Be a Builder - Edify

[0:00] Ephesians 4, 11 through 12. And he, the Lord, 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.

[0:16] Paul tells of these five ministries and their call to perfect the saints, the saints for the work of the ministry and for the edifying of the body of Christ.

[0:40] So Paul is saying these five are ministries to perfect the saints and then the saints are for then to continue on the work of the ministry and for the edifying of the body of Christ.

[0:58] Now some misread this to mean that it's the five ministries that do all the work of the ministry and the edifying. But no, it's the saints who are called for the work of the ministry and for the edifying of the body of Christ.

[1:14] The five ministries of Ephesians 4, 11 are used of God to equip the saints, to perfect the saints for that work.

[1:26] And what I wanted to talk about tonight was the work that we have, all of us as saints of God, of edifying, of building. To be a builder, to be a builder, to edify, to build up the body.

[1:41] God says that you have a role here in this passage, that you as saved people who know the Lord as saints of God, you that are a saint, He wants you to build up the body of Christ.

[1:54] He wants you to edify. It means to build, like you would build a house. Now, some people are in such a trade, in the building trade, where they have a building occupation.

[2:11] There's a builder here tonight, a painter. He's got a work to do to build houses, to paint them. And we can see people who have such jobs in the building trade, the building game.

[2:24] I know, Clayton, you're in the building game, aren't you? So, you want to be, yeah. So, builders, build things. And saints build the body.

[2:35] Saints build the body of Christ, the edifying of the body of Christ. And we are meant to be a part of God's building program. You and I are meant to be a part of building up this body, the body of Christ, the church.

[2:47] So, some thoughts along that theme. Why build the church? Why should we build the church? Because the church is important to God. The church is important to our Lord.

[2:58] How important is the church? Look at the incredible cost that He paid for it. The Lord Jesus, He became poor for our sakes. In Matthew 8, verse 20, it says of our Lord, And Jesus saith unto him of himself, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head.

[3:21] Now, down the back paddock at our place, we've got some foxholes. And even the foxes have got little holes that they go and live in. Right? But the Lord Jesus is saying here that He Himself has nowhere to lay His head.

[3:35] He doesn't even have a place to call a home, as it were, in this reference here. And so, and this one of whom we read, who has not a place to lay His head, He's homeless, effectively.

[3:48] He is the one who left the glory and splendour of the palace and majesty of heaven. The glory of heaven, He left it all to come down to earth to die on a cross for man's sin.

[4:02] That's how much He loves the church, because He gave, as the very purchase price for the church, His own life's blood. The very precious blood of Christ was shed for the church.

[4:14] And so the very builder of the spiritual house was homeless. Yet He lives now in the spiritual building that is you and me, as God's people. As you that know the Lord, He has made His residence within us.

[4:27] He resides within His own people. Not so much in a physical building, because we could meet in a tin shed. It wouldn't matter. It's about, He lives within His own people.

[4:39] And we are His spiritual building. Each one of us that knows Him. We are His church, His body, His people. Each one of us. Now there was a time when Julie and I were in a denominational kind of church, and the denomination had its headquarters over in Melbourne.

[4:57] And the kind of hierarchy of the church was over in Melbourne. And some churches, maybe their headquarters might be in London. Or perhaps in Rome.

[5:11] But for us, our headquarters are in heaven. Amen. There is no church that we report to as independent Baptist churches all across our land, across the world.

[5:25] And likewise, independent Bible-believing churches, self-governing, autonomous, independent, planted, answerable, and accountable within that local context, within that local framework of the saints of God gathered in each local place.

[5:42] Not that we have to go to some hierarchy or some pope or some super-duper minister that's over the rest of us, as in some church circles.

[5:54] Because that's not a scriptural model. So the church is not a physical building, but it's a spiritual house. And the headquarters of the church, certainly not in Rome.

[6:07] They're in heaven. Amen. Our Lord is in heaven. And He is the head of the church. Not any human being, but our Lord God. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the head of His church.

[6:18] And so the church is vital to the purpose and plan of God, that the Lord Jesus gave His life's blood to purchase the church. It's a divine organization.

[6:29] This is not some social club or some man-made invention, some enterprise or man-based activity.

[6:42] We're not some social club or some good cause or a charity or an institution such as that.

