MIRACLES
30 August 2009 (Naylor UMC Only)
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to 2 Corinthians 1
8. We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.
9. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
10. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,
11. as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
-- When a hurricane hit South Florida several years ago, Norena's home was one of many that was severely damaged -- The elderly woman got money from her insurance company to fix the damage and immediately hired a contractor to fix her home -- but, she ran out of insurance money before all of the repairs were completed and her contractor quit working -- leaving her with an unfinished home with no electricity -- and ever since, Norena lived without power in her home
-- now what makes this story truly amazing is that the hurricane that damaged Norena's home was not Katrina, but Andrew -- if you remember, Hurricane Andrew hit south Florida back in 1992 -- Norena lived in the dark for over 15 years -- so, think about what that means -- this elderly woman had no heat when the temperature dropped in the winter -- she had no air conditioning to help when summer rolled around -- no hot showers -- no refrigerator -- no freezer -- the only thing she had was one small lamp and single burner on her stove
-- Norena never complained to anyone -- her neighbors didn't know that she didn't have power -- and because no one knew, no one could help -- finally, in 2007, someone found out about Norena's problem and got word to the mayor of Miami -- just a few hours later, an electrical contractor hired by the city was able to get power hooked up to her house
-- CBS News said that Norena plans to let the water get really hot, and then take her first bubble bath in a decade and a half -- "It's hard to describe having [the electricity]…to switch on," she said. "It's overwhelming." 1
-- can you imagine someone living without power for 15 years? -- can you imagine someone going day after day after day with no power simply because they refused to ask for help -- because they refused to let someone else know that they needed a hand -- because they felt like they could make it on their own?
-- if you had to point to the one character flaw in the church in America today, it would be this -- for way too many years, the church in America has been living without power -- we've just been getting by like Norena -- looking good on the outside but totally dark and devoid of power on the inside
-- if you read the account of the early church -- if you read of the miracles that God did through them -- if you think about how God magnified their ministry and grew their numbers -- allowing them to flourish under the reign of the evil dictator Caesar Nero -- you can't help but be astonished
-- some people read the stories of the apostles and the early church in the Book of Acts and they try to explain it away -- sure, that's what God did then -- that's what God did when He was getting His church established -- but He doesn't act that way now -- that's why we don't see that in our churches -- it's not because of anything that we're doing or not doing -- it's simply because God doesn't work that way anymore
-- but, is that true? -- the Bible tells us in Hebrews 13:8 that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever -- that means that Jesus' ministry has not changed -- the same Jesus who did the miracles in the gospels -- the same Jesus who calmed the sea and the wind -- the same Jesus who called Lazarus from the grave and raised the dead -- the same Jesus that made the blind see and the lame walk -- the same Jesus who cast out demons and wept for His friends -- this same Jesus is still the God of our church and still works in this way
-- if this is the case -- if the Bible is true when it says that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever -- then there are a couple of principles that we can discern from this statement
-- first, miracles did not cease when the Bible was written -- in other words, if Jesus is the same today as He was yesterday, that means that Jesus is still working today as He did then -- that means that miracles should still be taking place throughout the world and throughout the church just like they did in the gospels and in the New Testament -- that means that the power has not gone away but should be evident in the midst of His people
-- and, secondly, if we're not experiencing God's power -- if we're not seeing Him work in our midst in this way -- then the problem doesn't lie with Jesus -- it has to lie with us -- just because Norena didn't have power in her home for 15 years after Hurricane Andrew didn't mean the problem was with the electric company -- the problem was with her -- she simply wasn't connected
II. Defining Miracles
-- so, let's take a few moments and think about this topic a little more -- let's start by defining what a miracle is -- that word gets thrown around a lot and not just by Christians -- we tend to use it in our normal, every day communication -- "It was a miracle that I made it to work on time" -- "It was a miracle that Georgia beat Florida" -- "It was a miracle that my lights came on just in time to watch that movie tonight"
-- but are those really miracles? -- what is the biblical definition of a miracle? -- Baker's Dictionary of the Bible defines a miracle as "an event in the external world brought about by the immediate agency or the simple volition of God." -- in a similar vein, Kris Samons wrote that "Miracles are those acts that only God can perform" 2
-- a couple of years ago, Dr. Daniel Sulmasy looked at miracles from a scientific and theological standpoint in an article in the Southern Medical Journal and came up with a six part definition of a miracle:
1. A miracle must be a real, individual event that can be documented and verified -- in other words, to have a real miracle, you have to have proof to show that something really happened
2. A miracle must be something that is not normal or that has never happened before -- like someone getting healed from cancer without medical intervention
3. A miraculous event must evoke widespread wonder.
4. A miracle is something that can only be freely given by God and cannot be conjured -- in other words, we don't reduce God to a vending machine -- miracles come through Him and Him alone and not because we pushed the right buttons or said the right prayers
5. A miracle always is recognized as a special sign from God and always communicates a spiritual message -- in other words, there are no quiet miracles -- when God acts in our lives in such a way, He does so to get attention and to spread His word -- God does miracles so He gets the glory
6. A miracle must be affirmed as a miracle by the community of believers and the message of the miracle must be addressed to more than one member of that community, at least indirectly -- what this means is that when God does a miracle, we'll all recognize it as a miracle and we'll all be touched by the message of the miracle 3
-- so, that's what a miracle is -- a verifiable event -- the direct, supernatural intervention by God in a person's life to influence a situation that is impossible or unsolvable in human terms and that demonstrates the power and presence of God for an entire community
-- examples of miracles are easy to find, even today -- Dr. Sulmasy gave one example in his article of a 60-year-old Franciscan monk who had developed pneumonia -- but, even when the pneumonia was cured, the x-rays showed a mass in his chest -- the doctors did more tests and suspected it was cancer and decided to do surgery to confirm
-- the night of the surgery, the monk gathered with his fellow friars for a healing service -- he was anointed with oil and his brothers prayed for him -- The following day, he goes in for the surgery but it gets canceled because his routine preoperative chest x-ray -- taken that morning -- showed no lesion to be removed -- they did a CT scan and confirmed that the mass in his lungs -- which had been there for at least six months and had been seen 10 days before on x-ray -- was no longer there -- there was no need for surgery because the monk had been healed
III. Experiencing Miracles
-- so, we know what a miracle is -- we know why God does them -- but how do they come about? -- how can we experience the power of God in our churches and in our individual lives in this way today?
-- well, first, we need a situation that is impossible by human measures -- look back at verse 8 here in 2 Corinthians 1
8. We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.
9. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.
-- Paul and Timothy were ministering in the province of Asia -- Paul said they had suffered great hardships -- elsewhere in the scriptures he tells us about the persecution they endured -- being flogged and beaten and stoned -- the shipwrecks he experience -- being subjected to cold and heat -- being hungry -- being naked -- being harassed by robbers and thieves -- being thrown in prison
-- it reached the point, Paul writes here, where the sufferings and hardships were beyond their ability to endure -- they saw no way out -- they saw no deliverance coming -- they thought they would die
-- that's the first step in experiencing the power of God in our lives -- and it's here that the church in America is truly failing -- rarely do we try to do things in our churches today that are bigger than us -- rarely do we attempt to do great things for God
-- usually, what we do is come up with an idea for ministry on our own -- we see if we've got the money in the budget to cover it -- we see if we've got enough people to do it -- and then, and only then, do we go forward
-- when's the last time that you tried something that you couldn't do on your own? -- when's the last time that this church has tried something that we couldn't do on our own? -- when's the last time that we did something that put us totally and completely dependent on God and His power or else we knew we were facing total failure?
-- you've done that here before -- you did that with the roof before I got here -- you didn't have the money -- you didn't have the resources -- but you needed the roof fixed and you finally got to the point where you trusted God to do it -- and what happened? -- the roof was fixed and you ended up with more money than you started with
-- what happened when Jerry came up with the vision to put a Bible in every home in Naylor? -- that was an impossible feat for our church -- at the time we had about 12 people here in the congregation -- most of them in their 50's and 60's -- and not a lot of money -- it was impossible by human standards -- it was something that we couldn't do on our own -- it was a vision greater than us -- and what happened?
-- God made it happen -- the money just showed up -- all of you got out and gave out the Bibles -- and a church of 12 people was used by God to do the impossible
-- but that was in the past -- we can't live on tradition -- we can't live on the past -- God is asking us the question, "What have you done for Me lately?"
-- what have we tried lately that is impossible without God? -- what situation have we faced -- what ministry have we attempted that is greater than our checkbook and greater than our people and our resources can handle? -- miracles only come in response to situations that are impossible and too great for us to handle alone -- if we can do it on our own, then we don't need God -- if we can do it on our own, then it's probably not something that God is calling us to do
-- the next step in experiencing a mighty move of God is to reach the point where you totally depend on Him and Him alone for deliverance and action
-- look at the second part of verse 9
9b. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
-- miracles only come when we quit relying on ourselves and rely on God instead -- I just finished reading a fantastic book -- a true story -- the autobiography of Brother Andrew -- Brother Andrew was a missionary from Holland -- he had no support from any mission agency -- he had no salary -- no staff -- no car -- no money -- no resources -- but he felt called to minister to the Christians behind the Iron Curtain in the 1950's and began to carry them Bibles and other Christian literature
-- when Brother Andrew began his work, it was illegal to carry any literature -- Christian or non-Christian -- into these countries -- they would stop you at the border -- search all your belongings -- and arrest you if you were trying to smuggle items across
-- Brother Andrew writes in his book, "God's Smuggler," that there was no way to get Bibles across the border -- there was no way to keep customs agents from searching his suitcase and his belongings -- there was no way to keep them from searching the car that he finally had given to him for his ministry
-- so he didn't even bother to hide the Bibles -- he just put them in the back of the car and asked God for a miracle -- he asked God to make seeing eyes blind to the presence of the Bibles -- and to make hearing ears deaf to the messages he delivered to the churches -- he didn't rely on his own strength or his own cunning or his own ingenuity to get the Bibles and the word of God across the border but totally depended on God and God's providence -- and with a ministry that spanned over 20 years to the communist countries, not once did he ever get detained the border -- not once did the border agents see or discover the literature and the Bibles he carried
-- look at verse 10
10. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,
11. as you help us by your prayers.
-- Paul was totally dependent on God -- he trusted God -- he says that God had delivered him in the past, and God would deliver him in the future -- Paul says, "God does deliver -- I have no doubt"
-- do you trust God to deliver? -- can you depend on Him to work when all hope is gone?
-- finally, the purpose of a miracle -- God doesn't do miracles just to make your life comfortable -- He doesn't do miracles to make things easy for you -- He does miracles so that He will get the glory -- so that His name will be magnified -- so that His message will go out and change hearts and transform lives
-- look at the second part of verse 11
11b. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
-- many will give thanks for what God has done -- when miracles occur -- when God acts -- it will be seen by many -- it will be experienced by many -- and God will get the glory -- God's message will be seen and felt -- and God's church will be strengthened -- that is the reason God works in this way -- that is the reason for miracles
IV. Closing
-- when you think about it, it all comes down to trusting and depending on God -- it all comes down to faith -- as Abraham Lincoln pointed out, "Faith is not believing that God can, but that God will!"
-- faith is believing that God will deliver -- that God will work -- that God will do a miracle in response to our total trust and dependence on Him -- that we can do the impossible through Him
-- as Francis Asbury, one of the first Methodist Bishops in America said, "We live by faith in a prayer-hearing, soul-converting, soul-sanctifying, soul-restoring, and soul-comforting God."
-- so, as we close this morning, let me ask you -- can you say you live by faith in this way? -- can you say that you truly trust God -- that you truly depend on Him in your life? -- can you say that your power is on?
-- to live a life of faith is to live a life of adventure -- to live a life of faith is to dare to dream great dreams -- to reach out for the stars -- to try to do the impossible in the name of and for the name of Jesus
-- what impossible trial are you walking through right now? -- what impossible mission is God sending you and this church on? -- what is He calling us to do?
-- you have seen and experienced the power of God in your lives -- you've seen the miracle of God manifested in this very room -- among this very people -- but that's not good enough -- don't you want to see it again?
-- it starts with a vision and with faith and with trust in a God who will make it happen
-- as we close in prayer, let's ask God to challenge us again -- let's ask God to give us a mission that is greater than ourselves -- something that we can't do -- something that is impossible apart from Him -- and let's ask Him for the faith to see it through
-- let's pray
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1 KUTV, "Woman Turns Lights on After 15 Years in the Dark," KUTV.com (2-17-07); submitted by John Beukema, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania to Preaching Today.com
2 "What is a Biblical Definition of Miracle?" by Kris Samons, Probe Ministries, http://www.probe.org/site/c.fdKEIMNsEoG/b.4222629/k.EE2A/What_is_a_Biblical_Definition_of_Miracle.htm, Accessed 30 August 2009
3 "What Is a Miracle?", Sulmasy, Daniel P. OFM, MD, PhD. Southern Medical Journal. December 2007 - Volume 100 - Issue 12 - pp 1223-1228. http://journals.lww.com/smajournalonline/Fulltext/2007/12000/What_Is_a_Miracle_.15.aspx, accessed 30 August 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
SERMON: BE PREPARED -- THE END IS NEAR
BE PREPARED -- THE END IS NEAR
23 August 2009
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Luke 16
1. Jesus told his disciples: "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.
2. So he called him in and asked him, `What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.'
3. "The manager said to himself, `What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg--
4. I know what I'll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.'
5. "So he called in each one of his master's debtors. He asked the first, `How much do you owe my master?'
6. "`Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,' he replied. "The manager told him, `Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.'
7. "Then he asked the second, `And how much do you owe?' "`A thousand bushels of wheat,' he replied. "He told him, `Take your bill and make it eight hundred.'
8. "The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.
9. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
-- what would you do if you knew that the end of the world was coming? -- what would you do if you knew that on such and such a date in the future, the world would be destroyed? -- not necessarily the blowing up of our planet but the end of life as we know it -- how would you prepare for such an event? -- what would you do?
-- that is a question that our society and our culture seems to be increasingly worried about -- I recently watched the trailer for the new movie "2012" based on the Mayan prophecy that the world will end on December 21, 2012 -- the trailer opened with the question flashing on the screen, "How would the governments of our planet prepare six billion people for the end of the world?" -- a moment later, the words came, "They wouldn't"
-- if you accept the premise that our books and our movies and our television shows reflect the worries and concerns of society, then you would have to say that we are living in a society focused on the end of the world
-- we have always had movies and books about cataclysmic events -- remember "The Poseiden Adventure" -- "Earthquake" -- and "The Towering Inferno" -- but recently, we've been inundated with movies and books where these cataclysmic events destroy life as we know it
-- movies like "The Day After Tomorrow" -- "I am Legend" -- even the animated movie, "Wall-E" that came out last year -- all focused on the aftermath of the end of the world
-- 2012 is just one of a new wave of apocalyptic movies set to come out this year -- Denzel Washington has another one coming out in January called "Eli" about surviving in America after a devastating war destroys civilization and the environment
-- and it's not just our movies -- a couple of years ago CBS had a short-lived t.v. series called "Jericho" about Americans surviving in the mid-west after a nuclear attack by terrorists -- NBC is releasing a similar new series in March called "Day One" about a handful of neighbors trying to survive a cataclysmic event that destroys the world's infrastructure -- and there have been a handful of books out on what would happen and how we would survive if something were to shut down the electrical grid world-wide -- whether a natural event or an EMP -- an Electromagnetic Pulse weapon
-- people are worried about the future -- they are worried about what is going to happen -- more specifically, they're worried about what is going to happen to them
-- if you stop to think about it, it's understandable -- we live in probably the most chaotic and unpredictable time in history -- in the past decade, our country and our world have been rocked with wars and rumors of wars -- with terrorist bombings -- with hijacked planes -- with increased violence and crime world-wide
-- we've seen our economy crumble and watched as Wall Street almost came to its knees over the mortgage crisis and the failure of banks -- we've watched American cities inundated by killer hurricanes -- destroyed as rivers overflowed their banks -- devastated by earthquakes and wildfires
-- we saw the horrific images of the 2004 tsunami and the 2008 earthquake in Pakistan -- we watched in disbelief as hundreds of thousands of people were either killed or displaced by these and similar events
-- we hear the dire predictions of a nuclear Iran and a nuclear North Korea -- of the likelihood of a biological, nuclear, or EMP weapon being unleashed in America -- of the potential for an asteroid to slam into the planet -- of global climate change that will destroy life as we know it
-- is it any wonder that we're worried? -- is it any wonder that people are concerned with the future?
