Gaylord Diaz's Blog

A Word Of Introduction. The following message is one of the most anointed and memorable sermons that I have ever preached. I am happy to share it with you for such a time as this. I pray that God will use the message to inspire all God’s people to love and care for another as if our very lives depended on it. In truth, it does.

INTRODUCTION

During the 1800’s we had what is known in American History as the westward expansion when many settlers in the east packed up their belongings, joined a wagon train, and headed west to settle the frontiers. The wagon trains were headed by a wagon master. Whenever there was an Indian attack the wagon master would issue the order to circle the wagons. The wagon in the lead, and those behind it, would circle around and form a complete circle with the last wagon in the train. This circular barrier was like a makeshift fort out in the open. It gave the settlers a wall of protection and they would stave off the attack, shooting their guns from behind their wagons. When night came, the wagon train would once again circle the wagons so that the settlers could eat, rest, and amuse themselves behind the wall of protection that their wagons gave them. Based on this familiar scene of a bygone era, the title for our message today is ‘Circle The Wagons’.

SCRIPTURE TEXT

Exodus 17:8-13,  Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.  (9)  And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.  (10)  So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.  (11)  And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.  (12)  But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.  (13)  And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

 THE AMALEKITE AGGRESSION

The Israelites have been delivered from a long, dark night of bondage in Egypt. They’ve crossed the Red Sea where the Lord destroyed the great Egyptian army. They’ve entered the Desert of Sin and, coming to a place called Rephidim, the great company of about 3 million Israelites was attacked by the Amalekites. Now this is a significant page in the annals of Israel’s history because it marked the first time in their history that a heathen nation went to war against Israel. Out of all the nations of the Earth, the Amalekites were the first to make war with Israel.

Deuteronomy 25 sheds additional light on how the Amalekites carried out their attack: they attacked Israel from the rear. Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; {18} How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God (Deut. 25:17-18).

As you would imagine, a nation of roughly 3 million people formed a rather long caravan line, stretching out for miles in the desert. As is often the case, the weak and weary lagged behind the main body of Israelites. They were the stragglers and they made up the rear.

Now when the Amalekites attacked, they did not attack the front, as is customary in battle. But rather, they attacked the rear. And because these Israelites at the rear were weary and weak, many of them were killed. They were simply not physically strong enough to defend themselves and thwart the Amalekite attack.

Like these weary Israelites at the rear, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO SATAN’S ATTACK AND SLAUGHTER ARE THOSE WHO ARE SPIRITUALLY WEAK AND WEARY. Brethren, when you find yourself getting tired of walking with the Lord; when you start questioning, and resisting, and defying, the Lord’s  will for your life; when you’re tired of believing, hoping, and praying for a miracle; when faith turns to doubt and hope turns to despair; that’s the time for you to really be careful and watch your rear because Satan will attack you from the rear.

He’ll attack the rear first because these are the people who are the weakest and weariest of the bunch; they’re the ones who offer him the least resistance; and because they offer him the least resistance, they hand the Devil his easiest victories. Brethren, do not be weary in well doing. Keep pace with Lord. Keep up with the church. Don’t lag behind because you’ll be the first to be attacked—and quite possibly, the first to be slaughtered. IT’S DANGEROUS TO LAG BEHIND!

THE ISRAELITE RESPONSE

So what did the Israelites do? They fought back. And won! It was the first war they ever fought and they won! The victory is really  quite signal when you consider the fact that the Israelites had just come out of Egypt. They were shepherds, farmers, brick makers and pyramid builders. They were not experienced warriors. They didn’t have a trained, professional army. They never saw combat before. They were caught completely off-guard in this surprise, unprevoked attack. But the Israelites fought back. And the marvelous, amazing thing of it was, they won! They defeated an experienced army! With God’s help, of course! But it just goes to show what we as God’s people can do—what we can accomplish—when we have God as our Help.

What I’d like for you to focus your attention on is the fact that the Israelites did something they never did before. They never fought a war before. They didn’t know how to fight. They were inexperienced and ignorant in war. But their inexperience aside, they gathered all able-bodied men and went to the rescue and the fight at the rear. They did something they never did before: they started shooting their arrows, throwing their spears, and swinging their swords. And in the process, God gave them the victory. Hallelujah! Not by might, nor by power; but by my Spirit, saith the Lord (Zechariah 4:6).

DOING WHAT WE’VE NOT DONE BEFORE

In much the same way, brethren, we’re under attack. Some of us, on a personal level, are engaged with the Devil in a serious fight for our life. And as an assembly of believers, the Devil  is attacking the church that God built through our Pastor. Brethren, God didn’t build a church so that the Devil can  come along and wreck it or close it down. We’re all engaged in an on-going war with the Devil. And in order for us to win this war—I repeat, in order for us to win this war—we’re going to have to start doing some things that we’ve not done before. Like what?

1. STAY TOGETHER AND SUPPORT THE CHURCH. Do you know what happens when a shepherd is smitten? The flock is scattered. On the night that Jesus was arrested He predicted that His sheep would be scattered. Matthew 26:31, Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.  The eleven apostles vociferously objected and proclaimed their undying loyalty to Jesus: they would die with Him if need be. But within a couple of hours, they all forsook Him and fled when the mob came out to take Him.

Brethren, we risk fulfilling the Lord’s prophecy if we choose to leave the church because the pastor and the church are under attack. God’s will is for the unity and continuation of the church. He preserves and keeps together the church that He has founded.

