Preparing for the Harvest
About this sermon
In “Preparing for the Harvest,” Pastor Dean Odle presents a Scripture-centered message about gifts of the Holy Spirit, faith, the condition of the church. Drawing especially from 1 Corinthians 14, John 3, Matthew 16, John 4, the teaching emphasizes that spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit to build up the church and serve God’s purposes. Odle connects that foundation with the conviction that biblical faith trusts God’s character and acts upon His promises.
Chronological teaching outline
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Odle focuses on gifts of the Holy Spirit while working through John 3. The message argues that spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit to build up the church and serve God’s purposes. It connects this with the conviction that the church is called to recover biblical faithfulness instead of accommodating compromise. The practical emphasis is to remain watchful, grounded in Scripture, and ready to obey Christ.
Odle focuses on the authority of Scripture while working through John 3, Matthew 16. The message argues that Scripture is presented as the standard for doctrine, discernment, and daily obedience. It connects this with the conviction that salvation is presented as God’s work in Christ that produces a changed life and continuing faith. The practical emphasis is to remain watchful, grounded in Scripture, and ready to obey Christ.
Odle focuses on holiness. The message argues that God calls believers to reject compromise and pursue practical holiness. It connects this with the conviction that the Holy Spirit leads, equips, corrects, and strengthens believers who yield to God. The practical emphasis is to trust God’s promises and refuse decisions governed by fear.
Odle focuses on the condition of the church while working through John 4. The message argues that the church is called to recover biblical faithfulness instead of accommodating compromise. It connects this with the conviction that biblical faith trusts God’s character and acts upon His promises. The practical emphasis is to remain watchful, grounded in Scripture, and ready to obey Christ.
Odle focuses on gifts of the Holy Spirit while working through Mark 16, Matthew 28, Luke 24. The message argues that spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit to build up the church and serve God’s purposes. It connects this with the conviction that God calls believers to reject compromise and pursue practical holiness. The practical emphasis is to test the teaching by Scripture and apply it through faithful obedience.
Odle focuses on gifts of the Holy Spirit while working through Acts 19. The message argues that spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit to build up the church and serve God’s purposes. It connects this with the conviction that God calls believers to reject compromise and pursue practical holiness. The practical emphasis is to test the teaching by Scripture and apply it through faithful obedience.
Odle focuses on faith while working through Romans 12. The message argues that biblical faith trusts God’s character and acts upon His promises. It connects this with the conviction that spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit to build up the church and serve God’s purposes. The practical emphasis is to seek God in prayer and act on what Scripture requires.
Odle focuses on healing and faith while working through Mark 16. The message argues that the message connects prayer for healing with faith in Christ, pastoral care, and submission to God. It connects this with the conviction that prayer expresses dependence on God and prepares believers to hear and obey Him. The practical emphasis is to seek God in prayer and act on what Scripture requires.
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- 0:00:00
God we thank you you promised in your word that you would fill those who were hungry and thirsty Lord so Lord God we want more of you so that we can be what you've called us to be so that we can reach everyone that you've called us to reach father we thank you for for what you're preparing what you're about to do let us be prepared and father we pray it today in Jesus name amen amen you may be seated and welcome everyone the fire and grace church this morning those here those listening those watching we're trying something new this morning with Periscope so we'll see how that goes but we welcome everyone here I want everyone to turn this morning to first Thessalonians first Thessalonians chapter five you know frankly I'm just going to say it I don't understand churches or Christians for that matter that don't believe that the Holy Spirit is the same yesterday today and forever that Jesus hasn't changed that the gifts of the holy spirit are still for us today that God still speaks to his people I just don't understand that there's there's the whole segment big segment of the church world that thinks that once the Bible was finished that was it God quit talking God could talk in his holy spirit quit moving the gifts ceased but all of that is not so I want to read this first Thessalonians chapter 5 because I'm going to share a word of Prophecy that was sent to me from a brother who listens to our services in our radio show and I felt it was from the Lord so I'm going to share this with you but let's read uh let's see we'll just read from verse 12 since it's so good Paul wrote and we beseech you Brethren to know them that labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you to esteem them very highly and love for their work's sake and be at peace among yourselves now we exhort you Brethren warn them that are unruly Comfort the feeble-minded support the weak be patient toward all men see that none render evil for evil unto any man but ever follow that which is good both among yourselves and to all men Rejoice Evermore pray without ceasing in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you quench not the spirit despise not prophesyings
- 0:03:02
prove all things and hold fast to that which is good I'm going to stop there you're not going to turn me down just a hair that's a little bit of a ring there thank you now the Bible says here very clearly despise not prophesying right but let's define it now I'm going to turn there in a minute because we're going to look at First Corinthians chapter 14. but in First Corinthians chapter 14 in fact let's just go ahead and turn there first Corinthians chapter 14 because we'll be there quite a bit today First Corinthians chapter 14 and I want to say this very clearly there are those out there in the church world who try to use First Corinthians 14. in a way that basically they try to use it in an incorrect way to say that tongues is not for today that we should not the gift of tongues should not be in the church doesn't operate anymore excuse me and that Paul was trying to say that we shouldn't use the gift of tongues in church and that is not what he was talking about at all in fact what First Corinthians chapter 14 is about is really how the church service is supposed to go and that there's different types of church services but God gave us through the Apostle Paul here kind of a way of boundaries some boundaries and parameters of the way things should work now I want this to be be very clear this morning I want to go over to you well let's just start reading from verse one because we're going to cover all this anyway so we'll just set set this out first he says follow after charity and desires spiritual gifts but rather that you may prophesy for he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men but unto God for no man understandeth him how be it in the spirit he speaketh Mysteries but he that prophesied speaketh unto men to edification to exhortation and comfort he that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth or strengthens himself but he that prophesieth edify at the church I would that ye all speak with tongues but rather that ye prophesy for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues except he interpret that the church may receive edifying now Brethren if I come unto you speaking with tongues what shall I profit you except I speak unto you either by revelation or by knowledge or by prophesying or by Doctrine now let me lay this out real quick here before we go any further because yesterday when I was preparing to share this message with you I was I came and I I was reading through
- 0:06:03
First Corinthians 14 slowly I've read it many times and sometimes you know you I've read it many times and I've read it over many years and all of a sudden this part jumped out at me that Paul said you know hey if I come to church now I speak in tongues I believe in speaking in tongues the gift of tongues every believer can have and every believer should have and operate in it for their personal prayer life and as the Bible says there's diverse kinds of tongues so meaning there's tongues for your private prayer life and there's tongues for public worship services that are to be interpreted uh but if I came to church every Sunday or Wednesday or Friday or whenever we meet if I came and I only spoke in tongues I would profit you nothing I'd profit myself something because the Bible says very clearly we just read it he that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies or strengthens himself but he that prophesieth he's he strengthens the church but let's understand something Paul said what shall I profit you except I shall speak unto you four ways he gave four different ways that we would speak unto you that that Elders pastors teachers evangelists Prophets ministers how we profit the body of Christ yes I need something of course I'm gonna start coughing now but look what he says here these four things he said what shall I profit you except I shall speak unto you either by revelation number one knowledge or by prophesying or by Doctrine now can I just tell you that most of the church world out there has no concept of these two right here Revelation and prophesying they understand knowledge and they understand Doctrine and some of them don't even have these two things they think they do but they don't right but let me break it down for you knowledge Doctrine Revelation and prophesying this is very important because you really need all four it's kind of like the balanced diet right a spiritual diet if you're going to grow strong spiritually you're going to have to have all of these in your life knowledge now let's look at it I'll give you I'll give you a breakdown here gosh I'm having a hard time today two months of this let's look at John 3 16. everybody knows John 3 16 right you don't have to turn there for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish your Bible says shall not you got a wrong translation should not perish but have everlasting
- 0:09:04
life right now most of us a lot of us learned this in Sunday school when we were kids right all right what you have there is if you know that verse of the Bible John 3 16 what you have is knowledge okay you have knowledge of a Bible verse you know it you know what it says right you're acquainted with it you may even have it memorized the word knowledge here in the Greek denotes that by studying like you study science you have attained knowledge by just looking at it okay now everybody can say that's good knowledge is good right but does God want us to stop with simple head knowledge of something no God's always wanting to take us deeper in our understanding and deeper and even into the realm of the spirit right so we we know John 3 16 so we have knowledge of it now Doctrine would be not only knowing John 3 16 but Doctrine would be knowing all the scriptures within the New Testament and even some in the Old Testament that pertain to Salvation the subject matter of Salvation how we are saved that God sent his son the Lord Jesus and that's when you systematically go through the Bible and you lay out what the Bible teaches about a particular subject it is called rightly dividing the word of Truth right it keeps us from getting into error but just taking one verse and running with it but taking all the verses whether you pick the subject of salvation you take the subject of Divine Healing you take the subject of demonology or spiritual warfare but you take a subject and you go through the Bible and you pick out all the places that talk about that subject and you lay them out and you make sure they all balance and they all equal out together and then you have a Doctrine okay you have a teaching you have a systematic teaching or a Systematic Theology on a certain subject all right the doctrine of salvation because like for instance with John 3 16 that's just the beginning Doctrine would go into the verses like in First Peter that we're born again by the word of God that by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourself that it's the blood of Jesus that washes your sins away that repentance is involved see what I'm saying Doctrine would break down all of the scriptures around a certain subject and lay it out so not only you would just have knowledge but now you've gone from just knowing a verse to knowing how it interrelates to everything else in the Bible okay
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