that the meaning of this word younger is a little bit broader, not only from the context, but for what the word actually means in the original. This word younger is that word that is used sometimes to speak of something that is newer or something that is more recent. For instance, when you think about the comparison between the New Covenant and the Old Covenant, the New Covenant is, in a sense, a younger covenant, using this same word, speaking that it's a more recent covenant. The Old Covenant was in the past, and now the New Covenant is a newer, or a more recent covenant. Or when the Apostle Paul, for instance, compares the old man with the new man that is speaking that the new man is a more recent man within us that the old man was in the past but the new man is a more recent man and now this is very important because i think that the word and i believe and i'm convinced that the word younger here Rather than meaning only younger in age, it's actually referring to those who are younger in the faith.

Remember that in 1 Timothy chapter 3, we are told that elders are not to be new converts. That is, that elders are not to be new in the faith. They are not to be recent in the faith, but rather they are to be grown and mature in the faith in order to be elders. So when Peter is speaking of these younger, he's speaking of those who are younger in the faith. So here the contrast is not between the older men and the younger men of the church, but rather it is between those who are older in the faith, as I said, namely the elders and those who are younger in the faith, brothers and sisters, those who are younger in the faith, Are everyone else who is not an elder?

And this is going to be very important because if we understand the text that way, then the exhortation that is given here, it is not only for those who are younger in age than the elders, but it's given to everyone within the context of the church. And I can easily make my case there because the second statement of verse five says, clothe yourselves, all of you with humility. The intention of the Apostle Peter here is to address the congregation and to show that biblical structure of the congregation, namely that there will be elders who are more mature in the faith and then the younger in the faith who are all of them wanting Jesus Christ. There is no distinction. There is no value.

All of them are important because they have been bought by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. But there is a reason why elders are the ones that are called to shepherd the flock. Well, there is a reason why these elders are the ones that are called to oversight the flock or to be examples to the flock. That is that the elder or the pastor or the overseer or the the one that is leading the congregation spiritually is to be an example to the younger in the faith and in the words of the apostle in hebrew chapter 5 these are the ones that have the powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish between good and evil now why is this important brothers why am i making all of this effort to show you this why is this important this is important because it tells us brothers and sisters that Roles within the church are not defined by the role itself, but rather by the faith that we have in the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, the structure of a biblical church is not defined by those who precede and organize the service and then those who passively attend the service.

Or the biblical structure of a church is not defined by those who actively work and are involved in the activities of the church, and those who simply just passively attend and participate in the things of the church. Or the structure of the church is not defined by those who do things and labor in the church, and those that simply show up, those that simply come to church from time to time. This is a man-made structure of the church. The church is a body and all the members are inserted into that body by faith. What they do in the church that do not define them, does not define them or the church as a whole, but rather the grace and the faith that has been given by the Spirit in inserting these people into the church.

So the one that is an elder is important for the congregation and the one that is younger in the faith the one that is not an elder, is also important to the church, not because the role that they fulfill or that they follow, but rather because it is the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ that has given us access, that is the Spirit of Christ that has inserted as baptizers into his body. So the structure of a biblical church, it is a church that has biblical elders called by the Spirit and who also has biblical members those who by grace through faith have been inserted into the church that is that all of those who belong to the church are those who have been born again of the Spirit of God by faith because it's only by having the grace of God and the faith of God that we can move to the second point brothers and sisters remember I said to you that how can a local church prepare or make ready the believer for the times that are coming ahead. And I say that the first thing is that the church should have a biblical structure, elders and members that are called by faith and united in the faith of the Lord. But if that happens, then we will be able to have biblical relationships. Those members of the church, those people that belong to the church will be able to have biblical relationships and the way that these biblical relationships are stated in our text here it is with the word submission the Apostle Peter in verse 5 equals is likewise you who are younger does that means those of you who are younger in the faith those of you who are not elders be subject to the elders And here we can see the comparison.

It's comparing those who are younger with those who are elder. It's not those who are younger in age with those who are older in the faith. There are two categories, two different categories. But rather those who are younger in the faith with those who are older or elder in the faith, those who precede spiritually. And this relationship between the people of the church 2.

Those that lead the church spiritually is a relationship of submission. You who are younger, you are to be subject. to the elders that is to be under the authority of the elders now brothers and sisters we need to know from scripture that this is not the authority of the elders ultimately but this is the authority of the word of god in them And this is very important. The authority of the elders is the authority of the Word of God in them. And I'm using that word, that preposition very carefully, in them, because it's what the Word of God has done in them in a transforming work.

And it's also what the Word of God through the Spirit has taught them. Because the elders are supposed to be the carriers of the truth of God through the preaching of the word. So the authority of the elder is not established upon his status. how well he speaks, how well he is presented, how well he articulates ideas, but rather it is seen in the transforming work of the Word of God in the heart of that person and also in how much that person has been illuminated to the hidden wisdom that is contained in scripture so that this word can be taken to the congregation and prepare them make them ready not with man-made wisdom Not with man-made knowledge, but with the Spirit-empowered, Spirit-given wisdom that prepares the people for the future that is coming, for the days ahead. For that reason, Peter says that they are to shepherd the flock of God in verse 2.

whether they are to oversight the flock in verse 2 also, but to be examples to the flock, because he's what the Word of God has done in them and what he's doing through them, so that not only by teaching, but also by existing, the elders can be authority on the people, not because who they are, but because of what the Word of God has done in them. But for these things to happen, brothers and sisters, relationships have to be established upon the faith and the love and the work of Jesus Christ. You see, apart from the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ, apart from the workings of the Spirit of Christ in us, and apart from the truths of Scripture, our flesh will continue to pull us towards individuality. Our flesh will continue to drag us into our own box, into living our lives in our own things and not to be inside of the church. Our flesh will continue to create lack of trust because how are we going to trust this brother or how are we going to trust between brothers and sisters if we are in the flesh?

We will never do it to the best In the best case scenario, we will trust those who have proved and who have shown us, according to our own particular and personal standards, some reasons why we should trust them. But this is not the trust that the saints should have in one another in the context of the local church. In the flesh, brothers and sisters, we will continue to be united externally while in our hearts we are separated. doing these things will keep us smiling at each other, hugging each other, but being separated in the heart. So that's why, in order to be submissive biblically within the context of the Church, all of the members of the Church, elders and those who are younger in the faith, they are to put their eyes in Jesus Christ alone.

They are to desire to obey His Word. They are to believe His Word. That it is not what I say or what I believe, but it's what Jesus Christ says. And we do what He says because we love Him and we want to please our Savior. And then submission and relationships within the context of the Church happen by the empowerment of love.

and with the direction of faith and with the path of righteousness, putting away sin and changing that for forgiveness. Think about this, brothers and sisters. Peter has already called to submission in this letter. He called us to be submissive to the government and to authorities in chapter 3. He also called us to be submissive to our masters and those who are above us.

Also there in the end of chapter 3. And also He called wives to be submissive to husbands in chapter 3 verse 7. He has already spoken about submission. And in all of those exhortations, we acknowledge that there is a promise that these will bring glory to God. Think about this, how much more glory to God and blessing to our soul will bring that the members of the church, by the empowerment of the Spirit and the direction of the Spirit and the truth that is contained in Scripture, will do that which the Bible says.

that those who are younger in the faith will be submissive to those who are elders in the faith, so that we will all grow together, knit together as a body and as a building, and grow in maturity together. That's why this moves us. These relationships that are founded in faith would move us to have a biblical heart. Remember what I said to you. What does the local church, Cornerstone Reformed Baptist Church, need to have or be in order to prepare the saint, the believer, the Christian for times, difficult times of tribulation that come ahead.

not only to have a biblical structure with biblically called elders and members who have been truly born again, who have been inserted into the body by faith in the providence of God, and that those members of the church will have biblical relationships of submission to the elders. And also the Bible calls us to be submissive one to the other by the authority of the scripture that we will speak one to the other through. hymns and psalms and spiritual songs that the Word of God might dwell in us richly, that we might exhort one another and be submitted to one another in the authority of Scripture. This will take us, brothers and sisters, to have a biblical heart. to have a biblical heart and brothers and sisters this glorious and beautiful biblical heart the core of the church the court of our souls is defined by the apostle with the word humility that we would be clothed with humility he says likewise you who are younger be subject to the elders and now he says clothe yourselves all of you he's not saying the younger or the elders but clothe yourselves all of you without distinction without preference all of you clothe yourselves with humility and this humility is not in your submission to the elders but rather this humility is towards one another that is that our relationship will be clothed with humility.

