“Skip Over” Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 13

Posted by David on April 20, 2003 under Sermons

I hope that most of us present have convictions. I hope that our convictions are based on our understanding of God’s purposes in Jesus Christ and God’s work through Christ in our lives. I also hope our convictions are continually growing, maturing. In that growth I hope our convictions are willing to change when we grow into more mature understandings of God’s will and God’s son.

That introduces us to some most interesting questions. Question one: has there ever been any change in your convictions? For some of us, that is a hard question to answer. Some would say, “No!” and take great pride in that answer. Some would say, “Yes!” and take great pride in that answer.

In these statements, I speak for myself, not for you. In my life, growing in understanding of scripture and God’s purposes has changed a number of my convictions. As I learn, I grow. As I grow, I mature. As I mature, I must accept the responsibility to transform. Transformation requires change. One of the changes produced by a maturing understanding is changes in convictions. When those changes occur, I feel deeply blessed. I also feel deeply thankful that God provided me opportunity to grow and to change.

Question two: if your position is, “My convictions have never changed,” why do you hold to that position? Do you think you possess all truth and have nothing left to understand? Do you think you always had a complete, perfect understanding of God’s mind and God’s purposes? Do you think you have nothing significant to learn about God, God’s purposes, or God’s work through Christ in your life?

Question three: do you think that there are people who need to change their convictions? Who are they? If you could name names, would your list exclude yourself?

1. The connection between Paul and some of the Christians in Corinth grew to be a very tense relationship.
   1. 2 Corinthians provides a lot of evidence of that tenseness.
      1. In chapter one Paul addressed those who thought he was “wishy-washy,” unreliable, and perhaps just plain deceitful. “He will promise you one thing then do something totally different.”
      2. In chapters 4, 5, and 6 Paul talked a lot about his personal struggles–struggles which most of them did not understand.
      3. In 10:10, some said Paul wrote an impressive letter, but he was very unimpressive in person, and he was a terrible speaker.
      4. In chapter 11 obviously some severely attacked Paul’s apostleship.
      5. The fact is that in much of 2 Corinthians Paul defended himself against numerous attacks from some in the community of Christians at Corinth.
   2. Before we begin to examine some of Paul’s emphases in the last chapter (chapter 13), let’s put our personal perspectives in the place that we can “hear” what Paul wrote.
      1. If you made great personal sacrifices to help a group, and some in that group attacked your motives and your person, how would your react?
         1. If someone from that group said you were so unreliable that your promises could not be trusted, how would you react?
         2. If someone in that group who criticized you had no idea of the sacrifices you personally made for them, how would you react?
         3. If someone in that group said they were totally unimpressed with you as a person, how would you react?
         4. If someone said that nothing you taught them came from God’s teachings and emphasis, how would you react?
         5. Would you be kind and encouraging, or would you be belligerent and make them pay for their attacks?

2. I want you to notice some emphases in chapter 13; keep in mind the criticized Paul was writing.
   1. The first emphasis I call to your attention is seen in the first four verses.
      1. He would soon make his third visit to them.
      2. This visit would be different: when he came he would confront his critics and ask them to prove their criticisms to his face.
         1. I especially want you to notice something in verse three.
         2. What is the issue Paul will address when he comes? Ego issues? Personal reputation issues? Personal reaction issues? Issues involving a personal defense of himself? No.
         3. The issue he would address was this: was Christ speaking through him?
         4. He wanted them to understand how mighty Christ was in them.
         5. The basis of the confrontation would not be about Paul, but about Christ.
         6. Their opinion of Paul was not the foundation of the issue; their opinion of Christ was the issue.
         7. If they understood Christ, these people would not speak and behave as they did.
      3. In verse four Paul pointed to an interesting reality seen in Jesus and reflected in the devout Christian.
         1. The killing of Jesus reflected weakness to them (in their world a god was beyond the destructive acts of humans).
         2. It is Jesus’ resurrection that reveals power.
         3. So Paul said that if we seem weak as we physically serve God, that is not proof that God does not speak through us.
         4. God’s power in us is seen in the life we receive through Christ.
         5. The fact that they were resurrected through baptism to newness of life revealed God’s power in them.
   2. The second emphasis I call to your attention is seen in verses 5 and 6.
      1. To me, this is Paul’s appeal to their consciences.
      2. Being God’s person ultimately must be a response to what you know about yourself.
         1. You are not a godly person because other people say you are a godly person.
         2. You are a godly person because of what your heart understands about yourself in your relationship with Christ.
         3. If you are a godly person, it is because Christ is alive in you as he exercises lordship over your life and behavior.
         4. Paul said I am not asking you to do something we do not do–“I hope you realize that we constantly evaluate the place Christ has in our lives.”
   3. The third emphasis I call to your attention is found in verses 7-10.
      1. Please notice that Paul’s focus is on what is in their best spiritual interest, not on reacting to their attacks on him.
         1. Paul’s prayer was that they “do no wrong.”
         2. Paul’s motivation: “my concern is for you and your best interest, not our reputation.”
         3. “If you do what is right, how it makes us look is of no significance.”
      2. “Our objective is totally summed up in our commitment to the truth, not a commitment to be impressive to others.”
         1. This statement is easily abused by many Christians when we defend the attitude, “The conclusions that I accept and follow are the truth, so you must reach the same conclusion I have reached.”
         2. In this attitude we can associate anything with “the truth” and insist that others who do not endorse our conclusions oppose “the truth.”
            1. Specific modes of entertainment.
            2. Specific types of clothing.
            3. The kind of jewelry worn.
            4. Tattoos.
            5. Hair styles.
            6. Etc.
      3. All we have to do is classify something as part of “the truth,” and then seek to impose our control over others by demanding they conform to “the truth.”
      4. If that is your concept, I urge you to change it.
         1. That approach to “truth” is not what Paul referred to in this verse.
         2. If Jesus Christ lives in you, his presence in your life produces a set of standards and values.
         3. That set of standards and values determines (a) your thinking, (b) your behavior, and (c) your relationship values [how you treat others].
         4. The problem at Corinth was deeper than changing the way some Christians behaved–it’s foundation was placing Christ in their lives in the place he should be.
         5. Remember verses 5 and 6–test yourself to see if Christ is in you.
         6. The “truth” Paul is referring to was the “truth” about the role Christ should occupy in your lives.
      5. “The important things are your strength and completeness in Christ–not what you are or are not doing to our reputation.”
         1. “Our prayer is not, ‘Lord preserve our reputation.'”
         2. “Our prayer is for your spiritual completeness.”
         3. “If your completeness is produced through our weakness, that is okay.”
      6. “I am writing this to you before I come so there can be some ‘self-correcting’ before I come.”
         1. “If that happens, there will be no need for confrontations.”
         2. “The authoritative mission God gave me was to build up, not to tear down.”
   4. The fourth emphasis is seen in verses 11-13.
      1. Look at the very practical encouragements Paul gave them [and do remember the kinds of problems they had].
         1. Rejoice–division and strife do not produce joy, but allowing Christ to live in your life should produce joy.
         2. Make your spiritual goal be completeness–too many had the spiritual goal of achieving control over other Christians, not letting Christ live in them.
         3. Be like-minded–focus on the matters you hold in common, not on your differences.
         4. Live in peace–stop the war your division started and nurtured.
      2. If you do these things, the God of love and peace will be with you.
      3. Greet each other with a holy kiss.
         1. Once more this is given as a command.
         2. Respect each other enough to promote closeness and healing.
      4. Even though you have been very troubled, even though some of you have made my life miserable in your attacks, you are still a part of the community of Christians.
         1. Other Christians do not wish to exclude you from that community.
         2. Quite the opposite–they send their greetings.
   5. Then Paul closes with three reminders:
      1. The foundation of grace is Jesus Christ.
      2. The foundation of love is God.
      3. The foundation of fellowship is the Holy Spirit.
      4. May all three be with you.

There is an overall emphasis I hope each of us see. Paul’s attitude toward his Christian adversaries and the typical attitude between Christian adversaries in the church today is radically different. Paul was focused on their well-being, not their destruction.

The Price of Freedom Is Blood

Posted by David on under Sermons

Suppose today instantly you could go to any country on earth to ask this question: “Would you like to have freedom?” This is the only question you ask–you literally conduct a one question interview. The only requirement: you must ask this question to people in different nations in different circumstances.

If you went all over the world asking that question, what answer would you expect? Many of us would expect the answer, “Yes! I would love freedom! Freedom would be a wonderful blessing to my people!” Most of us would be shocked when some said, “No! Freedom is terrible! Freedom would be an awful experience for my people!”

If you conducted this one question survey, you would be shocked. We have lived in a free society for generations. In this society, our concept of freedom is formed by our lifestyles. We cannot imagine two things. First, we cannot imagine life without freedom. Second, we cannot imagine anyone not wanting our concept of freedom.

