Spring Services/Sermon in Cokato 06.05.2012

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we shall continue our services here for a few moments in conclusion to these days of warmth that we've experienced. And I thought I'd read a prayer, a prayer that the Apostle Paul had unto the believers there in Ephesus, a prayer that you and I have for one another from the heart of a child. It's found from the third chapter, Epistle on the Ephesians. And I'll begin reading from the 14th verse, and these words are in Jesus' name as follows.

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. And that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that he, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and the length and the depth and the height. And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that he might be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now, unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Amen.

Once again, one marvels at the grace and mercy and wisdom of God. And once again, one can but only say, O Emmanuel, how great is thy mercy.

It's been good, hasn't it, dear brothers and sisters, to sit here in the midst of God's congregation, here in his tabernacle, listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit as it has comforted us and uplifted us and taught us during these days.

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. In the Finnish Bible it speaks a little bit, maybe in some ways more clearly, where it says in this way, for this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the true Father of us all, who calls us his children in heaven and earth.

This beloved Heavenly Father, our Father in heaven, is also the Father of those in unbelief. Your loved ones who had struggled and whom the tempter had deceived, whose footsteps were faltering and wavering, through and because of unforgiveness and weariness or whatever reason, drifted into unbelief. This, our Heavenly Father, is the Father of all people. A very dear Heavenly Father, as we experience in our life.

Isn't it so, dear brothers and sisters, that this indeed is the prayer that we have for one another, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man?

We've spoken here much these days also of that comforter, the Holy Spirit. Indeed, last evening, in a very precious way, it was taught unto us again. The Apostle Paul, in that second epistle unto the Corinthians, he speaks of this treasure, this treasure of the Holy Spirit that you and I own. And he says here in this way, that fourth chapter, seventh verse, he says, but we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.

Isn't it so? Certainly we thank our brothers and their families for this service with which you served us this weekend. Amen. Amen.

I'm sure you experienced, as all servants of the word experience, of which even the Apostle Paul experienced and wrote of, in that second chapter, the first epistle of Corinthians, where he said, And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in a demonstration of the Spirit and of the power.

Isn't that how it is here in God's kingdom? Oh, how we thank God for his bountiful gifts that he has placed here in our midst. Those gifts which God has granted to everyone, even you little boys and girls, you youth, you have a gift from God, a God-given gift. There is not a child of God who does not have one. And God, in his wisdom, has made it so, so that we could be uplifted and strengthened and comforted through that gift that he has given unto all.

And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in a demonstration of the Spirit and of power. Amen.

We believe so simply as a child. We come here into this tabernacle to hear what God has to say unto us. We come with that understanding and belief of a child that the servant only needs to open his mouth and is a God who grants unto us from his richness and his goodness that which he sees that we need. It is not of man. Oh, thank God that it is not of man or the wisdom of man, but in a demonstration of the Spirit and of the power of God.

Where would we be, dear brothers and sisters, if our salvation was dependent upon the wisdom of man? Thank God that he has placed that order of grace in such a way, in such a simple way: faith. Our salvation is dependent upon the merit work of our Lord and Savior Jesus. Faith upon that word which he still preaches here in our midst.

Yes, yes, Jesus suffered and died and rose victorious on that Easter morning and he ascended into heaven and yet he still speaks here in our midst through the Holy Spirit that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that he be rooted and grounded in love.

Isn't that our prayer for one another? That simple prayer that Christ may dwell in your heart and through that simple teaching here in God's kingdom that from a child one begins to learn and we as children learn and relearn and learn and relearn again and again.

Yes, we have this treasure in this earthen vessel but what a leaky vessel this vessel is. We continually need that living bread of heaven, that living water from heaven again and again we need to be assured and uplifted, instructed and lovingly rebuked and again and again our heavenly father feeds and nourishes us.

Dear brothers and sisters, we are such a blessed and fortunate flock. We can't begin to comprehend the blessing that God has granted unto us that we could be here even as the weakest and the poorest. The psalm writer reminded us that I had rather be a doorkeeper in the kingdom of God. Yes, that is what we desire even as the least and the weakest.

The apostle Paul, he wrote on to the Colossians in that second chapter beginning from that sixth verse in this way: as you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

But then he continues and he reminds us: beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ and so on.

Oh dear brothers and sisters, the simplicity of living faith, but oh how our mind oftentimes tries to understand through the wisdom of man those things of living faith and all that one does is gets mired down in those deceiving bogs when we begin to look at the matters of faith in an academic way trying to comprehend with the mind. We are going in the woods. Satan is leading us down a way where there is only darkness.

And so our prayer for one another is that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith and that he be rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and the length and the depth and the height. And we only comprehend a portion of it, but one day dear brothers and sisters this outer fleshly portion will again return to dust and then one can see in fullness. Nothing will be remembered even of this life and the trials and difficulties that we live and that we live with here today.