[6:53] We are a divine organization, that we are, I trust, led by the Holy Spirit, by God Almighty. And so we are important to God.

[7:04] It is important to God, the church. So we must not neglect the church or cause it any hurt. The church is God's idea. It's His idea. And He has designed it, that it be to a building up of the saints.

[7:18] And that the saints grow and help others to grow. That we develop character and real maturity. That the church, which means an assembly, a gathering, a gathering group, a gathered group.

[7:34] That's what the word church means, an assembly, a getting together, a joining together of men and women, brothers and sisters in Christ. That as we get together, we'll get edified and we'll edify one another.

[7:48] In other words, edify, we'll build up one another. You will build up me and I will build up you. We'll build up one another, edify one another.

[8:00] When God gets His rightful place, the church will be built up and it will be strong and it will reach out. I'm encouraged to hear that.

[8:10] I didn't realise how many are part of that evangelism program. As much as it's just a little nucleus. I've been in some circles where I've heard of virtually the whole church membership goes out and evangelises.

[8:30] We don't have that very much at times, sadly. But it's good to see a whole church mobilised. This church that I know of, they all went out open air preaching.

[8:41] And it's virtually the whole membership of the church went out as a unit, as a body. And that's what ideally we'd like to see more of such things.

[8:53] So when the church is built up, it will be strong and it will reach out. Because God doesn't want us to be a church that is all insular, all about a bless me club, a holy little huddle.

[9:05] But to be an evangelistic mission, a missionary work of God. Because He's planted the church that it be such a vehicle for the message to get out there.

[9:19] So God wants us, the church, to be a spiritual building. So we see that the church, why build the church? Because it's important to God.

[9:30] Bottom line. He has built it. It's God's idea. And so we see, secondly, who are the builders? Who are the builders of the church? Of course, the Lord Himself will build His church.

[9:42] As He tells us in Matthew 16. He says, I will build my church. And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Our Lord Himself, He is the ultimate builder of His church.

[9:56] And we have a part to play in that. The building work of God. There's evangelists, pastors, teachers. There's each and every member of us have a part to play a role in this mission.

[10:09] So let's look at some of the features of this building and of the part that we can play in this building. Ephesians 2 from verse 19. Ephesians 2 verse 19.

[10:24] The theme of the church. Paul says, It says, It says, Let's notice, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.

[10:59] Of course, we know we do not have physical apostles and prophets today, but we are built upon the apostles and prophets. What the apostles and prophets have given to us, the apostles and prophets' writings, we are built upon that foundation, the scriptures, the word of God, and Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.

[11:25] That's his will. So who are the builders? We are effectively built upon that foundation. We all have that role of being part of that building program.

[11:37] And so let's consider some ways, how are we going to be builders of this building of God? Have we got our toolkit for this building project, this building program that we are called to?

[11:51] Let's have a look at the builder's toolkit, if you like. Consider how are we to build? How are we to build? Here's some building advice for all you builders here today.

[12:04] Number one, build with your faith. Build with your faith. It says that we are to build with our faith. In Jude 1, we read verse 20, But ye beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith.

[12:22] Praying in the Holy Ghost. Build up yourselves on your most holy faith. Jude 1, verse 20. Build with your faith. First build your faith.

[12:33] Build your life on Christ. You know, this is not faith in some guru, or faith in yourself, or faith in some psychological technique, or some meditation mantra.

[12:49] This is build your faith in Christ. In Christ. Build with Christ, the chief cornerstone. He is core and central and essential for this building.

[13:02] He is the starting point and the core of what is the church. Christ, the chief cornerstone. And if we fail to base our building together on Christ, and faith and fellowship in Him, to glorify His name, we have no church.

[13:20] Christ must be central and in the centre. The centre point. And we build on that solid foundation. And everything else will be strong as we honour the Lord, as He is first and foremost as that chief cornerstone.

[13:35] That it all hangs. It all stands upon Him. It's the starting point, the core of the church. It's His church. And you can edify the church by keeping that right focus, by being true to the foundation, the Word of God, the Scriptures, the foundation, the fundamentals, by being true to the Lord, your Saviour.

[13:56] So God says His people will have a most holy faith. Jude 1 verse 20. That's challenging, isn't it? That we are to build up yourselves on your most holy faith.

[14:11] Build with your faith. Notice that God's design is that it be a holy temple unto the Lord. In Ephesians 2 verse 21. A holy temple. Now, there's places that people call holy today, isn't there?

