Posted by Chris on March 9, 2008 under Sermons
In February 2003, filmmaker Morgan Spurlock began an experiment that would later become the basis for his documentary, “Supersize Me.” For 30 days, Spurlock vowed to eat nothing but McDonald’s food – all three meals. He exercised very little, only walking around town – but nothing strenuous or regular.
Spurlock began his experiment weighing 185 lbs. At the end of 30 days, he had gained 24.5 lbs. During the experiment, Spurlock’s liver and heart were not as healthy. Family, friends, and physicians urged him to change his diet immediately. Spurlock survived his 30-day experiment, but it took him 14 months to lose the weight he had gained.
Spurlock’s film caused McDonald’s to drop its Super-Sized menu. They also added healthier choices to their menus. Spurlock claimed that he made the movie to highlight the growing epidemic of “obesity” in the United States.
Thanks to Spurlock and many, many others the incontrovertible evidence is before us – diet and exercise matter. If one eats too much or eats poorly and exercises very little or not at all, then we know what happens. It isn’t a mystery. It shouldn’t really shock us. Did we really need a film to convince us that eating McD’s for 30 days probably isn’t the best diet? If you want to get healthy there’s no mystery to that – eat right and exercise more. That’s really all there is to it.
We understand this when it comes to our physical health. But do we realize that it is pretty much the same when it comes to our spiritual health?
If the goal of diet and exercise for our physical bodies is to maintain our health, then there should also be some sort of goal when it comes to diet and exercise for the soul. Paul described that goal in Galatians 4:8-20.
Christ Formed in Us …
- “Straining at Gnats, Swallowing Camels” – (legalism vs. formation) – Paul was very concerned that the Galatians were not getting the right sort of spiritual diet and exercise. They has resorted to legalism which is the spiritual equivalent of quick fix weight loss treatments. Legalism is the mistaken and arrogant attempt to focus in on rules and codes. Very often legalism attracts us by causing us to focus on things that we can do to get it right. Jesus encountered this sort of thinking among the Pharisees. Matthew 23:23-24 – “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices-mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law-justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.”
- Legalism is a neurotic focus on our ability to keep rules
- Spiritual Formation is focusing on becoming more like Jesus
- Being like Jesus means having the ability to recognize what’s important to God rather than what’s important to us. Notice what Jesus’ weight issue – justice, mercy, faithfulness.
- Teaching to the Test rather than Training for Life (information vs. formation) – Spiritual formation involves more than simple information. One of the first groups in Christianity to be labeled heretics were the Gnostics. The Gnostics believed that salvation could be achieved by knowledge. If you knew the right things, if you had access to information, then you were among the saved.
- The Gnostic tendency is still with us. Knowledge is a good thing – much better than ignorance. It is rewarding to learn. In a culture where knowledge is emphasized it is easy to describe our faith in terms of “what we know.”
- But it doesn’t really do us any good to know the names of the 12 apostles if we lie to our mom. Are we more like Christ when we articulate a doctrine of church government or are we more like Christ when we treat our neighbors with love and respect?
- Paul warned Timothy not to be distracted by those who thought of faith in terms of teaching to the test. (1 Timothy 4:6-8, The Message) “Stay clear of silly stories that get dressed up as religion. Exercise daily in God-no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. You can count on this. Take it to heart. This is why we’ve thrown ourselves into this venture so totally. We’re banking on the living God, Savior of all men and women, especially believers.”
Training for Godliness
- Discipline – Being a disciple means learning to be a discipline. Richard Foster wrote a book about 25 years ago that has become a modern classic. It is titled The Celebration of Discipline. Foster rediscovered the classical spiritual disciplines: prayer, study, meditation, worship, fasting, service, silence. Christian authors had not focused on such things in years. Critics claimed that these spiritual disciplines were in danger of becoming “works righteousness.” But Foster pointed out that was absolutely contrary to the spirit of the disciplines. The disciplines are training for godliness. We cannot expect to godly people “when it counts” if we are not training in godliness every day.
