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Lumps
by Chris Cumming …given 21 April 2012
MP3
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I have a few questions for you in beginning this sermon. Mother’s Day
in the US and Canada is celebrated on the second Sunday in May [13
May this year]. Is this the only day you honor your mother
and grandmother during the year?
Father’s Day [US and Canada]
is observed the third Sunday in June [17
June this year]. Is this the only day you will honor your
father and grandfather this year?
In the US we have a huge celebration known as Independence Day or the 4th
of July. The equivalent day for my neighbors to the North is Canada Day,
which is celebrated 1 July. Is this the only day we acknowledge and
celebrate our history, government and traditions?
Thanksgiving is celebrated the 4th Thursday in November [22
November this year] in the US and the second Monday in
October in Canada or 8 October this year [Last
Great Day]. Is this the only day you give thanks to God?
My sincere hope is that the answer to all four of these questions is a
resounding, “No.” Those days are acknowledgement days or days that
remind us of our feelings for motherhood, fatherhood, the nation and
God.
I now have a fifth question for you. You all just experienced and kept
the Holy Days of the Days of Unleavened Bread. Is that the only week
you will be deleavening this year? I sincerely hope not.
One week out of every year we go
through our homes and getting rid of the leavening and leavened
products. This physical process is reminding us of a yearlong and
lifelong spiritual process of putting out sin. Is the only time we put
sin out of our lives the Days of Unleavened Bread? Again, I sincerely
hope not.
Why must we constantly be putting the sin out? Turn to Galatians 5
Galatians 5:9
A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
My purpose today is to encourage all of us to “keep deleavening.”
Continue to put the sin out of your lives.
Continue in your spiritual goal of being a “new lump.” Turn to 1
Corinthians 5.
1 Corinthians 5:6-7
6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth
the whole lump?
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye
are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
Let us breakdown the parts and phrases in this passage:
Your glorying - Your boasting; or
confidence in your present condition, as if you were eminent in purity
and piety.
Is not good - Is not well, proper, right.
Boasting is never good; but it is especially wrong when, as here, there
is an existing evil that is likely to corrupt the whole church. When
people are disposed to boast, they should at once make the inquiry
whether there is not some sin indulged in, on account of which they
should be humbled and subdued. If all individual Christians, and all
Christian churches, and all people of every rank and condition, would
look at things as they are, they would never find occasion for boasting.
It is only when we are blind to the realities of the ease, and overlook
our faults, that we are disposed to boast. The reason why this was
improper in Corinth, Paul states - that any sin would tend to corrupt
the whole church, and that therefore they ought not to boast until that
was removed.
A little leaven ... - A small quantity of
leaven or yeast will pervade the entire mass of flour, or dough, and
diffuse itself through it all. This is evidently a proverbial saying. It
occurs also in Galatians 5:9. Compare the note at Matthew 13:33. A
similar figure occurs also in the Greek classic writers - By leaven the
Hebrews metaphorically understood whatever had the power of corrupting,
whether doctrine, or example, or anything else. See the note at
Matthew16:6. The sense here is plain. A single sin indulged in, or
allowed in the church, would act like leaven - it would pervade and
corrupt the whole church, unless it was removed. On this ground, and for
this reason, discipline should be administered, and the corrupt member
should be removed. ~Barnes Notes
Let us look at the three quoted verses of this commentary:
I have already given you Galatians 5:9, a little leaven leavens the
whole lump.
Matthew 13:33
Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto
leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the
whole was leavened.
Notice the commentary for the phrase, “The kingdom of heaven is like
unto leaven.” Here we will see leaven denoting a positive process and
confirming its negative connotation of the power of sin.
The kingdom of heaven - The meaning here
is the same as in the last parable [parable of the sower – Matthew 13:24]; perhaps, however,
intending to denote more properly the secret and hidden nature of piety
in the soul. The other parable declared the “fact” that the gospel would
greatly spread, and that piety in the heart would greatly increase. This
states the “way” or “mode” in which it would be done. It is secret,
silent, steady; pervading all the faculties of the soul and all the
kingdoms of the world, as leaven, or yeast, though hidden in the flour,
and though deposited only in one place, works silently until all the
mass is brought under its influence.
Do you see the contrast here between the positive and negative picturing
of leaven. Leaven as sin destroys the entire lump. Leaven as
righteousness makes the lump new and worthy of the Kingdom of God.
As 1 Corinthians 5 states, God wants us unleavened from sin.
Now the commentary I read above on 1 Corinthians 5 also referenced
Matthew 16:6. Turn there.
Matthew 16:6
Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
Notice the commentary...
The leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees
- It passes secretly, silently, but certainly through the mass of dough.