[14:27] Holy places. Sacred sites. Holy places that people go where they go to have a pilgrimage to. I know one of our numbers are going to be heading over to the holy land.

[14:40] And He might come back even more holy than He already is. You know, we can go to places and it can have an effect on us, can't it? I think it can. I think we can go to certain places that have meaning for us, that have memories for us, people we love.

[14:58] You know, sometimes, well, in, some years ago, Julie and I went to some places that were special for us as youngsters growing up in another land far, far away.

[15:11] And, we saw some places and met some people that were dear and near to us. Well, they're far from us because they're over in another country. going to a holy, like a special place brings meaning.

[15:25] But, how much more meaningful than a holy temple? And, if we could go into the very holy temple at Jerusalem, we can't because it's not there anymore.

[15:36] But, if you could imagine to go into a holy temple or perhaps a beautiful edifice, a beautiful building that was built to the glory of God and, just spend some quiet moments there.

[15:49] And, there's a holy hush there. There's something about a holy temple that's special. God says, you are the holy temple. It's not a place. It's not a building. It's not an edifice.

[16:01] It's an edifying. It's a building up of your most holy faith that we are that holy temple as God's own people. That's precious, isn't it? That's special. And, God's church is filled with the Holy Spirit.

[16:14] The Holy Spirit. One of the features by which we'll recognise whether a church is God's church or not will be in the holy conduct of the people. A people who fear God and honour Him.

[16:26] In Acts 9.31, it says that the churches had rest and were edified. They were built up. They were built up and maturing. And, what happened?

[16:38] It says the churches had rest and were edified. It goes on, Acts 9.31, walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit were multiplied.

[16:51] The churches had rest, were edified, built up, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Notice that the faith we are building on is Bible-based faith. In Acts 20.32, Paul says, And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all those that are sanctified.

[17:16] He says, I commend you to the word of His grace which is able to build you up. This book will build you up. Build with your faith. In 2 Timothy 3.16, it says that the word is able to build us up and make us perfect or complete.

[17:33] the word of God. Just check that one up as well. 2 Timothy 3.16, of course, that familiar one which I should know off the top of my head.

[17:53] All Scripture is given by inspiration of God as profitable for doctrine for a proof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect and truly furnished unto all good works. He wants to thoroughly furnish us.

[18:05] He wants to thoroughly, completely equip us and prepare us for all good works. And the word of God is able to build us up, make us complete. So, the more of the word we have, the more we'll be equipped.

[18:20] So we say, build with your faith. Secondly, build with your words. Build with the words that you speak. May they be words that build others up. In Ephesians 4.29, it says, let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

[18:42] Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, building up, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

[18:54] Build with your words. Your words will build people up or they'll tear people down. Let's be constructive Christians, amen? Constructive about the work of building, building, building up in the assembling of the believers.

[19:09] There's a building up in the worship of the believers as we go house to house, as we're a visible church reaching out. There's a building up.

[19:20] There's a construction program. And the edifying Christian will have grace, grace in his heart, grace in his mouth, grace in his words, grace and love and truth at work, lives that count for God.

[19:38] I read a little illustration that says that Christians are either one or the other, a lifter or a leaner. Now we should be lifters, not leaners.

[19:53] There's times we might need to lean on someone, of course, but let's be such that we're lifting up others, building up others. We'll be lifters and labourers. We've got a work to do, a mission.

[20:05] We'll show the character and person of Christ. We'll show that real Christianity lived out in our day-by-day lives because we're living letters, aren't we?

[20:16] We're being watched. You know, I'm very conscious of it in the workplace that people talk about Christians and there's an expectation of us and we should be without reproach in the world that they won't use us as a reason why they're not a Christian.

[20:40] You know, some people do that, don't they? Oh, hear about these horrible priests and what they've done, this, that and the other. Oh, that's Christianity. I don't want a bar of it.

[20:51] And they'll use a disgraced person to malign the Christ, a fallible man who may not even be saved and they'll point to that and use that as a reason why they're not a Christian and let's not give them any ammunition, brothers and sisters.

[21:11] Let's have words that build and not corrupt communication but that which is good to the use of edifying, building up. And so we see that in 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 11 it says, Wherefore comfort yourselves together and edify one another even as also you do.