- Trials – Godliness counts when the difficulties arise. Rather than see these as setbacks to faith or misfortune, this is where our training goes to work. 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1.)
- Cord of Three Strands – One of the best bits of advice that’s given to people who are trying to change their health through diet and exercise is: Find a friend. We take encouragement from others and we give encouragement to others. A well worn lesson about spiritual formation builds on the image of Ecclesiastes 4:12 – A cord of three strands is not easily broken. The wise teacher is saying that we don’t do well on our own. We need each other. The lesson built on this cord of three strands suggests that each of us has in our sphere of influence: mentors, peers, and students.
- Who is your influence? Who helps you become more like Christ?
- Who do you influence? Who could you help become more like Christ?
Posted by David on March 6, 2008 under Sermons
How long has it been since you focused on or gave serious attention to the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) when God spoke those commandments to Israel?
Then God spoke all these words, saying, I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy. Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” All the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance. Then they said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die” (Exodus 20:1-19).
There are several things that are obvious to me. (1) They should listen to God because of what He did for them in delivering them from slavery. (2) Israel did not wish to listen to God because they saw God as a terrifying power rather than a helping power. (3) If they correctly understand God, they understand the way they treat people is the way they treat God.
Today, I would like for us to think about the third obvious thing: if we understand the character and nature of God, we understand that correct knowledge of God will affect the way we treat each other.
- Why?
- The reason: people are made in the image and likeness of God.
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Genesis 1:26-28).
- Because a human being is in the image and likeness of God, that fact/understanding will change the way a person who knows God looks at other people.
- Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesus:
". . . put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth" (Ephesians 4:24).
- And again to the Christians in Colossae:
". . . put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him-a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all" (Colossians 3:10,11).
- James wrote to Christians:
"But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh" (James 3:8-12).
- The point is repeatedly made.
- A person cannot know God and treat people with indifference or rudeness.
- If I belong to God, when I look at you I see much more than the things you have and how you can benefit me.
- No one can see God and not treat people differently.
- This is not something "new" or "different" about God that in some mysterious way came into existence when Jesus died and was resurrected to reign as the Christ.
- This always has been true about the character and nature of God.
- God did not change as a Being in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
- What God could do in His relationship with us changed because of His gift in Jesus’ death and resurrection.
- Consider a illustration:
- When there was rebellion against God in Eden, the rebellion quickly went from eating a fruit to the murder of a brother.
- When people rebel against God, they lose their respect for others.
- If I refuse to appreciate God by surrendering to Him, I lose my respect for you.
- Knowing and appreciating God will change my attitude and behavior toward you.
- To speak practically:
- I cannot love God and hate you.
- I cannot accept God’s forgiveness and refuse to extend you my forgiveness.
- I cannot expect God to hear my every prayer and need while refusing to listen to you.
- I cannot depend on God’s compassion, mercy, and grace while refusing to extend to you compassion, mercy, and grace.
- To me, the ultimate expression of this attitude is found in a statement Jesus made in his Sermon on the Mount: "In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 7:12).
- Why will another person be better off if I treat him like I want to be treated?
- He or she won’t be better off . . . unless I know God and let that knowledge shape (1) my behavior and (2) the way I look at people.
- If I treat you like I want to be treated, and all I know is wicked behavior, your situation will not likely improve.
- Only if I know God and let my knowledge of God shape the way I look at you will my treating you like I want to be treated (as one who knows God) lead to your benefit.
- The first human relationships to benefit from my knowing God should be my family relationships.
- Knowing God should result in a husband treating his wife with understanding and kindness.
- Knowing God should result in a wife treating her husband with understanding and kindness.
- Knowing God should result in parents treating their children with understanding and kindness.
- "Can you be more specific?"
- Knowing God results in a husband learning how to let his wife act and think like a woman.
