Sermonette: Living Up to Our Responsibilities

#FT00-05s
Mark Schindler
Given 16-Oct-00; 30 minutes

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Morning brethren. (silence for one minute)

Well, that was uncomfortable, was it not? Here I stood for about a minute. I did not say anything. It seemed like an eternity, especially to me. It made you very uncomfortable, did it not? You were squirming in your seats. I was not fulfilling my responsibility before you and before Almighty God today. There was a big hole with nothing to fill it but wasted time, and it directly affected everyone in this room, because I was not doing my job.

God has given me a certain responsibility today. He has given me both the ability and the opportunity to do it regardless of what I think of my own abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. God has shown me that I can do this. If I fail, it is not His fault, because I have not done my part of the bargain. It is because I did not do what I was supposed to do. I let you down. I let myself down, and most importantly, I let our Father in heaven down.

God's purpose will not be thwarted. He can raise up a stone to do what I am supposed to do today, but He does not want to do that. He wants each and every one of us to live up to our responsibilities before Him in fulfilling His purpose as we prepare for the next step in His plan to develop and to create His Family to live with Them through eternity.

If each one of us lets down for one minute our responsibilities, there will be a big hole just like what happened at the beginning of the sermonette, but even larger.

So that is what this sermonette is about today: Just what are our main responsibilities as the last wave of firstfruits being prepared for service with Jesus Christ? Could we be falling down on our jobs, leaving a giant hole that is causing hurt to another part of the Body of Christ because we are dropping the ball on our parts individually?

I propose to you today that God has raised the bar. And much of the pain and suffering that we are experiencing now with others of God's elect is helping to build character in us, and is lasting longer than it needs to be because we are not living up to our responsibilities in this last leg of the preparation process before God and Jesus Christ.

Are we willing? Are we really willing to fulfill the commission that Christ has given to His end-time church individually? Or are we falling down on the job? Have we misdirected our focus or just plain ignored our own individual failures to hit the mark so that God sees this as His last effort to get our attention, and get us down to business?

We have a job to do now. And how we do that job right now is affecting the well-being of the whole church both physically and spiritually. Could the physical suffering, like the squirming that I put you through at the beginning of this sermon, be a warning from God that we are failing to live up to our responsibilities as individuals?

Turn with me to James 5, please. It is a scripture that all of you know very well, and something that has been on all of our minds, I am sure, for quite a little bit of time.

James 5:13-16 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

“Of a righteous man,” brethren. The word “righteous” in verse 16 comes from the Greek word, daikios. It means, “equitable in character and act; by implication, innocent; holy; absolutely; or relatively. We are not innocent at the start when God calls us out of this world. But God calls us to repentance. We repent. We go to Him, and He applies the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ, and we become as innocent and holy as He is for that moment. We, at this point, are in the same state as Christ, living apart from the wickedness of this world until we soil ourselves again. The second we start living as the world lives, our effectiveness and everything that we do as far as God is concerned, becomes less and less.

What is our job? What are our individual responsibilities within this end time church? Is it to preach the gospel to all the world? Is it to change things that the only true apostle at this end time gave us as our marching orders directly from Jesus Christ as we head into the Millennium and the rest of God's plan? Absolutely not, brethren! It is to become holy as God is holy, so we can become a united body of Christ.

As Mr. Armstrong wrote in The Incredible Human Potential, “So let us clarify once and for all that the purpose of the church is definitely not to preach or persuade the whole world into spiritual salvation now before Christ's second coming.” He showed through a number of scriptures, “This great commission to be sent forth with Christ's gospel message was given only to those who were apostles.” He went on through the next few pages to prove through the scriptures just that. And then he said, “What then? Did the lay members not have any part in proclaiming the gospel? Definitely they did, as we have seen. Their part was to back up the apostles, and stand behind them with their prayers, encouragement, tithes, and offerings.” And I might add, carrying on what they were taught by them.

Mr. Armstrong continues, “The church is part of a well-organized team as we shall show in more detail.” And Mr. Armstrong continues on page 120, “What if one in the church disagrees on some point of doctrine? Then he is out of harmony with the church of God, and God only has one church. And all in the church are commanded to speak the same thing, and it must be what Christ either in person or by written word has taught his apostle.” Mr. Armstrong continues, “To the church at Corinth, the apostle Paul wrote, ‘Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we all speak the same thing in (I Corinthians 10).’ Some of them wanted to follow Peter, some wanted to follow Apollo, some Paul. But Paul was their apostle, and Christ taught them by Paul.”

Brethren, we have the same situation now. It is absolutely clear who God used at this end time to revitalize His true church. It was clear to us when he was alive, and it must be just as clear with more clarity as we approach this end time after his death.

