"BACK TO THE BASICS!

"

INTRODUCTION

1. A disturbing trend seen too often in many churches is the apparent apathy of many Christians
a. They may attend services, but it appears that they are only "going through the motions"
b. Their singing, their praying, their Bible Study, their zeal, seems inactive

2. I suspect the problem is one like an athlete or a sport team which is about to collapse.
a. Such a person or team "goes through the motions", but they are not performing up to their true potential
b. The solution in sports: “WORK ON "THE FUNDAMENTALS"-
 WORKING ON THE FUNDAMENTALS ENTAIL DISCIPLINE!

3. The same is TRUE WITH CHRISTIANS; when we find ourselves "IN A SLUMP"- falling or deteriorating,
a. We need to stress the fundamentals - cf. Re 2:4-5 - Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had
at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and
remove your lampstand from its place.
**** I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have
tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships
for my name, and have not grown weary. (EPHESUS)

b. We need to get "Back To The Basics!"

[In this lesson I would like to stress some of the "fundamentals" or "basics" that we need to get back to
whenever our lives are in a spiritual slump. (collapse or deteriorate)

I. ENERGIZE YOUR "FAITH"

A. DEFINING "FAITH"...
1. A Scriptural definition of faith is found in He 11:1
2. The NIV is helpful: "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
3. VINE'S dictionary describes faith as "a firm conviction"
 I like to think of faith as "confident trust"

B. IMPORTANCE OF "FAITH"...

FAITH is certainly an essential element in the Christian life:

a. Without faith, it is impossible to please God - He 11:6
b. The Christian is saved by faith - Ep 2:8 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not
from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
c. The Christian is to walk (live) by faith - 2Co 5:7 - For we live by faith, not by sight.
d. Whatever we do apart from faith is described as sin - Ro 14:23 - But whoever has doubts is condemned if they
eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.[a]
***Without faith, the only alternative is doubt accompanied with fear - cf. Mt 14:30-31
 C. ENERGIZING YOUR "FAITH"...
 It is important that each professing Christian examine his or her own heart and life, and make sure that
they possess true saving faith, which is a DYNAMIC FAITH.
 Dynamic Faith - LEADS TO ACTION

We know from Romans 10:17 that such faith is based upon the Word of God
1. The Word of God is designed to produce faith - cf. Ro 10:17- Consequently, faith comes from hearing the
message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.;
2. Through diligent reading of the Bible, we can "energize" our faith!
 So when you find yourself in a spiritual slump, pick up your Bible and allow it to rebuild that "confident
trust" you once had!
 It will also help you to...

II. FORTIFY YOUR "HOPE"- “STRENGTHEN”

A. DEFINING "HOPE"...
1. VINE'S dictionary says that it involves "the happy anticipation of good"
2. It is NOT wishful thinking, or an insecure "I hope so" – BOLDLY ASK!
MAY to indicate that there is a possibility that something is true, but you cannot be certain
3. But as VINE'S describes it further, it is "a confident expectation" -
4. A common definition of hope is "desire plus expectation"
 Faith and hope are vitally connected.
 One cannot live without the other.
 Without faith, hope is only a wish (powerless).
 But when we have hope in God, faith is powerful.
 HOPE FUELS FAITH

B. IMPORTANCE OF "HOPE"...
1. Hope is necessary to persevere - Ro 8:25; - But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it
patiently.
2. Hope is necessary for our motivation to become pure - 1Jn 3: 2-3 - Dear friends, now we are children of
God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,[a] we shall be like
him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

C. FORTIFYING YOUR "HOPE"...

1. The Word of God was written to produce hope - Ro 15:4 - For everything that was written in the past was
written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have
hope.
a. Through its revelation of God's dealings with man in the past, we know God keeps His promises
b. This encourages us to expect Him to deliver on His promises for the future

 When an athlete gets discouraged, he or she is often told to "keep your eye on the prize!"
 So thE Christian must do, and it is with the aid of God's Word that we can keep our focus where it
ought to be.

Getting "Back To The Basics" will also include an effort to...]

III. ACTIVATE YOUR "LOVE"

 A. DEFINING "LOVE"...

 LOVE, IS ONE POWERFUL 4 LETTER WORD!

1. Paul gives the best definition of love - 1Co 13:4-8a - Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast,
it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love
does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is
knowledge, it will pass away.