- Knowing God results in a wife learning how to let her husband act and think like a man.
- Men and women do not act alike and do not think alike!
- I am not talking about justifying or ignoring evil behavior or wicked thoughts.
- I am talking about learning good behavior in a male and in a female.
- I am talking about not expecting a man to deny his masculine nature or expecting a woman to deny her feminine nature.
- I am talking about informing yourself instead of demanding or ordering.
- I also suggest that knowing God results in parents allowing their children to be children.
- Do not expect a 4-year-old to act like a 15-year-old.
- Do not expect a 15-year-old to act like a 25-year-old.
- Just as children must develop mentally and physically, they also must develop in their ability to exercise good judgment.
- While parents always expect their children to develop to the full extent of their ability, they never demand of their children what they cannot do.
- Children are not little adults, and we do them no favor by forcing them to act as if they were little adults.
- Again, we are not condoning bad behavior, but neither are we encouraging impossible behavior.
- I suggest the church needs to take the lead in encouraging godly behavior in families.
- We need spiritually to develop an entirely different concept of success in family relationships.
- Because we do not divorce does not mean we are successful in godly relationships.
- Because a child continues an excellent attendance record in a congregation and marries someone who has an excellent attendance record in a congregation does not prove they love each other.
- Husbands and wives who come to worship constantly may fight like cats and dogs at home–the only thing they may share is the same address.
- Our children may marry Christians yet form a home of hatred.
- It takes much more than a refusal to divorce or church attendance to be successful in marriage and home.
- What are some of the criteria in a successful marriage/home?
- Do they know how to love unselfishly?
- How do they show love?
- Do they know how to share?
- Are their actions and behavior ruled by kindness?
- Are they sacrificial in their treatment of each other?
- Are they friends who share their friendship with each other?
- Are they thoughtful of each other?
- Do they share things or self with each other?
- Do they depend on each other?
- Do they trust each other?
- Do they do "their own thing" or do they share time with each other?
- Is their feeling for each other dependent on prosperity or lifestyle?
I think it is appropriate to end where we began. (1) We listen to God because of what He does for us. (2) We are not terrified of God, but see God as a source of hope. (3) We understand that the way we treat people is the way we treat God.
Understanding those things, our marriages and homes are blessed because we belong to God. God, in love for us, teaches us how to commit in marriage because we have learned to love from God.
Posted by Jeannie on under Ladies Bible Class
Joseph is often cited as an Old Testament savior. Although the New Testament writers do not point this out, indeed there are striking similarities between Joseph and Jesus. Consider some of the things that the two have in common:
- From the world’s point of view, neither were born to be world leaders and were therefore unlikely Saviors
- Both were a shepherd of his Father’s sheep
- Both were designated as beloved, favored sons, but hated by brethren
- Both were sent by their Father to visit kindred who did not appreciate them
- Both were sold by “loved ones” for a few pieces of silver: slave’s price
- Joseph’s bargain is proposed by brother Judah
Jesus’ bargain by brother Judas (Greek form of Judah)
- Both endured chains, plots, and false accusations that should have broken their spirit, but always let the Spirit of God prevail in their hearts
- End result of both betrayals was the saving of strangers and hope for the world brought about by a brotherly plot of selling him out
- Both were 30 years old at the beginning of their public recognition
- Both verbally forgave those who abused them
- Both said the actions inflicted upon them was God’s will
- What men did to hurt them, God meant for good
- There were 2 fellow prisoners in both stories: Butler & Baker; 2 thieves
- In both, one prisoner was told of deliverance, one was condemned
- Joseph asks the Butler to remember him when he was returned to his position;
the Penitent Thief entreated Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom
- Both provided life-saving Bread that the world could not provide
- Both became unorthodox leaders in a land not their own
- Both were in regular communication with the Heavenly Father
- Because their belief in God led them to action, both were able to provide Salvation for others before others even knew they would need saving
- Others acknowledged God working in their lives in good times and in bad times and thus were drawn to follow their leadership. And we probably could come up with other parallels …
I don’t recall that we are told of Jesus having any dreams, but Joseph’s story in Genesis is full of them. We are told that Joseph had been having dreams from God since he was 17 years old.
Dreams can be pretty dull and usually are forgotten, or they can be weird, funny, shocking, scarey, whatever. We usually soon forget the details after we have been awake for a while. Every once in a while we might have a memorable dream and we wonder if it has a meaning. Is our sub-conscience mind trying to tell us something?
“STRANGE AT IT SEEMS, THERE’S BEEN A RUN OF CRAZY DREAMS” here in chapter 40 & 41 – dreams that are going to change the future of the world. Both the Egyptians and the Babylonians at this time compiled “Dream Books” that contained sample dreams with keys to their interpretations. Dream interpretation was considered a field of science. If significant dreams of significant people could not be interpreted, then maybe you were not a significant scientist. Maybe you did not belong at court.
We don’t know what incident landed the Butler and the Baker in jail. But we do know that God used it to His glory. Joseph is there. Joseph says, “You don’t need an interpreter for those dreams such as was available at court. Interpretations belong to God. Tell them to me.” The slave/prison inmate/man of God, Joseph, confidently and accurately interprets the two inmates’ dreams.
Two years later, he is given the opportunity to interpret Pharoah’s two dreams and God has put him into the position that He intended for Jacob’s son to be in all along – a position to save not only the world from famine, but most importantly, Abraham’s lineage will be preserved through this famine.
Perhaps also God needs to get Abraham’s lineage out of Canaan to get them away from the evil Canaanite influence. We know the Canaanite influence is not good now, and by the time the book of Exodus begins 400 years later, the Canaanite wickedness will be so great that God is ready to allow Israel to totally annihilate them. In Egypt, the Israelites will eventually be socially isolated allowing them to develop their own unique culture and customs. God’s ways are not our ways. Is allowing your chosen people to become enslaved how you would mastermind bringing a Savior to this world?
But I am getting ahead of our story.
- God created the world and all the creatures that God put in it
- the Ark
- Tower of Babel
- instruments and tools
- fashioned a coat for Joseph
- someone began the art of pottery although I don’t believe that is recorded
Let’s talk about all that we have seen crafted in Genesis so far:
I was the youngest of 5 children so I can relate to Joseph. I always wanted to do what my older siblings were doing. 4-H was big in Jackson County, Arkansas. My brothers and sisters were always winning things and my parents were adult leaders. 4-H Activity Day was coming up. My 1st year in 4-H I entered a skirt and blouse that I had made in the junior clothing event and got a rating of an “A” and a lot of praise for a 1st year 4-Her crafting such an excellent garment. It looked as good as some of the older 4-Her’s garments and I always wore that outfit with pride.
I later entered the modeling event and got a rating of “A.” I couldn’t figure out what to enter for handicrafts. My mom had 4 other children to supervise through a number of events so I did not get a lot of input from her. She had given me a lot of supervision making my skirt & blouse. So really close to the Activity Day, I came up with an entry like this: [hold up cute cup] It is a knick-knack container. You can believe that I did not get an “A” rating on this. I got a “C.” You can imagine that I was petrified that I did not get an “A.” I just knew my daddy would be mortified – a Johns got a “C” in a county event that might be printed in the county paper! I had used my imagination – somewhat. And spent maybe a few hours on this handicraft – whereas others had spent days on theirs. But it really was a second rate job. I learned a lesson.
Don’t wait till the last minute. If it is worth doing, do it well. Give it your all.
My cup really doesn’t look like Joseph. But God took a lot of time making Joseph into a vessel He could use. He was 17 when he was sold into slavery and 30 when he enters the service of the King.
Jeremiah 18:4ff says, And the vessel [the potter] was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. Then the word of the Lord came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done?” says the Lord. “Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand …”
CUP STORY
Once a man on vacation went into a shop and asked to see the beautiful, obviously very expensive, cup up on a top shelf. He exclaims, “This is the most beautiful cup I’ve ever seen!” The cup said, “I wasn’t always this pretty. Once I was just a lump of red clay. Then the Master took me and
- ROLLED & MASHED me. It hurt. It hurt a lot. I asked him to stop.
He just smiled and said, “Not yet.”
Finally He stopped & put me down. I hurt all over. I was glad it was over.
- Then SPINNING began – “OH, my head!” – The Master was still pushing and pulling on me – “STOP, I yelled. “Not yet,” He replied. The motion eventually stopped. The spinning in my head did not.
- Then I was put in an OVEN. It was HOT. I didn’t like it. Through the window I could see the Master. I yelled “LET ME OUT, LET ME OUT!” I could see Him mouth those words, “Not yet.”
- That ordeal was finally over and I cooled off. The Master picked me up. It felt good to be in His hands. Then He started PAINTING on me. At first it tickled, but then the fumes of the paint became overwhelming and nauseating.
“STOP! Please STOP! Please, I pleaded!”
I did not understand the smile on His face as once again He said, “Not Yet.”
- Then back into the OVEN. Hotter than before. I cried out, “Master, please let me out! Stop the heat! I can’t take anymore!” Again I saw Him say, “Not yet.”
Eventually I was taken out of the oven and I slowly cooled off.
The Master came, smiling. I said, “Master, I’ve been through lot of pain.”
The Master replied, “I know you have, but it was necessary.”
He picked me up. [hold up china cup] “What a beautiful cup!” I exclaimed.
“That is you in the mirror,” the Master said with a smile on His face.
I said, “That’s me? But, I’m just a lump of red clay.”
Master said, “Yes, but you yielded to me and allowed me to lovingly change you. Was it worth it?”
“Yes,” I replied. “Before, I was ugly, useless and worthless. In your hands I became beautiful, useful and of high price.”
Spoiled Joseph was recreated in Potiphar’s house and in the jail house. With no father to dote on him, Joseph turns to his Heavenly Father for comfort. But the Heavenly Father does not spare Joseph from hardship. He puts him back on the potter’s wheel, back into the oven. With manual labor he learns humility, and self discipline. With self discipline he learns to discipline others. With God’s refashioning he becomes a competent leader who is able to hold trust of Potiphar, the jailers, Pharoah, Egypt, the whole known world.
We see a reworking of Judah also in Genesis. In chapter 37 we saw him as a hateful brother who didn’t want to kill his brother, but thought it would be profitable to sell him. Later, we see he wants the lineage of his oldest son preserved, but not at the cost of losing his youngest son. Daughter-in-law Tamar’s actions flings him back on the potter’s wheel for a big dose of humility in chapter 38. When we get to Chapter 44, we will see Judah step up and offer himself to protect brother Benjamin from false accusations and bring Joseph to tears and the reunion will begin. Judah will have earned the family birthright and the promise to bear the lineage of Kings and our Savior Jesus.
Being clay in God’s hands is not easy. It can be painful, but oh, so rewarding. If we are not useful, God may need to refashion us. Do we have the courage to pray for refashioning?
[sing: Have Thine Own Way, Lord]
Posted by David on under Bulletin Articles
In the past few weeks, the bulletin articles emphasized two points. (1) Christians are responsible to care for each others’ well being. Thus, we exercise great care in what we say. (2) Christians accept the responsibility involved in personal transformation. Thus, as a Christian, I am responsible to focus on my behavior and attitudes as well as on your example.
Wow! Tough! It is fairly simple for me to focus on your example. If I am honest with myself, it is fairly simple to focus on my example established by my attitudes and behavior. However, all of us encounter a huge problem. God who gave Christ for my sins and forgives my errors is also the God who gave Christ for your sins and forgives your errors. So, when do I treat my mistakes with God’s grace, and when do I treat your mistakes with God’s grace? When do I let God’s grace help you escape your guilt just as I allow God’s grace to help me escape my guilt?