[21:29] You know, sometimes in some churches it's almost like, and I think it's unhealthy to put the pastor on a pedestal. I am the janitor of the church.

[21:42] I am the lowest of the low. I am the servant of all. That is my mission to serve, to bless you, to minister to you, to not be on a pedestal and to be praised but just to serve.

[21:57] And it's the same for all of us. We've all got work to do. Edify one another, edify one another, build up one another, encourage one another, comfort yourselves together and edify one another even as also you do.

[22:11] And as God's people we will care, we'll encourage others, we'll put ourselves out for others, we'll check our attitude and I've got to check my attitude all the time.

[22:23] I'm inclined to be prideful and selfish and wicked. I've got to crucify the flesh, I've got to die to self daily.

[22:34] I'm a human, fallible and frail as the rest of you. So that's how we need to be, isn't it? To have the attitude, to have the humility and not a fake humility, so I can brag about my humility to you.

[22:48] But be real, we've got to be real because we need each other, we need one another and encourage the faint hearted, support the weak, admonish the disorderly, be long suffering towards all.

[23:00] There's a mission, everyone is a mission field for us. I love that one, you might want to just take note, I just glossed over that, but 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 12, it's a good scripture, to think about how you treat other people.

[23:16] It says, 1 Thessalonians 5, particularly verse 14, it says, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient towards all men.

[23:34] It covers everybody really, doesn't it? How we treat one another. Romans 14, 19, it says, let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edify another.

[23:48] Let's look out for those things that we can do. Amen? Follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edify another. Find ways you can build other people up.

[24:00] Sometimes we come to church and some have the attitude when you come and gather as a people that bless me, bless me, give me, give me.

[24:12] They come to church to get and hopefully we do receive something when we come to church. But when we gather as an assembly, let's look at ways we can give to one another, exhort one another, encourage one another, comfort one another, bless one another and be a part of that sharing and caring.

[24:34] Make for peace. things wherewith one may edify another. Pursue it, it says, follow after it, after these things. God wants us to know his peace that passes all understanding.

[24:46] There might be someone sat alongside you or across the way as you converse. You might find a need. You can pray for one another. You can care. You can show your care in practical ways.

[24:58] And we can have that kind of peace that reaches out. It's not all about me, me, me. Some people come and they go to a church and think, well they go and hear a sermon and they think, oh, I got nothing out of it.

[25:12] I got nothing out of it. It's just a load of bunkum what he's raving on about. I mean that could happen. Not with me ever. We might come to a church and we get nothing out of it.

[25:26] But it's not about getting something out of it. Sometimes when we come to church, we might be here because God has put us here so we can talk to someone after the service or before the service and be a blessing.

[25:38] You might witness to someone that might get saved. You might encourage a brother who's downtrodden and forlorn and someone who's needing a hand to lift and encourage.

[25:51] And it's all about having that mindset, isn't it? That we care for one another. Things where with one may edify another. And so we can have that understanding, that harmony within God's people, the peace of God.

[26:05] Let's pursue it, follow after it. Ephesians 4.15 it says, But speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the head, even Christ. It's saying they'd be thoughtful of others.

[26:19] Having the mind of Christ. Don't you love that one? Philippians 2, having the mind of Christ. He was in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but became.

[26:30] He was made in the likeness of man. He took upon him the form of a servant. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. And so we should have his mind.

[26:43] That we should have the mind that I'm nothing and he is everything. And I'm just an unprofitable servant.

[26:54] I'm just doing what is my duty to do. It's the least I can do. To do what I can. To be used of God. So let's grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ, speaking the truth in love.

[27:11] There's times we're going to have to say some tough things. Tough love says things that can get under our skin. when we tell the truth.

[27:22] We speak the truth in love. We speak the truth with compassion, with care, with his love. And so in church discipline likewise, it's all about restoration and healing.

[27:34] That's the emphasis. And so we see Hebrews 3.13, but exalt one another daily, while it is called today. When is it not called today?

[27:45] It's all the time. That's what it's saying. Lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Exalt one another daily. Now, we know that the scriptures call us to gather together.

[28:00] So I'm preaching to the converter tonight because you're here. Because we can't obey the scripture of exalt one another daily if we sit at home watching songs of praise on the TV or whatever it be.

