Feast: Sacrificial Service Within the Body
#FT23-05A
Mark Schindler
Given 04-Oct-23; 42 minutes
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transcript:
Perhaps it is because I am getting to be an old man and the road ahead seems much shorter than the road behind, but the Feast preparations this year seem to be as much a time of reflection as it is anticipation. This reflection, although good to a point, needs to be carefully controlled because it can easily get in the way of all that God expects us to be doing now, looking forward, especially with our various responsibilities that we all share.
It probably took a great deal of effort for most of us to get to the Feast, but our reflections on the past can cause distractions and frustrations, like a bolt that slips into the unreachable area of a car as you are working on it. And it does not just affect the preparations, but also in keeping the Feast as well—God’s Feast.
It could easily distract us from the work we have to do; however, if handled thoughtfully it could be another avenue for us to review the awesome work God is doing within His elect and how much each person contributes within their appointed place of service.
Today is going to be one of those times, a bit of reflections, but hopefully with purpose and looking ahead together. I should also tell you that some of this sermon may focus on the ordained ministry, but it is only to help us see that we have all been placed in the body of Christ with the gifts that God has graciously given each of us for a pleasing burnt offering in service to Him for His glory.
In considering reflection, let us first turn to something we should note from the apostle Paul as written in Philippians 3:13.
Philippians 3:13-16 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.
Philippians 3:17-21 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
Philippians 4:1 Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.
I would like to read what Barnes’ Notes has to say about a few of these verses. Forgetting those things which are behind, Barnes writes:
There is an allusion here undoubtedly to the Grecian races, one running to secure the prize would not stop to look behind to see how much ground he has run over or which of his competitors had fallen or lingered in the way. He would keep his eyes steadily on the prize and strain every nerve that he might obtain it. If his attention was diverted for a moment from that it would hinder his flight and might be the means of losing his crown. So the apostle says to us, with him he looked onward toward the prize, he fixed the eye intently on that. It was the single object of his view and he did not allow his mind to be diverted from anything. Not even from the contemplation of the past. He did not stop to think about the difficulties that He had overcome or the troubles that He had met, but He thought of what was yet to be accomplished.
Barnes continues,
This does not mean that He would not have rearguard a proper contemplation of His past life as useful and profitable for a Christian, but that He would not allow any reference to the past to interfere with the one great effort to win the prize. It may be and is profitable for a Christian to look over the past mercies of God in order to awaken emotions of gratitude and heart and to think of the short comings and errors to produce penance and humility. But none of these things should for one moment be allowed to divert the mind from the purpose to win the incorruptible crown.
And in may be remarked in general that a Christian will make a more rapid advance in piety by looking forward than looking backward. Forward, we see everything to cheer and animate us; the crown of victory; the joys of heaven; the society of the blessed; the Savior beckoning to us and encouraging us. Looking backward we see everything to dishearten and to humble us; our own unfaithfulness; our coldness; deadness and dullness. The little zeal that we have all are fitted to humble and discourage.
It is the most cheerful Christian that looks forward, he is accustomed much to dwell in the past thought he may be a true Christian will most likely be a melancholy and dispirited, to be a recluse rather than a warmhearted and active friend of the Savior. Or if he looks backwards to contemplate what he has done the space that he has run over, the difficulties which he has surmounted and his own repetitvity in the race he will be likely to be complacent and self-satisfied. He will trust his past endeavors and feel that the prize is now secure and relax his future efforts.
Let us then looks forward and let us not spend our time in pondering the gloomy past, our own unfaithfulness, or thinking of what we have done and thus becoming puffed up with soft complacency but let us keep our eyes steadily on the prize and run the race as though we have just commenced it.
I want to add here that every reason Barnes gave for not looking back should be a warning for not looking back, but when we look back at it as being “all about me,” whether with patting oneself on the back or with the “woe is me” attitude. Please keep this perspective: God is in the process of creating us ultimately in His image and likeness and the main thing that He is working toward with us is a perfect mind that is completely outgoing, just like His, so that everything we will be doing through eternity will be just like Him, with a perfect mind and an outgoing concern for everybody and everything. So even in looking back it must not be with self-centered mind that will cause us depression or pride. This must always be about everything He has done and is doing for His honor and glory.
Continuing on with Barnes’ comments,
And reaching forth, as one who does in a race, unto those things which are before. Before the racer there was crown or garland that was to be bestowed by the judges of the games, before the Christian there is a crown of glory, there is the favor of God, victory over sin and death, the society of the redeemed and the assured of perfect and eternal freedom from all evil. These are enough to animate the soul and urge it on with ever increasing vigor for a true Christina on his race.