Where is the balance? Who decides where it should be? How do I condemn you without condemning me? If I let my guilt destroy me how am I improved because I destroy you also? Does anything go with repentance? Where is the accountability line drawn? Who draws it? Are you “in” because I say you are “in” or “out” because I say you are “out?” How can we show each other disrespect and not discredit our Savior?
I understand when Elijah ran from Queen Jezebel or Peter denied Jesus when he was “under the gun.” Why? I know and grasp such weakness. I know that kind of weakness happens! However, it is difficult to understand God’s quick forgiveness of David’s adultery, or Bathsheba continuing as David’s queen, or her son by David being Israel’s next king. That puts Isaiah 55:8, 9 in a practical light-truly God’s ways are not our ways! Thankfully, God’s forgiveness does not depend on human understanding.
Congregations-from the beginning-were a delicate balance between mercy and accountability. Jewish Christians did not understand how gentile Christians could be saved without circumcision. Gentile Christians did not understand why Jewish Christians were so hung up on rules. Living congregations ALWAYS are composed of spiritual infants, children, adolescents, and adults of varying degrees of spiritual maturity. If the balance between mercy and accountability is not found and practiced in Jesus Christ, no congregation can thrive as a part of Christ’s earthly body.
In college, an admired teacher stated this in a minor prophets’ study: “You cannot get to Heaven on the mistakes of other people.”
Ouch!!!
Posted by Chris on March 2, 2008 under Sermons
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Discovering Our Roots
- Roots: The Saga of an American Family — Alex Haley’s family story
- 1977 mini-series
- Increased interest in genealogy and history
- Unknown history
Do We Have a History?
“The past should be consigned to the rubbish heap where Christ died!” — Barton W. Stone
Why Study Our History?
- Wisdom of Past Generations
- Understanding the Bible
- Understanding our Culture
- Understanding our Future
- Understanding Tradition
- The Road to the Future Leads through the Past
Tradition: Good or Bad?
- Empty traditions distract from the intent of God.
Matthew 15:1-6; Colossians 2:8
- Enriching traditions draw us to the intent of God.
1 Corinthians 11:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:15; 3:6
time changes things
“Critical History”
- HAGIOGRAPHY – (Non-Critical)
- DECONSTRUCTION – (Over-Critical)
What is Restoration?
- Plan
- Purpose
- On-going
- Unity
“Unity is my polar star.” — Barton W. Stone
“I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one-as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one.”— Jesus Christ (John 17:20-22)
Posted by Chris on under Sermons
A man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection. The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup.
As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious state trooper. The trooper ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the station where she was searched, finger printed, photographed, and placed in a holding cell. After a couple of hours, a trooper approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting trooper was waiting with her personal effects.
He said, “I’m very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, making rude gestures at the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the ‘What Would Jesus Do’ bumper sticker, the ‘Follow Me to Sunday-School’ bumper sticker, the ‘Choose Life’ license plate holder, and the chrome-plated Jesus fish emblem on the trunk. Naturally … I assumed you had stolen the car.”
What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? This story reminds us that being a disciple is more than simply signing up for the right causes or taking a particular stance on issues and doctrines; being a disciple of Jesus means living out the teachings of Jesus.
Every Sunday we are sent out beneath a banner that reminds us of our mission: “Making Disciples for Jesus Who Are Eager to Serve Others.” Let’s start talking about some practical efforts that would help us fulfill this mission. A few weeks ago, Charles Siburt started the conversation by describing what congregations similar to ours are doing to fulfill Christ’s mission. I’ve adapted that list and attempted to make these suggestions practical to our situation. I’ve also considered the biblical principles involved in each of these. So over the next few weeks, why don’t we study and converse about our Future Together as Disciples of Jesus.
