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Some Challenges a Congregation Must Meet

Here are four practical challenges to congregational life

Introduction

1. Text: Rev. 3:11-13.

2. The saints in Philadelphia were urged to be strong and not let the devil rob them of their salvation.

3. In every possible way, the devil would like to hinder the Lord's people - e.g. 1 Thess. 2:18.

4. The problems our adversary can generate are of many different kinds: doctrinal, moral, etc.

5. Sometimes, however, we overlook the more "practical" ways the devil can hinder us.

6. What are some things we must do to meet the devil's challenges in areas like these?

I. REMEMBER WHAT OUR WORK IS

1. It takes discipline to stick to our work and let the Lord do His. Cf. Jer. 7:27; Ezek. 2:7.

2. It is our work to "plant" and "water"; it is the Lord's work to give the "increase" (1 Cor. 3:6).

3. Ultimately, the Lord will want to know not how many people we baptized, but how many people were left in our community that we never confronted with the gospel.

4. We are constantly tempted to bypass the work of seed-sowing or to believe that we are doing "enough"
   -- we must resist both of these temptations.

5. We need to be a congregation from which the gospel "sounds forth" - 1 Thess. 1:8.

II. LIVE ABOVE PETTINESS

1. It takes discipline to keep away from "itsy-bitsy thinking."

2. Selfishness, gossip, and factionalism are the bane of the Lord's work. Cf. Phil. 2:3,4; 4:2.

3. We need a sense of proportion and priorities.

   1. It is disastrous to "major in minors."

   2. We must be able to see the largeness and importance of the work we are doing in comparison to our own personal concerns - e.g. Phil. 1:12-18!

4. We must not only be able to operate, but also to co-operate - Phil. 1:27. Cf. the emphasis on "together" in
   Eph. 2:19-22; 4:16.

III. BELIEVE WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY

1. It takes discipline to believe we can bring about significant changes for good where we live.

2. Without some hope (desire + expectation), our work will cease altogether -- and the devil knows it!

3. When Christ sets before us an "open door" (Rev. 3:8), no one can shut it.

4. We simply must keep in mind that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world - 1 Jn. 4:4.

IV. MAINTAIN GRATITUDE FOR ITS BLESSINGS

5. It takes discipline to emphasize the positive rather than the negative aspects of our congregational
   situation.

6. Few congregations have had more problems than Corinth -- yet even in Corinth, there were things to be thankful for - 1 Cor. 1:4-9.

7. A scriptural congregation is a thankful congregation - Col. 3:17.

Conclusion

1. We must determine to meet these challenges successfully.

   1. It is true, congregationally as well as individually, that with every temptation there is a "way of escape"
      (1 Cor. 10:13).

   2. But we must see temptation for what it is and arm ourselves against it - Eph. 6:10,11.

2. Our salvation is nearer than when we first believed - Rom. 13:11,12. Cf. Hb. 4:1.

3. We must not let the devil rob us of our salvation - Rev. 3:11.

4. We must meet our challenges in the strength of God!