-- now, I've said all this to make a point -- not to scare you or worry you -- but to focus your attention on the overwhelming fact that the people around us are worried about the state of the world -- and to ask you the question, "What should be our response as Christians?"
-- in light of this chaotic time that we live in -- in light of the worry around us -- what should we be saying and doing as Christians? -- how can we speak life and hope into a world worried about the future? -- what should be our response?
II. Scripture Lesson (Luke 16:1-9)
-- the answers to these questions can only be found in scripture -- look back with me, if you would, at Luke 16 at the parable of the dishonest manager
-- this has always been a difficult passage of scripture to understand -- it's rarely taught on because on the surface it seems to go against what Jesus stood for -- how could Jesus praise the actions of a man who was dishonest and who cheated his employer? -- what is His point? -- what is He trying to say here? -- let's find out
-- look back at verse 1
1. Jesus told his disciples: "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.
2. So he called him in and asked him, `What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.'
-- Jesus begins this parable by telling us about a manager who has not been taking care of his master's possessions -- he had been given a position to manage the resources for a rich man -- his master -- but he's been a poor steward
-- he has wasted the master's money -- he has squandered the master's possessions -- he has taken what the master has given him, but has not produced any return on the man's investment -- instead, he has cost the rich man money
-- finally, the rich man has had enough -- he calls the manager and says, "I want to have a meeting with you -- I want to know what has happened to my money -- I want to know what you have done with my possessions"
-- and once he finds out, the manager is summarily dismissed -- in other words, the manager is fired -- let go -- laid off -- out-sourced -- out of work -- not too an uncommon an occurrence in our day and age
-- now, understand what has just happened to the manager -- his world has been rocked -- his life has been changed -- here he was living the high life -- managing someone else's money and possessions -- living high on the hog on their dime -- but now, he faces an uncertain future
-- he doesn't know what is going to happen -- he doesn't know what he's going to do -- he's worried about tomorrow -- sound familiar?
-- verse 3
3. "The manager said to himself, `What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg--
4. I know what I'll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.'
5. "So he called in each one of his master's debtors. He asked the first, `How much do you owe my master?'
6. "`Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,' he replied. "The manager told him, `Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.'
7. "Then he asked the second, `And how much do you owe?' "`A thousand bushels of wheat,' he replied. "He told him, `Take your bill and make it eight hundred.'
-- when the manager realized what was coming, he knew he had to get ready -- he knew he was about to be out on the street -- he knew he had no where to go -- and so he made preparations to get ready for what was about to happen
-- he went to the rich man's debtors and had them change their bills so that they would only have to pay back a fraction of what they really owed -- in essence, he cheated his former master -- he was dishonest -- he was a crook -- but he did it for a reason
-- he made up fake bills and changed invoices so that these debtors would owe him a favor -- he did it so that when his boss threw him out on the street with no money and no job, these debtors would take him in and give him a hand
-- it was wrong, but it worked
-- verse 8
8. "The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.
-- the master commended the dishonest manager -- not because he had stolen from him and cheated him -- but because the dishonest manager had finally taken initiative and looked ahead and managed his resources for the future
-- this was exactly why he was hired in the first place -- he was hired to take the rich man's money and possessions and to use them in such a way that they would increase in value in the future -- he was hired to look ahead to what was coming and to do what was necessary to make sure the rich man was taken care of in the future
-- the rich man commended the dishonest manager for finally doing his job -- even though he had done it to better himself instead of the rich man like he should have in the first place -- if had acted like this all along, he never would have lost his job
-- verse 9
9. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
-- here Jesus summarizes His parable -- He doesn't praise or condone the dishonesty of the manager but He does praise the manager's forethought -- look ahead to the future and use the resources that you have been given to help you and others
-- God has given you tools and resources to work with -- don't waste them -- but use them -- not in dishonest ways -- not selfishly -- but use what you have been given for your benefit and for the benefit of those around you so that in the future you will be taken care of -- so that in the future, your destination will be secure -- so that in the future you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings
III. Be Prepared
-- earlier I asked you a question -- in light of this chaotic time that we live in -- in light of the worry around us -- what should we be saying and doing as Christians? -- what should be our response?
-- Jesus' answer from this parable is, "Be Prepared"
-- now, that answer has two parts -- first, we are to be prepared for the chaos of this life -- in John 16:33, Jesus said that in this world we would have trouble, so get ready for it -- everyone agrees, our lives are filled with trouble -- most of it is minor, day-to-day things that just cause us a little distress -- but, occasionally, times of extreme trouble can come our way
-- this is what the world worries the most about -- those extreme troubles like hurricanes and floods -- like earthquakes and global climate change -- like war and nuclear disaster and EMPs and terrorists -- like the loss of a job or economic collapse
-- Jesus says, "Don't worry, but be prepared"
-- lately, I guess I've gotten caught up in this apocalyptic craze that's sweeping the country -- they've been accusing me of being a doom and gloom prophet at work because I've been talking about the potential for a major catastrophe to hit America
-- but, you see I'm not really worried about it -- it may or may not happen -- my focus is not so much on this world but on the world to come -- but, I do think we need to heed Jesus' message in this parable -- I do think we need to be prepared for what might happen -- not just for ourselves, but for those around us
-- this past week we had our first named storms of the hurricane season -- right now, Hurricane Bill is churning out in the Atlantic headed towards the northeast -- how many of you have made preparations for hurricane season? -- how many of you are prepared for any natural disaster?
-- both the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency say that people should be prepared to survive for three days without access to food, water, or electricity -- they say we should have a stockpile of food and water and supplies to get us through the initial emergency period
-- I went on GEMA and FEMA's webpages and printed off a list of recommended items that everyone needs in their disaster supply kit -- I've got copies at the back for you as you leave -- Jesus says, "Be prepared" -- and I think that we should follow His command -- that we should prepare for whatever troubles might come our way
-- that is exactly what Jesus was commending the dishonest manager for in this passage -- the dishonest manager had the foresight to look ahead to what was coming and to get ready for it -- as Christians, we need to do the same, not only for ourselves, but for our neighbors as well
-- but, Jesus' command to be prepared not only means to be prepared for the chaos of this life -- it also means to be prepared for entry into the next life -- In John 16:33, after Jesus tells us that in this world we will have trouble, He comforts us by saying, "But take heart! I have overcome the world."
-- as Christians, our focus should always be on the eternal -- on what happens after our time has ended -- on what happens after we die
-- if you would, flip over to Luke 6:46 and we'll end there
46. "Why do you call me, `Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?
47. I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice.
48. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.
49. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."
-- once again, Jesus gives us a parable of preparation -- we know that the storms of life are going to come -- we know that we will have trouble in this world -- but Jesus says that the only way to truly be prepared is to have a strong foundation built on the rock -- He's talking, of course, about salvation and the forgiveness of sins that He made possible through His death and resurrection
-- it doesn't matter how prepared you are for the troubles of this life if you're not prepared for what comes next -- the fears and the worries of our society about potential cataclysmic events really mask their real concern -- what will happen when they die? -- where will they go? -- where will they spend eternity?
-- they focus on surviving a catastrophe in this world so they don't have to think about what comes next
-- as Christians, it is our responsibility to help others prepare for eternity -- we are called by God to go forth and make disciples of all nations -- to baptize others in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost -- and to teach them all the things that Jesus commanded us to do
-- it is our responsibility to speak hope to the fears and concerns of those around us -- to let them know that even if the world were to end today, that life goes on -- that Jesus died on the cross for their sins -- that He rose from the dead on the third day to prove His victory over sin and death -- and that if they would only believe in Him -- if they would only trust in His word -- then they would have eternal life -- they would lay a strong foundation on the Rock -- they would be prepared for eternity
IV. Closing
-- the message for today is to be prepared -- prepare first for the storms of life that we will face -- get ready for them so that when they come, you will be able to take care of the physical needs of yourself and your neighbor
23 August 2009
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Luke 16
1. Jesus told his disciples: "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.
2. So he called him in and asked him, `What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.'
3. "The manager said to himself, `What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg--
4. I know what I'll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.'
5. "So he called in each one of his master's debtors. He asked the first, `How much do you owe my master?'
6. "`Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,' he replied. "The manager told him, `Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.'
7. "Then he asked the second, `And how much do you owe?' "`A thousand bushels of wheat,' he replied. "He told him, `Take your bill and make it eight hundred.'
8. "The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.
9. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
-- what would you do if you knew that the end of the world was coming? -- what would you do if you knew that on such and such a date in the future, the world would be destroyed? -- not necessarily the blowing up of our planet but the end of life as we know it -- how would you prepare for such an event? -- what would you do?
-- that is a question that our society and our culture seems to be increasingly worried about -- I recently watched the trailer for the new movie "2012" based on the Mayan prophecy that the world will end on December 21, 2012 -- the trailer opened with the question flashing on the screen, "How would the governments of our planet prepare six billion people for the end of the world?" -- a moment later, the words came, "They wouldn't"
-- if you accept the premise that our books and our movies and our television shows reflect the worries and concerns of society, then you would have to say that we are living in a society focused on the end of the world
-- we have always had movies and books about cataclysmic events -- remember "The Poseiden Adventure" -- "Earthquake" -- and "The Towering Inferno" -- but recently, we've been inundated with movies and books where these cataclysmic events destroy life as we know it
-- movies like "The Day After Tomorrow" -- "I am Legend" -- even the animated movie, "Wall-E" that came out last year -- all focused on the aftermath of the end of the world
-- 2012 is just one of a new wave of apocalyptic movies set to come out this year -- Denzel Washington has another one coming out in January called "Eli" about surviving in America after a devastating war destroys civilization and the environment
-- and it's not just our movies -- a couple of years ago CBS had a short-lived t.v. series called "Jericho" about Americans surviving in the mid-west after a nuclear attack by terrorists -- NBC is releasing a similar new series in March called "Day One" about a handful of neighbors trying to survive a cataclysmic event that destroys the world's infrastructure -- and there have been a handful of books out on what would happen and how we would survive if something were to shut down the electrical grid world-wide -- whether a natural event or an EMP -- an Electromagnetic Pulse weapon
-- people are worried about the future -- they are worried about what is going to happen -- more specifically, they're worried about what is going to happen to them
-- if you stop to think about it, it's understandable -- we live in probably the most chaotic and unpredictable time in history -- in the past decade, our country and our world have been rocked with wars and rumors of wars -- with terrorist bombings -- with hijacked planes -- with increased violence and crime world-wide
-- we've seen our economy crumble and watched as Wall Street almost came to its knees over the mortgage crisis and the failure of banks -- we've watched American cities inundated by killer hurricanes -- destroyed as rivers overflowed their banks -- devastated by earthquakes and wildfires
-- we saw the horrific images of the 2004 tsunami and the 2008 earthquake in Pakistan -- we watched in disbelief as hundreds of thousands of people were either killed or displaced by these and similar events
-- we hear the dire predictions of a nuclear Iran and a nuclear North Korea -- of the likelihood of a biological, nuclear, or EMP weapon being unleashed in America -- of the potential for an asteroid to slam into the planet -- of global climate change that will destroy life as we know it
-- is it any wonder that we're worried? -- is it any wonder that people are concerned with the future?
-- now, I've said all this to make a point -- not to scare you or worry you -- but to focus your attention on the overwhelming fact that the people around us are worried about the state of the world -- and to ask you the question, "What should be our response as Christians?"
-- in light of this chaotic time that we live in -- in light of the worry around us -- what should we be saying and doing as Christians? -- how can we speak life and hope into a world worried about the future? -- what should be our response?
II. Scripture Lesson (Luke 16:1-9)
-- the answers to these questions can only be found in scripture -- look back with me, if you would, at Luke 16 at the parable of the dishonest manager
-- this has always been a difficult passage of scripture to understand -- it's rarely taught on because on the surface it seems to go against what Jesus stood for -- how could Jesus praise the actions of a man who was dishonest and who cheated his employer? -- what is His point? -- what is He trying to say here? -- let's find out
-- look back at verse 1
1. Jesus told his disciples: "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.
2. So he called him in and asked him, `What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.'
-- Jesus begins this parable by telling us about a manager who has not been taking care of his master's possessions -- he had been given a position to manage the resources for a rich man -- his master -- but he's been a poor steward
-- he has wasted the master's money -- he has squandered the master's possessions -- he has taken what the master has given him, but has not produced any return on the man's investment -- instead, he has cost the rich man money
-- finally, the rich man has had enough -- he calls the manager and says, "I want to have a meeting with you -- I want to know what has happened to my money -- I want to know what you have done with my possessions"
-- and once he finds out, the manager is summarily dismissed -- in other words, the manager is fired -- let go -- laid off -- out-sourced -- out of work -- not too an uncommon an occurrence in our day and age
-- now, understand what has just happened to the manager -- his world has been rocked -- his life has been changed -- here he was living the high life -- managing someone else's money and possessions -- living high on the hog on their dime -- but now, he faces an uncertain future
-- he doesn't know what is going to happen -- he doesn't know what he's going to do -- he's worried about tomorrow -- sound familiar?
-- verse 3
3. "The manager said to himself, `What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg--
4. I know what I'll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.'
5. "So he called in each one of his master's debtors. He asked the first, `How much do you owe my master?'
6. "`Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,' he replied. "The manager told him, `Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.'
7. "Then he asked the second, `And how much do you owe?' "`A thousand bushels of wheat,' he replied. "He told him, `Take your bill and make it eight hundred.'
-- when the manager realized what was coming, he knew he had to get ready -- he knew he was about to be out on the street -- he knew he had no where to go -- and so he made preparations to get ready for what was about to happen
-- he went to the rich man's debtors and had them change their bills so that they would only have to pay back a fraction of what they really owed -- in essence, he cheated his former master -- he was dishonest -- he was a crook -- but he did it for a reason
-- he made up fake bills and changed invoices so that these debtors would owe him a favor -- he did it so that when his boss threw him out on the street with no money and no job, these debtors would take him in and give him a hand
-- it was wrong, but it worked
-- verse 8
8. "The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.
-- the master commended the dishonest manager -- not because he had stolen from him and cheated him -- but because the dishonest manager had finally taken initiative and looked ahead and managed his resources for the future
-- this was exactly why he was hired in the first place -- he was hired to take the rich man's money and possessions and to use them in such a way that they would increase in value in the future -- he was hired to look ahead to what was coming and to do what was necessary to make sure the rich man was taken care of in the future
-- the rich man commended the dishonest manager for finally doing his job -- even though he had done it to better himself instead of the rich man like he should have in the first place -- if had acted like this all along, he never would have lost his job
-- verse 9
9. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
-- here Jesus summarizes His parable -- He doesn't praise or condone the dishonesty of the manager but He does praise the manager's forethought -- look ahead to the future and use the resources that you have been given to help you and others
-- God has given you tools and resources to work with -- don't waste them -- but use them -- not in dishonest ways -- not selfishly -- but use what you have been given for your benefit and for the benefit of those around you so that in the future you will be taken care of -- so that in the future, your destination will be secure -- so that in the future you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings
III. Be Prepared
-- earlier I asked you a question -- in light of this chaotic time that we live in -- in light of the worry around us -- what should we be saying and doing as Christians? -- what should be our response?
-- Jesus' answer from this parable is, "Be Prepared"
-- now, that answer has two parts -- first, we are to be prepared for the chaos of this life -- in John 16:33, Jesus said that in this world we would have trouble, so get ready for it -- everyone agrees, our lives are filled with trouble -- most of it is minor, day-to-day things that just cause us a little distress -- but, occasionally, times of extreme trouble can come our way
-- this is what the world worries the most about -- those extreme troubles like hurricanes and floods -- like earthquakes and global climate change -- like war and nuclear disaster and EMPs and terrorists -- like the loss of a job or economic collapse
-- Jesus says, "Don't worry, but be prepared"
-- lately, I guess I've gotten caught up in this apocalyptic craze that's sweeping the country -- they've been accusing me of being a doom and gloom prophet at work because I've been talking about the potential for a major catastrophe to hit America
-- but, you see I'm not really worried about it -- it may or may not happen -- my focus is not so much on this world but on the world to come -- but, I do think we need to heed Jesus' message in this parable -- I do think we need to be prepared for what might happen -- not just for ourselves, but for those around us
-- this past week we had our first named storms of the hurricane season -- right now, Hurricane Bill is churning out in the Atlantic headed towards the northeast -- how many of you have made preparations for hurricane season? -- how many of you are prepared for any natural disaster?