[28:13] But we've got to get together with God's people. So every time we get together, it's another opportunity to bless and be blessed, to consider one another, to relate to others. Are we building people up?

[28:25] Now, this world is all about knocking people down, isn't it? It's all about and it's like in the secular world, it's almost like some have got the attitude, they're climbing the ladder to success, it's about stomping on all the people beneath them to get higher than them and keep them down while I get higher, elevate myself.

[28:47] put others down and it shouldn't be like that, should it? Certainly not in a church. It shouldn't be that. We should consider one another, we should love one another, we should relate to people and build people up, find opportunities to build others up.

[29:05] Do we look out for those opportunities? people that are all around us, people that are hurting, people that need the gospel, people that need a lift.

[29:19] Do we lift people up or do our words bring discouragement and hurt? Do our words minister grace to the hearers? Let's choose our words carefully, use words that encourage, that strengthen, that bless and build other people up, that edify one another rather than words of discouragement.

[29:40] We had opportunity to visit a relative who's lost a loved one. They need building up, they need a hug, a comfort, a word of solace, a word of blessing, of peace.

[29:55] Sad times, there's people all around us going through sadness and grief and loss, discouragement. We're called to lift them up. So build with your faith.

[30:09] Build with your faith, build with your words. And thirdly, build with your giving. Build with your giving. I can smell something. What's that perfume?

[30:21] You have an odour, a sweet smelling fragrance. A sweet smelling fragrance. It says in 2 Corinthians 2.15, For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved and in them that perish.

[30:39] We as Christians should have a smell, a good smell, a nice smell, a fragrance, a sweet smell, a sweet savour of Christ.

[30:51] So that when we go about our lives, there's something around us, there's something about us, there's something that travels with us.

[31:03] It's Christ. It's Christ. The sweet savour of Christ. And we see that Paul writes of this kind of smell, if you like, in Philippians 4.18.

[31:15] He writes of this same kind of fragrance, if you like. He says, in the context of receiving the thing sent to you, there was an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice, acceptable, well-pleasing to God.

[31:32] And he goes on, my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory. So the context there, Paul's talking about a giving attitude. We need to be givers in our attitude.

[31:43] We're not talking necessarily what goes in the plate or the bag. We're talking about giving. Be a giving person. Be a person who gives out that fragrance, that sacrifice, that odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice, acceptable, well-pleasing to God.

[31:59] Do we have that fragrance about us? You can be a rotten egg or the smell of a sweet rose. And if someone had to describe our church, this assembly, would they say that we edify one another?

[32:18] Paul says, 1 Corinthians 14.26, that all things be done for edification. All things be done to build up, to make stronger. We know a weightlifter edifies his arm.

[32:32] He makes it stronger by means of his sport. And as God's people participate, as we gather together, as we as iron sharpening iron, we might have some conversations here and there.

[32:49] And they can be healthy and good. I might learn something. And as God's people, as we participate and encourage one another, as we gather, there's an edifying, there's a building up as we participate together.

[33:05] There's a giving there. We can give with our worship. When the church gathers to worship, its main object is meant to be the edifying of the people. In 1 Corinthians 14, we see, as I said, Paul says, let all things be done for edification.

[33:21] So let everything of our church activity and the goings-on of our church, let all things be for this end, the building up, edifying, edify one another.

[33:34] And God has gifted every member. So as a Christian, he gives us abilities and makes us useful so that in the church, we're not only to get, but to give.

[33:46] Every member is gifted. Every member is responsible to edify the body with that gift. As we see, again, 1 Corinthians 14, use the gifts to edify, to build up, to minister.

[33:59] Be a giver. How can I give? Give yourself. Use your spiritual gifts. Use your time, your offering. Be a giver.

[34:10] Someone worked out that in the Bible it says believe 272 times. It says love 714 times.

[34:22] It says give 2,162 times. That's amazing, isn't it? I'll say that again. Believe 272 times. Love 714 times.

[34:33] Give 2,162 times. We're called to be that fragrance, that sacrifice that our lives are on the altar, as it were, living sacrifices, that our lives are meant to be poured out for other people, poured out as a drink offering, poured out as a sacrifice unto God.

[34:57] You know, there's some people, they sacrifice potential overtime to come to church. They sacrifice, you know, Sunday rates to come to church because it's more important for their soul.

[35:09] It's a giving, isn't it? It's an extending of ourselves. You know, we could be doing something else at this time and many others are doing something else. But we care about giving unto God.

[35:22] We care about building up ourselves and building up one another. You can give with your singing. Colossians 3,16, it says let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

[35:41] We can give in many ways. And the song from your heart itself can be an encouragement and a help to others. Musical talents and singing talents, what a blessing.

[35:53] What a blessing. I'm coming to a close here to think now, are you a growing Christian? It tells us we are to grow in grace and the knowledge of the truth, 2 Peter 3,18.

[36:07] It tells us Ephesians 4,15 to grow to be more like Christ, to grow in love, Philippians 1, verse 9. He wants us to grow stronger, wearing that armour of Ephesians 6, as a force for God, to grow closer to the Lord in our devotion and zeal, to grow in our submission to his will and his way for our lives, to grow in our service and sacrifice, as I say, as a living sacrifice.

[36:41] He wants us to grow. He wants his church to grow. And he grows one by one. Individuals, we all can grow, can't we? We all should keep on growing.

[36:51] Some of the most mature and older Christians, you know there's still a lot of growing to do. Amen? There's still much to grow. And we never stop growing until we see his face.

[37:05] Now it's easier, much easier to be a destroyer than a builder. You see, some people, they just want to destroy and wreck. You can build up or you can tear down.

[37:19] It's so easy to tear people down, isn't it? You know, I've learned through life to be very careful what I say. I know there's someone else that has given me some encouragement this way.

[37:32] And a scripture that a friend of mine loves to quote is, speak evil of no man. That's a good advice, isn't it? And as much as we might have reason to say something adverse about someone, let's be gracious, be graceful.

[37:50] And that's about growing, isn't it? To learn to be a part of edifying one another, edify one another with love. And Ephesians 4.16, it tells us that every part has a part to play.

[38:06] Ephesians 4.16, the whole body, it talks about the working and the measure of every part. So, again, God helping us.

[38:17] we don't want to be unduly focused on one man, as in one preacher. But every part has a part to play.

[38:30] And we're all a part of actively edifying one another. Because that's God's will, that every Christian is mobilised and energised and activated to be a part of that building program so that his church can increase and be effective.

[38:45] In Romans 15, we read, We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

[38:57] You know, sometimes it comes into a stark focus when, as Julie and I heard last night that the brother-in-law of my brother-in-law passed away at the age of 37.

[39:22] Bang! Heart attack. And life is short, isn't it? Life is a vapour. We've got no guarantee, as it says in the word, boast not thyself of tomorrow.

[39:36] Tomorrow. Don't think, oh, I'm going to go do this, that, tomorrow, next month or whatever. You may not see tomorrow. Boast not thyself of tomorrow. We've only got today. To get right with God.

[39:48] To get right with God. And likewise, it makes you think of the unkind words we can say to people or about people when they could be gone into eternity and we'll never have a chance to say something to them again.

[40:06] And better that our words are sweet and words of blessing. To be a builder, not a wrecker. To build in unity, in encouragement, in faith.

[40:18] To build with love. 1 Corinthians 8.1, it tells us that love edifies. Love always builds up. Love the brethren, it says. We need to love one another.

[40:29] Let's encourage people to grow. Let's encourage one another. And minister to one another. Take time to encourage others. To speak words of encouragement.

[40:40] Do we do that? There's people we can bless. That we need to take time and think, who can I bless today? How can I bless them? Might be people that weren't in fellowship today.

[40:52] Can try to make a contact. And it's hard for me sometimes. I've got multiple people to keep on trying to follow up and encourage.

[41:03] I do what I can. But we need more on the team to make that happen. Say to yourself, I want to help others grow today. Are you building up people or tearing them down?

[41:17] Watch your words. Your words can either, as someone has put it, your words can mortify or edify. Now, mortify talks about put to death.

[41:30] To mortify means to put to death. Your words can mortify. They can be words of death. Or they can edify. Words of life. Words of building up. Now, even our enemies, we can bless them, can't we?

[41:45] It's countercultural. It's counterintuitive. It goes against the grain. But our Lord says, love your enemies. He says, pray for them who despitefully use you. Bless them.

[41:55] Bless them. That can be hard to do. Let's not have a mean bone in our body. Amen? Life's too short for that. They're going to go into eternity. What does it matter? We don't need to hate them or dislike them or speak evil of them.