In 1972 while en route to the mission field, Joyce and I had the joy of stopping in Rome for a few days. I remember a conversation with the manager of the older hotel we stayed in. Europe was experiencing some difficult economic times. He said, “We would be much better off if we had a Mussolini in control. At least we would know what to expect.” Mussolini was a fascist premier in Italy who entered an alliance with Hitler.

While on the mission field, Joyce and I witnessed a national election. We lived in a society that had no birth records, no death records, and no voter registration. The president of the country submitted the names of the people to serve in his congress. There was only one party. The voter agreed or disagreed with the president’s choices.

After voting, the voter had a hand stamped. The voter promptly went to a water hydrant and washed the ink off. We asked a friend what kept a person from voting a second time. He looked at us blankly and asked, “Why would anyone do that?” He explained, “We are a one party democracy. We are not ready for two party democracy.”

Suppose everyone agreed on a good definition of freedom. With that agreement, this is my question: “What is the price of freedom?” This month vividly reminded us of this truth: the price of freedom is blood.

1. Read with me Galatians 5:1 then 5:13-15.
   Galatians 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
   Galatians 5:13-15 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
   1. When Paul wrote these statements, there was no freedom in the world of the Roman empire.
      1. Though the word “free” was used commonly in regard to a certain kind of people, it did not refer to the freedom you and I take for granted.
      2. The most significant form of freedom in the first century world was freedom from slavery.
         1. The man or woman who was a slave had no rights, no civil liberties.
         2. The typical slave was accustomed to having an owner tell him or her what he or she could and could not do in every circumstance.
         3. To the majority, being free meant not to be a slave.
   2. Paul was not speaking politically but spiritually.
      1. According to Paul, a person could at the very same moment be a slave physically and be spiritually free (see 1 Corinthians 7:21-24).
      2. A person literally could be a slave and at the same moment be free in Christ.
      3. The freedom Paul spoke about had nothing to do with our 21st century American concept of free existence in a free society.
   3. What was Paul talking about?
      1. Almost every form of religion in Paul’s day enslaved its followers.
         1. A follower had to know the correct rites.
         2. A follower had to know the correct traditions.
         3. A follower had to know the correct process.
         4. For any religion to be effective in a follower’s life, he or she had to do things just right.
      2. Judaism, the Jewish religion, had very much become this kind of religion in the first century.
         1. “You must be circumcised.”
         2. “You must offer the right sacrifices.”
         3. “You must keep the correct holy days.”
         4. “You must follow the correct Jewish traditions.”
         5. “Only then can you have a proper relationship with God.”
      3. Some Jewish Christians insisted that Christians who were not Jews do things the Jewish way.
         1. Paul said that it was totally unnecessary for a Christian who is not a Jew to do things the way Jewish Christians did them.
         2. God gave Jesus to free everyone.
         3. God gave Jesus to do more than free from sin those who trusted and obeyed him.
         4. God gave Jesus to free people from the way things were done in their past.

2. Paul said God freed you as Christians so that you can serve each other in love.
   1. That sounds like an oxymoron (a combination of two statements that in no way go together).
      1. God freed you to serve?
      2. If you are free, why do you have to serve?
      3. If you serve, does that not cancel your freedom?
   2. Paul said your freedom is found in love, not in irresponsibility.
      1. If you define freedom as having no responsibility, the end result is that your freedom will destroy other people.
      2. You will even feel justified in destroying others in the name of freedom.
      3. Love for others will not permit you to do that.
      4. That is why love is the source of freedom.
   3. So you say, “I don’t understand that.” Allow me to try to explain.
      1. If you hate me, I do not have to hate you back–that is freedom.
      2. If you slander me, I do not have to slander you back–that is freedom
      3. If you are bitter against me, I do not have to be bitter toward you–that is freedom.
      4. No matter what evil you do against me, I am free to do good toward you.
   4. If you still have trouble understanding that, look at Jesus.
      1. They spit on him; he did not spit back.
      2. They slapped him; he did not slap back.
      3. They cursed and mocked him; he did not curse and mock them.
      4. They used their power against him, but he did not use his power against them.
      5. They killed him, but he forgave them.
      6. They were slaves to evil, but he was free in God’s love.
   5. The freest person to ever live on this earth was Jesus.
      1. Nothing in this world enslaved him. Evil never motivated him. Not even death dominated him.
      2. Our issue is this: do we want freedom?

3. There are some basic realities we need to understand about spiritual freedom.
   1. Reality one: not everyone wants spiritual freedom.
      1. Some like to be slaves to their desires.
      2. Some want the pleasures of indulgence even if indulgence means slavery.
   2. Reality two: some have a wrong definition for spiritual freedom.
      1. They think spiritual freedom means irresponsible thinking or irresponsible behavior.
      2. They think spiritual freedom means indulgence without any form of restraint.
      3. They think freedom means doing whatever it takes to be “happy” right now.
   3. Realty three: some use a wrong definition of freedom to gain and exercise control.
      1. To them, freedom means seeing it their way, doing it their way, surrendering to their traditions, allowing them to “call the shots.”
      2. This kind of people are not interested in your being free, but are interested in their being in control.
   4. Reality four: spiritual freedom is expressed by serving in love.

Romans 6:20-23 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This week I saw and heard an interview conducted with a member of the civilian reconstruction team in Iraq. This is the team that entered Iraq after the fighting and do two things. First, they are to help Iraq “get up and running” again. That includes things like getting the utilities back on, getting the kids in school, getting the hospitals running, and returning the basics of life back to normal. Second, they are to move that country toward a democratic society.

This person talked about the challenges they confronted. One particular part of the interview caught my attention and fascinated me. As this team began to contact people in southern Iraq, people often ask, “Why are you here?” He shared his answer, and in his answer was, “To give you freedom.” His comment: “People who have never had freedom do not even understand what I mean.” “To give you freedom” was an answer with no meaning.

Lately as we watch funerals, hear taps, and hear twenty-one gun salutes, we should have not doubt about the price of freedom. Were we to attend one of the funerals for a service person killed in Iraq, and were we to ask his or her family, “What is the price of freedom?” the family could tell you. In tears, they would say, “The price of freedom is blood.”

This morning I want you to understand that each of us can be spiritually free. Each of us can be sanctified, purified, forgiven, and spiritually liberated. That can happen in each of our lives because God paid a price. I hope each of us realizes that the price of our freedom is blood, the blood of the sinless, innocent Jesus.

My question to you: do you know what spiritual freedom means? Do you understand what God has done? Do you understand why Jesus died?

“Skip Over” Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 16:10-24

Posted by David on April 6, 2003 under Sermons

One of the more demanding situations we enter is the awkward situation. This awkward situation involves us, but we did not create it. However, because it involves us, it is essential that we deal with it. We do not have the option of ignoring it (unless we want to generate even bigger problems). We must get constructively involved.

Tonight we look at 1 Corinthians 16:10-24. After writing a letter that dealt “head-on” with some extremely awkward situations, Paul said, “Here are some specifics in which you can practice what I am writing you about. Show God, show yourselves, and show me that you want to be godly people, not worldly people.”

1. Let’s begin with just a little bit of review.
   1. This was a community of Christians who had a lot of problems.
      1. Internal division.
      2. Incest.
      3. Lawsuits.
      4. Sexual immorality.
      5. Confusion about marriage.
      6. Selfishness.
      7. Confusion about worship.
      8. Too little love.
      9. Competitions in the use of spiritual gifts.
      10. Denial of a personal resurrection.
   2. The first four chapters of the letter are devoted to the problem of internal division.
      1. In the world and society of a Roman city, it was absolutely essential that you be loyal to your patron.
      2. Some regarded Apollos to be their spiritual patron, some Peter, some Paul, and some Christ.
      3. Their divisions occurred along the boundaries of their loyalties to those they regarded their spiritual benefactors.
      4. Would you please note: at no time did Paul commend those who caused division out of loyalty to Christ.

2. With that brief review, I want to focus your attention on Paul’s ending of the letter.
   1. Paul begin the letter by dealing with a very awkward situation: their internal division.
      1. Some of those causing that division definitely opposed Paul.
      2. Some of those causing that division championed Paul.
      3. Paul dealt with both “head-on,” and he commended neither of them.
         1. He told those who were for him and those who were against him that they were wrong.
         2. He emphatically declared that spiritual loyalty should never be given to a human messenger.
   2. One of his closest friends, finest fellow workers, closest associates might soon arrive in that volatile situation.
      1. Timothy might come; Paul in other places referred to Timothy as his son in the faith.
      2. What a time for Timothy to visit Corinth! Timothy might arrive and find everyone mad at Paul! He might come to a situation when it was a serious disadvantage to be Paul’s close friend!
      3. Paul made some requests on Timothy’s behalf.
         1. Do not give him reason to be afraid.
         2. Realize he does the same thing I do–work for the Lord.
         3. Do not let anybody despise him.
         4. Send him on his way to me peaceably.
      4. Then Paul talked about Apollos (remember that Paul mentioned him several times at the beginning of the letter and confronted those loyal to Apollos for causing division).
         1. Note that he declared Apollos was a brother–confronting those causing divisions did not mean Apollos was less than a faithful brother.
         2. Paul encouraged Apollos the visit these Christians at Corinth–Paul regard his presence there to be a positive asset.
         3. Apollos made the decision not to come–Paul was not the reason he did not come.
         4. Apollos would visit them later.
   3. Paul then gave them some urgings:
      1. Be dependable in your devotion to Jesus Christ like the mature people should; that means you have to be alert (which they had not been in chapters 5 and 6) and you have to be strong (in their commitment to godliness).
      2. In everything you do, let love be your standard (which had not been the case in the divisions).
      3. Note the people among you Christians who are committed to Christians and who serve Christ’s purposes: follow their lead and encourage them.
      4. I am glad three of you visited me.
         1. The three who came to see me supplied what was lacking on your part (they made Paul feel loved and appreciated).
         2. They lifted my spirits.
   4. Paul sent greetings from Christians in Asia.
      1. He also sent greetings from Aquila and Prisca who had a group of Christians meeting in their home.
      2. He said all the Christians there sent greetings.
      3. Then he asked them to greet each other (remember the strains produced by the division he noted) with a holy kiss–showing affection for each other had to attack the stresses that had separated them.

3. Paul closed with these requests.
   1. Note this letter is signed by me.
   2. Love of Jesus Christ must be the standard for every Christian.
      1. If a person claims to be a Christian but does not love Jesus Christ, let that person be accursed–anathema.
      2. Lord, come!
      3. May Jesus’ grace be with you.
      4. I love you all in Jesus Christ (his confrontations did not mean he did not love them).

Two concluding observations:

1. We need to understand that being in Jesus Christ produces godliness in our relationships and behaviors.
2. When we confront ungodliness, we must let the love be evident.

How Well Do You Listen to God?

Posted by David on under Sermons

I want to begin this morning with a historical incident that occurred in the reigns of Ahab, the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah (both Israelites).

1. The incident: (1 Kings 22)
   1. We must have a little background.
      1. Ahab was truly an ungodly, wicked man.
         1. His queen was Jezebel, a Sidonian woman who supported the prophets of Baal and made Baal worship Israel’s official religion.
         2. He was the king who hated Elijah, God’s prophet.
         3. He was wealthy but wicked.
      2. At this time Assyria was a major threat to northern Israel and to Judah.
         1. At this time Assyria often was the powerful nation that controlled the region.
         2. But Ahab entered a coalition of several nations, fought Assyria, and broke Assyria’s control over their area.
      3. Though Assyria’s control was broken in the region, Ahab did not gain control over one of Israel’s oldest cities.
         1. Ramoth-Gilead had been one of Israel’s cities of refuge.
         2. It was one of the places east of the Jordan River that was settled before Israel entered Canaan.
         3. Literally from the beginning of Israel’s association with Canaan, Ramoth-Gilead was a part of their territory.
      4. When Assyrian control of the area was broken, Ahab saw an excellent opportunity to regain control of the city.
   2. So he invited Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, to combine armies, conquer the city, and reclaim Ramoth-Gilead (1 Kings 22).
      1. Jehoshaphat quickly agreed: “I am as you are; my people as your people; my horses as your horses.”
      2. But . . . Jehoshaphat made one request before they declared war.
         1. Before they attacked Ramoth-Gilead, Jehoshaphat asked Ahab to consult the prophets.
         2. Do a little remembering:
            1. Ahab’s kingdom worshipped the idol Baal.
            2. Ahab’s queen supported the prophets of Baal.
            3. The prophets of Baal would be the prophets that Ahab consulted.
         3. So Ahab called the prophets of Baal and asked them if the kings should begin this battle or refrain from this battle.
            1. Without one voice of decent, the prophets told King Ahab to start the war–“go for it!”
            2. They said, “The Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”
            3. To emphasize the point, one of the leading prophets (Zedekiah) made some iron horns and promised King Ahab that he “would gore the Arameans until they are consumed”–certain victory!
            4. In others words, they told the king what he wanted to hear.
         4. However, Jehoshaphat asked, “Can’t you ask a prophet of Jehovah God to prophesy about this battle?”
            1. Ahab replied, “There is one prophet in my country I could ask, but he never says anything good to me. However, I will send for him.”
            2. Ahab then sent a messenger to tell the prophet Micaiah to come prophesy.
            3. The messenger told Micaiah, “All the other prophets have been favorable to the king. Please, when you prophesy, agree with them.”
            4. Micaiah responded, “I will say what the Lord tells me to say.”
   3. Before we look at what Micaiah said, we need to focus on God.
      1. God is pictured as He was in Job: having a meeting with the heavenly council.
      2. God asked His advisors, “Who will entice Ahab to attack Ramoth-Gilead?”
         1. One of the spirits said he would.
         2. God asked the spirit what he planned to do.
         3. The spirit said, “I will be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.”
         4. God said, “Do it. Let him think he is going to win when he will actually meet disaster.”
   4. Micaiah came to King Ahab.
      1. The first thing he said was precisely what the king wanted to hear: “Go to battle and you will surely succeed–you will certainly win.”
         1. Micaiah told the king what he wanted to hear, and the king did not like it.
         2. So the king commanded Micaiah in the name of Jehovah God to tell him the truth.
      2. So Micaiah gave him a second message.
         1. He told Ahab about God’s council, and Zedekiah did not like what he said.
         2. He told him that he saw them like sheep scattered on a mountain without a shepherd.
         3. Ahab’s forces would be defeated.
      3. Ahab then said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you? He never says anything good to me!”
      4. Then they prepared for battle by imprisoning Micaiah.
   5. One thing I want to note: God permitted Ahab to hear what he wanted to believe.
      1. If we think that God will not allow us to reach ungodly conclusions in our thinking and convictions, we deceive ourselves.
      2. I do not care who we claim to be, God always allows us to believe what we wish to believe.
      3. God allows us to justify anything we want to justify.
      4. Because we call ourselves godly in no way assures us God sees us as godly.

2. Likely the last letter that we have which Paul wrote is 2 Timothy.
   1. It is a personal letter from Paul to Timothy that focused on two situations.
      1. Paul expected to be executed in his near future.
      2. He wanted Timothy to continue teaching and stressing the things that Paul taught and stressed.
      3. Paul made this statement in 2 Timothy 4:3,4. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.
   2. In the churches of Christ, this was one of our favorite passages in the 20th century.
      1. We used it frequently to defend whatever issue we were discussing.
      2. We especially used this scripture when someone disagreed with our conclusions.
   3. This morning I want to encourage you to consider what Paul meant when he said this.
      1. Paul said, “In the future (he was talking about in Timothy’s life time) dangerous periods were coming.”
      2. What would make these times dangerous?
         1. People would not be willing to listen to sound doctrine.
            1. Note two things.
            2. People would lose the desire to hear; they would not listen.
            3. They would have no desire to listen to sound doctrine.
         2. What is this “sound doctrine”?
            1. The words “sound doctrine” simply mean “healthy teaching.”
            2. Healthy in what way? It brings listeners closer to God.
            3. The need for teaching implies that there were matters they did not know about God or understand about God that they needed to know and understand.
         3. When people will not want “healthy teaching,” what will they want?
            1. Instead of hearing healthy teaching, they wanted their conclusions confirmed.
            2. To make sure that happened, they surrounded themselves with teachers who told them what they wanted to hear.
            3. They did not have to change desires, they did not have to go through transformation because what they heard justified their desires.
         4. Please remember that the world of Paul’s lifetime was filled with idolatry.
            1. People said there were may ways that a person could go to God without knowledge of or understanding of Jesus Christ.
            2. Two prominent ways were the myths of idolatry and the genealogies of the Jewish people.
            3. Myths basically declared God was too far from humans to be reached by Jesus.
            4. The genealogies said that approaching God was a matter of ancestry.
         5. Those people preferred to hear about alternate routes to God than to hear that God reached down to them in Jesus Christ.

3. I combined these two scriptures for two reasons:
   1. First, in all ages people have the same problem: they want to hear what they already concluded was okay.
      1. Generally speaking, people never have wanted healthy teaching that brought them to a better understanding of what it meant to belong to God.
      2. People always have wanted to hear what they agree with before anything was said.
      3. It was very important to Paul for Christians to have the willingness to hear what they needed to hear. Decide for yourself by reading with me 1 Thessalonians 2:3-6.
         For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit; but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts. For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed–God is witness–nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority.
   2. God allows us to hear precisely what we want to hear.
      1. I am talking to Christians, not those who are not Christians.
      2. God allows us to believe what we want to believe.
      3. If you doubt my conclusion, listen again to Paul’s words to Christians in Thessalonica:
         2 Thessalonians 2:11,12 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

4. Among Christians there has occurred an enormous spiritual divorce, and that divorce causes most people who are not Christians to be totally unimpressed with us.
   1. What great divorce?
      1. We have divorced what we believe from how we live.
         1. Everybody but us can see this divorce in our pleasures.
         2. Everybody but us can see this divorce in our greed.
         3. Everybody but us can see this divorce in the way we treat people and the way we act outside of church buildings.
      2. We call ourselves godly because of our religious positions.
      3. We do not call ourselves godly because of the way we think and live.
   2. Do you regard yourself to be a godly person? If you say yes, may I ask why?
      1. Do you regard yourself godly because you are sure you believe the right doctrines?
      2. Or, do you regard yourself godly because Jesus Christ has changed the way you think and act?

Paul said everyone of us will stand before God in judgment. Which of these two responses would you like on that occasion?

Response one:

• God: “Why did you think that was so important?”
• Us: “I stressed that because You said nothing about it.”
• God: “Now let Me get this straight: because I said nothing about it, you thought it was important.”

Response two:

• Us: “God, You said a lot about helping people, praying for people, being holy instead of living for pleasure, being pure instead of living for greed, letting Christ be our Lord instead of letting our desires be our Lord. So we let Jesus teach us how to change who we were.”
• God: “Thank you for serving Me by placing My emphasis where I placed it.”

Are you willing to listen to God? Where do you place His emphasis?

God’s Basic Desire

Posted by David on March 30, 2003 under Sermons

There are two extremely critical questions about life each of us ask and answer about ourselves. We may not realize we ask ourselves these two questions, but each one of us do. We may not realize we give personal answers to each of these questions, but we do. All of us ask the questions. All of us answer the questions. We may not share our answers with anyone else, but those answers live in our hearts.

What are these two questions all of us ask and answer?

The first question is this: “What is my life about?” We may ask that question in many forms. “What do I live for?” “What is the most important thing in life to me?” “What is the number one consideration or issue in my life?”

Most of us ask and answer that question by the time we are twenty years old. Once we answer that question, we are not likely to change the answer. Changing answers happens, but it does not happen easily. Our answer determines the way we live for a long, long time.

The second question is this: “How am I going to produce (or achieve) what I have decided life is about for me?” The “how” question is basically a simple question. “I have decided what my life is about. How am I going to get there? How am I going to make it happen?” While our “what’s” do not change very often, our “hows” may change many times. If one “how” does not work, I need to find a “how” that will work.

If you examine most of us at age 30 and age 50, the “what” answer often has not changed. The “how” answer has probably change a lot.

Maybe your reaction is, “Big deal! That is the most boring observation I have heard in a long time!”

It is a big deal. In fact it is a very big deal. Two more observations.

Observation one: whatever the person you are married to is living for on your wedding day will likely be the same “what” he or she will be living for in 40 years. If you do not like the “what” he or she is living for when you are engaged, don’t marry him or her.

Observation two: your answer to the “what” question will definitely determine the place God has in your life. One of the most critical spiritual problems among Christians is this: we say we believe in God, but our “what” answers oppose God.

1. Let me illustrate the fact that a person can say he or she believes in God, but he or she actually opposes God because his or her answer to “what is my life about” opposes God.
   1. Consider:
      1. If my answer to “what is my life about” is money, then my money will always be more important than God.
         1. The best God can ever hope for in my life is second place.
         2. Any time I have to make a decision between money and God, God loses.
      2. If my answer to “what is my life about” is sex, then sex will always be more important than God.
         1. The best God can ever hope for in my life is second place.
         2. Any time I have to make a decision between sex and God, God loses.
      3. If my answer to “what is my life about” is having fun (whatever I consider having fun to be), then having fun will always be more important than God.
         1. The best God can every hope for in my life is second place.
         2. Any time I have to make a decision between having fun and God, God loses.
      4. I could illustrate the point in a lot of ways: success of whatever type, acceptance of whatever type, achievement of whatever type, social prominence in whatever segment of society that is important to me, etc.
   2. The point is simple: my answer to the question, “What is my life about?” determines the way I look at God and the place I allow God to occupy in my life.
      1. The determining factor in how I live my life is my answer to the question, “What is my life about?”
      2. My answer to that question determines the position I allow God to assume in my life.

2. Perhaps your quiet, inner voice says, “David, I do not like the direction you are going with this. If you are going to make the point that God should be number one in my life, your are going to turn me off and freak me out.”
   1. “If you are going where I think you are going, I don’t want to hear this.”
      1. “After all, what do you expect from me?”
      2. “I am here, and there certainly are many other places I could be doing many other things much more enjoyable.”
      3. “I follow most of the rules when it is really important.”
      4. “I give; isn’t the big thing you want my money?”
      5. “I don’t stand in my family’s way of being as religious as they want to be.”
   2. “What does God want anyway?”
      1. That is an excellent question!
      2. What does God want?
      3. In different ages was it different things, or has it always been the same thing?
      4. This morning I want to suggest that before you decide what you want in life, you need to understand what God wants.

3. Genesis 3 tells us there was a time when God had open, free, direct communication with people.
   1. Before evil entered human life, this world was very different.
      1. God had daily conversations with people–they were made in His image and likeness, and God enjoyed talking to them.
      2. At that time there was no shame; there was nothing to be ashamed of.
      3. At that time there was no fear; there was nothing to be afraid of.
      4. At that time there was no need to hide from God; God was not associated with danger.
   2. What does God want?
      1. He wants what He enjoyed when there was no evil in human life.
      2. Basically what God wants has never changed.
      3. He wants what He had and wanted in the beginning.

4. Let scripture declare what God wants.
   1. Think with me for a moment about Exodus 19.
      1. The situation:
         1. God already had rescued Israel from Egyptian slavery.
         2. God already had separated Israel from Egyptian control by bringing them across the Red Sea.
         3. God already had brought this huge mass of people to the foot of Mount Sinai.
         4. God was now ready to speak the ten commandments to them.
      2. This was to be a special moment in Israel’s relationship with God, and God wanted them to understand what a unique, special occasion and opportunity this was.
         1. God asked Moses to give a special message to Israel before He voiced the ten commandments to them.
         2. Listen to God’s special message to Israel recorded in Exodus 19:4-6:
            You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”
      3. What did God want? God wanted a people who belonged to Him by choice, who were uniquely His because they wanted to be uniquely His.
      4. He wanted a people who belonged to Him as people belonged to Him before there was evil in human life.
   2. Think with me for a moment from Deuteronomy 7:6-8:
      1. The situation:
         1. It is now almost a generation later from Exodus 19.
         2. Moses is an old man.
         3. Only three adults who left Egypt are now alive, and soon there will only be two.
         4. The old man Moses does not want the second generation of Israelites to make the same basic mistake their parents made.
      2. Soon they will enjoy the fulfillment of God’s promise–soon they will enter the land God promised them and become a settled nation.
      3. Listen as Moses gave them this message:
         Deuteronomy 7:6-8 For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
      4. What does God want?
         1. The same thing He wanted when He spoke to their parents at Mount Sinai.
         2. He wants a people who belong uniquely to Him by choice; they are His because they want to be His.
         3. He wants a people who by choice belong to him just like people did before evil existed in human life.
   3. Think with me a moment from Titus 2:11-14.
      1. The situation:
         1. The moment of Jesus’ crucifixion is long past.
         2. The moment of Jesus’ resurrection as the Christ is long past.
         3. The good news of what God did in Jesus’ death and resurrection was declared to the nations, among both the Jews and those who were not Jews.
      2. Now all people can be God’s sons and daughters; all can be forgiven; all can be saved.
      3. And what does God want? The same thing God always wanted.
      4. Listen as Paul writes Titus:
         Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
      5. He wants a people who belong uniquely to Him by choice because they want to be His.
      6. He wants a people who are uniquely His just as were people before evil existed in human life.

“David, you are always asking us questions. Let me ask you a question. What do you want?” That is a good question. I have been a preacher for 49 years. For 41 of those years I have served God’s people full time. In all that time what I wanted has not changed much. First, I want to be one of those people who belong uniquely to God. Second, I want you to be one of those people who, by choice, belong uniquely and exclusively to God. I cannot explain to you how important that is to me.

I have learned two things. First, I have learned that if I am to be one of those people, I must be committed to that purpose every day. Second, I have learned that each of you will be one of those people only if you choose to be.

So I guess the question is this: who do you want to be? What is your life really about?

“Skip Over” Scriptures: Romans 16, Part 4

Posted by David on March 23, 2003 under Sermons

Let’s begin this evening by turning to Romans 16.

As an introduction to my thoughts, I want to make a single point. My personal conviction is this: if we divorce Romans 16 from the Paul’s basic message in the entire letter of Romans, we will make Romans 16 say things that Paul did not say. For myself, I regard that to be an abuse of scripture.

1. In verse 17 Paul urged them to keep any eye on those who stirred up trouble and hindered “the teaching,” and reject their influences.
   1. For several years among us, this verse was used as justification for “marking” fellow Christians who should be rejected and shunned by other Christians.
      1. The reasoning seemed to follow this line of thinking:
         1. “My position is the true position; my position is God’s position.”
         2. “This position is a salvation matter, and if you do not agree with my position, you are rejected by God, and therefore you are lost.”
         3. “If a division exists between us as Christians, it is your fault because you reject my position.”
         4. “Because you refuse to accept my position, I am obligated to tell everyone that you are a false teacher, and every other faithful Christian and congregation must reject you.”
         5. “I am not the problem; you are the problem. Any problem that exists is produced by you.”
      2. Ironically, the practice of “marking” is not intended to promote healing among Christians, but division among Christians.
         1. I say ironically, because I understand Romans to be a healing message that was intended to close the gap between Jewish Christians and gentile Christians.
         2. The “marking” agenda easily becomes a control mechanism in which one group of Christians demand that all other Christians conform to their conclusions and positions.
         3. The basic objective is not to seek understanding, but to impose conformity.
         4. Understanding is not important; agreeing with those exercising control is important.
   2. In my understanding that practice and conclusion is precisely opposite the point Paul made in his letter to Christians in Rome.
      1. Paul began to reveal and stress his basic point to the Christians in Rome from chapter one when he declared in verse 16 that he was not ashamed of the gospel.
         1. The gospel or “good news” (which is the basic meaning of the word) was “good news” for two reasons:
         2. The first was salvation; this good news is based on God’s power to save.
         3. The second was the fact that God’s ability to save is so powerful that it could save Jews and people who are not Jews.
      2. To me, that is the overall problem addressed in this letter to Christians in Rome: God equally can save Jews and people who are not Jews.
         1. Jewish Christians had real trouble with Paul’s understanding and declaration of the “good news.”
         2. Non-Jewish Christians could easily become arrogant and boastful if they followed wrong motivations when they heard and trusted the “good news.”
         3. Paul’s basic point in the first 11 chapters was this: God always had planned to present a salvation that could save everyone in all nations through Jesus Christ and the work of His Spirit.
      3. Some Christians genuinely resented Paul’s good news.
         1. They actively opposed the unity between Jewish Christians and non-Jewish Christians.
         2. Paul’s letter to the congregations in Galatia documents both the existence and the basic work of such Christians.
         3. Paul said these people who opposed God’s mission to the gentiles are not the slaves of Jesus Christ who serve Jesus Christ, but are slaves to their own motives who serve their own desires.
         4. They are convincing; in fact they are so convincing that they can deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.
         5. The objective of these Christians is to destroy the oneness of Jewish Christians and non-Jewish Christians.
         6. Paul said see them for who and what they are, and do not let them succeed.
      4. Paul was delighted to hear about their dedication to obedience.
         1. He had only one thing to add.
         2. He urged them to be experts in what is good and innocent.

2. Verses 21 through 23 are a series of greetings from Christians who were with Paul in the place he wrote the letter (likely in Corinth or Cenchrea).
   1. Timothy, his fellow worker, sent greetings.
   2. Some Jewish Christians sent greetings.
   3. The scribe who actually wrote the letter (Paul dictated; the scribe wrote) sent greetings.
   4. Paul’s patron sent greetings.
   5. Erastus, very likely the same Erastus documented archeologically, sent greetings (he was a high official in the pagan city government, the city treasurer).
   6. And another Christian there sent greetings.

3. In the last three verses, Paul closes this letter in a manner very similar to the beginning of the letter.
   1. According to Paul’s “good news” that was based on a foundation produced by the preaching of Jesus Christ, God was able to establish all of them–Jewish Christians and non-Jewish Christians.
      1. This could happen because God had revealed the mystery which was a secret in past ages.
      2. It was no longer a secret, not longer an obscure mystery.
      3. The prophets who wrote scriptures did not understand how God would work through this mystery, but the eternal God knew precisely what He was doing.
      4. What is this “mystery” which was then revealed and made known?
         1. The Jewish prophets knew that God had a gentile mission (a mission to all the nations of people who were not Jews).
         2. But they did not know what this mission looked like, or how God was going to achieve that mission.
         3. God achieves that mission through faith in Jesus Christ.
      5. Through faith in God’s Christ, anyone has access to salvation.
         1. Being God’s people does not depend on genealogy.
         2. Being God’s people does not depend some special knowledge or tradition.
         3. Being God’s people depends on understanding what God does in Jesus Christ.
         4. All the nations now have access to God’s salvation, and no one has an advantage (many Jewish Christians did not like that!).
   2. Jesus Christ reveals just how wise God is; an understanding of Jesus Christ motivates the person to give glory to God.

4. Let me conclude by asking you to focus on what Paul did in Romans 16.
   1. He asked them to accept and treat kindly the Christian lady who was his patroness, who had helped many (who likely took this letter to Rome).
   2. He greeted Jewish Christians and non-Jewish Christians in the churches in Rome.
   3. He noted Jewish Christians who were respected and appreciated by congregations of Christians who were not Jews.
   4. He stressed how active Christian women were.
   5. He commanded all Christians to greet each other respectfully (holy kiss).
   6. He urged them to see Christians who sustained divisions among them (tried to keep those divisions in tact) for who and what they were.
   7. He sends greeting from both Jewish Christians and non-Jewish Christians.
   8. He stressed that God always intended to save people who were not Jews, and God accomplished that through Jesus Christ.
   9. The messages in Romans 16 are consistent with Paul’s basic message in the rest of the letter; in fact, it illustrates his basic message.

Conclusion:

The point Paul wanted them to understand is basically the same point he made in the very beginning of the letter.
1. God does not care if you are a Jewish Christian or a non-Jewish Christian.
2. Since it does not matter to God, it should not matter to you.
3. Instead of hassling each other, accept and encourage each other.
4. God wants everyone to trust the same thing: His accomplishments in Jesus Christ.
5. When people do that, it changes the way they live and what they live for.

God’s Memory

Posted by David on under Sermons

I thank the elders for allowing Joyce and me to take a week to be with her dad and mom. I thank Richard Hostetler and Kevin Roberts for preaching last Sunday. I thank Kevin Hesslen and Dale Brown for teaching my classes. I thank you all for your prayers for us and for Joyce’s mom and dad.

The week we were in Crossville, Tennessee, was unusual for us in several different ways. This is one of the ways that it was unusual for me: I spent a week in the place I grew up remembering good memories from my past. I was able to go places, see people, and think about things that I had not thought about in years.

For example, twice I was able to talk with a Bible teacher who was also my high school science teacher. Bert Ingram taught me the value and the importance of studying the Bible in context.

I saw and talked to a high school classmate who was in my graduating class of about 20.

I saw a lady from a congregation for whom I preached on Sundays before I married.

I visited the place that I proposed to Joyce.

I was in a Bible class held in the place where Joyce and I married.

I drove by the location of the first place Joyce and I lived after we married.

1. Human memory is a strange thing.
   1. As we visited a very sick Allen Wells in the hospital, I had some cherished, special memories of him.
      1. I remember well the first time I met him when I was 16 years old.
         1. I was dating Joyce and visiting in their home when he came in from his usual long day of work.
         2. At the time, he was a huge man who probably carried at least 250 pounds on his 6 foot 4 inch frame.
         3. He briefly greeted me and disappeared behind a door.
         4. A while later he asked me to come into the room.
         5. When I did, he had over 35 pistols on the bed, no two alike.
         6. At that time in his life, he traded and sold guns.
         7. Years later after I married Joyce I teased him by telling him I did not know if he was telling me to get serious or get gone.
      2. I remember the time Joyce and I decided to do mission work in Africa.
         1. The hardest part of that decision was telling our parents.
         2. We had some special concerns in telling Allen.
            1. At that time he was not a faithful Christian (he was a good man, but rarely worshipped).
            2. We needed to tell him that we were taking his only grandchildren over 5000 miles away.
         3. When I told him, all he asked was, “Is this what you and Joyce really want to do?”
            1. I said, “Yes.”
            2. He said, “As long as my kids are doing what is right, I want them to do whatever they want to do.”
            3. That is all he ever said about our decision.
   2. Joyce and I have been married for almost 42 years, and Allen has never criticized me or told me what to do.

2. I said human memory is a strange thing.
   1. Why would I say that?
      1. Human memory is essential to human existence.
         1. There are very few things any of us could do without memory.
         2. Even things as simple as walking and swallowing depend on memory.
      2. Conscious human memory is unusual because we are more likely to remember the bad and forget the good.
         1. It is much easier to remember what we do not like than remember what we do like.
         2. It is much easier to remember failures than it is to remember successes.
         3. It is much easier to remember flaws than it is to remember talents.
   2. Let me ask you to create for yourself a Bible example.
      1. I am going to mention a Bible person, and I want you to hold on to the first thing that comes to your mind concerning this man.
      2. What is your first memory when I say the name of the man . . . David?
         1. Let me take a chance: would everyone whose first thought was Bathsheba or something relating to the David and Bathsheba hold up your hand?
         2. Would everyone whose first thought was “the man whose heart belonged to God” hold up your hand?
   3. David is a powerful illustration of a basic difference between human memory and God’s memory.
      1. One of the things I had opportunity to do the week I was home was a lot of Bible reading in books I find too little time to read.
         1. I have a new study Bible I am trying to become more familiar with.
         2. While we were home, I had the time to do a lot of reading in 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 Kings.
      2. In those readings I read about David’s life and several generations beyond David’s life.
      3. As I read, I was impressed with how often those scriptures talked about the fact that God did things “for the sake of David” long after David had died.
         1. Obviously, God remembered David and actually did things because of His memories of David.
         2. Was David perfect? Absolutely not! In the incident involving Bathsheba, he was guilty of murder and adultery.
         3. Even though that was true, the thing God constantly remembered about David was that David’s heart belonged to Him.

3. Let me share with you some specific examples of God’s memory of David.
   1. 1 Kings 11 states that King Solomon began as an incredible man of God but became a man who turned his heart away from God.
      1. Solomon loved foreign wives: Egyptian, Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite (1 Kings 11:1).
      2. This was in direct rebellion against God’s instructions to Israelite men.
      3. When Solomon rebelled against God, he rebelled in an enormous way.
         1. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines.
         2. These women successfully turned his heart away from God when Solomon was an old man.
         3. They even succeeded in getting Solomon to follow other gods and do evil in God’s sight.
         4. Solomon even built places of worship so his wives could worship their gods.
         5. Twice God appeared to Solomon instructing him to reject these gods, but Solomon refused to listen to God, preferring to listen to his wives.
      4. God was so angry with Solomon that He declared that He would take most of Israel and give it to someone other than Solomon’s son.
      5. However, one tribe would be given to Solomon’s son.
         1. Why?
         2. The answer: “for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem” (1 Kings 11:13).
   2. Two generations later, long after Israel had divided, Abijam became king of Judah.
      1. Abijam was the son of Rehoboam, the great-grandson of King David.
      2. He also was a very wicked man (1 Kings 15:3).
      3. Yet, God allowed Abijam’s son to become the next king of Judah.
         1. Why?
         2. God allowed his son Asa to succeed him “for David’s sake” . . . “because David did what was right in the sight of the Lord” except in the case of Uriah (1 Kings 15:4, 5).
   3. Yet two more generations later, God permitted Jehoram to become king of Judah.
      1. He also was a very wicked man, yet God allowed him to be king.
      2. Why?
         1. “The Lord was not willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of David, His servant . . .” (2 Kings 8:19)
         2. God continued to remember David.
   4. Six kings after King David God still acted on His memory of David’s heartfelt devotion.
      1. Even though five of those kings were evil men, God still acted on His memory of David.
      2. Though David’s descendants were in no way worthy of God’s blessing, God blessed them because of David’s dedication.

4. At this very minute, our world and our society is a very evil, uncertain place.
   1. To me, anyone who would dare predict what will happen even in two months is a very unwise person.
      1. The times are too complex.
      2. The situation is too complicated.
      3. Our world is too small, and cultures neither understand nor respect cultures who are significantly different.
   2. Wonder what God thinks when He examines the incredible mess we people have made on this earth?
      1. May I ask a question: does God continue to be patient because of us or in spite of us?
      2. How many times do you think God says, “For the sake of . . ., I will do this. I will never forget the devotion of his (or her) heart.”
      3. When God looks at your motives, is He elated or is He disgusted?

5. Allow me to share one last thing about God’s memory.
   1. Jeremiah 31:31-34 predicted a time when God would make a new covenant with all Israelites.
      1. Among the features of this covenant was this: “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
      2. The time was coming when God would forget every sin He forgave.
   2. The writer of the book of Hebrews referred to that specific prophecy in Hebrews l0:16, 17.
      1. He declared Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of that prophecy.
      2. When God gives us forgiveness in Jesus Christ, the sins He forgives cease to exist in His memory.

Perhaps you honestly say of yourself, “God cannot have any good memories of me. He would never act in goodness or mercy because of anything He remembers in my life.” That may be true. But it can change. When we humbly, obediently give our hearts to God, He forgives. When He forgives, He forgets the evil.

God committed to you in Jesus’ death. Allow your faith in Christ to commit to God in repentance and baptism.

“Skip Over” Scriptures: Romans 16, Part 3

Posted by David on March 2, 2003 under Sermons

It seems typical of all people to sink instead of rise. That is true in the church as well as out of the church. Let me illustrate what I am talking about. It is easier to expect the worst from people than to expect the best from them. It is easier to surrender to bad motives than it is to develop good motives. It is easier to be critical than to be encouraging. It is easier to judge than it is to be compassionate. It is easier to resent than it is to praise. It is easier to condemn than it is to forgive. It is easier to be selfish than it is to be unselfish.

Jesus expects the best from us. If people expect the worst from us, Jesus still expects the best from us. If we expect the worst from ourselves, Jesus still expects the best from us. Everyday he challenges us to find the strength and guidance in him to be the best person we can be.

It is in that expectation that lies the conflict and challenge. All of us enter Christ leaving an ungodly existence. Even if we enter Christ from the environment of a Christian home, we all still leave environments that are less than perfect, environments that have degrees of ungodliness. When we enter Christ, Jesus says to us, “I want you to find the strength and guidance in me to become what I can make you.”

Then the struggle begins. It is easy not to grow. It is easy to be content with who and what you are. It is easy to compare yourself to people who do not even try to be godly to feel good about who you are. It is easy to compare yourself to Christians who made mistakes to feel good about who you are.

It is hard to accept Christians who are different as being Christians also. If they have a different culture, if they come from a different social level, if they have a different background, if they have different traditions, it is difficult to accept and relate to them in Jesus Christ. It is hard to build a sense of community, a sense of belonging.

1. Building this sense of community, this sense of belonging is a significant concern in Romans, as it is in Galatians.
   1. It is hard to build an entirely new sense of belonging among people who never associated with each other in the past.
      1. Many Jewish people who became Christians had serious problems accepting and relating to non-Jewish people who became Christians.
         1. Depending on where the Jewish converts lived (almost always in Jewish communities), they lived in various degrees of isolation from non-Jewish people.
            1. In Palestine they lived in near complete isolation, maintaining as little interaction as possible with non-Jews.
            2. Outside of Palestine (in the Diaspora), they had higher levels of interaction with non-Jewish people which depended on (a) where they lived and (b) how large the Jewish community was in that city, town, or area.
      2. Early, accepting Jesus as the Christ was largely a Jewish issue in Jewish communities.
      3. Suddenly when non-Jewish people heard about and began to accept the resurrected Jesus Christ, Jewish believers faced the problem of how to relate to and accept believers who had a idolatrous background.
   2. It created a huge problem in the Christian community.
      1. Jews and idolatrous people came from very different religious backgrounds–as examples, Jews believed in the existence of one, exclusive God and idolatrous people believed in the existence of many gods, many of whom were not exclusive; the Jews had one temple that was the one place for sacrificial worship, but most idols had numerous temples and numerous places for sacrificial worship.
      2. Cultures were different.
      3. Traditions were different.
      4. Life styles were different.
      5. Diets were different.
      6. Even clothing often had differences.
   3. If converted idol worshippers did things the way converted Jews did them, that was tolerable.
      1. That commonly was the situation when converted Jews were the larger number.
      2. But when converted idol worshippers equaled or outnumbered converted Jews in a city, town, or area, the converted idol worshippers often saw no need to do things the ways Jews did them (follow Jewish traditions).
   4. The situation became more complex.
      1. As time passed, converted Jews were ostracized from the synagogue (a Jewish institution) and from the activities of the Jewish community.
      2. Converted idol worshippers were no longer welcome in what were known as “associations” in many Roman cities.
      3. The Roman empire and local governments became increasingly suspicious of people who would not call Caesar god, who would not worship in temples dedicated to the Roman Caesars, and who would not honor the gods that protected the empire.
      4. Increasingly, it became essential that those who believed in the resurrected Jesus Christ accept each other and form a strong sense of community.
      5. Christians of radically different backgrounds did not need to fight one another or ostracize one another.
   5. The comments Paul made in Romans 16:16 to the end of the chapter need to be understood from the perspective of this widespread, very real problem.
      1. In the early church Christians ate together frequently.
         1. One of the first activities of the very first Christians (who were Jewish Christians) was eating together.
            Acts 2:46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart.
         2. Well into the first century, Christians eating together was still a common, important activity. Jude spoke of ungodly Christians who abused this practice:
            Jude 12 These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted.
      2. Paul mentioned both the practice of Christians eating together and the very real problem Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians often faced when they ate together.
         Galatians 2:11,12 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.
      3. This eating together played a powerful, important role in Christians bonding with each other as the community of Christ.