You see, this word clothed speaks of something that is very internal for the Christian, not something that happens externally, not something that is manipulated in the flesh, not something that you can pretend with efforts and good morals, but something that clothes your soul, the very internal part of your being with humility goes deep into the heart, having a heart as a congregation is having a heart that is closed with humility and as I said note that the exhortation is for all now brothers and sisters humility is just simply having this glorious glimpse of this glorious visualization or this glorious understanding of the great value of my brothers and sisters in Christ It is having a real understanding. It is having a real encounter with the truth that in the soul of my brother and sister, there is a great value, that it is such a great value, the soul of my brother and my sister, that I'm able and willing to lay down my life to become more like Christ so that by being like Christ I can serve my brother and sister in becoming more like Christ for the glory of the Lord Jesus but also because I want to see his or her soul being more like the Savior. This is what the Apostle Paul says in Philippians chapter 2. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit but in humility count others more significant than yourselves? Brother and sister that are listening to my voice, do you count others more significant than yourself?

or down deep into your heart, you count yourself more significant than the others. And then when something happens, you are easily offended and you're slow to forgive, and you're quick to store bitterness in your heart, and you're quick to store and produce more sin in your heart. Do nothing from selfish ambition, the apostle says, or conceit, but in humility, count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you, continues the Apostle, look not only to his own interest, but also to the interests of others. And the interests of others are not only carnal, fleshly interests.

The main interest of others, it is to become like the person of Jesus Christ. That's why in verse five of that second chapter of Philippians, the Apostle Paul says, have these minds among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus. In 1 Corinthians chapter 2, he says that we have the mind of Christ. And he says, have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus. This Jesus Christ, who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of a man.

If Jesus Christ count himself being God, in the flesh as a servant so that we will be redeemed. How dare we consider ourselves in the heart, we don't do it with words, but how dare we consider ourselves deep into our heart more significant than brothers and sisters. That is the opposite to humility that is called pride. That's why the apostle in the exhortation moves and gives us the reason. He says that humility is worthy of receiving God's grace.

Humility, it is the way that we receive that heavens are open and grace is poured upon us. But pride receives the opposition of God. He says, for God opposes the proud, That is, God opposes the one that is filled with pride, but gives grace to the humble. Brothers and sisters, pride creates an enmity between us and God. He opposes the one that is filled with pride.

He opposes the person that has only pride in his or her heart. God is against the proud man or woman. He's against the prideful. God rejects the prideful. Remember what he said just before in chapter 4.

It is time for judgment to begin at the household of God. And if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? What will happen if judgment of God starts within the household of God and we are found to be harboring pride in our hearts, brothers and sisters? The Apostle, through the Spirit, calls us to clothe yourselves with humility. Close yourselves with humility, counting your life as less significant than the others, than your brothers and sisters.

This is the heart of a biblical church. This is the heart of a spirit-inspired, scripture-based Christ center. church no like the typical western church in which the one that pretends to have more will sit in the first chair just to show how much they have and then people will give prominence to the rich and will give prominence to the powerful and give prominence because of human reputation this is worthy of judgment but rather A biblical church is a church that is united by faith and that is united by humility. That's why the Apostle in verse 6 is going to point us to the power of this humility, telling us, humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time He might exalt you. That in humility, we are to submit, brothers and sisters, to the sovereign control of God.

How are we going to fear the times of tribulation that come ahead? How are we going to not have rest? If we trust and submit to the sovereign God, to the mighty hand. If we are joyful under the mighty hand of God. If in humility we are to be filled with gladness with the decrees of God.

If in humility we're to be in peace with the workings of God, whatever they are, then God himself will exalt us at the proper time this is not that we will receive public exaltation and we will receive this award and we are going to be publicly portrayed as as the good disciples but rather is that the lord during these times of tribulation is going to lift up his hand he is going to give us consolation consolation that comes from above Now, from the circumstances, brothers and sisters, because in this world, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ will go through tribulation. But how? How come the disciples of the first century will sing praises and have a smile in his face and be filled with joy when they were going through all of these difficulties? Because they were submitting under the mighty hand of God with humility. knowing that as Acts 4 says that this God the creator of heaven and on earth is a sovereign God that is in control of everything.

Humble hearts that will not raise their fist and hand and say why this is happening to us but rather saying you are the God of the universe and you are in control of all things. This is the humble heart of a biblical church. These are the type of dealings and the type of things that we should have in our hearts as a biblical church, brothers and sisters, so that we can move to the final point that I wanted to address to you and then just to make it shorter. It is that the local church should have a biblical faith, not only a biblical structure and biblical relationships of faithful submission one to the other but also a heart that is in humility serving one another but also a church that has to do what the Apostle says in verse 7 to cast all your anxieties in Him because He cares for you. You see it is a faith that allows us to know with certainty to with absolute certainty that this God of the universe who is sovereign who is in control of everything it's also a God that loves us and and that cares for us and that independently of the difficulties and the tribulations that are coming ahead this glorious God of the universe that is coming to judge the living and the dead he cares for us there's no place then for anxieties there is no place for lack of peace and lack of rest because by faith we believe what the word of God says And that is that we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good for those who are called according to His purpose.

And the purpose for which we have been called is that we may be conformed to the image of the Savior. the one who through suffering brought to consummation the work that was given to him by the Father before eternity, the one through suffering and persecution and difficulties brought to finish and conclusion this glorious work of salvation on behalf of the Church, so that then we will have words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians chapter 4 that says let your reasonableness be known to everyone the Lord is at hand do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will God your heart and your minds in christ jesus this is the faith of a biblical church Brothers and sisters, it is not about an individual. It is not about a couple of people within the church. It is about the congregation having a heart that is rooted in the person of Jesus Christ, that our eyes are open to see His glory, to see His might, and to see His love and His care for the church, and that we are to be ready, that we are to be prepared. And these are things that we need to be careful, brother, because Are we ready as a church?

Are we ready as a church for the end of all things as Peter describes it in 1 Peter 4 chapter 4 verse 7? Are we ready for these fiery trials that Peter describes in verse 12 in chapter 4? Or are we ready for persecution as a church, as a local church that the apostle speaks of these persecutions and insults in chapter 4 verse 14? Or are we ready for the judgment of God that begins with the household of God as it is described in verse 17 of chapter 4? Or are we ready for the attacks of Satan as they are described in verse 8 in chapter 5?

I am not sure, brothers and sisters, that we are ready for these things. I am not sure. And even though I think that the Lord has blessed us extensively in these past two years and I've seen your lives, how they have been transformed. And even when I speak to you, there is a double voice inside of me that is rejoicing for seeing and witnessing what the Lord is doing in your life. I think that as a congregation, we should continue to put our eyes in the person of Jesus Christ.

and then to continue to strive to be ready for these things. Not to be ready just going to coals and wovers and piling up and stocking up food, and just to do these things or that, but to be ready for the workings of the Lord. and we need to know the workings of the Lord through scripture. The early church knew what was coming ahead. The Apostle Paul says in Romans chapter 13, you know the time that the hour has come for you to wake from your sleep.

It says to the early church, you know, the time for salvation is near to us more than when we first believed. The apostle Paul says to the church, you know, the time when first Thessalonians chapter five, the apostle says, for you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. They knew they were fully aware. Now, we as a church, brothers and sisters, we are to be fully aware and prepared so that we will be ready for the things that are to come. And we do that by and through the local church, through the local community.

We don't do this through books, through systematic theologies. We don't do this through our YouTube sermon, or we don't do this through Facebook, or we don't do this even with our brothers and sisters who live across the ocean, the Pacific Ocean. But we do this, brothers and sisters, with those people that God has placed around us. We are empowered in the Spirit with the ministration of the life of the saints. That's why that every time that one of you prays in our prayers meeting, I know that the Lord is ministering to others through your prayers and when you pray in the secret place of your heart I know that the Lord is ministering to our churches strengthening us and making us ready but we should never we should never be complacent We should never be comfortable in the position that we are, but rather we should thrive, brothers and sisters, to know our Savior more, to have humility in our hearts, to be united as Christians in love one with the other.

We should strive to be humble to have a heart that is humble to serve one another that if you're gonna take my life that I will be willing to give my life for the service of the church so that the people of the church will be more like the person of Jesus Christ brothers and sisters we are to be so careful Do not be complacent, uncomfortable, letting our hearts grow cold, or even worse, to grow lukewarm. Because the word of God says that those who are lukewarm will be spit out from the mouth of God. that we might not be complacent with hearts that are indifferent to these things and that we just hear these words and then we just let a Sunday pass and then we start the week and then the week just simply continues with hearts that are indifferent and that are more concerned with the things of the world. brothers that we might not be complacent with all of these things comfortable being deceived by the deceitfulness of riches be easily taken by the affairs of this world be easily taken by our works and our money and the future and our studies and our children are being easily taken by these things and pain of losing better our focus on the person of Jesus Christ and his church his bride that we may have, brothers and sisters, biblical structure, biblical elders and biblical members in our church who are clothed with humility so that relationship will be under the authority of scripture and that we might be empowered, brothers and sisters, to by faith, to cling to the Lord Jesus Christ as the source of our rest, the one that cares for us and the one that sustains us until the end. Amen.