Even though he is not here with us in the flesh anymore, what he planted is still growing and being watered by the few faithful ministers like John [Ritenbaugh] who are performing the job to which they were called, and not trying to assume something for which God had not called them. It is not their job to rip up and replant, but rather to carefully water and nurture the crop that has already been planted by another.

Mr. Armstrong continued in The Incredible Human Potential, “The separated believer will follow his own idea of God's truth. That is not God's way. God in His almighty wisdom has raised up the church as His means of teaching all the same truth, all speaking the same thing, not each individual his own thing.” Brethren, because we hold on so carefully to all that Herbert Armstrong taught us, including things like when we celebrate this very feast that we participate in today, does not mean that we worship Herbert Armstrong, but rather that we worship the Almighty Creator God because this is the pattern that He has set up and shown for instructing His people throughout His Word.

Now to the very point of this sermonette: Mr. Armstrong continues, “God raised up the church, not only so that its apostles and evangelists go into the world denouncing the good news of the coming Kingdom of God, but also as the very means of the general body of lay members to develop God's holy, righteous character.”

Mr. Armstrong said, “The church is the training ground for a united body of Christ, of spirit-led believers in overcoming Satan, and the constant development of holy, righteous character, thus qualifying them to sit with Christ on His throne of earth-wide government.”

Brethren, we are on the last leg of that race. Mr. Armstrong has completed his job and left us in the hands of a few faithful ministers (like John and the others) who have been trying to teach us how to complete our way to the Kingdom. Mr. Armstrong said, “This is a work of giving. This is a work of overcoming Satan. And this is the constant development of holy righteous character, thus qualifying us to sit with Christ on His throne of earth-wide government” as Richard [Ritenbaugh] showed in his sermon yesterday. Is that not just what we are looking forward to today? That is what these days are all about: Doing our jobs, preparing for our jobs.

The preparation time for His elect is so short now that there is no longer any time for procrastinating in obedience to God's Word. We must get to the heart of the issue. We must become holy as God is holy. And not just as independent members, but holy, united, and totally in harmony moving forward as one complete and healthy body, both spiritually, and as far as God wills it, physically.

I propose to you today that God has stepped up the process of our conversion to holiness. He is no longer winking at our failure to overcome and come out of this world in these last days. But as in other times in history, He is judging His people swiftly, and He is doing it by physical example. He is showing us the time to act is now.

There have been times throughout the history of God's church when He has brought severe judgments upon His people so these people understand just how important things are to Him.

Sometimes it was directly on those responsible for things like Nadab and Abihu, or Ananias and Sapphira, but sometimes the whole body suffered for the failure of one member.

Turn with me to Joshua 6. This is the accounting of God beginning to establish His people in the Promised Land. In chapter 5 God had them rededicated to His service and set them apart as His holy people. Then chapter 6 (which actually starts in the last 3 verses of chapter 5) is where He gets into this problem that they ran into.

Joshua 5:13-15 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, "Are You for us or for our adversaries?" So He said, "No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, "What does my Lord say to His servant?" Then the Commander of the LORD's army said to Joshua, "Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy." And Joshua did so.

Joshua 6:1-2 Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. And the LORD said to Joshua: "See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.”

Joshua had come face to face with the captain of Israel, whom he worshipped. This must have been Jesus Christ Himself, and Christ Himself gave them their marching orders, just as He has given us our marching orders and is leading us in the battle. Everyone in the Israelite camp had a responsibility whether they were priests or lay-people, all had a part in overcoming Jericho. And in the process, they were told not to take any of the accursed things. They were told to get in, do their job and get out, and not participate in their sins.

Down in verse 17 it says,

Joshua 6:17-19 Now the city shall be doomed by the LORD to destruction, it and all who are in it. Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the LORD; they shall come into the treasury of the LORD."

I am sure we can see the analogy here. God has set aside His holy people. He alone has given us everything we need to do our job and what to know how to do it as we come to the end time.

He has miraculously delivered us from Satan in this world of Babylon. He has even provided His Son as the captain of our salvation to lead the charge. Our main responsibility now is to come out of her and become holy as He is holy and not partake in her sins. Also (and a mighty big also) we are to follow the pattern of instruction that God has established in His Word, and not to mess with the things that He has said are set aside for Himself. We are to follow God exactly as He is determined to do it through one man to whom He revealed his marching orders for this last wave of the firstfruits.

Jericho had been destroyed now. Israel marched with a high hand, and they came to Ai. And knowing that God was their God, they were sure of it; they were positive they could beat these people down, the heathens in the land. They came and attacked Ai. But God delivered them not. They were routed and many innocent killed. They were devastated. They knew something was wrong. They knew God's promises of deliverance, but many suffered and died anyway.