-- both the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency say that people should be prepared to survive for three days without access to food, water, or electricity -- they say we should have a stockpile of food and water and supplies to get us through the initial emergency period
-- I went on GEMA and FEMA's webpages and printed off a list of recommended items that everyone needs in their disaster supply kit -- I've got copies at the back for you as you leave -- Jesus says, "Be prepared" -- and I think that we should follow His command -- that we should prepare for whatever troubles might come our way
-- that is exactly what Jesus was commending the dishonest manager for in this passage -- the dishonest manager had the foresight to look ahead to what was coming and to get ready for it -- as Christians, we need to do the same, not only for ourselves, but for our neighbors as well
-- but, Jesus' command to be prepared not only means to be prepared for the chaos of this life -- it also means to be prepared for entry into the next life -- In John 16:33, after Jesus tells us that in this world we will have trouble, He comforts us by saying, "But take heart! I have overcome the world."
-- as Christians, our focus should always be on the eternal -- on what happens after our time has ended -- on what happens after we die
-- if you would, flip over to Luke 6:46 and we'll end there
46. "Why do you call me, `Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?
47. I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice.
48. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.
49. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."
-- once again, Jesus gives us a parable of preparation -- we know that the storms of life are going to come -- we know that we will have trouble in this world -- but Jesus says that the only way to truly be prepared is to have a strong foundation built on the rock -- He's talking, of course, about salvation and the forgiveness of sins that He made possible through His death and resurrection
-- it doesn't matter how prepared you are for the troubles of this life if you're not prepared for what comes next -- the fears and the worries of our society about potential cataclysmic events really mask their real concern -- what will happen when they die? -- where will they go? -- where will they spend eternity?
-- they focus on surviving a catastrophe in this world so they don't have to think about what comes next
-- as Christians, it is our responsibility to help others prepare for eternity -- we are called by God to go forth and make disciples of all nations -- to baptize others in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost -- and to teach them all the things that Jesus commanded us to do
-- it is our responsibility to speak hope to the fears and concerns of those around us -- to let them know that even if the world were to end today, that life goes on -- that Jesus died on the cross for their sins -- that He rose from the dead on the third day to prove His victory over sin and death -- and that if they would only believe in Him -- if they would only trust in His word -- then they would have eternal life -- they would lay a strong foundation on the Rock -- they would be prepared for eternity
IV. Closing
-- the message for today is to be prepared -- prepare first for the storms of life that we will face -- get ready for them so that when they come, you will be able to take care of the physical needs of yourself and your neighbor
Tears of the Saints featuring Leeland and Delirious
I just finished reading one of the most inspiring books on evangelism and missions I have ever read -- "God's Smuggler" by Brother Andrew. It shames me to think how small my faith really is and how little I do to make a difference in my world today. How many dead people do I walk past every day without noticing? How many people do I pass who are on their way to Hell simply because I don't say a word?
My admiration goes out to the men and women who are on the front lines of the battle -- the men and women who are actively engaged in the fight as missionaries for Christ, whether abroad in foreign lands or at home with their neighbors and friends and family. I felt this video was a stirring tribute to them and a call to action for us.
My admiration goes out to the men and women who are on the front lines of the battle -- the men and women who are actively engaged in the fight as missionaries for Christ, whether abroad in foreign lands or at home with their neighbors and friends and family. I felt this video was a stirring tribute to them and a call to action for us.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
SERMON: PURSUING HOLINESS: SELF-CONTROL
PURSUING HOLINESS: SELF-CONTROL
16 August 2009
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Titus 2
11. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
12. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
13. while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
14. who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
-- this morning, we are finishing up our series on pursuing holiness -- for the last eight weeks, we have looked at the fruit of the Spirit that Paul listed for us in Galatians 5:22-23 -- it's kind of like we were given this wonderful fruit basket, filled with fruit of all different kinds just for us to take out and enjoy -- and we've gone through the basket -- pulling out a different fruit every week
-- but now we're at the bottom of the basket, and the only thing left is that one fruit that we really don't want -- that one fruit that we wish God had never put in the basket to start with -- of course, I'm talking about self-control
-- you know, we've enjoyed the other fruit -- we've liked taking them out and partaking of them -- who doesn't want more joy and peace in their lives -- no one has a problem with being more kind or gentle or good -- more loving -- more patient -- more faithful -- but self-control? -- that doesn't even look like it belongs in the basket to start with
-- in the Spirit's fruit basket, self-control is the lemon -- it's that fruit that people put in because it looks good in the basket -- it adds color -- it adds variety -- but no one really expects you to eat it, do they? -- no one really expects you to take it out and do something with it, do they?
-- yeah, self-control is the bitter fruit in the Spirit's basket -- but of all the fruit, this is the one that determines our success as men and women of Christ -- this is the one that determines whether we will become mature Christians -- this is the one that determines if we will truly become holy as God is holy
II. The Problem with a Lack of Self-Control
-- we have a problem with self-control in our culture today -- we can't seem to control ourselves or our actions -- we just don't seem capable of saying the word, "No" -- it's a disease -- an epidemic -- that is insidious and infectious
-- and because of our inability to control ourselves and our actions -- because of our inability to say "No" to anyone or anything, we find ourselves busier than ever before -- we find every minute of every day planned out in our lives so much that we don't have time for ourselves or our God -- we run around from place to place -- staying busy and doing things -- running the rat-race without ever considering the cost
-- because of microwaves and gas grills that cook our food in a fraction of the time -- because of instant news and movies on demand -- because of fast food drive-thru's and 24-hour megastores, we've become accustomed to getting what we want at the moment we want it -- instant gratification for all our wants and desires -- but, it's left us wounded and weary
-- everyone here knows about our country's current economic condition -- many of us have been affected by it in one way or the other -- you can blame the last administration -- you can blame your politician of choice -- you can blame the war or global warming or whatever you choose -- but, the bottom-line is that this crisis was caused because of a lack of self-control -- it was caused because we just couldn't say, "No."
-- we wanted bigger and more expensive houses, but we didn't want to wait -- so when our banks offered us sub-prime mortgages and dangled the keys in front of us, we said "Yes," instead of "No" -- when we were faced with a plethora of choices and new technologies lining the shelves of our stores, we didn't want to wait to get them, and so we said, "Yes," to higher and higher interest rates on credit cards -- it was always "Yes" and never "No"
"Yes" to car loans for cars we couldn't afford -- "Yes" to new and bigger homes -- "Yes" to that next appointment that over-filled our calendar -- "Yes" to that coworker that flirted just a little too much -- "Yes" to that extra drink -- "Yes" to that recreational drug -- "Yes" to that e-mail that promised sexual gratification without any strings -- "Yes" to that extra dessert -- "Yes" to just one more helping -- "Yes, Yes, Yes"
-- and so we talk today in our culture and in our media about the mortgage crisis -- the marriage crisis -- the credit crisis -- the obesity crisis -- the pornography crisis -- all because we refuse to exert any self-control over our actions -- all because we refuse to say "No"
-- it's funny that we would do that -- our culture is so focused on success -- we are so focused on getting ahead and being successful in life that you would think we'd do whatever it took to get there -- do you know what the key indicator of future success is? -- self-control
-- anyone in here ever heard of the marshmallow test? -- back in the 1960s, Walter Mischel tested a group of four-year-old children for self control -- he gave each kid a marshmallow and he told them that they could eat it anytime they want -- but if they waited 15 minutes, they would get another marshmallow -- so Mischel left the room and left the kids alone with their marshmallow
-- and they tried so hard -- they fidgeted -- they looked at the marshmallow -- they looked at the clock -- and some of them just couldn't stand it -- they said, "Yes" and just dove in and ate it right away -- others made it the whole 15 minutes and then got their reward of another marshmallow when Mischel came back
-- Mischel then followed this group of kids for the next few decades -- and what he discovered was that the kids who said, "No" -- the kids who exerted self-control and accepted delayed gratification did better in life -- they were more successful -- as a whole, their SAT scores were higher -- the boys had fewer problems with authorities and with getting in trouble -- the girls were less likely to get pregnant
-- a few years ago, Dr. Roy Baumeister of Case Western Reserve University repeated this study -- and his results were the same -- he concluded that self-control predicts success in life over a very long time -- in an interview on 20-20, he said, "If we're concerned about raising children to be successful and healthy and happy, forget about self-esteem. Concentrate on self-control."
III. Scripture Lesson (Titus 2:11-14)
-- while Dr. Baumeister was talking about secular success, we could say the same thing about the spiritual realm -- if we want our spiritual lives to be successful, healthy, and happy -- if we want to be mature in our walk with Christ -- if we want to do more than be Sunday Christians who just warm pews for one-hour a week -- then we must concentrate on self-control -- we have to learn to say "No" to some things so that we can say "Yes" to better things
-- that's exactly the message that Paul was giving to his protege Titus in this passage -- look back at verse 11 with me and let's see what we can learn from Paul's instructions to Titus
-- verse 11
11. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
-- "for the grace of God" -- God's gift -- God's power and blessing given to us so that we might experience salvation -- saved -- not just from our sins -- not just from death -- but from the world and the kingdom of the world
-- that's the thing we need to keep in mind as we look at self-control -- this is a fruit of the Spirit -- self-control is not will-power -- self-control doesn't mean us controlling ourselves -- it's not something that we're doing on our own
-- self-control means allowing the grace of God through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to control us -- to control our self -- our flesh -- so that we live for the Spirit and not for us
-- in other words, on our own we just seem incapable of saying "No" -- we just don't have the power to do that -- but as we develop and grow this fruit of the Spirit in our lives -- as we let the Holy Spirit work within us -- God gives us the ability to say "No" to the things of the world -- He gives us the power and He expects us to use this power to exert control over our self
-- verse 12
12. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
13. while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
-- it's the divine marshmallow test -- God's grace -- His Spirit within us -- teaches us to say "No" to the world -- to say "No" to ungodliness -- to say "No" to sin -- because we are waiting for a greater reward
-- God's grace teaches us that if we wait just a short while that we will be rewarded with an even greater blessing
-- notice what Paul says here to Titus -- he's not telling Titus to say "No" to everything -- that's not what God wants -- Jesus said that He came that we might have life and have it to the full -- but having a mortgage or a car payment that we can't pay -- having a calendar that's busting at the seams -- having sin and ungodliness running rampant is not what Jesus meant by having a full life
-- Jesus meant a life filled with the goodness that comes only from Him -- with the things that yield eternal value -- what is truly important? -- at the end of your life -- when you stop and take account of all that you have -- of all that you have done -- of all that you have experienced -- what is going to be the most important? -- what are you going to take with you?
-- when you're laying on your death bed, having that expensive house is just not going to mean a whole lot -- having that shiny new car in the drive isn't going to matter -- having the latest gadgets or having just seen the hottest new movie or the hottest new show isn't going to count for much
-- the most important things of life aren't really things at all -- they are family and friends who love -- they are the lives of people that you have touched along the way -- they are the way you lived and carried yourself in this world -- your character -- your integrity -- your legacy
-- so, Paul says here, "Say 'No,' to worldly passions -- say 'no' to ungodliness -- say 'no' to things that are keeping you from the important things of life"
-- self-control isn't just about saying "no" -- it's more about saying "Yes" to the right things
-- verse 14
14. who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
-- Paul reminds us again right here that this is the reason Jesus came -- this is the reason Jesus died on the cross -- He died to redeem us -- to buy us back from the world and from the broken system and value of the world -- to give us His power to say "No" to the things that lead to death -- to purify us and make us holy -- to separate us out from the world and to make us part of His kingdom -- a people who are eager to do good
-- I really like the KJV translation of this verse -- it says that Jesus came to "purify unto himself a peculiar people" -- as Christians, we are nothing if we're not peculiar -- that means we're different from those around us
-- we don't follow their pattern -- we don't follow their lead -- we don't have to give in to the rat-race -- we don't have to trade our clunkers for new cars -- we don't have to go in debt up to our ears to keep up with the Jones' -- we don't have to trade our integrity and character for instant gratification that never really satisfies
-- I'm a big Dave Ramsey fan -- the Christian financial guru -- and I like what Dave says, "We live different from everybody else now so that we can live different from everybody else later" -- in other words, we don't follow the world because their path leads to destruction -- we follow Christ and live for Him because His path leads to a different and better life
IV. Closing
-- self-control -- the lemon in the Spirit's fruit basket -- but, you know what you can do with lemons, don't you? -- make lemonade
-- we need to learn to develop self-control in our lives -- we all do -- there are certainly areas in your life, just like mine, where we need to rely on the Spirit's power to control our appetites and our desires
-- for some of us it may be time management -- for others it might be our spending -- for others, our diet -- perhaps for some, it is a nagging sin or other ungodly behavior that is controlling your life
-- perhaps you've tried to gain control of your life in the past -- that's really what we do every New Year's Day when we make resolutions -- but, if you're like most of us, you probably failed -- because you were relying on your own strength -- your self -- instead of God's strength
--- the good thing about self-control is that it can be learned and applied in everyone's life -- studies have shown that kids can be taught patience -- they can be taught to wait for a reward -- they can be taught to say "No" now so they can say "Yes" to something better later
-- so, how do we develop self-control in our lives? -- well, since this is a fruit of the Spirit, the first thing we have to do is plant the seed and water it and let it start to grow
-- we start by believing that saying "No" is possible -- granted, we probably can't do it on our own -- but, if we can get in our head the idea that "No" is the right answer, then we have won most of the battle
-- the first step, then, is to examine our wants and our wishes -- is this something that is Godly? -- is this something that will build us up and help us be more like Christ? -- or is this something that will take away from our relationship with Him or our relationship with our family?
-- for instance, ask yourself, "If I buy this car -- this CD -- this stereo -- this whatever -- what will it take to pay the price? -- Will I have to work more and longer to pay for it? -- Will it take time away from my family? -- Will it take time away from my God? -- Will this become the focus of my life, at least for a little while?
-- simply asking those questions is the first step in self-control -- if you don't get anything else from this sermon, get this -- "Yes" is not always the answer
-- next, acknowledge that you are responsible for your choice -- we have free will -- God is not going to make the choice for us -- we can choose to say "Yes" and follow the world or we can choose to say "No" and follow God -- that choice is up to us and no one else
-- Flip Wilson's Geraldine used to say, "The devil made me do it" -- but that's not true -- yes, the devil and the world and our own flesh influence us and lead us to make the wrong choice, but ultimately, it is you and me that make that decision -- acknowledge that you are responsible for the choices you make
-- third, once you have decided that "No" is possible and that "No" is your choice, don't go it alone -- ask God to give you His strength to move forward with the right choice -- this is where a lot of us fail -- we try in our strength -- we try to use will-power and self-force -- but the Bible says self-control is a fruit of the Spirit -- it only comes through the power of God manifested in our lives -- we have to ask God to give us His grace and power to say "No" and mean it
-- finally, we have to learn to take baby steps -- you can't overcome a lifetime of saying "Yes" in one moment -- just like you learned to walk -- taking just one step at a time and picking yourself up when you fell -- you have to do the same thing with self-control -- you are going to fall and fail -- you're going to find yourself giving again and again to the same old want and wish -- but, as you learn to rely on the Holy Spirit -- as you learn to say "No" in His strength -- you should experience more and more victories in your life
-- remember that holiness is a process -- it's not an instantaneous event -- it is something that you have to work at -- the goal is to move forward towards Christ rather than moving backwards towards the world -- it's o.k. to fall and fail so long as you pick yourself up and move forward again -- and over a lifetime of trusting God in this way, you will see His image reflected in your own
-- in the movie, "The Family Man" with Nicolas Cage there's this scene where Nicolas Cage walks into a store to get a cup of coffee -- the girl in front of him buys something that costs ninety-nine cents -- she hands the clerk a dollar
-- the clerk takes nine dollars out of the cash register and counts it out to her -- giving her way too much change -- she sees that he is handing her too much money, yet she picks it up and puts it in her pocket without saying a word
-- as she is walking out the door, the clerk stops her to give her another change -- he asks her if there is anything else she needs -- she pauses for a moment and shakes her head no and walks out
-- the clerk looks over at Nicolas Cage, and says, 'Did you see that? She was willing to sell her character for nine dollars. Nine dollars!'"
-- what is the price of your character? -- is it saying "Yes" to every sin and worldly passion that comes your way? -- is it having an overflowing dayplanner -- a stack of unpaid bills -- secret sins that you hide from the world?
-- every day, the Holy Spirit gives us the chance to turn around and do the right thing -- every day, the Holy Spirit tells us, "If you'll just say 'No,' I'll give you the power to move on" -- every day, God calls us control our selves so that we might live for Him
-- the choice is up to us -- the lemon of self-control is in the basket -- will you pick it up and make lemonade or will you just ignore it and let it go away?
-- let's pray
16 August 2009
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Titus 2
11. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
12. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
13. while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
14. who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
-- this morning, we are finishing up our series on pursuing holiness -- for the last eight weeks, we have looked at the fruit of the Spirit that Paul listed for us in Galatians 5:22-23 -- it's kind of like we were given this wonderful fruit basket, filled with fruit of all different kinds just for us to take out and enjoy -- and we've gone through the basket -- pulling out a different fruit every week
-- but now we're at the bottom of the basket, and the only thing left is that one fruit that we really don't want -- that one fruit that we wish God had never put in the basket to start with -- of course, I'm talking about self-control
-- you know, we've enjoyed the other fruit -- we've liked taking them out and partaking of them -- who doesn't want more joy and peace in their lives -- no one has a problem with being more kind or gentle or good -- more loving -- more patient -- more faithful -- but self-control? -- that doesn't even look like it belongs in the basket to start with
-- in the Spirit's fruit basket, self-control is the lemon -- it's that fruit that people put in because it looks good in the basket -- it adds color -- it adds variety -- but no one really expects you to eat it, do they? -- no one really expects you to take it out and do something with it, do they?
-- yeah, self-control is the bitter fruit in the Spirit's basket -- but of all the fruit, this is the one that determines our success as men and women of Christ -- this is the one that determines whether we will become mature Christians -- this is the one that determines if we will truly become holy as God is holy
II. The Problem with a Lack of Self-Control
-- we have a problem with self-control in our culture today -- we can't seem to control ourselves or our actions -- we just don't seem capable of saying the word, "No" -- it's a disease -- an epidemic -- that is insidious and infectious
-- and because of our inability to control ourselves and our actions -- because of our inability to say "No" to anyone or anything, we find ourselves busier than ever before -- we find every minute of every day planned out in our lives so much that we don't have time for ourselves or our God -- we run around from place to place -- staying busy and doing things -- running the rat-race without ever considering the cost
-- because of microwaves and gas grills that cook our food in a fraction of the time -- because of instant news and movies on demand -- because of fast food drive-thru's and 24-hour megastores, we've become accustomed to getting what we want at the moment we want it -- instant gratification for all our wants and desires -- but, it's left us wounded and weary
-- everyone here knows about our country's current economic condition -- many of us have been affected by it in one way or the other -- you can blame the last administration -- you can blame your politician of choice -- you can blame the war or global warming or whatever you choose -- but, the bottom-line is that this crisis was caused because of a lack of self-control -- it was caused because we just couldn't say, "No."
-- we wanted bigger and more expensive houses, but we didn't want to wait -- so when our banks offered us sub-prime mortgages and dangled the keys in front of us, we said "Yes," instead of "No" -- when we were faced with a plethora of choices and new technologies lining the shelves of our stores, we didn't want to wait to get them, and so we said, "Yes," to higher and higher interest rates on credit cards -- it was always "Yes" and never "No"
"Yes" to car loans for cars we couldn't afford -- "Yes" to new and bigger homes -- "Yes" to that next appointment that over-filled our calendar -- "Yes" to that coworker that flirted just a little too much -- "Yes" to that extra drink -- "Yes" to that recreational drug -- "Yes" to that e-mail that promised sexual gratification without any strings -- "Yes" to that extra dessert -- "Yes" to just one more helping -- "Yes, Yes, Yes"
-- and so we talk today in our culture and in our media about the mortgage crisis -- the marriage crisis -- the credit crisis -- the obesity crisis -- the pornography crisis -- all because we refuse to exert any self-control over our actions -- all because we refuse to say "No"
-- it's funny that we would do that -- our culture is so focused on success -- we are so focused on getting ahead and being successful in life that you would think we'd do whatever it took to get there -- do you know what the key indicator of future success is? -- self-control
-- anyone in here ever heard of the marshmallow test? -- back in the 1960s, Walter Mischel tested a group of four-year-old children for self control -- he gave each kid a marshmallow and he told them that they could eat it anytime they want -- but if they waited 15 minutes, they would get another marshmallow -- so Mischel left the room and left the kids alone with their marshmallow
-- and they tried so hard -- they fidgeted -- they looked at the marshmallow -- they looked at the clock -- and some of them just couldn't stand it -- they said, "Yes" and just dove in and ate it right away -- others made it the whole 15 minutes and then got their reward of another marshmallow when Mischel came back
-- Mischel then followed this group of kids for the next few decades -- and what he discovered was that the kids who said, "No" -- the kids who exerted self-control and accepted delayed gratification did better in life -- they were more successful -- as a whole, their SAT scores were higher -- the boys had fewer problems with authorities and with getting in trouble -- the girls were less likely to get pregnant
-- a few years ago, Dr. Roy Baumeister of Case Western Reserve University repeated this study -- and his results were the same -- he concluded that self-control predicts success in life over a very long time -- in an interview on 20-20, he said, "If we're concerned about raising children to be successful and healthy and happy, forget about self-esteem. Concentrate on self-control."
III. Scripture Lesson (Titus 2:11-14)
-- while Dr. Baumeister was talking about secular success, we could say the same thing about the spiritual realm -- if we want our spiritual lives to be successful, healthy, and happy -- if we want to be mature in our walk with Christ -- if we want to do more than be Sunday Christians who just warm pews for one-hour a week -- then we must concentrate on self-control -- we have to learn to say "No" to some things so that we can say "Yes" to better things
-- that's exactly the message that Paul was giving to his protege Titus in this passage -- look back at verse 11 with me and let's see what we can learn from Paul's instructions to Titus
-- verse 11
11. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
-- "for the grace of God" -- God's gift -- God's power and blessing given to us so that we might experience salvation -- saved -- not just from our sins -- not just from death -- but from the world and the kingdom of the world
-- that's the thing we need to keep in mind as we look at self-control -- this is a fruit of the Spirit -- self-control is not will-power -- self-control doesn't mean us controlling ourselves -- it's not something that we're doing on our own
-- self-control means allowing the grace of God through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to control us -- to control our self -- our flesh -- so that we live for the Spirit and not for us
-- in other words, on our own we just seem incapable of saying "No" -- we just don't have the power to do that -- but as we develop and grow this fruit of the Spirit in our lives -- as we let the Holy Spirit work within us -- God gives us the ability to say "No" to the things of the world -- He gives us the power and He expects us to use this power to exert control over our self
-- verse 12
12. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
13. while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
-- it's the divine marshmallow test -- God's grace -- His Spirit within us -- teaches us to say "No" to the world -- to say "No" to ungodliness -- to say "No" to sin -- because we are waiting for a greater reward
-- God's grace teaches us that if we wait just a short while that we will be rewarded with an even greater blessing
-- notice what Paul says here to Titus -- he's not telling Titus to say "No" to everything -- that's not what God wants -- Jesus said that He came that we might have life and have it to the full -- but having a mortgage or a car payment that we can't pay -- having a calendar that's busting at the seams -- having sin and ungodliness running rampant is not what Jesus meant by having a full life
-- Jesus meant a life filled with the goodness that comes only from Him -- with the things that yield eternal value -- what is truly important? -- at the end of your life -- when you stop and take account of all that you have -- of all that you have done -- of all that you have experienced -- what is going to be the most important? -- what are you going to take with you?
-- when you're laying on your death bed, having that expensive house is just not going to mean a whole lot -- having that shiny new car in the drive isn't going to matter -- having the latest gadgets or having just seen the hottest new movie or the hottest new show isn't going to count for much
-- the most important things of life aren't really things at all -- they are family and friends who love -- they are the lives of people that you have touched along the way -- they are the way you lived and carried yourself in this world -- your character -- your integrity -- your legacy
-- so, Paul says here, "Say 'No,' to worldly passions -- say 'no' to ungodliness -- say 'no' to things that are keeping you from the important things of life"
-- self-control isn't just about saying "no" -- it's more about saying "Yes" to the right things
-- verse 14
14. who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
-- Paul reminds us again right here that this is the reason Jesus came -- this is the reason Jesus died on the cross -- He died to redeem us -- to buy us back from the world and from the broken system and value of the world -- to give us His power to say "No" to the things that lead to death -- to purify us and make us holy -- to separate us out from the world and to make us part of His kingdom -- a people who are eager to do good
-- I really like the KJV translation of this verse -- it says that Jesus came to "purify unto himself a peculiar people" -- as Christians, we are nothing if we're not peculiar -- that means we're different from those around us
-- we don't follow their pattern -- we don't follow their lead -- we don't have to give in to the rat-race -- we don't have to trade our clunkers for new cars -- we don't have to go in debt up to our ears to keep up with the Jones' -- we don't have to trade our integrity and character for instant gratification that never really satisfies
-- I'm a big Dave Ramsey fan -- the Christian financial guru -- and I like what Dave says, "We live different from everybody else now so that we can live different from everybody else later" -- in other words, we don't follow the world because their path leads to destruction -- we follow Christ and live for Him because His path leads to a different and better life
IV. Closing
-- self-control -- the lemon in the Spirit's fruit basket -- but, you know what you can do with lemons, don't you? -- make lemonade
-- we need to learn to develop self-control in our lives -- we all do -- there are certainly areas in your life, just like mine, where we need to rely on the Spirit's power to control our appetites and our desires
-- for some of us it may be time management -- for others it might be our spending -- for others, our diet -- perhaps for some, it is a nagging sin or other ungodly behavior that is controlling your life
-- perhaps you've tried to gain control of your life in the past -- that's really what we do every New Year's Day when we make resolutions -- but, if you're like most of us, you probably failed -- because you were relying on your own strength -- your self -- instead of God's strength
--- the good thing about self-control is that it can be learned and applied in everyone's life -- studies have shown that kids can be taught patience -- they can be taught to wait for a reward -- they can be taught to say "No" now so they can say "Yes" to something better later
-- so, how do we develop self-control in our lives? -- well, since this is a fruit of the Spirit, the first thing we have to do is plant the seed and water it and let it start to grow
-- we start by believing that saying "No" is possible -- granted, we probably can't do it on our own -- but, if we can get in our head the idea that "No" is the right answer, then we have won most of the battle
-- the first step, then, is to examine our wants and our wishes -- is this something that is Godly? -- is this something that will build us up and help us be more like Christ? -- or is this something that will take away from our relationship with Him or our relationship with our family?
-- for instance, ask yourself, "If I buy this car -- this CD -- this stereo -- this whatever -- what will it take to pay the price? -- Will I have to work more and longer to pay for it? -- Will it take time away from my family? -- Will it take time away from my God? -- Will this become the focus of my life, at least for a little while?
-- simply asking those questions is the first step in self-control -- if you don't get anything else from this sermon, get this -- "Yes" is not always the answer
-- next, acknowledge that you are responsible for your choice -- we have free will -- God is not going to make the choice for us -- we can choose to say "Yes" and follow the world or we can choose to say "No" and follow God -- that choice is up to us and no one else
-- Flip Wilson's Geraldine used to say, "The devil made me do it" -- but that's not true -- yes, the devil and the world and our own flesh influence us and lead us to make the wrong choice, but ultimately, it is you and me that make that decision -- acknowledge that you are responsible for the choices you make
-- third, once you have decided that "No" is possible and that "No" is your choice, don't go it alone -- ask God to give you His strength to move forward with the right choice -- this is where a lot of us fail -- we try in our strength -- we try to use will-power and self-force -- but the Bible says self-control is a fruit of the Spirit -- it only comes through the power of God manifested in our lives -- we have to ask God to give us His grace and power to say "No" and mean it
-- finally, we have to learn to take baby steps -- you can't overcome a lifetime of saying "Yes" in one moment -- just like you learned to walk -- taking just one step at a time and picking yourself up when you fell -- you have to do the same thing with self-control -- you are going to fall and fail -- you're going to find yourself giving again and again to the same old want and wish -- but, as you learn to rely on the Holy Spirit -- as you learn to say "No" in His strength -- you should experience more and more victories in your life
-- remember that holiness is a process -- it's not an instantaneous event -- it is something that you have to work at -- the goal is to move forward towards Christ rather than moving backwards towards the world -- it's o.k. to fall and fail so long as you pick yourself up and move forward again -- and over a lifetime of trusting God in this way, you will see His image reflected in your own
-- in the movie, "The Family Man" with Nicolas Cage there's this scene where Nicolas Cage walks into a store to get a cup of coffee -- the girl in front of him buys something that costs ninety-nine cents -- she hands the clerk a dollar
-- the clerk takes nine dollars out of the cash register and counts it out to her -- giving her way too much change -- she sees that he is handing her too much money, yet she picks it up and puts it in her pocket without saying a word
-- as she is walking out the door, the clerk stops her to give her another change -- he asks her if there is anything else she needs -- she pauses for a moment and shakes her head no and walks out
-- the clerk looks over at Nicolas Cage, and says, 'Did you see that? She was willing to sell her character for nine dollars. Nine dollars!'"
-- what is the price of your character? -- is it saying "Yes" to every sin and worldly passion that comes your way? -- is it having an overflowing dayplanner -- a stack of unpaid bills -- secret sins that you hide from the world?
-- every day, the Holy Spirit gives us the chance to turn around and do the right thing -- every day, the Holy Spirit tells us, "If you'll just say 'No,' I'll give you the power to move on" -- every day, God calls us control our selves so that we might live for Him
-- the choice is up to us -- the lemon of self-control is in the basket -- will you pick it up and make lemonade or will you just ignore it and let it go away?
-- let's pray
SERMON: PURSUING HOLINESS: GENTLENESS
PURSUING HOLINESS: GENTLENESS
9 August 2009
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to 1 Thessalonians 2
1. You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure.
2. We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition.
3. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you.
4. On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.
5. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed--God is our witness.
6. We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you,
7. but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.
8. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.
9. Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.
10. You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.
11. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,
12. encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
-- have you ever thought about how the meaning of common words has changed over time? -- recently, I've undertaken a challenge to read all of the Pulitzer Prize winning novels -- and, as I have been going through that challenge, I have had occasion to read writers who were popular back in the 1920s and 1930s -- and, as I have read their novels, it struck me how words that we use today have totally different meanings for us than they did for our parents and grandparents
-- for instance, I read a Faulkner novel a few months ago, and he described this military officer in the book as a "gay old gentlemen" -- when I mentioned that part of the book to my friends at work, they were shocked because the word "gay" now means something entirely different -- back then it mean light and happy and carefree -- but now it refers almost exclusively to homosexuals
-- the words "wicked" and "bad" used to mean evil or things that were not good -- but when our young folks use them today, usually they're referring to something that is outstanding -- something that is really great or desirable
-- years ago, the word "silly" used to mean "blessed" -- it used to be a virtue -- now, silly means ludicrous and foolish
-- "gaudy" used to refer to joyful praying -- but now it's definition has been changed to mean tasteless or tacky ornamentation
-- we could go on and on with words like this -- words that had one meaning for the person who wrote them down but have an entirely different meaning for us today
-- well, this morning, we're going to look at a word that has changed meaning over time just like this -- we're continuing in our sermon series on pursuing holiness through the fruit of the Spirit -- and this morning, we're looking at the characteristic of gentleness -- or, as the King James puts it -- "meekness"
-- this is a word that has definitely changed meaning over time -- the Bible tells us that gentleness is a virtue -- it describes Jesus Himself as meek and gentle -- but, when we read that now we tend to think of someone who is mild and weak -- someone who is a push-over -- someone who could never stand up for themselves
-- whenever I hear Jesus called "gentle" in the Bible, I instantly think of the song, "In the Garden" -- it brings to mind a sense of peace and calm and softness -- it doesn't have a strong connotation -- it's not something that you would associate with masculinity or the image of a strong leader
-- but, that is not what this word means in a biblical sense -- contrary to our image of gentleness or meekness as being mild and weak the biblical meaning is actually "strength under control"
-- the Greek word for this is praiotes -- it was commonly used in Jesus' day by doctors to refer to soothing medicines or by sailors as a gentle breeze or by farmers as a colt that had been broken
-- each of these cases is describing a situation where a great power is under control -- whether it's the power of disease or the power of the wind or the power of a horse
-- I think most of us remember President Theodore Roosevelt's great proverb, "Speak softly and carry a big stick." -- that is exactly what we're talking about here -- during Roosevelt's tenure, America was able to work its will among the nations of the world, not because we bullied them into submission, but because we could speak to them gently -- putting forth a soft face -- because in back of the softness was the strength and power of the U.S. military
-- When Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek -- blessed are the gentle -- for they shall inherit the earth," he was not speaking of armies and foreign policy, but the principles are the same -- Jesus was telling us how to relate to those around us -- He was pointing out that in back of the softness that we portray -- in back of the gentleness and meekness that we put forth -- we have within us the strength and power of God
-- and so we shouldn't bluster and try to force our will on others -- we shouldn't be forceful and domineering -- instead, as Roosevelt said, we should speak softly -- we should be gentle and humble as we relate to those around us -- even those who oppose us or who are persecuting us
-- we see a good example of gentleness and meekness in action here in this passage in 1 Thessalonians 2 in how Paul handled sharing the message of Christ to a sometimes hostile crowd -- let's look at this in a little more detail and let's see what we can learn about being gentle and meek in our own lives
-- look back at verse 1
1. You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure.
2. We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition.
3. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you.
-- here we are reminded of the difficulties that Paul faced in his call to be the evangelist to the Gentiles -- Paul faced a tough road -- he suffered from the natural hardships of traveling thousands of miles in desolate areas -- but, more importantly, he suffered at the hands of men -- Paul was persecuted by both the Jews and the Gentiles -- he was followed from town to town and harassed and insulted by those who opposed him and his message
-- how do you respond when others insult you? -- what do you do when someone opposes you or belittles you in front of someone else? -- do you get in their face? -- do you yell back? -- do you just walk off? -- what do you do? -- what does God expect you to do?
-- when Paul experienced suffering and insults in Philippi -- when he faced strong opposition to his preaching and teaching -- he had a choice to make -- he could react strongly and harshly -- he could push back at his opponents and beat them with his big stick -- he could just keep quiet and leave and not do what God called him to do, letting the bullies win -- or he could respond with grace and gentleness -- displaying in his meekness the true character and nature of God
-- never forget that Christianity is more about relationship than anything else -- relationship with God, of course -- but also relationship with others -- that's why we like to say that the cross has two components -- it has the vertical component that reminds us, first and foremost, that we are to be in a right relationship with God -- but, secondly, it has this horizontal component -- that reminds us that Christ also came to restore our relationships with others
-- remember what Paul's mission was -- he came as an emissary of Christ -- he came as a representative of Jesus -- and how he acted -- how he responded -- would translate into how the people around him would view Jesus
-- I think that's one reason for Paul's statement in Ephesians 6:12 when he reminds us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of evil -- in other words, we're not supposed to struggle and fight against people -- but against the spiritual forces that are engaging these people -- instead, we are to approach people with humbleness and meekness and gentleness -- and that is what Paul did
-- verse 4
4. On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.
5. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed--God is our witness.
6. We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you,
7. but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.
8. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.
-- here we see a working definition of gentleness -- being gentle or meek towards someone doesn't mean that we give them what they want -- it doesn't mean that we just roll over and let them have their way -- it doesn't mean that we flatter them and tell them what they want to hear
-- no, responding to someone with gentleness and meekness means you tell them what they need to hear -- you just do it with grace and love -- responding to someone with gentleness and meekness means that you give someone what they need -- not necessarily what they want
-- Paul uses the analogy of a mother caring for her little children here -- anyone in here who has had kids or been around little children know what horrible creatures they can be from time to time -- the most selfish person on earth is a new-born baby -- little children demand their own way -- they demand that their needs be met -- they demand all the attention -- and if they don't get their way, they get upset and throw fits and tantrums
-- well, a good mother doesn't give in to the fit -- she doesn't let the toddler have their way -- she stands firm and disciplines them -- gently instructing them and giving them what they need rather than what they want -- telling them how to act rather than letting them get away with murder -- and she does it just like Teddy Roosevelt said, she speaks softly and carries a big stick
-- I remember when I was a child, I learned early on just how big a stick my mother carried -- I didn't get spanked much, but just like all kids, I did get spanked from time to time when I demanded my own way or did something wrong or threw a fit -- and after that, I learned -- when I started cutting up in a store, my mother didn't have to raise her voice -- all she had to do was softly say, "You need to stop now" -- and I knew what that meant -- I knew the power that she had -- and I knew that if I didn't stop, that I would get it when I got home
-- Paul says here that he was gentle with the Thessalonians just like a mother caring for her little children -- Paul had a big stick -- he had the power of God with him -- he had been called and anointed by God and had been entrusted to carry the message of God to the Gentiles -- and that was what he was going to do
-- when people opposed him -- when they insulted him and harassed him -- Paul didn't use flattery to win them over -- he didn't put on a mask and become what they wanted him to be -- Paul remained true to his word and to his calling -- he spoke the truth in love and pointed to Christ instead of himself
-- he gave himself for them -- in verse 8 he says that he shared his life with them -- he gave of all he had so that the Thessalonians would get what they really needed -- this is the essence of gentleness and meekness -- humbling yourself so that Christ can be exalted -- not responding to suffering and insults in kind -- but putting aside your discomfort so that Christ's message can go forth
-- verse 9
9. Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.
10. You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.
11. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,
12. encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
-- even though Paul possessed a great power within, he always responded to others -- even to those who opposed him, with gentleness and humbleness and meekness -- his power was under control -- rather than exalting himself as an apostle, Paul lived with the Thessalonians -- working with them night and day -- letting them see holiness in action -- letting them see how a man of God truly lives and carries himself in the work place and at home
-- through his example, Paul encouraged the Thessalonians to turn to Christ -- he exhorted them and charged them to live lives worthy of God and of the calling they had received -- and he reminded them of the power that they had within them
-- such is the power of gentleness -- gentleness is not a bonus that we give to the deserving -- it is a debt that we owe everyone -- even people who oppose us
-- as Maxie Dunnam said, "The gentle are courteous and kind -- they exercise restraint -- they practice reticence in speech, knowing that words can wound and silence may be more affirming than chatter -- they do not intrude into another's life but are available to and responsive to other's needs."
-- gentleness takes incredible inner strength, self-control, and resilience -- In the Bible, we are told to combat harshness, violence, insults, suffering, and severity with gentleness and meekness
-- to be gentle means that you understand human frailty and that you support, help, encourage, exhort and counsel others with patience until they become strong and mature, just like Paul did with the Thessalonians
-- to be gentle means that you are aware of the power that you have but you choose to wield it in a way that will build up rather than destroy
-- a great illustration of gentleness as power under control is the alligator -- a few years ago, I stumbled on an alligator nest while I was cruising timber -- all the baby alligators that were in the water scrambled for the far bank as I came up on the pond and they started grunting -- moments later, mama showed up -- and she opened up her mouth and the babies crawled in and she carried them off
-- the crushing power of an alligator's jaw is immense -- an alligator can exert up to 3,000 pounds of pressure per square inch -- it can easily break bone -- I have seen alligators bite through truck fenders -- but this mother alligator -- rather than wielding her power -- kept it in control and gently took care of her young
-- that is what we are called to do as Christians -- we have this great power within us, but we have to take care how we use it -- Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, "You don't lead by hitting people over the head - that's assault, not leadership" -- as Christians, we are not to hit people over the head with the gospel message -- we are not to hit people over the head with our religion
-- instead, we are to respond to them with gentleness and meekness just as Jesus did and just as Paul did -- instead of responding to hostility and opposition and persecution with similar actions, we are to respond from a point of power with humility and gentleness
-- as Chuck Swindoll reminds us -- gentleness is not weakness -- it is not being soft -- it not being virtually spineless -- "Gentleness includes such enviable qualities as having strength under control -- being calm and peaceful when surrounded by a heated atmosphere -- emitting a soothing effect on those who may be angry or otherwise beside themselves -- and possessing tact and gracious courtesy that causes others to retain their self-esteem and dignity"
-- gentleness or meekness is a virtue that can only come through the power of the Holy Spirit within us -- gentleness is the wise application of power in the life of someone else to help them become more like Christ -- it is willingly removing ourself from a situation so that Christ can be exalted -- in a very real sense, gentleness combines and applies all of the other fruits of the Spirit so that others can come to a saving knowledge of Christ
-- let's pray
9 August 2009
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to 1 Thessalonians 2
1. You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure.
2. We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition.
3. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you.
4. On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.
5. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed--God is our witness.
6. We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you,
7. but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.
8. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.
9. Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.
10. You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.
11. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,
12. encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
-- have you ever thought about how the meaning of common words has changed over time? -- recently, I've undertaken a challenge to read all of the Pulitzer Prize winning novels -- and, as I have been going through that challenge, I have had occasion to read writers who were popular back in the 1920s and 1930s -- and, as I have read their novels, it struck me how words that we use today have totally different meanings for us than they did for our parents and grandparents
-- for instance, I read a Faulkner novel a few months ago, and he described this military officer in the book as a "gay old gentlemen" -- when I mentioned that part of the book to my friends at work, they were shocked because the word "gay" now means something entirely different -- back then it mean light and happy and carefree -- but now it refers almost exclusively to homosexuals
-- the words "wicked" and "bad" used to mean evil or things that were not good -- but when our young folks use them today, usually they're referring to something that is outstanding -- something that is really great or desirable
-- years ago, the word "silly" used to mean "blessed" -- it used to be a virtue -- now, silly means ludicrous and foolish
-- "gaudy" used to refer to joyful praying -- but now it's definition has been changed to mean tasteless or tacky ornamentation
-- we could go on and on with words like this -- words that had one meaning for the person who wrote them down but have an entirely different meaning for us today
-- well, this morning, we're going to look at a word that has changed meaning over time just like this -- we're continuing in our sermon series on pursuing holiness through the fruit of the Spirit -- and this morning, we're looking at the characteristic of gentleness -- or, as the King James puts it -- "meekness"
-- this is a word that has definitely changed meaning over time -- the Bible tells us that gentleness is a virtue -- it describes Jesus Himself as meek and gentle -- but, when we read that now we tend to think of someone who is mild and weak -- someone who is a push-over -- someone who could never stand up for themselves
-- whenever I hear Jesus called "gentle" in the Bible, I instantly think of the song, "In the Garden" -- it brings to mind a sense of peace and calm and softness -- it doesn't have a strong connotation -- it's not something that you would associate with masculinity or the image of a strong leader
-- but, that is not what this word means in a biblical sense -- contrary to our image of gentleness or meekness as being mild and weak the biblical meaning is actually "strength under control"
-- the Greek word for this is praiotes -- it was commonly used in Jesus' day by doctors to refer to soothing medicines or by sailors as a gentle breeze or by farmers as a colt that had been broken
-- each of these cases is describing a situation where a great power is under control -- whether it's the power of disease or the power of the wind or the power of a horse
-- I think most of us remember President Theodore Roosevelt's great proverb, "Speak softly and carry a big stick." -- that is exactly what we're talking about here -- during Roosevelt's tenure, America was able to work its will among the nations of the world, not because we bullied them into submission, but because we could speak to them gently -- putting forth a soft face -- because in back of the softness was the strength and power of the U.S. military
-- When Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek -- blessed are the gentle -- for they shall inherit the earth," he was not speaking of armies and foreign policy, but the principles are the same -- Jesus was telling us how to relate to those around us -- He was pointing out that in back of the softness that we portray -- in back of the gentleness and meekness that we put forth -- we have within us the strength and power of God
-- and so we shouldn't bluster and try to force our will on others -- we shouldn't be forceful and domineering -- instead, as Roosevelt said, we should speak softly -- we should be gentle and humble as we relate to those around us -- even those who oppose us or who are persecuting us
-- we see a good example of gentleness and meekness in action here in this passage in 1 Thessalonians 2 in how Paul handled sharing the message of Christ to a sometimes hostile crowd -- let's look at this in a little more detail and let's see what we can learn about being gentle and meek in our own lives
-- look back at verse 1
1. You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure.
2. We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition.
3. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you.
-- here we are reminded of the difficulties that Paul faced in his call to be the evangelist to the Gentiles -- Paul faced a tough road -- he suffered from the natural hardships of traveling thousands of miles in desolate areas -- but, more importantly, he suffered at the hands of men -- Paul was persecuted by both the Jews and the Gentiles -- he was followed from town to town and harassed and insulted by those who opposed him and his message
-- how do you respond when others insult you? -- what do you do when someone opposes you or belittles you in front of someone else? -- do you get in their face? -- do you yell back? -- do you just walk off? -- what do you do? -- what does God expect you to do?
-- when Paul experienced suffering and insults in Philippi -- when he faced strong opposition to his preaching and teaching -- he had a choice to make -- he could react strongly and harshly -- he could push back at his opponents and beat them with his big stick -- he could just keep quiet and leave and not do what God called him to do, letting the bullies win -- or he could respond with grace and gentleness -- displaying in his meekness the true character and nature of God
-- never forget that Christianity is more about relationship than anything else -- relationship with God, of course -- but also relationship with others -- that's why we like to say that the cross has two components -- it has the vertical component that reminds us, first and foremost, that we are to be in a right relationship with God -- but, secondly, it has this horizontal component -- that reminds us that Christ also came to restore our relationships with others
-- remember what Paul's mission was -- he came as an emissary of Christ -- he came as a representative of Jesus -- and how he acted -- how he responded -- would translate into how the people around him would view Jesus
-- I think that's one reason for Paul's statement in Ephesians 6:12 when he reminds us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of evil -- in other words, we're not supposed to struggle and fight against people -- but against the spiritual forces that are engaging these people -- instead, we are to approach people with humbleness and meekness and gentleness -- and that is what Paul did
-- verse 4
4. On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.
5. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed--God is our witness.
6. We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you,
7. but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.
8. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.
-- here we see a working definition of gentleness -- being gentle or meek towards someone doesn't mean that we give them what they want -- it doesn't mean that we just roll over and let them have their way -- it doesn't mean that we flatter them and tell them what they want to hear
-- no, responding to someone with gentleness and meekness means you tell them what they need to hear -- you just do it with grace and love -- responding to someone with gentleness and meekness means that you give someone what they need -- not necessarily what they want
-- Paul uses the analogy of a mother caring for her little children here -- anyone in here who has had kids or been around little children know what horrible creatures they can be from time to time -- the most selfish person on earth is a new-born baby -- little children demand their own way -- they demand that their needs be met -- they demand all the attention -- and if they don't get their way, they get upset and throw fits and tantrums
-- well, a good mother doesn't give in to the fit -- she doesn't let the toddler have their way -- she stands firm and disciplines them -- gently instructing them and giving them what they need rather than what they want -- telling them how to act rather than letting them get away with murder -- and she does it just like Teddy Roosevelt said, she speaks softly and carries a big stick
-- I remember when I was a child, I learned early on just how big a stick my mother carried -- I didn't get spanked much, but just like all kids, I did get spanked from time to time when I demanded my own way or did something wrong or threw a fit -- and after that, I learned -- when I started cutting up in a store, my mother didn't have to raise her voice -- all she had to do was softly say, "You need to stop now" -- and I knew what that meant -- I knew the power that she had -- and I knew that if I didn't stop, that I would get it when I got home
-- Paul says here that he was gentle with the Thessalonians just like a mother caring for her little children -- Paul had a big stick -- he had the power of God with him -- he had been called and anointed by God and had been entrusted to carry the message of God to the Gentiles -- and that was what he was going to do
-- when people opposed him -- when they insulted him and harassed him -- Paul didn't use flattery to win them over -- he didn't put on a mask and become what they wanted him to be -- Paul remained true to his word and to his calling -- he spoke the truth in love and pointed to Christ instead of himself
-- he gave himself for them -- in verse 8 he says that he shared his life with them -- he gave of all he had so that the Thessalonians would get what they really needed -- this is the essence of gentleness and meekness -- humbling yourself so that Christ can be exalted -- not responding to suffering and insults in kind -- but putting aside your discomfort so that Christ's message can go forth
-- verse 9
9. Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.
10. You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.
11. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,
12. encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
-- even though Paul possessed a great power within, he always responded to others -- even to those who opposed him, with gentleness and humbleness and meekness -- his power was under control -- rather than exalting himself as an apostle, Paul lived with the Thessalonians -- working with them night and day -- letting them see holiness in action -- letting them see how a man of God truly lives and carries himself in the work place and at home
-- through his example, Paul encouraged the Thessalonians to turn to Christ -- he exhorted them and charged them to live lives worthy of God and of the calling they had received -- and he reminded them of the power that they had within them
-- such is the power of gentleness -- gentleness is not a bonus that we give to the deserving -- it is a debt that we owe everyone -- even people who oppose us
-- as Maxie Dunnam said, "The gentle are courteous and kind -- they exercise restraint -- they practice reticence in speech, knowing that words can wound and silence may be more affirming than chatter -- they do not intrude into another's life but are available to and responsive to other's needs."
-- gentleness takes incredible inner strength, self-control, and resilience -- In the Bible, we are told to combat harshness, violence, insults, suffering, and severity with gentleness and meekness
-- to be gentle means that you understand human frailty and that you support, help, encourage, exhort and counsel others with patience until they become strong and mature, just like Paul did with the Thessalonians
-- to be gentle means that you are aware of the power that you have but you choose to wield it in a way that will build up rather than destroy
-- a great illustration of gentleness as power under control is the alligator -- a few years ago, I stumbled on an alligator nest while I was cruising timber -- all the baby alligators that were in the water scrambled for the far bank as I came up on the pond and they started grunting -- moments later, mama showed up -- and she opened up her mouth and the babies crawled in and she carried them off
-- the crushing power of an alligator's jaw is immense -- an alligator can exert up to 3,000 pounds of pressure per square inch -- it can easily break bone -- I have seen alligators bite through truck fenders -- but this mother alligator -- rather than wielding her power -- kept it in control and gently took care of her young
-- that is what we are called to do as Christians -- we have this great power within us, but we have to take care how we use it -- Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, "You don't lead by hitting people over the head - that's assault, not leadership" -- as Christians, we are not to hit people over the head with the gospel message -- we are not to hit people over the head with our religion
-- instead, we are to respond to them with gentleness and meekness just as Jesus did and just as Paul did -- instead of responding to hostility and opposition and persecution with similar actions, we are to respond from a point of power with humility and gentleness
-- as Chuck Swindoll reminds us -- gentleness is not weakness -- it is not being soft -- it not being virtually spineless -- "Gentleness includes such enviable qualities as having strength under control -- being calm and peaceful when surrounded by a heated atmosphere -- emitting a soothing effect on those who may be angry or otherwise beside themselves -- and possessing tact and gracious courtesy that causes others to retain their self-esteem and dignity"
-- gentleness or meekness is a virtue that can only come through the power of the Holy Spirit within us -- gentleness is the wise application of power in the life of someone else to help them become more like Christ -- it is willingly removing ourself from a situation so that Christ can be exalted -- in a very real sense, gentleness combines and applies all of the other fruits of the Spirit so that others can come to a saving knowledge of Christ
-- let's pray
SERMON: PURSUING HOLINESS: FAITHFULNESS
PURSUING HOLINESS: FAITHFULNESS
2 August 2009
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to 1 Corinthians 4
1. So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.
2. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
3. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.
4. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.
5. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
-- the story is told about the great missionary, Hudson Taylor, who founded the China Inland Mission in the 1800's -- one stormy night in Birmingham, England, Taylor was supposed to speak at a meeting at the Seven Street schoolroom -- but, because the storm was so fierce and so strong, his hostess told him there was no need to go out -- nobody would attend on such a stormy night -- but Taylor insisted on going -- “I must go even if there is no one but the doorkeeper.”
-- As it turned out, less than a dozen people showed up, but the meeting was marked with unusual spiritual power -- God moved within that small crowd of dedicated and committed believers, and half of those present either became missionaries themselves or dedicated their children as missionaries -- all of them became faithful supporters of the China Inland Mission for years to come
-- that night, Hudson Taylor demonstrated the quality and depth of character that has made him a continuing inspiration for Christians for almost 200 years now -- Taylor was committed to serving God "regardless of names (who showed up) or numbers (how many showed) or the nature of the situation (stormy conditions)"1 -- he was faithful to God and God honored and rewarded that faithfulness by increasing the ministry of the China Inland Mission
II. The Faithful and the Summer Sermon Series
-- we are continuing in our summer sermon series on pursuing holiness through the fruit of the Spirit -- and today, we are discussing the attribute of faithfulness -- that characteristic of God that we must have in our life if we are to fulfill our calling as the people of Christ
-- I don't know if I've ever actually mentioned this in here or not, but the reason I started doing a summer sermon series was because of this very topic of faithfulness -- you see, it took me a while, but I have finally learned something that all of you probably already knew years ago -- namely, that churches are comprised of different groups of people depending on the season and the day
-- Rick Warren, in his book, "The Purpose Driven Church," talks about three such groups -- first, there's the crowd -- the group of people who only come to church on the major holidays -- Christmas -- Easter -- and Mother's Day
-- then, there's the congregation -- this is the group of people who come to Sunday morning worship on a regular basis -- they're not present every Sunday, but they're there most of the time although they tend to miss church more during the summer months
-- but then, there's the committed -- this is the core of a church -- the group of people who are serious about their faith and about their God -- these are the people who are there every time the door is open -- by and large, and this is generalizing of course, but these are the ones who carry the ministry of the church -- the rest of the congregation may join in, but it is this group who has the vision and the drive to develop and implement ministries in the church
-- these are the people who are the like the ones Hudson Taylor spoke to on that stormy night in England -- who come regardless of the season -- who come regardless of the weather -- who come regardless of what else may be going on in their lives
-- now I know we don't, but a lot of churches have Sunday night services -- if you want to know who the committed in a church are, visit on a Sunday night -- the few who show up -- and I would say this is about 10-20% of the congregation of any given church -- are the group that Warren calls the "core" or the "committed"
-- in his book, Warren suggested that a church focus its ministry and its message to the audience that would be in a given service -- and I've tried to adopt that philosophy -- for instance, if my goal is to preach an evangelistic message to reach people who are unsaved or unchurched, then I know I have to do it at Christmas, Easter, or Mother's Day, because that is when this group of people are in the church
-- and that's why I started the summer sermon series -- you might have noticed that these summer sermon series tend to be a little deeper and a little more challenging than most of the messages that I preach -- for instance, I normally don't use Greek and Hebrew words in my messages, but I do quite frequently during the summer message -- and that has been intentional -- because I know that the audience at church in the summer is primarily the core and committed group of believers who are trying to become more mature in their relationship with God and who are actively pursuing holiness in their lives
-- it's the same way with the Bible studies I lead -- they are designed for mature believers in Christ who are ready to really dig deep into God's word and get the most out of the scriptures
-- it comes down to this concept of faithfulness -- this fruit of the Spirit that we are trying to acquire in our lives -- faithfulness is a commitment to something that we hold important -- I have heard it described as faith in action -- acting in accordance with what you believe and are called to do
-- Webster defines faithful as "maintaining allegiance; constant; loyal; marked by or showing a strong sense of duty or responsibility; conscientious; accurate; reliable; exact." -- The American Heritage Dictionary goes one step farther and defines faithful as, "Consistent with truth or actuality -- [as in:] a faithful reproduction of a portrait.”
-- the Greek word that we find translated as "faithful" or "faithfulness" in the list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 is pistis -- you'll also see it translated in your Bible as "trustworthy," "steadfast," or "loyal"
-- in regards to the Christian life, these definitions carry with them two important concepts related to faithfulness -- commitment and copy
-- commitment to the message and ministry of Christ -- dedication to completing the task that Christ assigned us -- and, copy -- the faithful reproduction of Christ in us -- in other words, becoming more and more like Jesus in our attitude, our motives, our behavior and our lives so that when others look at us, they see a picture of Jesus
III. Scripture Lesson -- 1 Corinthians 4:1-5
-- this idea of commitment and copy can be seen in these verses from the epistle of Paul to the church at Corinth -- Paul was dealing with a church that had divisions because some people were listening to Paul and others would only listen to Peter while others would only listen to the teachings of Apollos -- similar to what we see today as people tend to have their favorite preachers or favorite authors
-- the problem with the church at Corinth, though, was that these new Christians were putting their faith into the teachers rather than into the message -- they were becoming faithful and committed to the wrong thing -- they were following men rather than God
-- and so Paul reminds them here of their calling as Christians and gently points them back to the only message and only person they should be committed to
-- if you would, look back with me at verse 1 in 1 Corinthians 4
1. So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.
-- we see here in this first verse the concept of commitment and copy -- like I said, the Corinthians were putting their faith and loyalty behind individual human teachers -- so the first thing Paul does here is remind the Corinthians of who they are -- they are servants and ministers of Christ -- they are the ones entrusted with the mysteries and the secrets of God Himself
-- Paul is telling them, "Stop committing yourself to men -- stop putting your faith and trust in me or Apollos or Peter -- instead, you should be committed -- you should be faithful -- to the One who has appointed you His servant and His minister -- your commitment and your loyalty should be to Christ"
-- secondly, Paul points out the concept of copy to the Corinthians -- "I want you to be so committed to Christ -- so faithful to His call and His charge to you -- that when men look at you -- when they regard you -- they don't see you but they see Jesus"
-- what Paul is talking about here is the essence of what we have been going over this summer in this sermon series -- Paul wanted the Corinthians to imitate Christ -- to copy Christ in their attitude and behavior and motives so that they would become mature believers -- so that they would be holy as Christ is holy
-- "Reach the point," Paul is saying, "where people look at you and see Jesus in your life."
-- verse 2
2. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
-- here Paul emphasizes that concept of commitment and faithfulness -- as Christians, we have been given a responsibility -- verse 1 tells us that we are not just people who are called to sit on the pews on Sunday morning -- but that we are people who are called by God to be His servants -- or, as the King James Version puts it, His ministers
-- this implies that we have a calling -- that God has given us a job to do -- just as there can be no Lone Ranger Christians who are not part of a community of faith -- there can be no passive Christians who just sit in the pews and do nothing
-- in verse 1, we read that we have been entrusted with the secret things of God -- the King James Version says that we are "stewards of the mysteries of God" -- Paul is referring here to the message of the gospel -- the good news that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and that He rose on the third day to prove His victory over sin and death and give us the promise of eternal life
-- Paul call this a mystery or a secret thing -- in the Bible, mysteries are things that have been hidden, but that are now being revealed through the power of the Holy Spirit -- the Bible tells us that the natural man cannot understand the things of God unless they are taught by the Spirit -- and that's where we come in
-- Paul is saying that we should be a copy of Christ -- that we should be His hands and His feet and His voice -- and that we should be committed -- faithful -- to the trust that we have been given by spreading the message of the gospel to those around us that can't understand it on their own
-- that's the purpose of the church -- that's why we exist -- to tell others about Jesus and His message of hope -- we are faithful only to the point that we fulfill this trust that we have been given
-- now, this doesn't mean that we have to be successful -- our call is to faithfulness -- not success
-- Senator Mark Hatfield tells the story in his book of touring Calcutta with Mother Teresa and visiting the so-called “House of Dying” -- this was the place where sick children were cared for in their last days -- and this was the clinic where hundreds of poor and lower caste people would line up for medical care
-- Hatfield spent several days watching Mother Teresa minister to these people, feeding and nursing those left by others to die -- he was overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the suffering she and her co-workers face daily -- “How can you bear the load without being crushed by it?” he asked -- Mother Teresa replied, “My dear Senator, I am not called to be successful, I am called to be faithful.”1
-- to be faithful means that you go where you are sent and you do what you are told regardless of the outcome -- to be faithful means that you go out in a pouring rainstorm to give a message to only 12 people like Hudson Taylor because that is what God calls you to do -- to be faithful means that you minister to the sick and dying like Mother Teresa even though in human eyes it makes no difference -- to be faithful means that you serve God and minister to others where He had placed you -- giving of yourself and your time and your resources to fulfill the calling on your life
-- that is why in our membership covenant that we ask people who are coming to join our church if they will commit to supporting God and the church through their prayers, presence, gifts, witness, and service -- to be faithful is to do all of these things
-- verse 3
3. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.
4. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.
5. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
-- real quickly here, let me wrap this up for you -- Paul says, "It doesn't matter what other people think of me -- I don't care how you or any human court view me or judge me -- I don't even care how I view myself or what I think of myself -- the only thing that is important is how God sees me -- how God will judge me
-- "at the appointed time -- when the Lord returns -- He will judge not only my actions and my behavior but also the motives of my heart -- it is Jesus that I am serving -- it is the praise of Jesus that I am seeking -- for, in the end, it is the phrase, 'Well done, good and faithful servant,' that I long to hear"
IV. Closing
-- at 8:46 am on September 11th, 2001, American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the World Trade Center's North Tower -- minutes after that, United Airlines Flight 175 hit the South Tower
-- New Yorkers were in a panic and fled from the scene of the attack as smoke billowed up from the towers -- but while most of the city was running away, one group of dedicated men and women was running toward the disaster -- members of the New York Fire Department and the New York police department were the first to arrive on scene and began helping the people evacuate and get to safety
-- and, as you know, 411 of these brave men and women died as the two towers of the World Trade Center collapsed
-- what was it that propelled these men and women to run to danger instead of fleeing like the rest of the city? -- you can answer that in one word -- faithfulness
-- these men and women had been given a charge -- they had been given a duty to fulfill -- a trust to accomplish -- and in spite of the overwhelming danger to their personal lives, they ran headlong into the flames to save others
-- the very definition of faithfulness -- faith in action -- acting in accordance with what they believed and were called to do
-- while we may never be called to rush into actual flames to save others, we have been entrusted with a responsibility from God to be faithful to His word and to minister to others the gospel of Christ Jesus -- we have been called to be God's servants -- to reflect His nature and character -- and to stand firm in the face of opposition and danger as we snatch others from the flames of hell
-- that is the essence of what we mean by the term "faithfulness" -- and that is what Christ is calling you to today
-- as I close in prayer, I want to encourage you to respond to God's word by rededicating your life to Him -- none of us are as faithful in our walk with Jesus as we should be -- none of us truly copy Him in all of our behavior or attitudes or motives -- none of us are truly committed in all our ways to Him
-- so, I want to encourage you to take a moment to commit your life to God again -- to promise again that you will fulfill your vows to support God and His church through your prayers, presence, gifts, witness, and service -- to promise again that you will be His faithful servants in all that you do
-- let us pray
References:
1. http://bible.org/seriespage/mark-14-faithfulness -- Mark #14: Faithfulness
By: J. Hampton Keathley, III, Accessed 1 August 2009
2 August 2009
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to 1 Corinthians 4
1. So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.
2. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
3. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.
4. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.
5. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
-- the story is told about the great missionary, Hudson Taylor, who founded the China Inland Mission in the 1800's -- one stormy night in Birmingham, England, Taylor was supposed to speak at a meeting at the Seven Street schoolroom -- but, because the storm was so fierce and so strong, his hostess told him there was no need to go out -- nobody would attend on such a stormy night -- but Taylor insisted on going -- “I must go even if there is no one but the doorkeeper.”
-- As it turned out, less than a dozen people showed up, but the meeting was marked with unusual spiritual power -- God moved within that small crowd of dedicated and committed believers, and half of those present either became missionaries themselves or dedicated their children as missionaries -- all of them became faithful supporters of the China Inland Mission for years to come
-- that night, Hudson Taylor demonstrated the quality and depth of character that has made him a continuing inspiration for Christians for almost 200 years now -- Taylor was committed to serving God "regardless of names (who showed up) or numbers (how many showed) or the nature of the situation (stormy conditions)"1 -- he was faithful to God and God honored and rewarded that faithfulness by increasing the ministry of the China Inland Mission
II. The Faithful and the Summer Sermon Series
-- we are continuing in our summer sermon series on pursuing holiness through the fruit of the Spirit -- and today, we are discussing the attribute of faithfulness -- that characteristic of God that we must have in our life if we are to fulfill our calling as the people of Christ
-- I don't know if I've ever actually mentioned this in here or not, but the reason I started doing a summer sermon series was because of this very topic of faithfulness -- you see, it took me a while, but I have finally learned something that all of you probably already knew years ago -- namely, that churches are comprised of different groups of people depending on the season and the day
-- Rick Warren, in his book, "The Purpose Driven Church," talks about three such groups -- first, there's the crowd -- the group of people who only come to church on the major holidays -- Christmas -- Easter -- and Mother's Day
-- then, there's the congregation -- this is the group of people who come to Sunday morning worship on a regular basis -- they're not present every Sunday, but they're there most of the time although they tend to miss church more during the summer months
-- but then, there's the committed -- this is the core of a church -- the group of people who are serious about their faith and about their God -- these are the people who are there every time the door is open -- by and large, and this is generalizing of course, but these are the ones who carry the ministry of the church -- the rest of the congregation may join in, but it is this group who has the vision and the drive to develop and implement ministries in the church
-- these are the people who are the like the ones Hudson Taylor spoke to on that stormy night in England -- who come regardless of the season -- who come regardless of the weather -- who come regardless of what else may be going on in their lives
-- now I know we don't, but a lot of churches have Sunday night services -- if you want to know who the committed in a church are, visit on a Sunday night -- the few who show up -- and I would say this is about 10-20% of the congregation of any given church -- are the group that Warren calls the "core" or the "committed"
-- in his book, Warren suggested that a church focus its ministry and its message to the audience that would be in a given service -- and I've tried to adopt that philosophy -- for instance, if my goal is to preach an evangelistic message to reach people who are unsaved or unchurched, then I know I have to do it at Christmas, Easter, or Mother's Day, because that is when this group of people are in the church
-- and that's why I started the summer sermon series -- you might have noticed that these summer sermon series tend to be a little deeper and a little more challenging than most of the messages that I preach -- for instance, I normally don't use Greek and Hebrew words in my messages, but I do quite frequently during the summer message -- and that has been intentional -- because I know that the audience at church in the summer is primarily the core and committed group of believers who are trying to become more mature in their relationship with God and who are actively pursuing holiness in their lives
-- it's the same way with the Bible studies I lead -- they are designed for mature believers in Christ who are ready to really dig deep into God's word and get the most out of the scriptures
-- it comes down to this concept of faithfulness -- this fruit of the Spirit that we are trying to acquire in our lives -- faithfulness is a commitment to something that we hold important -- I have heard it described as faith in action -- acting in accordance with what you believe and are called to do
-- Webster defines faithful as "maintaining allegiance; constant; loyal; marked by or showing a strong sense of duty or responsibility; conscientious; accurate; reliable; exact." -- The American Heritage Dictionary goes one step farther and defines faithful as, "Consistent with truth or actuality -- [as in:] a faithful reproduction of a portrait.”
-- the Greek word that we find translated as "faithful" or "faithfulness" in the list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 is pistis -- you'll also see it translated in your Bible as "trustworthy," "steadfast," or "loyal"
-- in regards to the Christian life, these definitions carry with them two important concepts related to faithfulness -- commitment and copy
-- commitment to the message and ministry of Christ -- dedication to completing the task that Christ assigned us -- and, copy -- the faithful reproduction of Christ in us -- in other words, becoming more and more like Jesus in our attitude, our motives, our behavior and our lives so that when others look at us, they see a picture of Jesus
III. Scripture Lesson -- 1 Corinthians 4:1-5
-- this idea of commitment and copy can be seen in these verses from the epistle of Paul to the church at Corinth -- Paul was dealing with a church that had divisions because some people were listening to Paul and others would only listen to Peter while others would only listen to the teachings of Apollos -- similar to what we see today as people tend to have their favorite preachers or favorite authors
-- the problem with the church at Corinth, though, was that these new Christians were putting their faith into the teachers rather than into the message -- they were becoming faithful and committed to the wrong thing -- they were following men rather than God
-- and so Paul reminds them here of their calling as Christians and gently points them back to the only message and only person they should be committed to
-- if you would, look back with me at verse 1 in 1 Corinthians 4
1. So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.
-- we see here in this first verse the concept of commitment and copy -- like I said, the Corinthians were putting their faith and loyalty behind individual human teachers -- so the first thing Paul does here is remind the Corinthians of who they are -- they are servants and ministers of Christ -- they are the ones entrusted with the mysteries and the secrets of God Himself
-- Paul is telling them, "Stop committing yourself to men -- stop putting your faith and trust in me or Apollos or Peter -- instead, you should be committed -- you should be faithful -- to the One who has appointed you His servant and His minister -- your commitment and your loyalty should be to Christ"
-- secondly, Paul points out the concept of copy to the Corinthians -- "I want you to be so committed to Christ -- so faithful to His call and His charge to you -- that when men look at you -- when they regard you -- they don't see you but they see Jesus"
-- what Paul is talking about here is the essence of what we have been going over this summer in this sermon series -- Paul wanted the Corinthians to imitate Christ -- to copy Christ in their attitude and behavior and motives so that they would become mature believers -- so that they would be holy as Christ is holy
-- "Reach the point," Paul is saying, "where people look at you and see Jesus in your life."
-- verse 2
2. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
-- here Paul emphasizes that concept of commitment and faithfulness -- as Christians, we have been given a responsibility -- verse 1 tells us that we are not just people who are called to sit on the pews on Sunday morning -- but that we are people who are called by God to be His servants -- or, as the King James Version puts it, His ministers
-- this implies that we have a calling -- that God has given us a job to do -- just as there can be no Lone Ranger Christians who are not part of a community of faith -- there can be no passive Christians who just sit in the pews and do nothing
-- in verse 1, we read that we have been entrusted with the secret things of God -- the King James Version says that we are "stewards of the mysteries of God" -- Paul is referring here to the message of the gospel -- the good news that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and that He rose on the third day to prove His victory over sin and death and give us the promise of eternal life
-- Paul call this a mystery or a secret thing -- in the Bible, mysteries are things that have been hidden, but that are now being revealed through the power of the Holy Spirit -- the Bible tells us that the natural man cannot understand the things of God unless they are taught by the Spirit -- and that's where we come in
-- Paul is saying that we should be a copy of Christ -- that we should be His hands and His feet and His voice -- and that we should be committed -- faithful -- to the trust that we have been given by spreading the message of the gospel to those around us that can't understand it on their own
-- that's the purpose of the church -- that's why we exist -- to tell others about Jesus and His message of hope -- we are faithful only to the point that we fulfill this trust that we have been given
-- now, this doesn't mean that we have to be successful -- our call is to faithfulness -- not success
-- Senator Mark Hatfield tells the story in his book of touring Calcutta with Mother Teresa and visiting the so-called “House of Dying” -- this was the place where sick children were cared for in their last days -- and this was the clinic where hundreds of poor and lower caste people would line up for medical care
-- Hatfield spent several days watching Mother Teresa minister to these people, feeding and nursing those left by others to die -- he was overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the suffering she and her co-workers face daily -- “How can you bear the load without being crushed by it?” he asked -- Mother Teresa replied, “My dear Senator, I am not called to be successful, I am called to be faithful.”1
-- to be faithful means that you go where you are sent and you do what you are told regardless of the outcome -- to be faithful means that you go out in a pouring rainstorm to give a message to only 12 people like Hudson Taylor because that is what God calls you to do -- to be faithful means that you minister to the sick and dying like Mother Teresa even though in human eyes it makes no difference -- to be faithful means that you serve God and minister to others where He had placed you -- giving of yourself and your time and your resources to fulfill the calling on your life
-- that is why in our membership covenant that we ask people who are coming to join our church if they will commit to supporting God and the church through their prayers, presence, gifts, witness, and service -- to be faithful is to do all of these things
-- verse 3
3. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.
4. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.
5. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
-- real quickly here, let me wrap this up for you -- Paul says, "It doesn't matter what other people think of me -- I don't care how you or any human court view me or judge me -- I don't even care how I view myself or what I think of myself -- the only thing that is important is how God sees me -- how God will judge me
-- "at the appointed time -- when the Lord returns -- He will judge not only my actions and my behavior but also the motives of my heart -- it is Jesus that I am serving -- it is the praise of Jesus that I am seeking -- for, in the end, it is the phrase, 'Well done, good and faithful servant,' that I long to hear"
IV. Closing
-- at 8:46 am on September 11th, 2001, American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the World Trade Center's North Tower -- minutes after that, United Airlines Flight 175 hit the South Tower
-- New Yorkers were in a panic and fled from the scene of the attack as smoke billowed up from the towers -- but while most of the city was running away, one group of dedicated men and women was running toward the disaster -- members of the New York Fire Department and the New York police department were the first to arrive on scene and began helping the people evacuate and get to safety
-- and, as you know, 411 of these brave men and women died as the two towers of the World Trade Center collapsed
-- what was it that propelled these men and women to run to danger instead of fleeing like the rest of the city? -- you can answer that in one word -- faithfulness
-- these men and women had been given a charge -- they had been given a duty to fulfill -- a trust to accomplish -- and in spite of the overwhelming danger to their personal lives, they ran headlong into the flames to save others
-- the very definition of faithfulness -- faith in action -- acting in accordance with what they believed and were called to do
-- while we may never be called to rush into actual flames to save others, we have been entrusted with a responsibility from God to be faithful to His word and to minister to others the gospel of Christ Jesus -- we have been called to be God's servants -- to reflect His nature and character -- and to stand firm in the face of opposition and danger as we snatch others from the flames of hell
-- that is the essence of what we mean by the term "faithfulness" -- and that is what Christ is calling you to today
-- as I close in prayer, I want to encourage you to respond to God's word by rededicating your life to Him -- none of us are as faithful in our walk with Jesus as we should be -- none of us truly copy Him in all of our behavior or attitudes or motives -- none of us are truly committed in all our ways to Him
-- so, I want to encourage you to take a moment to commit your life to God again -- to promise again that you will fulfill your vows to support God and His church through your prayers, presence, gifts, witness, and service -- to promise again that you will be His faithful servants in all that you do
-- let us pray
References:
1. http://bible.org/seriespage/mark-14-faithfulness -- Mark #14: Faithfulness
By: J. Hampton Keathley, III, Accessed 1 August 2009
SERMON: PURSUING HOLINESS: GOODNESS
PURSUING HOLINESS: GOODNESS
26 July 2009
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to 1 Samuel 12
1. Samuel said to all Israel, "I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you.
2. Now you have a king as your leader. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day.
3. Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the LORD and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these, I will make it right."
4. "You have not cheated or oppressed us," they replied. "You have not taken anything from anyone's hand."
5. Samuel said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." "He is witness," they said.
-- In an issue of Moody Monthly, George Sweeting wrote an article about the desperate need for honesty in our culture today -- He told the story of Dr. Madison Sarratt, a math teacher at Vanderbilt University many years ago
-- before Dr. Sarratt would pass out a test, he would give this instruction to the class -- "Today I am giving two examinations - one in trigonometry and the other in honesty -- I hope you will pass them both -- If you must fail one, fail trigonometry
-- There are many good people in the world who can't pass trig, but there are no good people in the world who cannot pass the examination of honesty."
-- it goes by many names -- honesty -- integrity -- character -- goodness -- no matter what you call it, it is a trait sorely missing in our world today -- everywhere we look today we see examples of a lack of integrity, even among Christians
-- just this past week we saw in the news the story of how 44 civic leaders in New Jersey were indicted on corruption charges, including three mayors -- two state assemblymen -- several city councilmen -- and even five rabbis -- these leaders were accused of violating the public trust -- of violating the integrity of their offices by taking bribes and laundering money [Geraldine Baum -- LA Times -- 24 July 2009]
-- we’ve reached the point in our nation where the term “politician” is synonymous with “liar” and “cheater” -- but, the problem isn’t just with politicians
-- in a recent survey of our school kids, two-thirds of all high school students have admitted to cheating on tests -- 30% of the students admitted to having stolen something from a store -- 36% admit to having plagiarized assignments from the internet -- and 42% admit to lying if it will save them money
-- and we all know that with the advent of the i-pod and other mp3 players, the percentage of people who illegally download music and movies and software from the internet is astronomical -- three months before Mel Gibson’s movie, “The Passion of the Christ” came out in theaters, I was offered a copy on DVD from a friend at work -- illegally downloaded from the internet -- think about that for a moment -- not only has the illegal downloading of movies become normal practice in our country, they are even stealing Christian movies and have no qualms about it
-- and this is not just a phenomenon that we are seeing among non-Christians -- I was at the Potter’s House not long ago buying a Bible for my niece -- if you’ve bought a Bible there, you know that they come in boxes -- and the store clerk made a point of opening the box and comparing the Bible inside to the Bible that was listed on the box -- when I asked him what he was doing, he said that they have problems with people coming in and putting expensive Bibles in the boxes for less-expensive Bibles -- in other words, they are trying to cheat a Christian bookstore while buying a Bible
-- unethical, immoral, and downright illegal behavior have become the norm in our society -- one more example -- you all know that I just got back from Course of Study at Emory University -- the Candler School of Theology -- one of the seminaries for the United Methodist Church
-- on the cover sheet for all of the precourse work we had to complete, there is a statement at the bottom that defines plagiarism and that we are required to sign indicating that the work we are turning in is our own and has not been copied or plagiarized from someone else
-- and, honestly, it made me a little mad and a little sad to have to sign that form because the implication was that students at the Candler School of Theology and the United Methodist Church Course of Study were dishonest and would cheat by copying another person’s work and turning it in as their own
-- have we reached the point in our society where lying and cheating is so common-place that we can’t even trust seminary students -- those men and women called by God to be our spiritual leaders?
II. Biblical Goodness
-- this morning, we are continuing our sermon series on pursuing holiness through the fruit of the Spirit -- today finds us looking at the characteristic of goodness
-- we’ve already kind of talked about the concept of goodness in a negative sense by pointing out how far our society has fallen, but let me give you a clear definition of goodness as the Bible defines it
-- The Greek word for goodness in Galatians 5:22 is agathosune -- it occurs about 20 times in the New Testament and about 12 times in the Septaguint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament that Jesus used
-- William Barclay defined agathosune as "virtue equipped at every point” -- in other words, it is defined as moral excellence -- as worthy and ethical behavior -- as honesty -- as integrity
-- it carries with it the concept of wholeness or completeness in character as compared to the standard of Christ -- agathosune -- “goodness” -- is generally what we would define as “holy”
-- to be good in this sense means that your character is spotless -- undefiled -- unassailable -- perfect as Christ is perfect
-- we see a very good sense of this type of moral perfection in the life of the prophet Samuel as we just read in this passage from 1 Samuel
-- at this time, the people of Israel had been clamoring for a king so that they could be like all the nations around them -- they were, in essence, rejecting the theocracy -- the leadership and governance of God -- through their demand for an earthly king
-- for many years, God had ruled the nation directly through His prophet Samuel -- from the time Samuel was a young boy, he had heard the word of God and followed God’s commands -- leading the nation of Israel in accordance with God’s word
-- now, as Saul has been appointed as king over Israel, Samuel’s leadership role is drawing to a close -- as he prepares to transfer power to Saul, Samuel reminds the people of how he had acted among them as their leader and as God’s representative and how God expected them to act -- look back at verse 1
1. Samuel said to all Israel, "I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you.
2. Now you have a king as your leader. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day.
3. Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the LORD and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these, I will make it right."
-- Samuel is saying, “I have acted honestly and ethically and with integrity as your leader -- I haven’t stolen from you -- not even an ox or a donkey -- I haven’t cheated -- I haven’t lied -- I haven’t oppressed others or sought illegal gain for myself -- in all my ways I have been upright and honest”
-- Samuel says, “If you know otherwise, speak now and I will make it right”
-- verse 4
4. "You have not cheated or oppressed us," they replied. "You have not taken anything from anyone's hand."
5. Samuel said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." "He is witness," they said.
-- the people of Israel agreed and testified in the presence of God and His anointed king that Samuel was a man of integrity -- that his behavior and actions and motives -- his whole being -- was characterized by agathosune -- by goodness
-- can we say the same in our lives?
-- last night I was laying in bed and I kept hearing a strange sound coming from the kitchen -- it sounded like someone was opening and closing the cabinet doors -- and I knew Brooke was in her room and Kim was there beside me and there shouldn’t have been anybody else in the house -- so, I laid there and listened for a few moments and then got up to see what was going on
-- I peeked around the corner and looked in the kitchen, and there was Brooke’s cat, Josh -- he was opening the cabinet under the sink and peeking in before the door closed -- and then when the door closed, he’d do it again -- when Josh saw me, he ran off and I stood there looking and listening for a moment to see what was going on
-- the kitchen was spotless -- Kim had cleaned it before she went to bed -- everything was in its place -- nothing was not as it should have been -- but then I heard a strange noise -- under the sink, there was a rustling -- and I realized what was going on and why our cat was acting the way he had been acting
-- apparently, we have gotten a visitor -- we’ve got a mouse that has decided to take up residence under our sink -- and our cat heard him and was trying to get to him
-- and as I was standing there I realized, this is a great analogy about goodness -- about agathosune -- in our lives
-- goodness is more than just looking right on the outside -- it’s more than just behaving and acting morally and ethically when others are watching - it’s more than just presenting ourselves as clean and spotless to the world
-- goodness is about being totally clean -- totally pure -- totally honest -- inside and out -- not just on the surface -- but also in the dark places -- in the cabinets and closets of our lives
-- agathosune asks the question, “How do I live when no one’s looking?” -- as Ken Boa said, “It’s easy to look like a person of integrity when people are watching, but do I live my private life with the same level of consistency as I live my public life?”
-- I have a college-aged friend that I meet with occasionally who is a good, solid Christian -- he loves the Lord -- he serves in his church -- he participates in other ministries -- he’s always sharing his faith and witnessing to others -- he’s the epitome of what we want our sons and daughters to be as Christians
-- he shared with us one day that he had a problem -- that he had a dark place behind a cabinet door in his life that wasn’t what it should be -- that even though he looked like he had it all together -- even though he looked like his life was spotless and clean and morally pure -- when he was alone -- when no one was watching -- he would look at pornography on the internet
-- but the Holy Spirit spoke to him -- He showed my friend that what he was doing was wrong -- and finally, my friend went to his father and told him what was going on -- and I’ll never forget what his father told him as they worked through this issue -- as he challenged him to open that cabinet of pornography and let God cleanse it from his life -- his father said, “that’s not who you are”
-- that’s not who you are -- that’s not who Christ called you to be -- that’s not what you are capable of doing in your life -- God expects you to live a life of integrity -- to live a life of goodness and cleanness and moral purity inside and out
-- let me ask you this morning -- what secrets do you have closed up in cabinets in your life? -- when you look at yourself in the mirror, who looks back? -- are you happy with who you are when no one else is looking?