Brethren, as I said, it is dangerous to look back over our shoulder with a focus on ourselves and where we have risen and fallen, as Barnes indicates, but it is good to note why Paul even wrote this even as this is the kind of thing that needs to be the focus of our reflection. So let us turn back to Philippians 3, verse 4, where Paul writes:
Philippians 3:4-11 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Paul was taking the time to share with those entrusted to his care, what certainly would have been nothing for him to be proud of. As a matter of fact he referred to it as rubbish in verse 8 (in the KJV it is referred to as “dung”). He did it as another way to serve the brethren to remind them that there was nothing from our past before we were carefully selected and placed within the body of Christ that was worth remembering, except to use as an example of what God had delivered each of us from for His glory.
However, this does not mean that considering what has gone on before, especially with the faithful few, should not be used occasionally as a point of reference and reflection, and strength for the rest of us going forward.
As Paul did here, there are times when it may be helpful to remember, for the sake of others, what we were, to show how much more precious the relationship we have now been given with Jesus Christ, but there is also another, probably more productive effort that can justify a look backwards as well as forward.
Philippians 4:4-9 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Productive reflection is also shown directly from God’s Word and probably written by the same apostle. Now turn to Hebrews 11.
Hebrews 11:1-3 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
Hebrews 11:13-16 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
Hebrews 11:32-40 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Brethren, when we stop to think about it, the whole Bible is a tool for reflection that we need to stop and consider, but only with our focus on Jesus Christ and the work that He is doing with the thought of how we can do our jobs better under Him, considering what is both profitable to the body as opposed to what is not. Remembering sometimes can be a benefit, a remembrance of what wonderful works God has done with His people.
With this in mind, back to my original thoughts of the Feast being a time of occasional reflection, I just want to stop for a minute and share some of my personal reflections with you from those who have gone before us, leaving us with the light, hope and encouragement we need to continue our race focused in Jesus Christ.
The spark for this sermon came from Cecelia Puliafico. I have thought about her off and on over the years and when she died on August 7, in her 100+ years, it really brought back a flood of memories of her and the faithful members of Christ that Nancy and I have shared time with over the years, even if it was only brief times during the Feast of Tabernacles. I suppose that it was no small coincidence that Richard mentioned the death of his aunt, Joan Pope, Evelyn's sister, the other day. She had been a part of those reflections over the years of encouragement.
I am doing this because we have this wonderful book of the witnesses of faith that did tremendous things, but I want us the think as we look around at all the people and see that they are doing things that are encouraging in this day and age as well, creating a bond between the people.
Each were unique personalities that God placed in the Body of Christ to offer their own contribution of something of sacrificial service to the Body.
At home, Nancy and I have a picture of all the brethren at the first FOT that we attended in San Antonio, TX, with Church of the Great God in 1992. I look at that photo and see many of the brethren that are here in this room today. So many beaming faces in that photo, full of joy and hope going forward. I remember at that Feast of 300+ people, there was so mush talk of how united we were finally having this wonderful place of refuge from where the truth had been taken away. There were estimates going forward that the next Feast of Tabernacles there may be 1,000 people, only to increase in growth and unity going forward year by year.
But what God had in mind and what man had in mind were different things. Over the years the number has stayed pretty consistent, although the amount of work and the ability God has given us to serve has grown, almost exponentially within this small group.
I want to help us focus on the fact the God knows exactly what He wants from each of us with the gifts that He has given us to use along the way. That first Feast was full of hope and brethren offering service and I just want to reminisce for a moment. Most of are all familiar with the losses we have suffered over the recent number of years. We have clearly seen pillars of God’s church that have gone and we recognize the hard work that they had done throughout their time in front of us.
The loss of John and Evelyn, who were youthfully sitting on the grass in the picture next to John and Delores Reid 31 years ago. We also have the losses of John Reid, Charles Whitaker, Mike Ford, Gary Garrett, Kim Myers. These, among so many others, were within places as God had put them and were highly visible in their burning desire to use the gifts that God had given them in service to the Body of Christ, but I wanted to take a minute to point you to just a few examples and how they very unobtrusively used their gifts of joy that they had to serve the brethren.
I mention Cecelia Puliafico, because she, along with Carol Allen and Margie Japinge, were the three musketeers every year at the Feast. Although Cecelia hardly got in a word edgewise between the others, they would almost always be found together encouraging others around them.
I also mentioned Joan Pope, because she too would be such a source of encouragement and a ray of joy.
