February 21, 2010 Sermon by Pastor JR. Fields

A Block of wood, an Axe, and a Wedge

Last of a series of sermons on the seven steps of Lordship

11 Peter 1:7-10 ...And to godliness brotherly kindness, and brotherly kindness, charity. For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. He that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old skin. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if, ye do these things, ye shall never fall.

It is more than merely saying you are under the Lordship of Christ. To be under His Lordship means we must do what He says. We cannot say one thing, and act in an entirely different way.

The last two things Peter mentions are brotherly kindness and charity. They are at the last of the list, but, I believe these are as important as any of the other five because they deal with love. How ironic it is that this message fell on Valentine’s Day, on the very day, we celebrate love. However, let me say something, especially to the men, “Don’t wait until February 14th to show your wife you love her; shower her with love three hundred-sixty-five days of the year. She needs to feel your love and support every day.

Today, I want to tell you what wants to do. He has in his heart to ruin you, to steal your joy, ruin your life, and ruin your testimony. Do you believe that? The Bible says the Devil is like a roaring lion going about seeing what he can devour. If we are not careful, he will succeed. Let me remind you, the Devil knows where to hit you the hardest. He knows your weakest spots.

Peter says, “Giving all diligence, add to your faith these seven things...Virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, and now we read brotherly kindness, and charity.”

Brotherly kindness is affection shown toward our earthly brothers and sisters. However, this brotherly kindness is to show affection for those brethren with whom you are going to Heaven.

I have been thinking on this message for several weeks and I thought of a very good illustration on how I could make a point. The Church is the body of Christ. Jesus said, “Upon this rock, I will build my church. And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” The bride of Christ here on earth is the church. Jesus loved the church so much He gave his life.

In thinking of this message, I thought of a block of wood. A block of wood is a lot like the church. It has been weathered and at the top of the grain, you will find some cracks. The same with the church, it has been weathered, has gone through some storms but it is still intact. Isn’t it good that you can go through the storms and remain intact? However, you will come out with some fractures. There is no such thing as a perfect church, because it is made up with imperfect people. Trouble found within the church can divide the church. It is how you deal with the trouble that defines a church. Being a pastor, I could tell you some stories that would make you say, “Law-Zee, Preacher.” However, it all comes with the territory. Therefore, that is why I use this block of wood for my illustration.

You see, this block of wood, just like the church, has been weathered, and has been through the storms; and it certainly has had its fair share of hard knocks. Still, it is intact. Now, this wedge lying on the wood represents our faults and shortcomings. The wood is intact, but all it takes is for someone to take the wedge and hit it with this axe a few times, and I promise you, it will split wide open. That wedge could be resentment. It could be condemnation. It could be envy. It could be gossip. It could be bitterness. It could be scandal. It could be suspicion. Let me tell you what makes a very good wedge... un-forgiveness! The wedge introduces the Devil. He is in the midst of every church problem. He loves to see the wedge in the wood. He stands there with a big mall, ready to drive it home, and he never misses.

So, the block represents the church, the wedge represents those things that can be divided, and the Devil swings the mall. Those of you who use a wedge know that you look for a fracture in the wood to apply the wedge, because that is the weakest part of the block. I am here to tell you, the Devil sees the fractures in the church. He uses our failures and weaknesses to do his work. Trouble alone cannot divide a church. It is how we respond to the trouble that divides the church.

Peter says, “To add to your godliness, brotherly kindness.” The greatest witness to a community is for others to see the body of a church that is working together in love and harmony. The worst thing they can see is a church divided. It sends a terrible message to others to see a church that is angry and bickering among the congregation. Before I became a Christian, I used to laugh when I heard of a church that was bickering. It made me feel so good. It kind of justified myself for being a wicked sinner when I saw church folks going through troubled times. Here I am in the Ministry and involved in things I once thought was funny. Folks, be careful at what you laugh over. You may have to “Sow, what you reap!” You and I are responsible for maintaining harmony in the House of God.

Love for the brethren is not an easy thing. One of the hardest things I have had to do since becoming a Pastor, is to love people in spite of their shortcomings. You would not have a clue at the anguish a Pastor must deal with. Some think a Preacher is supposed to love everyone no matter what. They are supposed to smile and give pats on the back, all the while being cut to shreds behind his back. When they doubt your calling, it is not easy. When they question your motives, it is not easy. I have found the best way to deal with it is by love. Love them in spite of themselves.

Parents, how many times have your children disappointed you? You didn’t stop loving them...even when you were disappointed in them nothing they did made you stop loving them. I think about my days as a child. How my parents loved me. I am sure I didn’t always please them but they never gave up on me.

Peter says to be kind to the brethren. How did Jesus reach the people? He reached them through love. He loved the sinner. He loved the leper and the lame. He loved people. He even loved the ones who nailed Him to the cross. What was He saying when He said from the cross, “Father, forgive them.” He was telling His Father He loved them just the same.

Because we are followers of Christ, we must carry the same banner Jesus carried.

Jesus said, “ By this, shall all men know that you are my disciple if ye have love for one another.” Love distinguishes you from a world filled with hate and anger. It is love that identifies us to our heavenly calling. Jesus told the disciples to love one another as I have loved you. The greatest love in all the Bible John 3:16--For God so loved the world:

You know what I think about when I see the cross. I don’t so much see the blood. I don’t so much see the nails. I see the love Jesus had for us. All He asks is that we love as we have been loved. Is that such a strange doctrine? To show kindness toward the brethren. After all, it is one of the things that identify us as a follower of Jesus Christ.

To conclude this message...After brotherly kindness, there is charity. The word charity means love. A love that is godly. Charity is to love and can be spread out in many different ways. Here, the meaning is for those who go where people can know the love of Jesus. Charity is to talk to someone who does not know Christ. Charity is to love those who have never shown love to anyone. To tell those about the love f Christ. Do not allow a wedge to divide you and your trust and faith in God. Pull the wedge of doubt and hate out before it becomes a catastrophe. Now, we have the seven steps to Lordship: