\n\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload Audio\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\tText: Ecclesiastes 10:16-20<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nI. Come the beginning of the year people begin thinking of weight-loss programs and\nexercise regimens. \n A. It could be that with a new year, people want to get a new start in being healthier,\nbut I suspect that all the overeating from Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas,\nand New Years Eve are strong contributors to the thoughts.\n
B. It is just a fact of life that things left on their own fall apart.<\/p>\n
1. Maintenance is a requirement of life<\/p>\n 2. The reason you regularly change the oil in your car, replace the tires, and\nhave it checked, is because things breakdown. \n 3. You might feel that you can’t afford to do all that maintenance, but the fact\nis that you can’t afford not to maintain your vehicle. \n
II. Government needs maintenance<\/p>\n
A. Solomon uses the illustration of a house – Ecclesiastes 10:18<\/p>\n
1. If preventative maintenance is not done, major problems soon develop.<\/p>\n
2. The same happens to a farm – Proverbs 24:30-34<\/p>\n 3. Fixing things after it breaks is far more expensive that doing preventative\nmaintenance.\n B. What is interesting is that Solomon puts his comments about the decaying house\nin the middle of observations regarding government – Ecclesiastes 10:16-19\n 1. A government doesn’t stay fit on its own, it requires preventative\nmaintenance\n 2. That is why good leaders are essential for a government to continue. Bad\nleaders let things slip.\n
III. Churches need maintenance<\/p>\n A. Yes, if a congregation owns a building, it needs upkeep, but a church isn’t a\nbuilding, it is the people and they need upkeep as well.\n
B. That is why elders are needed to oversee – Hebrews 13:17<\/p>\n
1. Their job is to preform spiritual maintenance <\/p>\n C. There has to be discipline in the church to keep the membership pure – I\nCorinthians 5:1-8\n 1. Left unattended, the problem spreads and the resulting mess is worse than\nif the initial problem was handled.\n 2. Discipline is hard to do. It isn’t pleasant. But it is necessary to maintain the\nbody of Christ – II Thessalonians 3:14\n
D. There has to be teaching – Ephesians 4:11-16<\/p>\n
1. People of all ages need to learn – Titus 2:1-8<\/p>\n 2. Topics need to be tailored by age and gender – to match the needs of the\naudience – I John 2:12-14\n
E. The church is God’s house – I Timothy 3:15<\/p>\n
1. Without preventative maintenance it will decay<\/p>\n 2. Such was a theme in the letters to the churches of Asia – Revelation 2:4-5,\n10, 16-17, 25-27; 3:3, 11, 19\n
3. Improve, make changes, hold on, preserve, overcome.<\/p>\n
IV. Marriages need maintenance<\/p>\n
A. Marriages are bound by God – Matthew 19:4-6<\/p>\n B. But they don’t just happen. Those in the marriage must put in effort to maintain it.\nSuch is a theme of Song of Solomon – Song of Solomon 2:15\n
1. Problems are best dealt with early, while they are yet small<\/p>\n C. Strong marriages come about because those in it put in effort – Song of Solomon\n8:6-7\n
D. Effort by both husband and wife – I Peter 3:1-7<\/p>\n
V. You need maintenance<\/p>\n
A. We need more than regular exercise – I Timothy 4:7-9<\/p>\n
B. Sins need to be battled – II Corinthians 12:20-21<\/p>\n
C. Spirituality needs to be increased – II Peter 1:5-11<\/p>\n D. Are you trying to just slide by? Or are you working to prevent problems before\nthey arise?\n
\n
Based on an article by Warren Berkley<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Ecclesiastes 10:16-20 I. Come the beginning of the year people begin thinking of weight-loss programs and exercise regimens. A. It could be that with a new year, people want to get a new start in being healthier, but I suspect that all the overeating from Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[119,32],"tags":[448,498,310,383,64],"class_list":["post-63048","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio","category-sermon","tag-church","tag-effort","tag-government","tag-growth","tag-marriage"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":29411,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/drinking-in-the-bible\/","url_meta":{"origin":63048,"position":0},"title":"Drinking in the Bible","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 4, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Old Testament Sermon with Audio: Drinking in the Old Testament Article: Old Testament Beverages New Testament Sermon with audio: Drinking in the New Testament Article: New Testament Beverages","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/scan0013_tif-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":62117,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-new-creature\/","url_meta":{"origin":63048,"position":1},"title":"The New Creature","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 6, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"by Raymond Warfel","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":87827,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/people-like-you\/","url_meta":{"origin":63048,"position":2},"title":"People Like You","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Raymond Warfel Download Audio","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":92996,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/behold-i-will-do-something-new\/","url_meta":{"origin":63048,"position":3},"title":"Behold, I Will Do Something New","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 4, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Isaiah 43:8-21 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0New things are special \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0They are fresher, cleaner, brighter. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We want new things, not old, used, hand-me-downs \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0God told His people that He had something new for them - Isaiah 43:18-21 II.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A new covenant \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0God selected the decedents of Abraham,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":43754,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-am-glad-to-find-a-church-that-is-not-into-entertaining-people-to-get-them-in-the-door\/","url_meta":{"origin":63048,"position":4},"title":"I am glad to find a church that is not into entertaining people to get them in the door!","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 27, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Just found your site. Well done. I am glad to find a church that is not into entertaining people to get them in the door! To bad you are not close enough to attend. How about some audio and video of your teachings and sermons? Answer: Look under Audio\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":38167,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-living-intercessor\/","url_meta":{"origin":63048,"position":5},"title":"The Living Intercessor","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 9, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Hebrews 7:11-25 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The need for an intercessor \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Fear \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Have you ever been so nervous that you said, \u201cI can\u2019t talk to him! You go and talk to him.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a02.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Exodus 19:14-20 - When the people met the Lord God, it was a frightening\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63048","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63048"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63048\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63048"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63048"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63048"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}