Over the years I have has the unique view of those who sat in the congregation at services, first from within the choir, then from behind the lectern, speaking and leading songs. One thing that stands out in my mind is Joan's beaming smile from the second row as she stood with Edwin singing the hymns, or as she sat there with her incredible smile as we tried to offer a joyful noise with special music. That smile encouraged us to do our best.
It was the same with the three musketeers. I could always be encouraged when I spoke by the obvious attention and the cheerful looks on their faces throughout the message, no matter how badly I may have done.
Even when Cecelia’s eyesight was failing so badly, she still tried to sing out as she tried to read from her special song book that she had put together, but she was joyfully singing. Watching her efforts to continue to cheerfully make a joyful sound before God, even with her limited abilities was so encouraging.
As Richard mentioned about God’s gifts flowing out, it was a gift from God just flowing out of her. From my perspective, she added so much more to the Feast, to which she probably never knew how much her efforts of singing and smiling added to the Feast for us.
There have been many who have made the Feast better for us all because they used God’s gifts that He had given them and every one of them were done in sacrificial service, no matter how large or small.
I have spent time on just the tiniest examples of 31 years of what may have seemed to be the most mundane use of gifts, because I want to drive home the point that each one of these gifts are drawing all of us closer to Jesus Christ and preparing us for His return as He comes and we clearly see Him because we are offering a sacrificial offering and service in this group, no matter what it is that composes the sweet smelling burnt offering before God.
It is good for all to carefully consider how much of an impact other people have had on us over the years, especially at the Feast. And I think it is a good exercise for us to do, because they are the lights to Jesus Christ.
At this point I am going to take a bit of a turn, but only with the hope that you all see how much all contribute to the well-being of the Body, although it seems that this is becoming more intense as we go along. Our contributions and our sacrifices seem to be becoming more intense, maybe it is because we are aging, or maybe it is because Jesus Christ’s return is upon us and He is pushing up the pace.
I gave a Bible study a few months ago in Bolivar, MO and the emphasis of that Bible study was on the work of the ordained ministry, especially within Church of the Great God within the limited manpower we have. I gave it because I was hoping to point out that the work of the ministry today, as opposed to the work that we remember from the Worldwide Church of God days has changed. Not that the overall duties of the ministry has changed, but the number of responsibilities that God has given to the ministry to do in service to the brethren has changed.
The responsibilities that were formally distributed among many now must be shared substantially by a much smaller group. Perhaps this might give us a clearer picture on the sacrificial offerings that God expects as we go though these days when God’s church has been scattered and we all need to be doing our jobs more effectively and faithfully in the places God has put us at this time. No matter how limited we may consider our own God-given ability to service, it is God’s gift to be used.
Each one of us have been given gifts in order to feed the Body. It is an incredible opportunity that we have and we cannot waste it. Hopefully this will give us a little bit better direction in our efforts to be moving forward together as one Body, devoted to the work that Jesus Christ has given to each of us to do in service to the whole Body.
The work to the ministry was primarily the focus of the Bible study I gave, because the ordained ministers have been set aside to wholeheartedly work in this service to you, because we love you. But we all have been gifted to serve the body within the place that God has given us. We always need to consider our own responsibility for which we have each been sanctified by Jesus Christ to perform as integral parts of His Body within the world that is literally being blown apart.
The Bible study I gave was actually part of something that had been on my mind almost everyday for 19 years. My thought was, “What is an ordained elder? What am I supposed to be doing with the responsibility I have been given, set apart for service?” On the day after I was ordained on October 27, 2004, I had breakfast with John and Evelyn and a very serious questioned was raised, “Now what am I supposed to do?” To which Evelyn, in her typical direct way simply said, “Just wait, God will show you what He wants.” All these years that has been in my mind and stuck with me, wait and see what God wants because He will continue to give us direction if we try to focus and seek Him in humility and humble service.
I think we all understand that none of us are here because we chose to be here, but we were called specifically by God at some time in the past and we are now here because we did choose to do what was pleasing to God with what He had given us. We are here because the Father gave us, at an undetermined time in the past, to His Son, and He chose each one of us to serve exactly where He places us for the glory of the Father in service of the Body. Then we were free to choose to submit to His way of life like no one else in the world could.
I would like to turn back to Isaiah 66 to re-emphasize this, because it is incredibly important to us.
Isaiah 66:1-2 Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,” says the Lord. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.”
Isaiah 66:1-2 (CEV) The Lord said: Heaven is my throne; the earth is my footstool. What kind of house could you build for me? In what place will I rest? I have made everything; that's how it all came to be. I, the Lord, have spoken. The people I treasure most are the humble—they depend only on me and tremble when I speak.
God treasures you, brethren! He treasures the humble who depend only on Him and shudder to do anything else besides what He has for them. Now back to the apostle Paul and his instructions to the Philippians.
Philippians 2:12-16 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
Philippians 2:14-16 (GNB) Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may be innocent and pure as God's perfect children, who live in a world of corrupt and sinful people. You must shine among them like stars lighting up the sky, as you offer them the message of life. If you do so, I shall have reason to be proud of you on the Day of Christ, because it will show that all my effort and work have not been waste.
I would like you to note here that each one of us is to be serving and ministering as guiding lights though the perfecting work of Jesus Christ with the innocence of a humble attitude of children. We need to show the world and each other what can really be accomplished by those who are not complaining and arguing, but always striving to live under the perfect work of Jesus Christ as He determines it.
Please also note that the apostle Paul sees this as his life's work (referring back to verse 15-16). Then to this Paul finally adds in verse 17,
Philippians 2:17 (GNB) Perhaps my life's blood is to be poured out like an offering on the sacrifice that your faith offers to God. If that is so, I am glad and share my joy with you all.
Brethren, I wanted you to see that we are all in this together and in service together to each other as well as to the world, in a way that the world cannot even begin to appreciate now. Each one of us has a type of ministerial service as a guiding light within the Body, no matter what part of the Body we have been placed into. But I also wanted you to see that Paul, as an ordained minister, thought that his life's work was only productive if it was completely poured out in contributing to the perfect sacrificial of faith from all under his care. As it said there in,
Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
But Paul knew that it was his life's work that could only be successful if those he shepherded (as Richard is doing now), were focused completely as they could on Jesus Christ and their part in His work for the glory of the Father.
We have spent a good deal of time going through this first because we need to know that we all have been placed within the Body for perfecting as guiding lights in ministry, and as gifted along the way. We have been called to be perfected in humble submission and reflecting the guiding light of Jesus Christ, but it is this very gift that can easily become our pride if we are not careful. No matter what responsibility we have within the Body in service to others, we need to use it with outgoing concern for everyone else.
With this in mind, I would like to go through some scriptures regarding the work of the ministry at this time, especially as it pertains to the ministry of Church of the Great God. I want you to understand that these are things that God expects from the ordained ministry, but He expects these things from you similarly, but the ministry is here with certain gifts to help and serve you because we love you. Martin and Richard have been working tirelessly to serve the Body, as Richard mentioned before, all of you out there in those areas of Australia, South Africa, and other places around the world. There are people around the world that keep reaching out to us to help them. And as I said, the work becomes bigger and the load becomes bigger, but God can handle it, He has given us the gifts to handle it. But within that and all the responsibilities the ministry has, you too are getting increasing responsibilities, whether in leading songs, in speaking or in fellowship and reaching out to one another. This is a great gift that God has given.
Paul considered himself a “drink offering” poured out across the “burnt offering” that you are placing because he tried to consider himself doing the same work that Jesus did, and Jesus Christ is the perfect drink offering. But each one of us has responsibilities.
That word “devoted” means a lot to us because it appears a number of other times in the Bible, and we all need to be devoted to the work that God has given to us.
James 3:1-2 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
The work of the ministry is a serious thing because we are under a higher condemnation, but that same thing that James is talking about here applies to all of us. As mentioned in Peter, “judgment in now on the house of God.” We are all here today because we are under the judgment as devoted servants to God.
We have many different gifts that need to come flowing out of us, but we need to be using them as best we can and as much as we can in service to others.
We went though this because I really want us all to see that this is the mindset of both the true ministry of God and the people of the church—outgoing concern for others, love for the brethren. We are all in this at different levels of responsibilities, but we are all in this together, one with Jesus Christ.
Every one of us is uniting with Jesus Christ through the work that He has given us to do. All of God’s firstborn elect following Jesus Christ are here to be devoted to His work and each using our God-given gifts in sacrificial service to the Body.
Please turn to I Corinthians 1, verse 26, because within our different responsibilities, in different areas and with outgoing concern for our brethren, we need to always keep this in mind.
I Corinthians 1:26-31 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”
God has set apart His people devoted to Him where He wanted them to be, exactly where He wanted them to be in the Body to serve the Body, to ultimately be priests with Jesus Christ. God has established His church in an orderly way, but we are all here together to be of sacrificial service as one Body. We will finish now in the Psalm 15.
Psalm 15:1-5 Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, and speaks the truth in his heart; he who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against his friend; in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but he honors those who fear the Lord; he who swears to his own hurt and does not change; he who does not put out his money at usury, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.
Psalm 16:1-2 Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust. O my soul, you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, my goodness is nothing apart from You.”
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