Sunday Sermon
VISION FOR JESUS THE ROCK FELLOWSHIP (2008)
COMING TO AN END OF OURSELVES
Date: December 30, 2007
Speaker: Pastor Gerry Gregoire
Scriptural Reference: Galatians 2:20-21
Listen to Audio Sermon

GALATIANS 2:20-21
20 I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
21[Therefore, I do not treat God's gracious gift as something of minor importance and defeat its very purpose]; I do not set aside and invalidate and frustrate and nullify the grace (unmerited favor) of God. For if justification (righteousness, acquittal from guilt) comes through [observing the ritual of] the Law, then Christ (the Messiah) died groundlessly and to no purpose and in vain. [His death was then wholly superfluous.]

ELDERS WILL PRESENT WHAT GOD HAS SPOKEN TO THEM AS TO WHAT HE WANTS TO DO IN JTRF IN 2008.

PAUL STATES PERFECTLY WHAT EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD BE GOING THROUGH. IN VERSE 20 HE SAYS THAT IT WAS, “ NO LONGER HIM THAT LIVED.” QUESTION, ARE YOU STILL LIVING YOUR LIFE? HE HAS GIVEN US THE STEP THAT MADE HIS MINISTRY A SUCCESS. THAT WAS IT IN A NUTSHELL.

HE GOES ON TO SAY THAT HIS WHOLE LIFE WAS TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. CAN WE SAY THE SAME THING TODAY AND REALLY MEAN IT?

I BELIEVE THAT GOD HAS SHOWN ME THAT WE NEED TO COME TO AN END OF OURSELVES IN 2008. HE FURTHER STATED THAT WE NEED TO BECOME;

1. A CHURCH THAT IS PURE.
THAT IS TO SAY, PURE MOTIVES. NOT ONLY A PURE HEART, BUT PURE THOUGHTS AND DEEDS. THINK PURE THOUGHTS ABOUT ALL PEOPLE ALWAYS. WHEN WE LEAVE THE HOMES OF PEOPLE, WE NEED TO LEAVE THEM PURE, YES IN BETTER SHAPE THAN BEFORE IF THAT’S POSSIBLE. IN SHORT, WE MUST BE PURE IN SPIRIT, PERSON AND IN OUR CONTACT WITH OTHERS.

2. A CHURCH THAT IS TRULY HUMBLE.
NO MORE FOOLISH PRIDE. IT WILL BE MANDATORY FOR US TO REFLECT THE HUMILITY OF CHRIST.

LOOK AT PHILILLIANS 2:6-9 –
6Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained,
7But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.
8And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!
9Therefore [because He stooped so low] God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name,

WHAT WE GIVE UP TO SERVE JESUS SHOULD NOT MEAN ANYTHING TO US. YET, WE COMPLAIN ABOUT EVERYTHING. JESUS GAVE UP HIS HEAVENLY THRONE. HE BECAME TRULY A HUMBLE SERVANT OF GOD AND YET, HE WAS GOD. IT’S HARD FOR THE HUMAN MIND TO FATHOM SUCH A DEED.HE LOST ALL HIS PRIVILEGES FOR US. WOW! WHAT LOVE AND HUMILITY.

WE COMPLAIN WHEN WE HAVE TO COME FOR PRAYER OR A BIBLE STUDY, I HAD A COUPLE TELL ME ONE TIME THAT THEY COULD NOT COME TO PRAYER BECAUSE THAT WAS THEIR FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT. OH! BLESS MY SOUL, I’M SURE THE LORD DOESN’T WANT YOU TO MISS YOUR MOVIE OR WHATEVER YOU DO AT THAT TIME.

IT’S A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE TO GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO ATTEND A BIBLE STUDY OR PRAYER MEETING OR IT CAN BE. YET, HE WAS WILLING TO DIE ON A CROSS! AMEN.

JESUS’ HUMILITY WAS ALMOST BEYOND DESCRIPTION. BUT IT IS ONE THAT HAS TO BE MIRRORED IN OUT LIVES.

3. A CHURCH THE IS THE EXAMPLE OF LOVE.
ALWAYS ASSUMES THE BEST ABOUT THE DEEDS OF OTHERS. WE MUST KILL THAT CRITICAL SPIRIT THAT RISES UP IN ALL OF US AT TIMES. WE ARE TO DO UNTO OTHERS AS WE WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO US.

WE HAVE ALL HEARD ABOUT THESE THREE ATTRIBUTES AND WE EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY SHOULD BE A PART OF THE CHRISTIAN CHARACTER. BUT MOST OF US JUST PASS THEM BY AND RELEGATE THEM TO OTHER CHRISTIANS. OH! THAT’S FOR SISTER OR BROTHER SO AND SO.