Then God told them what was wrong beginning in chapter 7.

Joshua 7:1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed things, for Achan, . . .

Joshua 7:11-12 “Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you.”

From this point, God Himself actually pointed the finger right at Achan. Maybe if Achan had judged himself, these things would not have happened to Achan himself, but Achan and all he had were destroyed by God because of what he had done to Israel.

Brethren, look at this. God is holding all of Israel accountable for the failure of one man to do his job as God commanded him. Do you look at this as a matter of God being unfair and not loving towards you, or do you see this as a warning from a loving God about how important holiness is to the peace and good health of His Family, both physically and spiritually, so that they be exactly like He is, holy in every way, fulfilling all of our individual responsibilities within the one singular Body of Christ?

God does not expect us to be perfect now, nor will we all be healed now. He has reasons for what He does. That will only come when we all have become totally like He is and been totally transformed into His image. But He does now expect us to be striving with all our might to hit the mark. To whom much is given, much is required, and much has been given to us as we sit here today.

Brethren, tie all these scriptures into what you know and understand about judging ourselves as we be judged. If one member of the body suffers, the whole body suffers. Be holy because God is holy. Come out of her, My people, do not partake of her ways. Overcome. Now apply it to our practical applications of our lives.

Consider the principle that Paul lays out for us, which was touched upon the other day in I Corinthians 11. He begins chapter 11 discussing the order of things in God's church and how interdependent we are with one another under God's government. He ends the chapter with something that we are so very careful about at Passover season, but I do not think we are as intense about it throughout the year: examining ourselves so that we do not take the body and blood of Christ in an unworthy manner. That command and examination must extend far beyond that particular day. Are we examining ourselves daily as we try to take Christ's character onto ourselves and become like He is?

We are commanded by God to physically drink the wine and eat the bread once a year at Passover as a memorial, but as John pointed out in his sermons on physical health, we are to take the Bread of life daily. And it is our responsibility to make it part of our life, to take that Word and make it part of us. It is a matter of faith. We take it in, we digest it, we apply it, and we change to become like God.

John showed us that God is dragging us along and we will do whatever it takes (as Richard pointed out with Israel in his sermon yesterday) to get it through our thick heads. All we have to do is yield, but the question is, are we yielding? Are we examining ourselves daily as Paul said, so that we do our part to fulfill our part in the process, or are we not carefully discerning the words of life which are given, holding on to the accursed things, and causing many among us to be physically weak, sickly, and die?

We are one united Body of Christ moving forward together, preparing to do a job together with Jesus Christ. Paul and James are both trying to get across to us that our responsibility to one another as part of the holy Body of Christ is far greater than we ever, ever imagined.

Is God holding us accountable for each other? Are we our brother's keeper, or as that word can be translated part of the hedge around them? You bet we are, brethren!

I am not cleaning up my life with the fervency that God wants from us at this end time to get ready for the next step in his purpose, and it has got to change! It is very possible many of those dear to us at this end time are suffering because our prayers are not as effective as they should be because we are failing to move forward to the next level that God expects from us, and accomplishing His purpose within a united body of Christ.

Are we really striving to overcome and come out of this world and be holy as God is holy? Or are we holding on to the accursed things in our own lives? To whom much is given, much is required. And God may be requiring more from us than we are willing to give, and many suffer because of it.

We are our brother's keepers. We are responsible for one another's well-being. God loves us so much that He gave us everything we need to succeed, including the sacrifice of His own Son Jesus Christ. He expects us to show the same kind of sacrifice (as was pointed out to us the other day by Martin Collins) in our lives for Him with each other in one complete body.

God's purpose will stand. Our conversion, resurrection, and rule in the Millennium is just part of a plan for God to expand His Family to encompass all of humanity. The stakes are higher than we ever imagined, and He will make it work. He will do whatever it takes to get us to do our jobs.

Do we love God and each other enough to overcome the accursed things in our lives and become holy as He is holy? If we do, brethren, we will be pleasing in His eyes, and we will be healed as He has promised us.

Are we taking the words that God is giving us through our teacher, John, and digesting them, applying them and making them part of our path to holiness? Or are we holding back and not using them to see God and overcome? If not, for this cause many are weak and sickly among you and die.

Now is the moment, brethren. Now is the time for us to confess our faults to God and change so that we may be healed. Now is the moment at this Feast of Tabernacles to recommit ourselves to our jobs, and destroy the accursed things and become holy so that the body may be healed.

I am sorry for my part and the pain that I am causing those who are sick and afflicted because I am not doing my job correctly. But brethren, we must recommit ourselves at this very Feast of Tabernacles to holiness with day-to-day fervor. And I assure you that we will be healed. Our Father has said so.

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