2. First, I want to call to your attention the holy kiss mentioned in Romans 16:16.
   Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
   1. We likely would be very uncomfortable doing things as the early church did them.
      1. As I understand it, three things were commonly a part of the early Christians assemblies (I am not implying that other things were not a part of their worship):
         1. One was the meal, the love feast, the eating together.
            1. It served several purposes; consider two.
            2. It declared to poor Christians who struggled to survive, “You are a real part of the Christian community.”
            3. It built or sustained this sense of community.
            4. The motive for this meal was not having a feast, but affirming a sense of togetherness.
            5. Remember: eating a meal was a common part of sacrificial worship, and they understood Christian worship to be sacrificial worship–Jesus as their sacrifice, and eating a memorial meal was an appropriate expression of worship.
         2. One was the holy kiss.
            1. I know nothing of how it was done.
            2. A common conclusion: men kissed men and women kissed women, and they likely kissed each other’s cheeks.
            3. I understand, “Greet one another with a holy kiss,” is in the form of a command, not a suggestion.
            4. Instead of a sensual kiss (which was quite common in their world in which fornication, adultery, and homosexuality were more common than they are today in our society), they shared a holy kiss.
            5. The purpose was basically the same purpose of the meal–to affirm community and togetherness.
         3. One was communion or the Lord’s supper.
            1. Remember that Jesus instituted this at a meal.
            2. The fact that it is referred to as the Lord’s “supper” would indicate a meal.
            3. Also remember again that meals were a common part of worship both in the Jewish world and the idolatrous world.
   2. To the best of my understanding, this occurred when Christians assembled for worship:
      1. At some point there was a meal that affirmed their love for each other.
      2. At some point there was a holy kiss that declared, “We accept each other, we belong to each other.”
      3. At some point there was communion or the Lord’s supper that affirmed that they could belong to each other and to God because of the sacrifice Jesus made for them.
      4. These are not the only three things that occurred, but there is evidence that these three things occurred.

3. In Romans 16:16 I also call your attention to the statement, “All the churches of Christ salute you.”
   1. My conclusion: the words, “the churches of Christ,” were not a name and were not used by Paul as a name.
      1. I understand that the references to the church in the New Testament other than just the words “the church” are all possessives: “the church of …”.
      2. The possessives are not names, were not intended as names, were only used to show relationship.
         1. These possessives include:
            1. Matthew 16:18–My church, or the church belonging to Me (Jesus).
            2. Acts 20:28–the church of God, or the church that belongs to God.
            3. Romans 16:16–the churches of Christ, or the churches belonging to Christ.
            4. 1 Corinthians l:2 ;11:22; 15:9–the church of God, or belonging to God.
            5. 2 Corinthians 1:1–the church of God, or belonging to God.
            6. Galatians 1:13–the church of God, or belonging to God
            7. 1 Thessalonians 2:14–the churches of God in Christ Jesus, or the church belonging to God because of what He accomplished in Christ Jesus.
            8. 2 Thessalonians 1:4–the churches of God, or the churches belonging to God.
            9. 1 Timothy 3:5–the church of God, or belonging to God.
            10. 1 Timothy 3;15–the church of the living God, or belonging to the living God.
         2. This same form of possessive is used in reference to a church or churches existing in a geographical area or among a people.
            1. Romans 16:4–the churches of the Gentiles
            2. 1 Corinthians 14:33–the churches of the saints
            3. 1 Corinthians 16:1 and 19–the churches of Asia
            4. 2 Corinthians 8:1–the churches of Macedonian
            5. Galatians 1:2–the churches of Galatia
            6. Galatians 1:22–the churches of Judea
            7. Colossians 4:16–the church of the Laodiceans
            8. 1 Thessalonians 1:1–the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
            9. 2 Thessalonians 1:1–the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

Consistent with the context of the book–the enormous problem between Jewish Christians and gentile Christians–Paul said to greet each other as genuine members of the Christian community in Rome, AND at the same time remember that you are a part of the community of Christians everywhere (they send their greetings).

Separating the Possible From the Impossible

Posted by David on under Sermons

I want to begin this morning by speaking to all the teenagers and all the adults. I want to ask you to make a comparison and a prediction. I want every teenager and every adult to make the comparison. Then I want to ask every teenager and every adult to attempt to make a projection.

The comparison: consider clearly who and what you are right now. Look at yourself very carefully. Consider how you think. Consider what you do on a day to day basis. Consider what you really like. Consider what you really dislike. Consider foods, drinks, and clothes that are very important to you right now. I just want you to honestly picture who you are and what you are right now. You are not asked to share this picture with anyone. Only you know your picture of yourself. Do you have the picture?

Now make a comparison. If you are a teenager, subtract ten years from your age. If you are an adult, go back the last distinct period of life you experienced (single, newly wed, married with small children, married with kids in school, single parent with kids in school, married with teens or single parent with teens, empty nest, early retirement, etc.). Take your picture of yourself as you are right now, and place it beside the picture of who you were ten or more years ago. Look at those two pictures of you as a person. Place them side by side in your mind. Have you changed? Are there obvious ways that you are not the same now as you were then? With most of us, some of those changes are good, and some of those changes are not good.

Now the projection. Take a moment to add ten years to your life. For the sake of the illustration, we all will assume that everyone of us will be alive in ten years. If you take that picture of yourself right now and place it beside what you think you might be like in ten years, will there be any significant changes? I sincerely hope that all of us know there will be changes. With most of us, some of those changes will be good, and some of those changes will not be good.

Frequently I work with engaged couples to encourage them to prepare for a successful marriage. Basically I challenge each of them to focus on what he or she expects in the husband roles and the wife roles. One statement we discuss is this:

“We and our relationship will remain basically unchanged over the years.”

As time passes, healthy people change. They change because they grow. As they grow, if they are married, the marriage relationship must grow with them.

1. Last Sunday morning, we noted that Jesus compared his concept of what it means to be a righteous person to the prevailing concepts of human righteousness in first century Israel. [This is not a series. I just want you to see something that hopefully will challenge and encourage you.]
   1. The people to whom Jesus spoke this lesson in Matthew 5, 6, and 7 lived in a very religious nation.
      1. This nation had possessed God’s law for over a 1000 years.
      2. That law was specifically given to them.
      3. Scripture was written to them.
      4. For generations they listened as scripture was discussed and explained in their synagogues.
      5. The prophets were sent to them by God.
      6. Of all existing nations, they had the best knowledge of righteousness.
         1. They were certain their concepts of righteousness was correct.
         2. They were certain their concepts of righteousness were God’s concepts of righteousness.
         3. They were certain their concepts of righteousness directly were based on God’s law as revealed in scripture.
   2. Jesus declared they were seriously mistaken; their conclusions about human righteousness and God’s desire in human righteousness were not alike.
      1. They misunderstood God’s basic concerns.
      2. Their thoughts and God’s concerns were different, in some cases radically different.
      3. They were certain they understood God, but they did not.

2. We have a first century Jewish man who was a specific example of the problem.
   1. This man wrote two very insightful statements about himself before he became a Christian.
      1. The first statement is found in a letter he wrote to the Christians who lived in Galatia.
         Galatians 1:13,14 For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions.
      2. The second statement is found in a letter he wrote to a Christian friend whose name was Timothy:
         1 Timothy 1:12-16 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
      3. In these two scriptures I want you to focus on two facts for the moment:
         1. Before Paul became a follower of the resurrected Jesus Christ, he was one of the leading students in Judaism; he was truly a well educated scholar.
         2. Before Paul became a follower of the resurrected Jesus Christ, he was an extremely violent man–he was violent because his concept of righteousness demanded that he be violent to Jews who believed that Jesus was resurrected and was the Christ whom God promised.
   2. What did this Jewish man called Saul or Paul believe?
      1. He was a Pharisee, a student of one of the most learned teachers Israel ever had (Gamaliel), a person who moved in the highest circles of Israel (he could petition the Jewish high priest for help).
      2. This scholarly man considered Jesus’ resurrection a lie that deceived many Jews.
      3. This scholarly man believed Jesus was a fraud, and was not the Christ.
      4. He believed that Jews who followed this dead Jesus were a serious threat to Judaism.
      5. He believed that the only way to stop the threat was to arrest and kill the Jews who believed in Jesus.
      6. He believed that was the righteous thing to do!
      7. Did he think he knew what righteousness was? Yes!
      8. Was he convinced that he understood God’s concepts of human righteousness? Yes!
      9. Was he serious about what he believed? Yes! So serious that he arrested and wanted killed those Jews who followed Jesus.

3. What happened to change this man from a violent scholar in Judaism, to a person who knew Jesus was the Christ, to a person who attempted to go throughout the Mediterranean world teaching people about Jesus Christ?
   1. He met the resurrected Jesus Christ in person.
      1. Acts 9:1-9 records that meeting.
      2. Paul was on his way to Damascus to arrest Jewish people who believed that Jesus was the Christ.
      3. But before he got there, Jesus appeared to him and identified himself.
      4. That meeting totally turned Paul’s life around.
   2. Years later Paul clearly remembered that meeting and remembered what Jesus said to him.
      1. When he was on trial as a Christian, he explained to King Agrippa why he was a Christian with these words:
         Acts 26:14-20 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’ So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.
      2. Before Paul devoted his life to Jesus Christ, he was a violent man who hunted down Jews who believed in Jesus.
      3. After Paul devoted his life to Jesus Christ, he was a compassionate man who wanted everyone to be a Christian.
      4. His devotion to Jesus Christ cost him everything–his position, his prestige, his accomplishments, and eventually his life.
   3. Why? Why would Paul give up everything that he worked so hard to achieve?
      1. Let’s let him explain.
      2. I urge you to listen very carefully to his explanation and expand your understanding of human righteousness.
         Philippians 3:7-11 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
         1. Pay very careful attention to Paul’s explanation for his change.
         2. Paul mentioned two kinds of righteousness: (1) the righteousness that is produced through human achievement; (2) the righteousness that is produced through confidence or faith in Jesus Christ.
         3. The violent Paul was dedicated to the righteousness produced through human achievement.
         4. After Paul met the resurrected Jesus Christ, he rejected that righteousness as worthless.
         5. The Christian Paul understood the righteousness that is produced by faith in Jesus.
            1. Did that understanding made him more or less obedient? More!
            2. Did that understanding made him more or less committed? More!
            3. But his confidence was in what God did in Jesus, not what he did in obedience.

The righteousness produced by faith in Jesus is available to everyone of us who realize we need it. Just like Paul, we do not have it because we have the perfect past. Just like Paul, we do not have it because in the past we did all the right things. Just like Paul, we have it because we have the courage to change our understanding of what makes a man or woman righteous before God.

Paul said the point of God allowing him to be a Christian was to prove God could save anyone who turned to him. Though Paul was very religious before he was a Christian, Paul understood he was on top of the list of evil person. One thing God proved when He forgave Paul was this: if God could forgive Paul, God can forgive anyone.

You do not have to have an ideal past to become a Christian. You must have the courage to change. You must have the courage to trust what God did in Jesus’ death and resurrection instead of trusting yourself. You must have the courage to change because you accept God’s concept of righteousness.

Satisfying the Need

Posted by David on February 23, 2003 under Sermons

What is the hungriest you have ever been? I am serious. I want you to remember a time when you were so hungry that you could not stop the hunger pains. Your stomach growled. Your body ached for food. Your yearning for food controlled your mind, controlled your body, controlled all of you. Can you remember such a time?

What is the thirstiest you have ever been? Again, I am serious. Can you remember a time when you were so thirsty that all you could think about was drinking? Your mouth was so dry that your tongue stuck when it touched anything inside your mouth. The saliva inside your mouth was non-existent. Your lips were so dry that they cracked. You were so dehydrated you could not even sweat. Can you remember such a time?

When we are genuinely hungry, genuinely thirsty, we will eat and drink at our first opportunity. Give us any choice you wish. However, if the choice is between food and water and anything else, we will choose food and water.

In the mid-eighties, I was invited to teach some Bible lessons to a military congregation in Stuttgart, Germany. When the teaching was concluded, Joyce and I bought some travel passes good inside Germany, took two backpacks, and took four days of vacation going anywhere we decided inside Germany. We would have a continental breakfast early in the morning, decide where we wanted to spend day, take a train, and go. We would not have another meal until that evening.

One day our travels (late in the day) took us within seeing distance of the Austrian border. One of Joyce’s dreams has been to visit Austria. Though it was late, she wanted to cross the border just to be able to say that she was inside the country.

I was hungry. I was so hungry that I was weak. I was so hungry I was hurting. There was nowhere to buy food. Joyce still has not visited Austria!

1. Once Jesus taught a lesson that contrasted his concepts (which are God’s concepts) of righteousness with the prevailing concepts of righteousness in Jewish culture and society.
   1. He began the lesson by describing God’s concept of a righteous person in Matthew 5:3-12. We commonly refer to his description as the beatitudes.
      1. In that description of a righteous person is this emphasis in verse 6:
         Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
      2. The righteous person wants to be a righteous person.
         1. He or she is not righteous because he or she is forced to be.
         2. He or she is not righteous “under protest.”
         3. He or she is righteous by personal desire and commitment.
      3. He or she is hungry and thirsty to be righteous, and he or she gives nourishment to that hunger and thirst.
   2. Jesus realized that what he was to share could be (and likely would be) misunderstood by many people.
      1. The religious scholars and teachers were certain they had God’s concerns all figured out–they emphasized what they were certain were God’s concerns in a person being righteous.
      2. Jesus knew he would share a number of emphasis that would not agree with what was publicly emphasized.
      3. He began with two things they must understand.
         1. If they were to be God’s righteous people, they had to come to an understanding of who they were.
            1. They were God’s salt and light.
            2. They were to function as God’s power to preserve and God’s power to see.
         2. If they were to be God’s righteous people, they also had to understand who he was.
            1. He knew many significant people would declare he was trying to destroy God’s law.
            2. He was not there to destroy the law.
            3. He was there to be the living embodiment of what God always intended the law to produce.

2. Then Jesus’ began a lengthy series of contrasts.
   1. The first thing I challenge you to understand is this: many, many of those who heard Jesus’ contrast would react by saying, “That can’t be right!”
      1. For almost 100 years there had been a powerful religious force and influence in Israel to get the people to return to God’s laws and God’s ways.
         1. This group of people began as the Hasidim influence.
         2. Among their concerns was this one: they were certain the influences of Greek culture would destroy Judaism if those influences were not stringently opposed.
         3. One of their mottoes was, “Restore the old paths.”
         4. By the time Jesus’ ministry began, these people were certain that is exactly what they were doing.
      2. They were certain that Israel needed teachers who bound that return upon people, not teachers who made people think.
   2. Listen to the contrasts Jesus made to accepted practices:
      1. Jesus said: seek peace.
         1. Prevailing thought: use the court system.
         2. Jesus said using the court system produced serious consequences.
         3. A lot of people said, “That can’t be right!”
      2. Jesus said: The desire for adultery in a person’s mind is the foundation of the problem of adultery (adultery was a real problem then and it is now).
         1. Prevailing thought: unless there is a physical act, there is no adultery.
         2. Jesus said if the intent is there the evil is there.
         3. A lot of people said, “That can’t be right!”
      3. Jesus said: divorce produces spiritual disaster.
         1. Prevailing thought: divorce is okay because Moses allowed divorce.
         2. Jesus said that divorce produced adultery.
         3. A lot of people said, “That can’t be right!”
      4. Jesus said: be truthful with people.
         1. Prevailing thought: it is okay to deceive people as long as you do it the right way.
         2. Jesus said deceit is deceit, and it is ridiculous to attempt to involve God in deceit.
         3. A lot of people said, “That can’t be right!”
      5. Jesus said: instead of being just, be merciful.
         1. Prevailing thought: if someone hurts you, make them suffer the consequences.
         2. Jesus said be dedicated to mercy instead of being dedicated to justice.
         3. A lot of people said, “That can’t be right!”
      6. Jesus said: pray for those who hurt you.
         1. Prevailing thought: show kindness only to people who are kind to you.
         2. Jesus said if that is all you do, you are just like everyone else.
         3. A lot of people said, “That can’t be right!”
      7. Jesus said: do godly acts because you have godly motives.
         1. Prevailing thought: if a person does godly acts it does not matter what his or her motives are.
         2. Jesus said if the motives are not godly the acts cannot please God.
         3. A lot of people said, “That can’t be right!”
      8. Jesus said: if your life’s purpose is focused on material things, your life will not belong to God.
         1. Prevailing thought: things are God’s blessings, and having them proves God is with you.
         2. Jesus said life’s purpose is found in letting God rule you, not in pursuing material things.
         3. A lot of people said, “That can’t be right!”
      9. Jesus said: instead of judging people, help people.
         1. Prevailing thought: pick out the people who are not serving God and condemn them.
         2. Jesus said treat other people like you want to be treated.
         3. A lot of people said, “That can’t be right!”
      10. Jesus said: be careful how you live your life; choose carefully.
          1. Prevailing thought: because of who you are and who you are related to, your position with God is secure.
          2. Jesus said the kind of influence you have on others proves who you are.
          3. A lot of people said, “That can’t be right!”
   3. Jesus closed his teaching with this emphasis:
      1. It is not enough to listen to me.
      2. It is not enough to agree with me.
      3. The wise person listens to me and acts on what I say.

3. We need to understand God’s objective in our lives.
   1. God’s objective is not to make life impossible.
      1. God does not want you to say, “Oh, I could never lived up to God’s expectations.”
      2. God does not want you to say that it is impossible for you to be a righteous person.
   2. God’s objective is to help you understand what righteousness is, and to hunger and thirst for it.
      1. God does not want you to be deceived about godliness.
      2. God wants you to have full encouragement to try.
      3. His forgiveness and grace are big enough to cover you if you will hunger and thirst for righteousness.
   3. Long before Jesus was born, Isaiah told Israel that they needed to understand God’s objective in their lives.
      1. What they needed to understand was simple: God specializes in recovery, not in destruction.
      2. Listen to this touching statement in Isaiah 42:1-4:
         “Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry out or raise His voice, Nor make His voice heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not be disheartened or crushed Until He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law.”

God does not crush or extinguish people. Jesus Christ does not crush or extinguish people. People who are ruled by God do not crush or extinguish people.

While each of us surely must hunger and thirst for righteousness, each of us also must understand that God does not crush or extinguish people. In God there is responsibility, but also in God there is hope.