-- if you would, turn over to Titus 2 and we’ll close there -- in this pastoral epistle, Paul is giving his protégé Titus instructions on how to serve as the spiritual leader of the Christians in Crete and how to live as a man of God
-- in Chapter 1, Paul gave instructions on how to select leaders in the church -- what they should look like -- and here in Chapter 2, Paul is telling Titus how should teach others in the church how to live through his actions and behavior
-- look down at verse 7a -- In everything set them an example by doing what is good.
-- in everything -- in all your ways -- inside and out -- not just in the areas where others can see -- not just in the areas where you are being watched -- but inside as well -- in everything -- in every way -- set an example for others by being good
-- now, remember, that this call to agathosune -- to goodness -- to integrity -- is not something that we can do on our own -- it is a fruit of the Spirit -- it can only be realized through the power of the Holy Spirit working within us to make us men and women of integrity
-- as my friend’s father implied, as Christians, we are called to be more than what we are -- we are called to reflect the image and nature of Christ in this place -- but we can only do so if we let the Holy Spirit clean out our cabinets and make us holy in the dark places and recesses of our lives
-- look at the second part of verse 7
7b. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness
8. and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.
-- that phrase, “in your teaching” or “in your doctrine” -- refers to how you live -- how you demonstrate purity and honesty and goodness and integrity to others
-- Paul isn’t just talking about teaching others from the pulpit or during Bible studies -- he’s talking about teaching others through our lives
-- he says our lives should reflect “integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech” -- the KJV says “uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity” -- these lists both refer to agathosune -- to wholeness and completeness of character -- of goodness in and out
-- live this way, Paul says -- show people through your life what a man and a woman of God is to look like -- live in such a way that others will see your example and will follow you
-- just like Samuel, if you live your life in this way, no one will be able to condemn you -- no one will be able to say anything bad about you -- not even the man in the mirror -- the person that lives inside of you and that only you see and know
-- Socrates wrote, “The first key to greatness is to be in reality what we appear to be” -- that is what we are striving for as we seek to acquire goodness in our lives -- we are striving to be complete and whole persons -- men and women of integrity -- who demonstrate truly ethical and moral behavior inside and out
III. Closing
-- in the best western movie that was ever made -- “Lonesome Dove” -- there is a great example of integrity and of a man who is determined to keep his word above all
-- the movie revolves around two main characters, Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call -- friends who had served in the Texas Rangers together and who were now partners in bringing a herd of cattle north to Montana
-- as the movie draws to a close, Gus gets shot in the leg and acquires a fatal infection -- as he’s laying on his death bed, he makes Call promise to carry his body back to Texas and to bury it in a grove of pecan trees where he and his sweetheart used to walk -- and then he dies
-- the trip from Texas to Montana was hard -- it was extremely difficult -- many men had lost their lives along the way -- it took months to get from Texas to Montana -- no one would have faulted Call for not carrying Gus back to Texas -- Gus, for sure, wouldn’t know where his body was buried -- but Call was a man of integrity -- he was a man who kept his word -- and when spring rolled around, he did what he had promised to do -- he took months out of his life to make the long trip back to Texas to bury his friend, demonstrating not only his friendship but also his integrity
-- throughout the whole movie, Call never wavered once but remained steadfast in his behavior and his word, even though it cost him quite a lot along the way -- it is this type of devotion and integrity that God is calling us to demonstrate in our own lives
-- Billy Graham once wrote, “Integrity is the glue that holds our way of life together. We must constantly strive to keep our integrity intact. When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.”
-- as I close in prayer, I want to invite you to reflect on your character -- not on the person that the world sees -- but the person that you see in the mirror -- the person that you know that lives within you
-- look inside the cabinets of your heart and see what lurks in the darkness, and ask God to cleanse them and to make you a person of integrity -- a person of character -- a person who reflects His goodness in all that we do as we seek to become holy in His eyes
-- let’s pray
26 July 2009
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to 1 Samuel 12
1. Samuel said to all Israel, "I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you.
2. Now you have a king as your leader. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day.
3. Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the LORD and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these, I will make it right."
4. "You have not cheated or oppressed us," they replied. "You have not taken anything from anyone's hand."
5. Samuel said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." "He is witness," they said.
-- In an issue of Moody Monthly, George Sweeting wrote an article about the desperate need for honesty in our culture today -- He told the story of Dr. Madison Sarratt, a math teacher at Vanderbilt University many years ago
-- before Dr. Sarratt would pass out a test, he would give this instruction to the class -- "Today I am giving two examinations - one in trigonometry and the other in honesty -- I hope you will pass them both -- If you must fail one, fail trigonometry
-- There are many good people in the world who can't pass trig, but there are no good people in the world who cannot pass the examination of honesty."
-- it goes by many names -- honesty -- integrity -- character -- goodness -- no matter what you call it, it is a trait sorely missing in our world today -- everywhere we look today we see examples of a lack of integrity, even among Christians
-- just this past week we saw in the news the story of how 44 civic leaders in New Jersey were indicted on corruption charges, including three mayors -- two state assemblymen -- several city councilmen -- and even five rabbis -- these leaders were accused of violating the public trust -- of violating the integrity of their offices by taking bribes and laundering money [Geraldine Baum -- LA Times -- 24 July 2009]
-- we’ve reached the point in our nation where the term “politician” is synonymous with “liar” and “cheater” -- but, the problem isn’t just with politicians
-- in a recent survey of our school kids, two-thirds of all high school students have admitted to cheating on tests -- 30% of the students admitted to having stolen something from a store -- 36% admit to having plagiarized assignments from the internet -- and 42% admit to lying if it will save them money
-- and we all know that with the advent of the i-pod and other mp3 players, the percentage of people who illegally download music and movies and software from the internet is astronomical -- three months before Mel Gibson’s movie, “The Passion of the Christ” came out in theaters, I was offered a copy on DVD from a friend at work -- illegally downloaded from the internet -- think about that for a moment -- not only has the illegal downloading of movies become normal practice in our country, they are even stealing Christian movies and have no qualms about it
-- and this is not just a phenomenon that we are seeing among non-Christians -- I was at the Potter’s House not long ago buying a Bible for my niece -- if you’ve bought a Bible there, you know that they come in boxes -- and the store clerk made a point of opening the box and comparing the Bible inside to the Bible that was listed on the box -- when I asked him what he was doing, he said that they have problems with people coming in and putting expensive Bibles in the boxes for less-expensive Bibles -- in other words, they are trying to cheat a Christian bookstore while buying a Bible
-- unethical, immoral, and downright illegal behavior have become the norm in our society -- one more example -- you all know that I just got back from Course of Study at Emory University -- the Candler School of Theology -- one of the seminaries for the United Methodist Church
-- on the cover sheet for all of the precourse work we had to complete, there is a statement at the bottom that defines plagiarism and that we are required to sign indicating that the work we are turning in is our own and has not been copied or plagiarized from someone else
-- and, honestly, it made me a little mad and a little sad to have to sign that form because the implication was that students at the Candler School of Theology and the United Methodist Church Course of Study were dishonest and would cheat by copying another person’s work and turning it in as their own
-- have we reached the point in our society where lying and cheating is so common-place that we can’t even trust seminary students -- those men and women called by God to be our spiritual leaders?
II. Biblical Goodness
-- this morning, we are continuing our sermon series on pursuing holiness through the fruit of the Spirit -- today finds us looking at the characteristic of goodness
-- we’ve already kind of talked about the concept of goodness in a negative sense by pointing out how far our society has fallen, but let me give you a clear definition of goodness as the Bible defines it
-- The Greek word for goodness in Galatians 5:22 is agathosune -- it occurs about 20 times in the New Testament and about 12 times in the Septaguint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament that Jesus used
-- William Barclay defined agathosune as "virtue equipped at every point” -- in other words, it is defined as moral excellence -- as worthy and ethical behavior -- as honesty -- as integrity
-- it carries with it the concept of wholeness or completeness in character as compared to the standard of Christ -- agathosune -- “goodness” -- is generally what we would define as “holy”
-- to be good in this sense means that your character is spotless -- undefiled -- unassailable -- perfect as Christ is perfect
-- we see a very good sense of this type of moral perfection in the life of the prophet Samuel as we just read in this passage from 1 Samuel
-- at this time, the people of Israel had been clamoring for a king so that they could be like all the nations around them -- they were, in essence, rejecting the theocracy -- the leadership and governance of God -- through their demand for an earthly king
-- for many years, God had ruled the nation directly through His prophet Samuel -- from the time Samuel was a young boy, he had heard the word of God and followed God’s commands -- leading the nation of Israel in accordance with God’s word
-- now, as Saul has been appointed as king over Israel, Samuel’s leadership role is drawing to a close -- as he prepares to transfer power to Saul, Samuel reminds the people of how he had acted among them as their leader and as God’s representative and how God expected them to act -- look back at verse 1
1. Samuel said to all Israel, "I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you.
2. Now you have a king as your leader. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day.
3. Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the LORD and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these, I will make it right."
-- Samuel is saying, “I have acted honestly and ethically and with integrity as your leader -- I haven’t stolen from you -- not even an ox or a donkey -- I haven’t cheated -- I haven’t lied -- I haven’t oppressed others or sought illegal gain for myself -- in all my ways I have been upright and honest”
-- Samuel says, “If you know otherwise, speak now and I will make it right”
-- verse 4
4. "You have not cheated or oppressed us," they replied. "You have not taken anything from anyone's hand."
5. Samuel said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." "He is witness," they said.
-- the people of Israel agreed and testified in the presence of God and His anointed king that Samuel was a man of integrity -- that his behavior and actions and motives -- his whole being -- was characterized by agathosune -- by goodness
-- can we say the same in our lives?
-- last night I was laying in bed and I kept hearing a strange sound coming from the kitchen -- it sounded like someone was opening and closing the cabinet doors -- and I knew Brooke was in her room and Kim was there beside me and there shouldn’t have been anybody else in the house -- so, I laid there and listened for a few moments and then got up to see what was going on
-- I peeked around the corner and looked in the kitchen, and there was Brooke’s cat, Josh -- he was opening the cabinet under the sink and peeking in before the door closed -- and then when the door closed, he’d do it again -- when Josh saw me, he ran off and I stood there looking and listening for a moment to see what was going on
-- the kitchen was spotless -- Kim had cleaned it before she went to bed -- everything was in its place -- nothing was not as it should have been -- but then I heard a strange noise -- under the sink, there was a rustling -- and I realized what was going on and why our cat was acting the way he had been acting
-- apparently, we have gotten a visitor -- we’ve got a mouse that has decided to take up residence under our sink -- and our cat heard him and was trying to get to him
-- and as I was standing there I realized, this is a great analogy about goodness -- about agathosune -- in our lives
-- goodness is more than just looking right on the outside -- it’s more than just behaving and acting morally and ethically when others are watching - it’s more than just presenting ourselves as clean and spotless to the world
-- goodness is about being totally clean -- totally pure -- totally honest -- inside and out -- not just on the surface -- but also in the dark places -- in the cabinets and closets of our lives
-- agathosune asks the question, “How do I live when no one’s looking?” -- as Ken Boa said, “It’s easy to look like a person of integrity when people are watching, but do I live my private life with the same level of consistency as I live my public life?”
-- I have a college-aged friend that I meet with occasionally who is a good, solid Christian -- he loves the Lord -- he serves in his church -- he participates in other ministries -- he’s always sharing his faith and witnessing to others -- he’s the epitome of what we want our sons and daughters to be as Christians
-- he shared with us one day that he had a problem -- that he had a dark place behind a cabinet door in his life that wasn’t what it should be -- that even though he looked like he had it all together -- even though he looked like his life was spotless and clean and morally pure -- when he was alone -- when no one was watching -- he would look at pornography on the internet
-- but the Holy Spirit spoke to him -- He showed my friend that what he was doing was wrong -- and finally, my friend went to his father and told him what was going on -- and I’ll never forget what his father told him as they worked through this issue -- as he challenged him to open that cabinet of pornography and let God cleanse it from his life -- his father said, “that’s not who you are”
-- that’s not who you are -- that’s not who Christ called you to be -- that’s not what you are capable of doing in your life -- God expects you to live a life of integrity -- to live a life of goodness and cleanness and moral purity inside and out
-- let me ask you this morning -- what secrets do you have closed up in cabinets in your life? -- when you look at yourself in the mirror, who looks back? -- are you happy with who you are when no one else is looking?
-- if you would, turn over to Titus 2 and we’ll close there -- in this pastoral epistle, Paul is giving his protégé Titus instructions on how to serve as the spiritual leader of the Christians in Crete and how to live as a man of God
-- in Chapter 1, Paul gave instructions on how to select leaders in the church -- what they should look like -- and here in Chapter 2, Paul is telling Titus how should teach others in the church how to live through his actions and behavior
-- look down at verse 7a -- In everything set them an example by doing what is good.
-- in everything -- in all your ways -- inside and out -- not just in the areas where others can see -- not just in the areas where you are being watched -- but inside as well -- in everything -- in every way -- set an example for others by being good
-- now, remember, that this call to agathosune -- to goodness -- to integrity -- is not something that we can do on our own -- it is a fruit of the Spirit -- it can only be realized through the power of the Holy Spirit working within us to make us men and women of integrity
-- as my friend’s father implied, as Christians, we are called to be more than what we are -- we are called to reflect the image and nature of Christ in this place -- but we can only do so if we let the Holy Spirit clean out our cabinets and make us holy in the dark places and recesses of our lives
-- look at the second part of verse 7
7b. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness
8. and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.
-- that phrase, “in your teaching” or “in your doctrine” -- refers to how you live -- how you demonstrate purity and honesty and goodness and integrity to others
-- Paul isn’t just talking about teaching others from the pulpit or during Bible studies -- he’s talking about teaching others through our lives
-- he says our lives should reflect “integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech” -- the KJV says “uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity” -- these lists both refer to agathosune -- to wholeness and completeness of character -- of goodness in and out
-- live this way, Paul says -- show people through your life what a man and a woman of God is to look like -- live in such a way that others will see your example and will follow you
-- just like Samuel, if you live your life in this way, no one will be able to condemn you -- no one will be able to say anything bad about you -- not even the man in the mirror -- the person that lives inside of you and that only you see and know
-- Socrates wrote, “The first key to greatness is to be in reality what we appear to be” -- that is what we are striving for as we seek to acquire goodness in our lives -- we are striving to be complete and whole persons -- men and women of integrity -- who demonstrate truly ethical and moral behavior inside and out
III. Closing
-- in the best western movie that was ever made -- “Lonesome Dove” -- there is a great example of integrity and of a man who is determined to keep his word above all
-- the movie revolves around two main characters, Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call -- friends who had served in the Texas Rangers together and who were now partners in bringing a herd of cattle north to Montana
-- as the movie draws to a close, Gus gets shot in the leg and acquires a fatal infection -- as he’s laying on his death bed, he makes Call promise to carry his body back to Texas and to bury it in a grove of pecan trees where he and his sweetheart used to walk -- and then he dies
-- the trip from Texas to Montana was hard -- it was extremely difficult -- many men had lost their lives along the way -- it took months to get from Texas to Montana -- no one would have faulted Call for not carrying Gus back to Texas -- Gus, for sure, wouldn’t know where his body was buried -- but Call was a man of integrity -- he was a man who kept his word -- and when spring rolled around, he did what he had promised to do -- he took months out of his life to make the long trip back to Texas to bury his friend, demonstrating not only his friendship but also his integrity
-- throughout the whole movie, Call never wavered once but remained steadfast in his behavior and his word, even though it cost him quite a lot along the way -- it is this type of devotion and integrity that God is calling us to demonstrate in our own lives
-- Billy Graham once wrote, “Integrity is the glue that holds our way of life together. We must constantly strive to keep our integrity intact. When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.”
-- as I close in prayer, I want to invite you to reflect on your character -- not on the person that the world sees -- but the person that you see in the mirror -- the person that you know that lives within you
-- look inside the cabinets of your heart and see what lurks in the darkness, and ask God to cleanse them and to make you a person of integrity -- a person of character -- a person who reflects His goodness in all that we do as we seek to become holy in His eyes
-- let’s pray
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