[42:11] Let's laugh while we can and reach out. Maybe one day they'll listen as you share the gospel to them. Let's keep those doors open to everyone we can. Let's not make it that we are a stumbling block for anyone to know Christ.

[42:28] So, let's learn to use words that bless. To express gratitude and appreciation. To be an encourager. Isaiah 35, it says, Strengthen ye the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees.

[42:43] Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong. Fear not. He will come and save you. That's in a reduced... I've cut that down somewhat. What it's saying there, Strengthen the weak knees.

[42:56] Confirm the feeble... Sorry, strengthen the weak hands. Confirm the feeble knees. We're all weak and feeble. And sometimes it's hard to talk to others about Christ, especially ones we're close to.

[43:10] But my heart goes out to many of my loved ones that I know are not right with God at this time. And I grieve for them. It eats me up inside because I want them to know Christ.

[43:25] I want them to get right with God. And I don't want to be a reason why they're not a Christian. So let's support one another. Let's be a part of the healing, not hurting.

[43:36] So be a blessing. Bless people. Look for opportunities this week ahead. How can I bless someone else? Rather than thinking about how can I get, let's think, how can I give?

[43:49] How can I be a servant? Your example can edify people. Your example... I know I talked this morning about a woman in need and it's easy to dismiss that.

[44:02] You know, as churches often get people calling about this, that and the other, nothing to do with God. It's more about getting stuff removed or it's paying a bill or whatever it be.

[44:14] And they often come to the church to kind of hang on a church because they know churches are usually generous and giving places. And it's easy to dismiss that call for help.

[44:27] But rather, let's use that as an opportunity to reach out, to show Christ to them because our example can be a blessing. Our prayers. We can pray for people, have a prayer list that we work through, the people that we want to see saved, to see fellow Christians lifted up and encouraged.

[44:47] Let's look out for those opportunities that we can be a builder this week ahead. I've been talking really about building up the church. And you might say, Preacher, I've been going to a church all my life.

[45:05] My name's on the roll. You know, I'm an official church member of this and that. And one day, some priest sprinkled some holy water on me and wafted some holy smoke and said some holy words and put some holy signs on my head.

[45:22] And we can go to church morning, noon, night, midweek, and still be lost. And when I'm talking about the church, I'm talking about the gathering together of God's people.

[45:35] And what matters is that you're a member of God's family. That we can call you brother, sister. That you are our brother, our sister. That you know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.

[45:46] And all that I've said really means nothing if you're not part of the church. That doesn't mean this particular gathering group, but the church of God worldwide.

[45:59] The saints of God will be caught up one day to have that meeting in the air as we come and gather in the ultimate gathering place of heaven together.

[46:10] And I trust that you'll know Christ. That you can know the faith. That you can build that faith. That most holy faith. As Christ is the chief cornerstone.

[46:21] As it's built on the foundation of the scriptures of his truth. And that Christ is the very core. Is the very central stone that you build your life upon. That it starts with Christ.

[46:33] The chief cornerstone. Build your life on Christ. And you can build with faith. You can build with your words. You can build with what was the third one?

[46:44] You can build with your giving. That's it. Someone was listening. Praise God. Let's build. Let's be builders. Amen. Let's be blesses.

[46:56] Let's reach out while we can. While we have breath to breathe we can be a builder and we can build up one another. Every time we gather there's an opportunity for you to go and build someone up.

[47:07] Let's pray. Lord we bless you and thank you that you will build your church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Lord it's not about some great mega church where there's a big crowd flocking necessarily but it's about one by one souls getting saved and turned around.

[47:27] It's about men and women putting their trust in you and knowing that at the cross Lord you paid it all so we can be saved we can know eternal life and we can know your eternal plan includes you and me here seated Lord the people here seated.

[47:43] Lord we thank you for that blessing that you gave it all at the cross and Lord help us to have giving hearts giving lives to be builders of others Lord watch our words watch our our thinking Lord help us to have that mindset to not tear people down to build but rather to build people up because we know Lord that every day is just a blessing because we know that time is finite and we want to make it count Lord we pray that each one here tonight will know what it is to put their trust in you for time and for eternity and that each one will know how we can all play a part in building your church the assembly of God the people of God in Jesus name we pray Amen