I BELIEVE THAT 2008 WILL BE A YEAR OF GROWTH, BOTH INDIVIDUAL MATURITY AND CHURCH NUMBERS. I CAN FEEL THAT IN MY SPIRIT.
BUT IN THE SAME LIGHT, THERE ARE THINGS WE MUST DO THAT MAYBE SOME OF US HAVE NOT DONE LATELY OR MAYBE NEVER DONE. OF COURSE I AM SPEAKING ABOUT FASTING. I BELIEVE THIS DISCIPLINE WILL OPEN YOU UP TO RECEIVE AND PUT INTO PRACTICE WHAT THOSE ATTRIBUTES ARE, PURITY, HUMILITY, AND THE GOD TYPE OF LOVE.

SOME MAY CONSIDER FASTING AS FANATICAL. IT HAS BECOME A LOST ART IN THE CHURCH AS A WHOLE. THIS SUBJECT IS SO LITTLE TAUGHT OR PRACTICED THAT SOME NEW BELIEVERS MAY NOT HAVE EVER HEARD ABOUT IT.

IT’S ALWAYS BEEN AROUND IN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT. GREAT SAINTS FASTED, THINK ABOUT IT, MOSES, DAVID, NEHEMIAH, JEREMIAH, DANIEL, ANNA, PAUL, PETER, LEADERS IN THE EARLY CHURCH AND YES, EVEN JESUS FASTED.

NOW LET’S SAY, WHAT WAS GOOD FOR JESUS IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME. AHEM! WE MAY HAVE GOOD INTENTIONS BUT WHEN WE TRY, O BOY! LOOK OUT. FASTING SHOULD BE GOD ORDAINED BUT IT SHOULD BE HAPPENING IN OUR LIVES IN TODAY’S CHURCH. GOD MAY HAVE TOLD YOU TO FAST, BUT THAT CAN BE SOMETHING WE DON’T WANT TO HEAR.

LOOK AT WHAT SOME OF THESE GREAT SAINTS DID AFTER FASTING:

1. JOSHUA MADE THE SUN STAND STILL.
2. PETER’S SHADOW, FALLING ON PEOPLE HEALED THEM.
3. PAUL’S APRONS WHEN SENT OUT PROVIDED MIRACLES.
4. JOHN RECEIVED ALL THE GOOD STUFF IN REVELATION.
5. JESUS REDEEMED THE WORLD.

THESE PEOPLE COMMITTED THEIR LIVES TO A HIGHER STANDARD, SO, GOD CALLED THEM TO FULFILL HIS PURPOSES. WHAT STANDARDS HAVE YOU ESTABLISHED FOR YOUR LIFE? ARE YOU MEETING THOSE STANDARDS? THAT IS IF YOU’VE SET SOME.

FASTING WAS A PILLAR IN THE CHRISTIAN’S FAITH. IN THE BIBLE IT IS MENTIONED ONLY ONE THIRD AS MUCH AS PRAYING, YET MOST BELIEVERS PUT FASTING IN THE BACKGROUND.

LOOK AT MARK 9:25-29 —
25But when Jesus noticed that a crowd [of people] came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, You dumb and deaf spirit, I charge you to come out of him and never go into him again.
26And after giving a [hoarse, clamoring, fear-stricken] shriek of anguish and convulsing him terribly, it came out; and the boy lay [pale and motionless] like a corpse, so that many of them said, He is dead.
27But Jesus took a strong grip of his hand and began lifting him up, and he stood.
28And when He had gone indoors, His disciples asked Him privately, Why could not we drive it out?
29And He replied to them, This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.

YOU CAN SEE THAT AT TIMES FASTING IS NOT AN OPTION. THIS AREA OF THE EAST COAST, INCLUDING NEW JERSEY CAN BE HARD CORE. TO GET A BREAKTHROUGH I BELIEVE THAT FASTING WILL BE A MUST TO SEE SOME PEOPLE GET SAVED. ARE YOU UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS TELLING US TODAY? FASTING CAN AND WILL BE A KEY TO OUR SUCCESS AS A CHURCH, ESPECIALLY IN OUR GROWTH.

THE PURPOSE OF FASTING IS INTENTIONAL ABSTINENCE FROM EATING. THE OLD TESTAMENT WORD WAS PRONOUNCED “STOM” WHICH CAN MEAN TO COVER THE MOUTH. IN THE NEW TESTAMENT THE GREEK WORD IS “NESTEIA” LACKING FOOD.

THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF WHAT IS INVOLVED IN FASTING. IT MAY NOT BE COMPLETE. IF YOU CAN THINK OF OTHERS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

1. SEEKING GOD - A TIME SET APART TO SEEK GOD’S FACE.

2. PUTTING GOD FIRST. ALL ATTENTION IS ON HIM, NOT FOR BLESSINGS OR GIFTS. IT’S A POINT OF INTIMACY WITH GOD.

JEREMIAH 29:13-14 —
13Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
14I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will release you from captivity and gather you from all the nations and all the places to which I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I caused you to be carried away captive.

WHEN YOU SEEK HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART IT CAN MEAN A RELEASE FROM THINGS THAT HOLD YOU CAPTIVE EVEN THOUGH YOU MOTIVE WAS NOT SPECIFICALLY THAT.

3. CREATES AN ENVIRONMENT FOR PRAYER. THAT IS YOU’RE ABLE TO PRAY AND ACHIEVE THE BREAKTHROUGH THAT MAY HAVE ELUDED YOU FOR SOME TIME.

4. INTERCEDING FOR OTHERS.

LUKE 5:33-35 —
33Then they said to Him, The disciples of John practice fasting often and offer up prayers of [special] petition, and so do [the disciples] of the Pharisees also, but Yours eat and drink.
34And Jesus said to them, Can you make the wedding guests fast as long as the bridegroom is with them?
35But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; and then they will fast in those days.
HERE JESUS WAS TELLING THEM THAT DAYS WILL COME WHEN HIS FOLLOWERS WILL HAVE TO FAST. HE HIMSELF FASTED FOR 40 DAYS TO PREPARE HIMSELF FOR HIS TASK OF REDEEMING THE WORLD.

5. INCREASES OUR SPIRITUAL CAPACITY. EXERT DISCIPLINE OVER OUR PHYSICAL APPETITES. MOST TIMES OUR BODIES CONTROL US. WHEN FASTING, OUR SPIRIT INCREASES ITS CONTROL OVER OUR BODIES.

6. ALLOWS US TO RECEIVE GUIDANCE , WISDOM, INSTRUCTION AND KNOWLEDGE FROM GOD. GOD TOOK MOSES ON A FORTY DAY FAST IN ORDER FOR HIM TO RECEIVE A POWERFUL REVELATION. HE WAS ABLE TO RECEIVE THE LAW, (TEN COMMANDMENTS), WHICH MANY NATIONS USE TODAY AS THE FOUNDATION OF THEIR SECULAR PENAL CODE.

7. FASTING ALLOWS US TO RECEIVE THE FULLNESS OF GOD’S POWER FOR MINISTRY.

SEE LUKE 4:13 –
13And when the devil had ended every [the complete cycle of] temptation, he [temporarily] left Him [that is, stood off from Him] until another more opportune and favorable time.

ALL OUR EXPECTATIONS FOR 2008 CAN BE ACHIEVED IF WE BECOME PURE, HUMBLE AND LOVING. THESE ATTRIBUTES ARE HONED IN THE SELF DISCIPLINE OF FASTING.

THIS IS WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN:

1. TUESDAY NEEDS TO BE A DAY FOR FASTING. 1,2,OR 3 MEALS. WHATEVER GOD LEADS YOU TO DO.

SEE 2 CHRONICLES 20:1-4 —
1AFTER THIS, the Moabites, the Ammonites, and with them the Meunites came against Jehoshaphat to battle.
2It was told Jehoshaphat, A great multitude has come against you from beyond the [Dead] Sea, from Edom; and behold they are in Hazazon-tamar, which is En-gedi.
3Then Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself [determinedly, as his vital need] to seek the Lord; he proclaimed a fast in all Judah.
4And Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord [yearning for Him with all their desire].

THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO WHEN WE COME TO PRAYER. BE READY FOR SPIRITUAL WARFARE.

2. PRAYER MEETINGS WILL HAVE ONLY A LIGHT SNACK TO BREAK THE FAST. DO NOT FEEL OBLIGATED TO EAT!

3. OTHER SERVICES SUCH AS THE SATURDAY BIBLE STUDY WILL ALSO BE LIGHT SNACKS FOR FELLOWSHIP.

4. SUNDAY SERVICE FELLOWSHIP CAN HAVE FOOD AS PER THE SCHEDULE THAT IS CURRENTLY IN EFFECT.

5. IF GOD LEADS US TO FAST WHEN WE NORMALLY HAVE FOOD AND FELLOWSHIP, WE WILL ABSTAIN FROM FOOD FOR WHATEVER PURPOSE GOD HAS FOR US.

WE MUST KEEP IN MIND THAT WE ARE NOT A SOCIAL CLUB AND THAT WE ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST COMMISSIONED TO DO BATTLE AGAINST AN ENEMY THAT WANTS TO STEAL, KILL AND DESTROY US. WE ARE THE ARMY OF THE LORD ON EARTH PLACED HERE TO ACCOMPLISH HIS PURPOSE.

GOSPEL MEANS GOOD NEWS. SICKNESS IS NOT GOOD NEWS, POVERTY IS NOT GOOD NEWS. DEPRESSION IS NOT GOOD NEWS. DEMON OPPRESSION IS NOT GOOD NEWS AND THERE ARE TIMES WHEN DEMONS WILL LEAVE ONLY WITH PRAYER AND FASTING.