Doing God's Work God's Way - Part 2

DOING GOD’S WORK GOD’S WAY – PART 2

God's work must not be done superficially. In our text, I Corinthians 16:6, the Apostle Paul said, “And it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go.” Paul did winter at Corinth. Paul also said in verse 7, “For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit”. Here we see thoroughness in ministry, a long-term commitment.

The Great Commission given in Matthew 28:19-20 says: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Part of the commission says “teach em to do all that I've commanded you.” That takes time. It’s no quick stopover.  Paul spent 18 months at Corinth the first time. Je spent a winter the second time. He spent three years at Ephesus. At Ephesus, he declared unto them "the whole counsel of God." (Acts 20:27). He thoroughly instructed believers. We see a commitment to excellence.

C) Colossians 1:27-28 states “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:” I Thessalonians 3:10 further states “Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith.”

Ephesians 4:11-13 informs us that “He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:”

The future may not come together as you think it will, so you have to be flexible in God’s work. Paul had an unsettled attitude, he was an adventurer. He had plans, but remained flexible. He acknowledged that God had the right to change them in midstream. "if the Lord permit." (16:7).

In Acts 16:6-10 the Apostle states “Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.”

The only option was to go west - 300 miles west on foot! (to Troas). They didn't know where they were going. They aimply knew the door had opened.  At Troas the Lord gave Paul the vision of Macedonia. He went.

Flexibility.

The Golden Gate Bridge is a wonderful lesson on strength & flexibility.

Its southern pillar is built right on the San Andreas fault. Yet, it never falls.

It is built to sway 20' at the center of its one-mile suspension span. The secret to its durability is its flexibility which enables this sway. But that’s not all. By design, every part of the bridge–its concrete roadway, its steel rails, its cross-beams– are inevitably related from one welded joint to another through the vast cable system to two great towers and two great land anchor piers. The towers bear most of the weight, and they are deeply embedded into the rock foundation beneath the sea. In other words, the bridge is totally preoccupied with its foundation.

This is the secret -   Flexibility and foundation. The Lord's work must be done the Lord's way. We need:  A vision for the Future;  A Sense of Flexibility; A Commitment to Thoroughness.