Ointment Poured Forth
Miles J. Stanford's sermon emphasizes the importance of selfless love and sacrifice for the growth of the Body of Christ.
Miles J. Stanford preaches about the personal journey of maturity in the Lord Jesus, emphasizing the transition from personal growth to sacrificially serving His Body. He highlights the importance of selflessness in leadership, drawing parallels to Moses' wilderness experience before leading the people. The sermon challenges listeners to choose the path of self-sacrifice for the benefit of others, emphasizing the need to pour out oneself for the progress and well-being of the Body of Christ. Stanford underscores the significance of embodying God's patient grace and love in relationships within the Church, mirroring the Father's care and leading towards spiritual unity.
Text
"Death working in me works life in you" (2 Corinthians 4:12, Cony.).
At first the heart hunger for maturity in the Lord Jesus is personal, subjective-and necessarily so. Later, when the path to maturity is known and entered upon, this hunger is projected to His Body, and becomes sacrificially objective.
"The great lack in servants is not having a sufficiently self-less walk, because you cannot lead anyone beyond where you have been led yourself. Moses was himself many years in the wilderness before he led the people. I cannot ask anyone to leave anything that I have not left myself. It is not the man who sees defects, but the man who removes them who is being used of God."
"Will you choose the path of death that others may have life? Will you choose to 'fill up the afflictions of Christ for His Bride's sake'? But what does it mean? It means living, weeping, suffering, loving with infinite patience, infinite tenderness, unwearying love for every member of the Body of Christ. It means the whole being bound up, not in your own progress, but in the progress of the Body of Christ. It means sinking all the personal element into the service of God, wanting neither credit, nor notice, nor recognition. It means an utter dropping of yourself, and a handing over of yourself to God to be poured out for His Body's sake, the Church."
"The unwearied care of our Father for us, His patient grace, His gentleness, His leading us on from the world nearer, in spirit, to Himself, indicate what should be the character of our love's activity towards one another. Our joy in the Father's presence, as He Himself and His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, are made manifest to our hearts, gives us the character of the joy of true fellowship one with another." -H.F.W.
"I, Paul. . . rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body's sake, which is the church" (Colossians 1:23, 24).
Sermon Outline
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I
- Understanding personal hunger for maturity in Christ
- Transitioning from personal to communal focus
- The sacrificial nature of spiritual growth
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II
- The importance of selflessness in leadership
- Leading by example through personal sacrifice
- Removing defects rather than merely identifying them
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III
- Choosing the path of death for the sake of others
- The meaning of filling up the afflictions of Christ
- Living a life of love and service to the Body of Christ
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IV
- The character of God's love and care for us
- Reflecting God's love in our relationships
- Joy in fellowship through shared experiences in Christ
Key Quotes
“Will you choose the path of death that others may have life?” — Miles J. Stanford
“It means an utter dropping of yourself, and a handing over of yourself to God to be poured out for His Body's sake.” — Miles J. Stanford
“I, Paul. . . rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body's sake.” — Miles J. Stanford
Application Points
- Reflect on your own spiritual journey and how it can impact others.
- Commit to serving the Body of Christ with love and patience.
- Embrace the call to sacrifice personal desires for the sake of communal growth.