And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that he might be filled with the fullness of God. The love of Christ, oh how important that is. Oh how easily envy and bitterness and bickering and offenses occur in our midst and Satan is there driving that wedge deeper and deeper between the children of God.

There's one portion in the scriptures, as a matter of fact it's here in the epistle unto the Ephesians. It's such a simple verse and it has so much teaching unto us and it says in this way: be kind one to another, tenderhearted, and forgiving one another, as God has forgiven you for Christ's sake.

Oh if we could attempt to live in that way, that love of Christ would be in our midst in completeness.

Dear brothers and sisters, it is important, it is important that we continually tie and retie those bonds that tie us together as children of God. Satan is busy. His only job and duty is to try to deceive you and I.

What is the first fruit of living faith? The first fruit of living faith is love. If that love has cooled, oh dear brother, dear sister, run, run in haste unto that one, speak of the matters, take care of those offenses that may have occurred and drown them in that sea of grace.

The psalm writer has taught us and he said in this way, he said God, I better look at that, it's in that 103rd psalm. It says then the Lord executed righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

What is righteousness with God? What is righteousness with God? It is the forgiveness of sins.

What is the judgment of God unto you who are oppressed, dear brother and sister? We know what the judgment is on to those on the last day that stand before God who have not traveled with the heart of a child, who has traveled in the darkness of unbelief. We know the judgment there.

What is the judgment of God unto you, dear brothers and sisters, this day? It is this: you can freely believe all the sins and doubts forgiven in Jesus' name, precious blood.

This is the kind of heavenly father we have. He continually calls, he continually, that loving voice encourages continually to simply believe sins are forgiven in Jesus' name and blood. He is calling those in unbelief: come, there's grace and mercy. There is no sin that has not been committed that cannot be forgiven other than that sin of the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

And when one falls into that sin, one no longer has need. There is no need. They are in such darkness.

Sometimes a brother or sister in faith has wondered, have I blasphemed the Holy Spirit? No, you have not. There is sorrow and wonder. Satan is preaching opposite.

Dear brothers and sisters, it's been good to be here, to enjoy the fellowship and love and unity, to be again and again uplifted and strengthened through that voice of the Holy Spirit.

We spoke a little bit about visions and voices. Our salvation is not dependent on visions and voices and yet God may give them at some time for a purpose and a reason.

Cornelius, he was an unbelieving man, but he was an unbelieving man. The Bible says he was just and devout but he had distress over his sin fallen condition.

Do you know what the Bible says of Cornelius? I'm going to read that portion where Peter was then telling those in Jerusalem after it had taken place. He said that in the 11th chapter of Acts, 13th verse, and he showed us how he had seen an angel in his house which stood and said unto him, send men to Joppa and call for Simon whose surname is Peter.

He saw an angel in his home but he had distress. He was seeking salvation. He was seeking peace for his conscience and God sent that angel unto him but he didn't receive forgiveness there from that angel of heaven.

The angel of heaven instructed him what he must do and then God sent another angel on to Peter and that angel told Peter exactly what to do and when they were in that house of Cornelius that conclusion of that sermon.

Listen to this: it said to him, give all the prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

And the next verse here says, while Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all of them that heard the word.

Dear brothers and sisters, it is not of man or the wisdom of man but it is of the Spirit and the demonstration of the Spirit and the power of God.

All we do and all you mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters do is preach the message, that's all.

And be bold, dear brothers and sisters. I believe all sins and doubts forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood. Be bold in the Spirit. Don't be ashamed of the gospel. It's the power of God unto salvation.

And so dear brothers and sisters, as we leave now this precious assembly of God's children and we go there to our own place of watching, we have this prayer one to another that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith and that ye be rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend even a portion of this gift that God has given us.

And so also we thank you dear brothers who come here and I'm going to use those words of the apostle Paul once again from that first epistle of Thessalonians, these words to you: we give thanks to God always for you, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and our Father.

And we conclude these services now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.

Thank you. Oh heavenly Father, oh Emmanuel, how great is thy mercy.

And I also need to hear that correctly: my sins forgiven, I desire to believe with you.

And dear brothers and sisters, are we not in a good place here in God's kingdom? Preserve faith and good conscience, endeavor the place of a child.

Jesus says unto us in the very final pages of the Bible: hold fast to that which thou hast, that no man taketh away thy crown.

And so we say in Jesus' name, Amen.

Our dear heavenly Father, we thank you for your blessings during these days that thou hast spoken unto us and we simply ask dear Father, keep us in the place of a child, preserve us dear Father in thy blessed kingdom.

And we ask the Lord bless us and keep us, the Lord make his face shine upon us and be gracious unto us, the Lord lift up his countenance upon us and give us peace in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen.