The Church Neglects What God Wants It to Be
The church neglects its purpose when it fails to live solely for God's glory and prioritize the perishing world, leading to a dependence on man's wisdom rather than the Spirit.
Andrew Murray emphasizes the church's neglect of its divine calling to be a light to the Gentiles, highlighting the need for Christians to live solely for God's glory and the salvation of others. He points out that this neglect is often unintentional, stemming from a lack of awareness of their true calling and the consequences of their disobedience. Murray argues that despite the abundance of scripture, the church fails to grasp the truth because it is often approached through human wisdom rather than the power of the Holy Spirit. He calls for a return to a faith that is rooted in the demonstration of God's power, rather than mere intellectual understanding.
Text
"Christ sent me to preach the gospel... not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." I Cor. 1:17; 2:1-5
We looked at one proof of disobedience to God's command, the neglect of the church to be what God wants it to be, a light to lighten the Gentiles; the refusal of Christians to live wholly and solely for the glory of God in the salvation of men.
We dare hardly say that this neglect, this refusal, is willful. Men do not know that they are called to such absolute devotion; that the perishing world is really their cause; that God refuses to bless them because they refuse to live only for him and their fellowmen.
When we ask how it is that with scripture so constantly read and preached, and with its commands and principles so plain, the truth is not apprehended, we are led to one of the deepest sources of all the evil and failure in the churches.
The truth is held, is preached and received in man's wisdom, (but) not in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power.
(Excerpted from The Coming Revival, by Andrew Murray , pg. 17)
Sermon Outline
- The Church's Neglect
- The Cause of Neglect
- The Result of Neglect
- The Solution
- Demonstration of the Spirit and power
- Living solely for God's glory
Key Quotes
“Christ sent me to preach the gospel... not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” — Andrew Murray
“That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” — Andrew Murray
“The truth is held, is preached and received in man's wisdom, (but) not in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power” — Andrew Murray
Application Points
- We must prioritize living solely for God's glory and prioritize the perishing world.
- We must seek to demonstrate the Spirit and power in our lives and ministry.
- We must recognize the importance of absolute devotion and strive to live it out in our daily lives.