2. A simple definition that is easy to remember: "active goodwill" – KINDNESS, FAVOR

B. IMPORTANCE OF "LOVE"...
1. Expressing love gives us "assurance" of our salvation – cf 1Jn 3:14- We know that we have passed from death
to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.
2. Expressing love assures us that God will answer our prayers - 1Jn 3:21-23 - Dear friends, if our hearts do not
condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do
what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he
commanded us.
3. Expressing love reassures us that we abide in God, and He in us - 1Jn 4:7-8- Dear friends, let us love one
another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not
know God, because God is love.

C. ACTIVATING YOUR "LOVE"...

Luke 6:32-36 - 32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.
33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you
lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to
be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything
back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful
and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
1. Like the Thessalonians, we can be taught by God how to lovE - cf. 1Th 4:9 - Now about your love for one
another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.
a. Jesus taught us how to love by His sacrificial life - 1Jn 3:16 - This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ
laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
2. Through careful meditation upon what the Bible reveals about God's love for us, we can "activate" our
love for others!
 1 Peter 4:8 – LOVE COVERS THE MULTITUDE OF SINS.

[As we continue to list what is involved in getting "Back To The Basics", I also encourage you to...]

IV. ENHANCE YOUR "JOY"

A. DEFINING "JOY"...
1. The Greek word is CHARA, and is closely related to the word CHARIS
a. CHARIS (grace) is "undeserved favor" which in turn gives joy, pleasure, delight
b. CHARA (joy), then, is the response we have to undeserved Favor
2. I like to think of joy as the "delightful response" to the grace we receive from God
 B. IMPORTANCE OF "JOY"...- Joy is important.
1. Joy is an essential element of what constitutes the Kingdom of God - Ro 14:17 - For the kingdom of God is
not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
2. It is often the loss of this virtue that is most evident in the lives of many Christians!
 Christians can and should be a people who are characterized by an OVERFLOWING, AMAZING,
ABUNDANT JOY,
o a joy that as the Bible puts it ‘knows no limits’ and is beyond all explanation,
o a joy that is based on our identity in God, the joy that flows from a deep source,
o a joy that is not dependent on circumstances at all.

And yet many people would think of Christians being miserable people!

C. ENHANCING YOUR "JOY"...

1. Both Jesus and His apostles gave us words whereby our joy might be full - Jn 15:11-
I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

 I want to persuade you that GOD WANTS YOU TO BE HAPPY.

 Actually, I want to persuade you that God wants you to be really happy.
 I also want to increase your desire to pursue joy in God.

[There is one more "basic" I would like to point out before we conclude this morning. You should also...]

V. ENJOY YOUR "PEACE"

A. DEFINING "PEACE"...
1. VINE'S describes peace as "harmonious relations"
2. It is used to describe such harmony between...
a. Men
b. Nations
c. God and man
d. One's own self

The Hebrew word SHALOM means freedom from trouble and much more. It means:
 experiencing God’s highest good,
 enjoying the very best,
 possessing all the inner good possible.
 wholeness and soundness.
 good, enjoying the very best.

B. IMPORTANCE OF "PEACE"...
1. Another crucial element constituting the Kingdom of God - Ro 14:17-19 - For the kingdom of God is not a
matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves
Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. 19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what
leads to peace and to mutual edification.
 2. Peace with brethren contributes to receiving peace from peace from God - 2Co 13:11 - Finally, brothers
and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love
and peace will be with you.
3. And having peace with God has a positive effect in our peace with our enemies - Pr 16:7 - When the Lord
takes pleasure in anyone’s way, he causes their enemies to make peace with them.

C. ENJOYING YOUR "PEACE"...

It is a:
 tranquility of mind.
 a composure.
 a peace that is calm in the face of bad circumstances and situations.
 It is more than feelings – even more than attitude and thought.

CONSIDER THE SOURCE OF PEACE:

 True peace is always borne out of RECONCILIATION.
 Its source is found ONLY in the reconciliation brought about by Jesus Christ.
 Peace ALWAYS has to do with personal relationships:
 a man’s relationship to himself.
 his relationship to God.
 his relationship to his or her spouse.
 his relationship to mankind.

CONCLUSION

1. Faith, Hope, Love, Joy, Peace: simple words, yet so essential to the "abundant life" Jesus has to offer
those who come to Him

2. Why are they often in short supply in the lives of many Christians?
a. Because they neglect two fundamental tools God provides for them
b. These tools? The Word of God and prayer!

3. Take away these two : The Word of God and prayer! YOU CAN NEVER---
a. Energize your faith!
b. Fortify your hope!
c. Activate your love!
d. Enhance your joy!
e. Enjoy your peace!