“None can see its progress.” So it was with the doctrines of the
Pharisees. They were insinuating, artful, plausible. They concealed the
real tendency of their doctrines; they instilled them secretly into the
mind, until they pervaded all the faculties like leaven.
~Barnes Notes
Negative leaven can come in many ways and result in our becoming
negatively leavened and led astray from the all-important Godly calling
God has given us. What does God say about this Godly calling?
2 Peter 1:10
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and
election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
The verse says, "if you do these things." What things?
Go back to verse 5:
2 Peter 1:5-7
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and
to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to
patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness
charity.
What is promised by God if we do these things? Look at verse 8:
2 Peter 1:8 For if these
things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be
barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
"For if these things be in you, you shall neither be barren nor
unfruitful"; in what? Answer:
In the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. You become and maintain your
"new lump" status as you fill yourself with the ways of God and forcing
the leaven of sin out.
Verse 8 says something else though, doesn't it? It is more than just
the fruits of the Spirit [Godly
principles] being in you...THEY MUST ABOUND!! What does that
mean?
For if these things be in you, and abound
- If they are in you in rich abundance; if you are eminent (ĕm'ə-nənt)
for these things. ~Barnes Notes
Notice the word there, "eminent" and what it means:
•Of high rank, station, or quality; noteworthy.
• Outstanding, as in character or performance; distinguished.
• Towering or standing out above others; prominent.
Synonyms include: celebrated, noted, preeminent and prominent.
Another synonym for eminent is "Redoubtable" which means "arousing fear
or awe" and "worthy of respect or honor." The fruits of the Spirit
should arouse awe in us and we should give them upmost respect as being
part of the essence of Jesus Christ and God the Father. If the
principles in verses 5-7 have the preeminence in us, the sinful leaven
must depart.
This is how you keep deleavening throughout the year. You do it by
bringing in Jesus Christ into us and allowing Him to toss out the
leaven...making us new lumps.
Now going back to 2 Peter 1, what does it say if we do not do these
things?
2 Peter 1:9
But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and
hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
If we do not continue to “deleaven”, we become blind and even forget
that God made us a new lump in the first place.
We now come back to verse 10 and making your calling sure. Notice one
of my favorite words in the verse: "Diligence." "Give diligence to make
your calling and election sure." I use all four related words:
Fervency, Diligence, Zeal and Perseverance.
Think back to the physical deleavening you did this year. Were these
principles of God involved? Didn't you have to exhibit zeal [enthusiastic
devotion to a cause] and perseverance [steady
persistence in adhering to a course of action]? Remember the
word we discovered in my sermon on Matthew 25 and the parable of the ten
virgins? The word was “sagacious.” Here is an excerpt from that
sermon:
4) FOOLISH (as
in the 5 foolish virgins)
This is Strong’s word 3474 “moros” as in moron. It means “dull or
stupid”; heedless” and it means “BLOCKHEAD”. It also is defined in
Strong’s as “absurd”.
Now wouldn’t it be absurd to give up one’s calling and to give up
eternity in the Kingdom of God. Wouldn’t we call this person a
Blockhead. Surely, this is what Jesus is calling them in this parable.
5) WISE (as in the 5 wise virgins)
This is Strong’s word 5429 and means
“thoughtful”, “sagacious” or “discreet” (implying
a cautious character).
Sagacious:
a) of quick sense perceptions; keen-scented;
skilled in following a trail (as
in the pathway God has set before us).
b) Hence, of quick
intellectual perception; discerning and judicious; knowing; far-sighted.
---end of excerpt---
Now what promise does God give us in all this in 2 Peter? Take note:
1] You shall never fall...latter part of verse 10.
2] An entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the
everlasting kingdom of God...verse 11
3] God will put you always in remembrance of these things...verse 12
4] You will be established in the present truth...latter part of verse
12.
On item 4 here, just what does it mean that we will be established in
the present truth? Notice the commentary...
And be established in the present truth -
That is, the truth which is with you, or which you have received -
Robinson’s Lexicon on the word pareimi. The apostle did not doubt that
they were now confirmed in the truth as far as it had been made known to
them, but he felt that amidst their trials, and especially as they were
liable to be drawn away by false teachers, there was need of reminding
them of the grounds on which the truths which they had embraced rested,
and of adding his own testimony to confirm their Divine origin. Though
we may be very firm in our belief of the truth, yet there is a propriety
that the grounds of our faith should be stated to us frequently, that
they may be always in our remembrance. The mere fact that at present we
are firm in the belief of the truth, is no certain evidence that we
shall always continue to be; nor because we are thus firm should we deem
it improper for our religious teachers to state the grounds on which our
faith rests, or to guard us against the arts of those who would attempt
to subvert our faith. ~Barnes Notes
Thus we see the need to keep spiritually deleavening throughout the
year. It is a 24/7/365 process.