We’ve got to begin by Raising the Bar. Following Jesus means something. As someone once said, “Christ takes us as we are, but he isn’t content to leave us like that.” If we are going to effectively “make disciples for Jesus,” then it is critical that we should “be disciples” of Jesus.
1. Maturing in Christ (Colossians 1:28) – When I was beginning my ministry as a campus minister at Arkansas Tech University, I searched for a way to describe what that ministry was about. After all, there were so many things that had to be done – preaching, teaching, evangelism, and fellowship. Was one more important than the others? I wondered if they all fit together somehow. Why spend time on fellowship if evangelism is more important. Why not spend every minute teaching? Then I paid attention to something that Paul wrote in Colossians 1:28 “We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.”
There it was all together. The preaching, teaching, and encouraging had a goal: perfection in Christ. Not perfection as a flawless performance, but perfection as maturity. When Paul worked to “make disciples” he raised the bar high. His goal was to present disciples who grew up (matured) to be more like Christ.
The standard we should have then should be no less. Let’s strive with all the energy and resources that Christ gives us to present ourselves and one another as mature, Christ-like disciples. Let’s expect the best from one another. Let’s expect healthy, mature behavior from one another.
The letters of the New Testament were not written to perfect, flawless church communities. The writers did not sit down and write out ideal theories of how the church should work. Rather, the letters of the NT are written often to hurting, conflicted, troubled churches and the writers are inspired to apply the teachings of Christ to the situation at hand. [Think of Philippians which we just finished.] The writers of the NT always expect the best of these troubled churches. They raise the bar! In another letter to a very troubled church, Paul describes this as type of mature, healthy, Christ-like behavior as love …
Read 1 Corinthians 13.
2. Acting Like Jesus. About 20 years ago, Paul Faulkner wrote a book called Making Things Right When Things Go Wrong. One of the ways of doing that is to “Act Better Than You Feel.” It sounds like hypocrisy at first, but Dr. Faulkner makes this distinction: A hypocrite is one who acts like that which he or she never intends to become. Acting better than we feel is growth. We act like that which we do intend to become.
I think the advice to act better than we feel is even more needed today. We should expect more from one another than the upper limit of our feelings. We may not feel like being polite. We may not feel like being kind. We may not feel like sharing. We may not feel like being responsible. We may not feel like being patient. But at best our feelings can only serve as an explanation for our behavior; never an excuse!
When we are stressed, angry, upset or in disagreement with others we especially need to act better than we feel. Being a disciple of Jesus means we might think or feel any number of ways, but we don’t act any way we want. We act like Jesus – which means as his disciples we will be patient, kind, not envious, not arrogant, not proud, not rude, not self-seeking, not easily angered.
3. Expect the Best and Think the Best of Others. You never know which Razorback basketball team is going to show up at the game – the good one or the not so good one. But despite their ups and downs, no one is seriously criticizing Coach John Pelphrey. Maybe that’s because he seems to consistently expect the best and makes no excuses. His high expectations make them a better team.
If we can expect a coach to expect the best of athletes, then we should certainly expect the best from one another as disciples. High expectation will make us better people. But is that really loving to expect so much? Paul described love as a virtue that “keeps no record of wrongs. It does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.”
Raising the Bar and expecting the best from ourselves and others means practicing loving accountability. Love demands it.
- We are not keeping a list of offenses.
- We are not delighting or feeling vindicated when others sin and fail. Rather we rejoice when they live their lives honestly.
Expecting the best from one another means we must also think the best about one another. Disciples of Jesus can put aside suspicion and mistrust.
- We seek to promote the truth about others (holy gossip).
- We protect the integrity of others and show respect for everyone.
- We hope for the best behavior in others.
- We will endure difficulties together and hope for better days. And we believe we can get there with Christ’s help because we have raised the bar high enough.