Jesus knew that the apostles would fall apart and be scattered. But He gave them a promise.  Matthew 26:32,  But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. In other words, the Shepherd will reunite His scattered flock and lead them once again. Most of His disciples were from Galilee. They were recruited in Galilee. And Jesus was going there to band them once again as the church triumphant against whom the gates of Hell shall not prevail. Hallelujah!

Brethren, God’s calling all of us to band together. Jesus is leading this wagon train to glory. Now’s not the time for anyone to abandon the train. It’s not His will!

The Devil has split many churches. He’s gotten so many Christians fighting against one another. As a result, many lie buried beneath the desert sands in Rephidim. The Devil’s trying to score another victory here. And I, for one, urge  and implore you to join the Pastor and the Associate Pastor to put his winning days to an end! Enough of our feeble complaints! Enough of our age-old criticisms! Enough of our strifes that make us sick and weary and diseased! It’s time we score one over the Devil! It’s time we do something we’ve not done before. And that is, let’s stay with the train, support the assembly, and let’s find our safety and security—not only in the Lord, but in the sheepfold that we call the local church. We’ll overcome and we’ll survive Amalek’s aggression. But we’ve got to stay together! Keep the unity. Keep the peace. Not separate. And not lag behind!

2. CARE! In order for us to repel the Amalekites we’ve got to love and care for one another and be willing to fight the Devil back on each other’s behalf and in each other’s defense. You see, when the Israelites at the rear were attacked, their brethren in the middle and up front didn’t leave them behind. They didn’t keep on marching to Canaan.

To the contrary, as soon as Moses heard what happened he authorized the formation of an army, appointed Joshua as its commander, and he sent them to the rear to go to the help and defense of their weary, feeble, aged brethren.

You see, the rest of the Israelites cared enough about their brethren to put themselves in harm’s way, take up the sword, enter the battlefield, and risk injury and death. For what reason or purpose? To defend their brethren who were under attack!

Their care for their brethren is all the more marvelous and magnanimous when you consider who it was they cared for. Who’s at the rear?

• THE FEEBLE. They’re the ones who are too tired to do you any good. They’re the ones you’ve always got to help. It seems they can’t do anything for themselves.
• THE SICK. They’re  too sick to help you or do anything good for you. You have to stop what you’re doing to help them. They eat up your time and resources.
• THE AGED. They’re going to die anyway. They don’t have much time left to live. Why lay your life on the line for these who are going to die anyway?
• THE WEARY. They’ve done nothing but drag feet, moan, and complain. Frankly, we get sick and tired of hearing their lip.
• THE FAINT. They don’t have any energy to keep on going. In the natural, they’re not going to make it with us to the Promised Land. So why bother with them?
• THE BACKSLIDERS. They’ve sown their wild oats. Why not let them reap the harvest of their own destruction?
• THE GRUMBLERS. They’re the ones who don’t really want to be here. They’d rather be back in Egypt than here in the hot desert. Why not leave them behind?

Why fight for these? Why lay our lives on the line for these? Why get injured and killed for these feet-dragging people at the rear? Why love and care for these? In a word, because they’re our brethren for whom Christ died and He is not  willing  that  any  should  perish,  but  that  all should come to repentance. And sometimes, their coming to repentance involves us running to them in the rear and plucking them out of the fire, hating even the garments spotted by the flesh.

3. CIRCLE THE WAGONS.  Third, in order for us to overcome the Amalekite aggression we’re going to have to go beyond caring, and put caring into action. Your love, prayers, and concern are commendable. We thank you for caring!

But the Lord wants action! Instead of each one of us thinking only about ourself, God wants us to start thinking about the rest of the people who make up this wagon train. We need to get off our duffs and go to the defense of those who are under attack. Friends, we’ve got to care enough to do something good for the brethren. We’ve got to rescue those who Satan seeks to devour and take away from our midst.

•  Here’s a backslidden brother. Circle the wagons, go and bring that brother back.
• There’s a fallen sister. Circle the wagons, pour in the oil and wine. Bandage her wounds. And restore her to health.
• Here’s a teen brother who’s battling serious sexual temptation. Circle the wagons, get on your knees with that young man, fight the Devil, and pray that temptation away.
• There’s a teen sister who’s looking for love and acceptance from the wrong crowd. Circle the wagons, reach out to her, love her, and show her that love and acceptance don’t have to come at the expense of her virginity and her walk with the Lord.
• Here’s a mother weary with the toils and stress of the children.
• There’s a father who’s lost his love for wife.
• Here’s a brother struggling with fear and doubt.
• There’s a sister who’s battling condemnation, rejection, and unforgiveness.

Brethren, we need to love and care enough for one another that we would help each other out. Brethren, we can’t stand idly by and do nothing while our brethren perish or fall at the tip of Amalek’s sword. Jesus bids us, Circle the wagons! To the rescue! To the rear!

4. FIGHT THE ENEMY, NOT ONE ANOTHER. Lastly, in order for us to overcome the Amalekite aggression we need to fight the enemy, not one another. Notice that when the Israelites were attacked, they didn’t start fighting one another. They didn’t bicker and blame Moses for this attack. They could have fought among themselves and blamed Moses and Aaron for not having strong, able-bodied men at the rear to help the weak and weary in their travels. He should have stationed the strong among the weak in order to protect them in case there was an enemy attack. This was a colossal lack of foresight on Moses’ part and the nation could have bogged down, fought against their leaders, and replaced them. The war with the Amalekites could easily have become a civil war with Israelites fighting Israelites.

But they didn’t do that. There was no time for that. The battle was on. There were people dying at the rear. Now was not the time to fight one another. It was time to fight the enemy.

Brethren, don’t let the Devil fool and distract you into fighting with one another. We’ll only end up killing one another while the Devil goes scot free to continue killing the weak and weary at the rear. GOD DOESN’T SUPPORT, SANCTION, OR COUNTENANCE INTERNAL STRIFE OR CIVIL WAR. A house divided against itself cannot stand. DIVISION AND FIGHTING ARE THE DEVIL’S WORK—NOT GOD’S. We must not fight one another. If we do, we’re only helping the Devil win.

Brethren, if we’re going to push the Devil back and thwart his attack we’re going to have to rally around one another. You see, when the Israelites at the rear were attacked, the rest of the Israelites stopped their march to Canaan. They formed an army and went to the rescue of their brethren at the rear.

And those who didn’t go to war didn’t sit still. They got involved in the war effort. The women bandaged the wounded. The aged men kept the fires burning. The aged women cooked the food. The little children gave water to the wounded and the helpers. The older children took care of the babies. Everyone had a part to play. And everyone did what they could to help.

Now the thing of it was, they helped without fighting each other. The officers on the battlefield didn’t resent Moses up on the mountain holding up his hands. The soldier swinging his sword didn’t resent his neighbor back home standing sentry over the women and children. The young women who tended the wounded didn’t resent the aged women who were cooking the food. The teenaged waterboys didn’t resent the grandpas who were minding the babies. Do you see what I mean? Each Israelite had a part to play and they played their part without arguing or fighting with one another. They all had a common enemy—the Amalekites. And they all devoted their energies towards defeating that enemy. No matter what a person did for the nation, no one was unimportant. No one was unnecessary. The nation needed everyone, rallying together, working together, for the common good of the entire nation.

In like manner, brethren, this church needs each one of you. We need each other—that’s why the Lord put us together in the same wagon train. Each of you—regardless of your age, gender, or gift—is important. We need all of you here in church, functioning in your gift, doing your part to insure that we all—as a train—make it safely to our destination in glory. Our survival as a church, just like the survival of the Israelite nation, depends on all of us—no one excepted, no one excluded—working together, doing what we can, to insure the preservation and well-being of the church.

The truth that we need all of us to fight and survive the Amalekite aggression is manifestly seen in the clearest moral of the story. What is the moral? ONE MAN CAN’T DO IT ALL BY HIMSELF. Moses couldn’t hold the rod up all day without the help of Aaron and Hur. Joshua couldn’t win the battle without his soldiers. The weak and weary couldn’t survive without the help of the strong. The wounded couldn’t recover without the help of the medics. The women couldn’t tend the wounded without the help of their assistants,  the waterboys, the babysitters, and the cooks.

The Pastor has carried the burden of this church all by himself since its inception. But the burden has become too great, now that he’s sick and the church has grown numerically. He needs his Aaron and Hur to help provide spiritual oversight of the church. He needs his Joshua and all his soldiers to engage in the hands-on, practical work of taking care of the physical needs of the church. And he needs all the womenfolk, the children, and the elderly, to pray for, and help, the hurting people in the church. Everyone without exception is needed!

Brethren, it’s time to circle the wagons, roll up our sleeves, and do what we can to help one another survive this attack and make it safely through the desert. With God’s help, we can survive our desert trials! We’ve been overrun by our modern Amalekites. But with God’s grace we can recover, rebound, regroup, fight the Devil back and beat him! We can make it to glory! But we’ve got to circle the wagons. May God help us to this end. May He help us love, care, and help one another. God bless you richly.

The New Testament has a lot to say about our responsibilities to one another. One day, while reading through the Epistles from Romans to Jude, I decided to make a list of all the things God commanded us to do to, for, or toward, one another. The resultant list left me stunned. I had no idea how exhaustive and specific God was in providing for the unity, peace, and well-being of His people. For organizational clarity I listed these responsibilities under the three broad headings of attitude, conversation, and conduct. I share this list with you hoping you’ll see the content and extent of our responsibilities to one another. When viewed in light of these responsibilities, we come to understand in a very real and lasting way that our Christian life is not about us doing whatever we want to do. It’s not about us living however which way we want to live. Perhaps for the very first time, we come to the realization that our life is to be spent in consideration of the brethren and in loving service to them. As you read through the following list, may God help you see what I saw and may your life forever be changed by it.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY IN ATTITUDE, DISPOSITION, AND SPIRIT TOWARD EACH OTHER

LOVE ONE ANOTHER:

• Beloved, let us love one another, 1 John 4:7. See also 3:11, 3:23, Galatians 5:14, Romans 13:8-10.
• Follow after love, 1 Corinthians 14:1.
• Provoke one another unto love, Hebrews 10:24.
• Abound in love, 1 Thessalonians 3:12. See also 4:9-10.
• Be knit together in love, Colossians 2:2.
• Let brotherly love continue, Hebrews 13:1.
• Let love be without dissimulation, Romans 12:9.
• Love with a pure heart fervently, 1 Peter 1:22.
• Have fervent love among yourselves, 1 Peter 4:8.
• Love in deed or works, 1 John 3:18.
• Don’t hate your brethren, 1 John 2:9. See also 3:15, 4:8.

BE COMPASSIONATE TOWARD EACH OTHER:

• Be kindly affectioned with brotherly love, Romans 12:10.
• Have the same care one for another, 1 Corinthians 12:25.
• Be kind one to another, Ephesians 4:32. See also Colossians 3:12.
• Be tenderhearted one to another, Ephesians 4:32.
• Be pitiful, 1 Peter 3:8.
• Be courteous, 1 Peter 3:8.
• Have compassion one for another, 1 Peter 3:8.
• Be compassionate, Jude 22.
• Be hospitable, Romans 12:13. See also Hebrews 13:2, 3 John 5.
• Show mercy with cheerfulness, Romans 12:8.

PREFER, ESTEEM, AND CONSIDER ONE ANOTHER:

• In honour prefer one another, Romans 12:10.
• Let each esteem the other better than himself, Philippians 2:3.
• Consider one another, Hebrews 10:24.

SUBMIT YOURSELF ONE TO ANOTHER:

• Submit yourself one to another, Ephesians 5:21.
• Be subject one to another, 1 Peter 5:5.

FORBEAR YOUR BRETHREN:

• Forbear one another, Ephesians 4:2. See also Colossians 3:13.
• Be patient toward all men, 1 Thessalonians 4:15.

DON’T ENVY, STRIVE, OR BE INJURIOUS:

• Don’t envy or strive, James 3:14-16.
• Put away all bitterness, wrath, anger, and clamour, Ephesians 4:31.
• Put off all anger, wrath, malice, Colossians 3:8.
• Lay aside all malice, guile, hypocrisies, envies, 1 Peter 2:1.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY IN SPEAKING TO, AND ABOUT, EACH OTHER

PRAY ONE FOR ANOTHER:

• Pray one for another, James 5:16.
• Pray without ceasing, 1 Thessalonians 5:17.         
• Pray always with all prayer and supplication, Ephesians 6:18.
• Watch with all perseverance and supplication for all saints,  Ephesians 6:18.
• Pray for a brother in sin, 1 John 5:16.

THESE THINGS SPEAK:

• Speak every man truth with his neighbour, Ephesians 4:25.
• Speak that which is good to the use of edifying, Ephesians 4:29.
• Let your speech be always seasoned with salt, Colossians 4:6.
• Teach and admonish one another, Colossians 3:16. See also 2 Thessalonians 3:15.
• Reprove, rebuke, and exhort, 2 Timothy 4:2.
• Reprove the works of darkness, Ephesians 5:11
• Put the brethren in remembrance of sound doctrine, 1 Timothy 4:6.
• Comfort one another, 1 Thessalonians 4:18, 5:11. See also 2 Corinthians 1:4.
• Warn the unruly, 1 Thessalonians 5:14.
• Edify one another, 1 Thessalonians 5:11.
• Exhort one another, Hebrews 10:25, 3:13.
• Confess your faults one to another, James 5:16.

THESE THINGS AVOID:

• Don’t bite and devour one another, Galatians 5:15. See also 2 Corinthians 12:20b.
• Put off all blasphemy and filthy communication, Colossians 3:8.
• Lie not one to another, Colossians 3:9.
• Speak evil of no man, Titus 3:2.
• Speak not evil of one another, James 4:11.
• Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, Ephesians 4:29.
• Put away all evil speaking, Ephesians 4:31. See also 1 Peter 2:1.
• Refrain your tongue from evil, 1 Peter 3:10.
• Refrain your lips that they speak no guile, 1 Peter 3:10.
• Don’t talk foolishly or of foolish things, Ephesians 5:3.
• Don’t jest, Ephesians 5:3.
• Don’t grumble and complain about your brother, James 5:9,  KJV ‘grudge’.
• Don’t murmur, Philippians 2:14.
• Don’t dispute, Philippians 2:14.
• Don’t strive and argue about words, 2 Timothy 2:14. See also Titus 1:10-14.
• Shun profane and vain babblings, 2 Timothy 2:16. See also 1 Timothy 1:4.
• Avoid foolish and unlearned questions, 2 Timothy 2:23, Titus 3:9.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY IN TREATING AND DEALING WITH ONE ANOTHER

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF CONDUCT TOWARD EACH OTHER:

• Judge not one another, Romans 14:13, 2:1.
• Let no one judge you in meats and days, Col. 2:16.
• Follow after the things which make for peace, Romans 14:19.
• Follow after peace with all men, Hebrews 12:14.
• Seek after peace and ensue it, 1 Peter 3:11.
• Be at peace among yourselves, 1 Thessalonians 5:13.
• As much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men, Romans 12:18.
• Follow that which is good, 1 Thessalonians 5:15.
• Edify one another, Romans 14:19.
• Let every one please his neighbour for his good, Romans 15:2.
• By love serve one another, Galatians 5:13.
• Bear ye one another’s burdens, Galatians 6:2.
• Let us do good to all men, especially the brethren, Galatians 6:10. See also 1 Timothy 6:17-19, Hebrews 13:16, Ephesians 2:10, 3 John 5.
• Be careful to maintain good works, Titus 3:8.
• Look every man after the things of others, Philippians 2:4. See also 1 Corinthians 10:24.
• Greet one another with a holy kiss, 1 Thessalonians 5:26, 2 Corinthians           13:12, Romans 16:16, 1 Peter 5:14.
• Let us provoke one another unto love, Hebrews 10:24.
• Let us provoke one another unto good works, Hebrews 10:24.
• Have no respect of persons, James 2:2-9.
• Do nothing by partiality or prejudice, 1 Timothy 5:21.
• Don’t compare yourself with yourselves, 2 Corinthians 10:12.
• Lay your life down for your brethren, 1 John 3:16.
• Be of the same mind one toward another, Romans 15:5-6. See also Philippians 2:2, 2 Corinthians 3:11, 1 Peter 3:8.
• Don’t defraud one another, 1 Thessalonians 4:6.
• Don’t steal, Ephesians 4:28.
• Don’t covet, Ephesians 5:3.
• Don’t fornicate among yourselves, Ephesians 5:3
• Don’t do unclean things among yourselves, Ephesians 5:3.
• Don’t fellowship or participate in doing sinful things, Ephesians 5:11.

SPECIFIC PRINCIPLES OF CONDUCT TOWARD THE WEAK:

• Receive those who are weak in the faith, Romans 14:1.
• Do not despise one another, Romans 14:3.
• Do not put a stumblingblock in your brother’s way, Romans 14:13.
• Give none offence, 1 Corinthians 10:32.
• Don’t offend and sin against the brethren, Romans 14:21. See also 1 Corinthians 8:9-13.
• Don’t set your brother at nought, Romans 14:10.
• Bear the infirmities of the weak, Romans 15:1.
• Support the weak, 1 Thessalonians 5:14.
• Comfort the feeble-minded, 1 Thessalonians 5:14.

SPECIFIC PRINCIPLES OF CONDUCT TOWARD BRETHREN IN SIN OR WRONG:

• Mark them and avoid them, Romans 16:17, ‘them’ specified.
• Don’t keep company with a brother in sin, 1 Corinthians 5:11, sin specified.
• Deliver the sinning fornicator over to Satan, 1 Corinthians 5:4-5.
• Warn the unruly, 1 Thessalonians 5:14.
• Admonish the unruly as a brother, 2 Thessalonians 3:15.
• Withdraw yourself from the unruly brother, 2 Thessalonians 3:6,14.
• Convert your erring brother, James 5:19-20. See also Jude 23.
• Don’t retaliate, 1 Thessalonians 5:15. See also 1 Peter 3:9.
• Don’t take your brother to secular courts, 1 Corinthians 6:1-8.
• Suffer yourself to be wronged or defrauded, 1 Corinthians 6:7.

SPECIFIC PRINCIPLES OF CONDUCT TOWARD THE REPENTANT:

• Restore those overtaken in a fault, Galatians 6:1.
• Forgive one another, Ephesians 4:32.
• Comfort and confirm your love towards the repentant, 2 Corinthians 2:7-8.

SPECIFIC PRINCIPLES OF CONDUCT TOWARD THE NEEDY:

• Visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, James 1:27.
• Give to the needy, James 2:15-16. See also 1 John 3:17.
• Distribute to the necessity of saints, Romans 12:13. See also 2 Corinthians 8-9.
• Abound in giving, 2 Corinthians 8:7.
• Give liberally, Romans 12:8, KJV ‘simplicity’.

WHAT THESE RESPONSIBILITIES TELL US

We see by this list of responsibilities that God is truly concerned for His church. There are over 100 responsibilities listed and over 150 verses cities. I’m still not all sure that I’ve gleaned every verse and responsibility given in the Epistles. Even more sobering is the additional number of responsibilities and verses from the Gospel accounts that must be added to the list if we wish to be truly comprehensive and exhaustive in noting all of the responsibilities and obligations we have toward each other. What I’m trying to get at is this: THE NUMBERS TELL US SOMETHING. THEY TELL US, BY THE CONTENT AND EXTENT OF IT ALL, THAT GOD HAS MADE SWEEPING PROVISIONS FOR THE UNITY AND EDIFICATION OF THE CHURCH. He’s concerned enough about the church that He’s given us all the wisdom and insight necessary to effect the love, peace, and welfare of the church. The question is, Do we value the welfare of our local church as much as God does?

If you read through these passages of Scripture you will see that our fulfillment of these responsibilities isn’t conditioned upon our brethren’s fulfillment of these same responsibilities towards us: it isn’t dependent on their reciprocal action towards us. We’re supposed to treat the brethren the way God showed us to treat them in this list–even if they’re not doing the same towards us. In other words, just because a brother or sister may not be loving towards us doesn’t  mean we’re absolved  from the necessity of being loving towards them. Just because someone is spreading lies about us doesn’t mean we can do the same to them. God will deal with the offending brethren. But in the meantime, it’s our responsibility to be faithful and obedient to God and conduct ourselves as Christians before our brethren. Regardless  of  how   the   brethren  may   treat  us,  we’re   nonetheless  still obligated to obey God and be gracious to them. This is what non-retaliation and the golden rule are all about (1 Thessalonians 5:15, Matthew 7:12).

The fulfillment of our responsibilities to one  another takes work: it requires our effort, time, and attention. If you go through the list you will notice that the verb in just about every verse listed is an active verb: it’s we who do the action. We follow. We strive. We seek. We give. We prefer. We forgive. And the like. Do you know what this says? It says that THE PEACE AND WELFARE OF THE CHURCH DOESN’T COME AUTOMATICALLY. IT DOESN’T COME WITHOUT OUR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION AND INVOLVEMENT. IT TAKES WORK. EVERYONE OF US IN THE CHURCH HAS TO WORK AT GETTING ALONG WITH EACH OTHER AND HELPING ONE ANOTHER OUT. No work, no peace. No work, no edification. And that’s all there is to it. If we’re not individually going to work–that is, work to fulfill these God-given responsibilities that we have towards one another–then we can forget about church and forget about getting together as a church because the church will not be a place of peace, love, and well-being as long as we individually are not contributing and working towards the peace, love, and well-being of everyone else in the church. We all want to be loved and nurtured. We want to live peaceably and amicably with each other. So let us sow the seeds of love and peace and surely we shall reap the same. May God bless you richly and help you fulfill your responsibilities toward the brethren.

A Word By Way Of Introduction:  I don’t know what your church background is. I come from an independent Charismatic assembly that has seen a lot of internal conflicts and divisions. If you’re going through the same struggle in your church, this blog is for you. The following message was delivered on a Wednesday evening service at Faith Christian Assembly, meeting at the time in Milford, Indiana. It was one of the most anointed and memorable sermons I have ever been blest to preach. At the end of the service, the entire congregation held hands and formed a huge circle in the auditorium. Those who had prayer requests were put in the center of the circle and we, as a church, petitioned the Lord on their behalf. We fought the Devil concerning them.  And we left church with a renewed sense of unity and care. The local church is the Lord’s church. It’s no man’s church, but the Lord’s. And His will for the church is this…That there be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another (1 Corinthians 12:25).

INTRODUCTION:  During the 1800’s we had what is known in American history as the westward expansion. Many settlers in the east packed up their belongings, joined a wagon train, and headed west to settle the frontiers. The wagon trains were headed by a wagon master. Whenever there was an Indian attack the wagon master would issue the order to circle the wagons. The wagon in the lead, and those behind it, would circle around and form a complete circle with the last wagon in the train. This circular barrier was like a makeshift fort out in the open. It gave the settlers a wall of protection and they would stave off the attack, shooting their guns from behind their wagons. When night came, the wagon train would once again circle the wagons so that the settlers could eat, amuse themselves, and rest behind the wall of protection that their wagons gave them. Based on this familiar scene of a bygone era, I would like to  sound the order for us to circle the wagons in view of Satan’s ceaseless attacks against the Church and her Heaven-bound settlers.

TEXT: Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.  (9)  And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.  (10)  So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.  (11)  And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.  (12)  But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.  (13)  And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.  (14)  And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.  (15)  And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:  (16)  For he said, Because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation (Exodus 17:8-16).

THE AMALEKITE AGGRESSION: The Israelites have been delivered from a long, dark night of bondage in Egypt. They’ve crossed the Red Sea where the Lord supernaturally destroyed the great Egyptian army. They’re now in the Desert of Sin. Coming to a place called Rephidim, the great company of about 3 million Israelites was attacked by the Amalekites. Now this is a significant page in the annals of Israel’s history because it marked the first time that a foreign nation went to war against Israel. Out of all the nations of the Earth, the Amalekites were the first to make war with Israel.

Just who are the Amalekites? They were the descendants of Amalek, who, in turn, was a grandson of Esau. You can read a little bit about their ancestry in Genesis 36:10-12.

Now the Israelites were descendants of Jacob. Jacob was Esau’s brother. So the Israelites and Amalekites were distant relatives. Brethren, don’t be surprised when family—however close or far—rise up against you to attack you.

While our text here in Exodus 17 records the Amalekite attack against the Israelites, Deuteronomy 25 sheds additional light on how the Amalekites actually carried out their attack. They attacked Israel from the rear. Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; {18} How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God (Deuteronomy 25:17-18).

As you would imagine, a nation of roughly 3 million people formed a rather long caravan line, stretching out for miles in the desert. As is often the case, the weak and weary lagged behind the main body of Israelites. They were the stragglers and they made up the rear. Now when the Amalekites attacked, they didn’t attack the front, but rather, the rear. And because these Israelites at the rear were weary and weak, the great majority of them were killed. They were simply not strong enough to defend themselves and thwart the Amalekite attack.

Like these weary Israelites at the rear, the people who are most susceptible to Satan’s attack and slaughter are those who are spiritually weak and weary. Brethren, when you find yourself getting tired of walking with the Lord; when you start questioning, and resisting, and defying, the Lord’s demands on your life; that’s the time for you to really be careful. You’ve got to watch your rear because that’s where Satan will attack you. He’ll attack the rear first because these are the people who are the weakest and weariest of the bunch. They’re the ones who offer him the least resistance. And because they offer him the least resistance, they hand the Devil his easiest victories. Brethren, do not be weary in well doing. Keep pace with Lord. Keep up with the church. Don’t lag behind because you’ll be the first to be attacked—and quite possibly, be the first victims of the fray. Take earnest note, dear brethren. It’s dangerous to lag behind!

THE ISRAELITE RESPONSE:  So what did the Israelites do? They fought back. And  do you know what? They won! They actually succeeded in thwarting, and defeating, the Amalekites! In this way, the Amalekite aggression is significant not only because it was the first time Israel was attacked, but also because  it was the first war Israel ever fought and won. They just came out of Egypt. They were shepherds, farmers, brick makers and pyramid builders. They were not experienced warriors. They had no trained, professional army. They never saw combat before. They were caught completely off-guard in this surprise, unprevoked attack. But the Israelites fought back. And the marvelous, amazing thing of it was, they won! They defeated an experienced army! With God’s help, of course! But it just goes to show what we as God’s people can do—what we can accomplish—when we have God to help us.

What I’d like for you to focus your attention on is the fact that the Israelites did something they never did before. They never fought a war before. They didn’t know how to fight. They were inexperienced and ignorant in war. But their inexperience aside, they gathered all able-bodied men, went to the rescue, and joined the fight at the rear. They did something they never did before. They started shooting their arrows, throwing their spears, and swinging their swords. When it was all said and done, God gave them the victory. They successfully repelled and defeated the Amalekites in battle.

DOING WHAT WE’VE NOT DONE BEFORE:  In much the same way, brethren, we’re under attack. We’re engaged in an on-going war with the Devil. And in order for us to win this war—I repeat, in order for us to win this war—we’re going to have to start doing some things that we’ve not done before. What kind of things?

1. STAY TOGETHER AND PERSEVERE WITH THE CHURCH.  In past years we upped and left whenever things at church started to sour. When the message started stepping on our toes, when the minister started doing things we didn’t like or approve of, when we didn’t care for certain people in the church, when it was our turn to be rebuked, or when people criticized, hurt, or offended us; it was all too easy for us to up and leave.  We started going to another church. Some quit going to church altogether.  

Now let me hasten to say that there are valid reasons for leaving a church. There are times when we are left with no other recourse but to leave. But I’ve found in many instances that some people’s reasons for leaving a church were not valid. Other people’s reasons were valid, but they didn’t give peace and reconciliation a chance. They acted hastily without trying to work the problems out. Shamefully, regretfully, I include myself in this number.

Some leave because they’re tired of problems in the church. I’ve got news for you. You’re going to have problems wherever you go. No matter what church you go to there’ll be problems, issues, conflicts, and concerns that you’ll wrestle with because people aren’t perfect. There is no such thing as a perfect, problem-free church.  The problems you leave in one church will await and confront you in the next church you attend. So you may as well stay put right here, die out, and start working towards a resolution of the problem.

Unfortunately, this is a tough lesson for some of us to learn. We think our way is the right way. Our solution is the best solution. What’s our solution?  We start fighting with one another. Naturally, we get hurt. A lot of people get hurt. That’s what happens when people fight. Have you ever been in a fist fight, or a verbal fight, where no one got hurt? Someone always get hurt when there’s a fight. And when we get hurt we isolate ourselves from the rest of the brethren. We start skipping church. We lag farther and farther behind the pack. And, like the aged and the feeble at the rear, we’ve set ourselves up for an attack. And wow! How have we been attacked! Our churches are split. Our numbers are dwindling. Brethren are alienated from brethren. Brethren wound brethren. The aged disavow what they once believed. The young take liberties that their parents once forsook. The church is more worldly than holy. And the voice of admonishment or rebuke is silent. Make no mistake, beloved. We’ve been attacked. And the camp here at the rear lies in tatters and ruins.

Some of us have managed to survive the attack—howbeit we’ve been badly bruised and wounded. But, by God’s grace, we’ve made it back. Christ carried us back to the safety and security of the  Heaven-bound wagon train that we call the local church. But many others haven’t. Many lie buried beneath the desert sands in Rephidim. The Devil has had his many victories among us. He’s had too many.  And I say he’s had enough. We’ve given him too many victories. Brethren, it’s time we put his winning days to an end! Enough of our feeble complaints! Enough of our age-old criticisms! Enough of the bickerings that enfeeble and infirm us! Enough of the friendly fires that kill us! It’s time we score one over the Devil! It’s time we do something we’ve not done before. And that is, let’s stay with the pack. Let’s find our safety and security—not only in the Lord, but in the caravan that we call the local church.  The Devil can easily snuff out a single, solitary wagon. But he can’t do the same with an armed and encircled wagon train. Brethren, all our lives are on the line. Let’s unite. And let’s fight our common enemy, the Devil, with determined resolve. We’ll survive and triumph over Amalek’s aggression. But we’ve got to stay together! Keep the unity. Keep the peace. Not separate. And not lag behind!

2. CARE! In order for us to repel the Amalekites we’ve got to love and care enough about each other to fight the Devil back on each other’s defense. You see, when the Israelites at the rear were attacked, their brethren in the middle and up front didn’t leave them behind. They didn’t keep on rolling to Canaan land. They didn’t run and desert their brethren. To the contrary, as soon as Moses heard what happened at the rear he formed an army. He appointed Joshua as its commander. And he sent them to the rear to defend their weary, feeble, aged brethren. You see, the rest of the Israelites cared enough about their brethren to put themselves in harm’s way, take up the sword, enter the battlefield, and risk injury and death. For what reason or purpose? To defend their brethren who were under attack!

Their care for their brethren is all the more marvelous and magnanimous when you consider who it was they cared for.

• THE FEEBLE. They’re the ones who are too tired to do you any good. They’re the ones you’ve always got to help. It seems they can’t do anything for themselves.
• THE SICK. They’re  too sick to do anything for you. You’d like to be ministered to, too. But because you’re able-bodied, you have to stop what you’re doing to minister to them. They eat up your time and resources.
• THE AGED. They’re going to die anyway. They don’t have much time left to live. Why lay your life on the line for these who are going to die anyway?
• THE WEARY. They’ve done nothing but drag feet, moan, groan, and complain. They’re the ones who’ve discouraged and disheartened the assembly. You’re tired of putting up with them.
• THE FAINT. They don’t have any energy to keep on going. In the natural, they’re not going to make it with us to the Promised Land. So why bother with them?

Why fight for these? Why lay our lives on the line for these? Why get injured and killed for these people?

• The backslidden are at the rear. They’ve sown their wild oats. Why not let them reap the harvest of their own destruction?
• The carnal and worldly are at the rear. They’re the ones who are leading others astray from the path of holiness.
• The fearful and unbelieving make up the rear, setting an example of fear, doubt and unbelief.
• Mixed in with all these at the rear are the self-righteous who make us look bad. They make us feel like we’re worthless, no good, and of no value or use to God. 
• And most miserably of all, those who are at the rear are the critics who do nothing but hurt the church, point fingers, and publicize—yea, magnify—people’s faults.

Why fight for these? Why help and rescue these? Why pray and believe for these? Why love and care for these? Why? In a word, because they’re our brethren. Christ died for them. And He is not  willing  that  any  of them should  perish,  but  that  all should come to repentance. Sometimes, their coming to repentance involves us running to them in the rear and plucking them out of the fire, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh (Jude 23).

Brethren, if we’re going to win this war and make it to the Promised Land we’re going to have to do some things that we’ve not done before—and that is, love and care enough for one another that we would help each other out. Brethren, we can’t stand idly by and do nothing while our brethren perish or fall. Jesus bids us, To the rescue! To the rear!

3. CIRCLE THE WAGONS.  Lastly, in order for us to overcome the Amalekite aggression we’re going to have to go beyond caring and start putting caring into action. Your love, prayers, and concern are commendable. We thank you for caring! But the Lord wants more than just your care. He wants action! He wants all of us to circle the wagons. Instead of each one believing only for himself, pleasing himself, living for himself, and saving his own skin; we’re going to have to start thinking about the rest of the people who make up this wagon train that we call the church. We’re going to have to get off our duffs and go to the defense of those who are under attack. Friends, we’ve got to care enough to do something good for the brethren. We’ve got to rescue those whom Satan seeks to devour from our midst.

• Here’s a backslidden brother. Circle the wagons, go and bring that brother back.
• There’s a fallen sister. Circle the wagons, pour in the oil and wine. Bandage her wounds. And restore her to health.
• Here’s a teen brother who’s battling serious sexual temptation. Circle the wagons, get on your knees with that young man, fight the Devil, and help the brother win this winnable war.
• There’s a teen sister who’s looking for love and acceptance from the wrong crowd. Circle the wagons, reach out to her, love her, and show her that love and acceptance don’t have to come at the expense of her virginity and her walk with the Lord.
• Here’s a mother weary with the toils and stress of the children.
• There’s a father who’s lost his love for wife and children.
• Here’s a brother struggling with unbelief and doubt.
• There’s a sister burdened with condemnation and rejection.
• Here’s a man who’s struggling to make ends meet.
• There’s a family who could use a bag of clothes or groceries.

Brethren, circle the wagons! To the rescue! The souls of your brothers and sisters are at stake!

Beloved, if we’re going to push the Devil back and thwart his attack we’re going to have to circle the wagons and rally around one another. You see, when the Israelites at the rear were attacked, all of the Israelites stopped their march to the Promised Land. They gathered an army together and went to the rescue of their brethren at the rear. And those who didn’t go to war didn’t sit still. They got involved in the war effort. The women bandaged the wounded. The aged men kept the fires burning. The aged women cooked the food. The little children gave water to the wounded and the helpers. The older children took care of the babies. Everyone had a part to play. And everyone did what they could to help.

Now the thing of it is, they helped without fighting each other. The officers on the battlefield didn’t resent Moses up on the mountain holding up his hands. The soldier swinging his sword didn’t resent his neighbor back home standing sentry over the women and children. The young women who tended the wounded didn’t resent the aged women who were cooking the food. The teenaged water boys didn’t resent the grandpas who were stoking the fires. Do you see what I mean? Each Israelite had a part to play and they played their part without arguing or fighting with one another. They all had a common enemy—the Amalekites. And they all devoted their energies towards defeating that enemy. No matter what a person did for the nation, no one was unimportant. No one was unnecessary. The nation needed everyone, rallying together, working together, for the common good of the entire nation.

In like manner, brethren, we need each one of you. Despite what you think, we need each other—that’s why the Lord put us together in the same wagon train. Each of you—regardless of your age, gender, or spiritual gift—is important. We need all of you here in church, functioning in your gift, doing your part to insure that we all make it safely to our destination in glory. Our well-being as a wagon train depends on each one of us getting involved, doing our part, doing what we can, to insure the preservation and well-being of the train.

Brethren, it’s time to circle the wagons, roll up our sleeves, and do what we can to help one another make it through this desert trip. With God’s help, we can survive our desert trials! We’ve been overrun by our Amalekites. But with God’s grace we can recover, rebound, regroup, fight the Devil back, and triumph over him in our desert wars! We can make it to glory! But we’ve got to circle the wagons! May God help us to this end. May He help us help one another. God bless you richly.