I am seeing much in all this commentary about false doctrine. Let us
look at a key verse:
1 Timothy 4:1-2
1 Now the Spirit speaketh
expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith,
giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot
iron;
What other verses do we have?
Jude 1:18-21
...speaking of apostasy
18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who
should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the
Spirit.
20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith,
praying in the Holy Ghost,
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord
Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Jude 1:4
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old
ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God
into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus
Christ.
2 Peter 3:3-5
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers,
walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers
fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the
creation.
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the
heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the
water:
2 Timothy 3
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters,
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent,
fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of
God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such
turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive
silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the
truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest
unto all men, as theirs also was.
10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose,
faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium,
at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord
delivered me.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and
being deceived.
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been
assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are
able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ
Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good
works.
2 Timothy 3 not only shows us what has come to us and will continue to
come until the return of Christ but gives us the means of keeping all
this leaven away from our door and/or keeping it from hurting us.
Verse 14:
1] Continue in the things which thou has learned.
2] Continue in the things you have been assured of.
3] Know of whom you learned them.
Verse 15:
4] Scriptures make you wise.
5] Scriptures make you wise unto salvation through faith
6] We win because Christ is in us.
Verse 16:
7] Scriptures give us doctrine.
8] Scriptures give us reproof.
9] Scriptures give us correction
10] Scriptures are our instructions in righteousness.
Verse 17:
11] Full immersion in the Word of God makes us perfect—always moving
toward perfection.
12] God and His Word gives us all we need to do good works…invoking of
the Holy Spirit.
Another set of scriptures now:
1 Peter 1:3-23
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which
according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively
hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not
away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to
be revealed in the last time.
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye
are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold
that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise
and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet
believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched
diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was
in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of
Christ, and the glory that should follow.
12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they
did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that
have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from
heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the
end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of
Jesus Christ;
14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the
former lusts in your ignorance:
15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner
of conversation;
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth
according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in
fear:
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible
things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by
tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish
and without spot:
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but
was manifest in these last times for you,
21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and
gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the
Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another
with a pure heart fervently:
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by
the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
Now add to your list of promises and action steps:
13] God has given us a lively hope…verse 3
14] We are kept by the power of God unto salvation…verse 5
15] The trying of your faith is more precious than gold…verse 7
16] You receive the end of your faith…salvation…verse 9
17] Gird up the loins of your mind and be sober…verse 13
18] Invoke hope from now to the end…verse 13
19] Be obedient unto God…verse 14
20] Be holy in all your conduct…verses 15 and 16
21] Pass your time in fear of God…verse 17
22] You are saved from sinful leaven by the blood of Christ…verse 19
23] Christ is made manifest in your life now…verse 20
24] Believe in God and your faith and hope will be strong…verse 21
25] Purify your soul in obeying the truth…verse 22
26] Love one another with a pure heart fervently…verse 22
27] Be born again by the Word of God with liveth and abideth forever
…verse 23.
So go now and continue to deleaven and be that new lump.
Full List:
Action steps and promises for your spiritual deleavening from 2 Timothy
3 and 1 Peter 1
First, those
steps from 2 Timothy 3:
Verse 14:
1] Continue in the things which thou has learned.
2] Continue in the things you have been assured of.
3] Know of whom you learned them.
Verse 15:
4] Scriptures make you wise.
5] Scriptures make you wise unto salvation through faith
6] We win because Christ is in us.
Verse 16:
7] Scriptures give us doctrine.
8] Scriptures give us reproof.
9] Scriptures give us correction
10] Scriptures are our instructions in righteousness.
Verse 17:
11] Full immersion in the Word of God makes us perfect—always moving
toward perfection.
12] God and His Word gives us all we need to do good works…invoking of
the Holy Spirit.
Now add to your list of promises and action steps from 1 Peter 1
13] God has given us a lively hope…verse 3
14] We are kept by the power of God unto salvation…verse 5
15] The trying of your faith is more precious than gold…verse 7
16] You receive the end of your faith…salvation…verse 9
17] Gird up the loins of your mind and be sober…verse 13
18] Invoke hope from now to the end…verse 13
19] Be obedient unto God…verse 14
20] Be holy in all your conduct…verses 15 and 16
21] Pass your time in fear of God…verse 17
22] You are saved from sinful leaven by the blood of Christ…verse 19
23] Christ is made manifest in your life now…verse 20
24] Believe in God and your faith and hope will be strong…verse 21
25] Purify your soul in obeying the truth…verse 22
26] Love one another with a pure heart fervently…verse 22
27] Be born again by the Word of God with liveth and abideth forever
…verse 23. |
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