Various Topics Important to the Christian Life
Volume 1
By
Pastor Al Bishop
Contents
1) Evaluating the Word of God (Part 1)
2) Evaluating the Word of God (Part 2)
3) The Christian Declaration of Independence
4) How Shall We Honor
5) Aging: Finishing Well
Evaluating the Word of God (Part 1)
Not long ago, I decided that I wanted to do a study of the words of Jesus. I began to look for the very first words of Christ and found them in the gospel of Luke. It is interesting that the first three occurrences of Jesus’ recorded words are in the book of Luke. The very first is Luke 2:49. After celebrating the Passover in Jerusalem, Mary and Joseph were returning home to Nazareth and realized that 12-year old Jesus was not with them. They figured that he probably was walking with some of the other kids in the caravan of travelers so they continued their journey home. But soon they realized he was not with the caravan. They went back to Jerusalem, retraced their steps, and found Him in the temple discussing theology with the teachers of the law. And you know, age 12 is not a bad time to start emphasizing the things of God. In fact, when I thought about that, I realized that I was just barely 13 when I received Christ into my life and so it is a very significant period of time in a kid’s life. His folks are upset and they ask Jesus, “Why have you treated us this way?” His answer probably took them by surprise. Look at verse 49. “How come you were searching for me? Didn’t you know it was important to me to be in my Father’s house?” There is a principle here. For Jesus Christ, to honor God meant to have a priority for honoring and understanding the Word of God.
The second time Jesus speaks is in Luke 4:4. After fasting for 40 days, Jesus is being tempted by Satan. Satan’s first challenge was to try and get Jesus to satisfy His hunger by miraculously changing stones into bread. Satan knew that Jesus could do that, and why not show off a little? We do have our pride, don’t we? Satan knew that Jesus could do what he asked, but listen to the words that Christ used to repel the temptation: “Man shall not live by bread alone.” Matthew 4:4 adds, “[but] by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Now where are we going to discover the Word of God, which represent the words of God, the mind of God? Right here in the Scriptures. We see the priority of the Word of God to the person of Jesus Christ.
When Jesus went to Galilee, people flocked to hear Him, to see Him. But we are not told what He said until He went to Nazareth, his boyhood home. Luke 4:16 tells us that Jesus went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, which He always did. But on this particular day the Old Testament scroll was handed to Him. Jesus knew God’s Word and He knew what He wanted to say. So He deliberately turned to Isaiah chapter 61 and found the passage He wanted to read. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind. To release the oppressed and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. That must have been a powerful moment because people said of Him, “Never has anyone spoken like this man.” And as everyone in the synagogue stared at Jesus, He said this: “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” In other words, “I am the Messiah.” What is happening here? Not only is Jesus Christ, the living, incarnate, personal Word of God, according to John 1:1-4, declaring His Messiahship but He is also declaring the reliability of the prophetic written word. And if that is the evaluation that Jesus Christ has for the Holy Scriptures, we certainly should honor and respect them as well.
If you are following my emphasis, you begin to realize that one thing stands out in all these verses--the priority of the Word of God. The Word of God is not merely a book, a novel, or history book, although it has a lot of good history in it. In John 1:1 we read: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God.” Jesus is the living Word of God. He is God’s communication to us with skin, muscle, and bones. He became like us physically. Jesus, the living Word of God, has the highest regard possible for the written Word of God. Interestingly, the Living Word, Jesus Christ, witnesses to the written Word. Both of them are witnessing to each other. The written Word is witnessing to the living Word and the living Word is witnessing to the written Word.
Since humankind is to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (as our guide for life), it behooves us to never take God’s written Word lightly. I want you to notice three things. First, it is God’s expectation that mankind will live by the Word of God. Why? Because life itself is in the Word. God made us and He knows what we need to function best. Ephesians 2:1 says, “You were dead in trespasses and sin, but now He has made you alive.” Proverbs 14:12: “There is a way that seems right to man, but in the end, it leads to death.” We are not just talking about human mortality, we are talking about a life that attempts to find meaning, purpose, and fulfillment without God and His guidance (the written Word of God). In Matthew 16:26 Jesus says, “What profit is gained by any man should he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?”
Second, real quality of life means more than a sense of fulfillment. Pleasure and comfort are not the end of everything we do, although modern society thinks that they are. Character, wisdom, enlightenment, understanding, you name it. Purpose, discernment, abundant life, fulfillment, these all come to us out of the Word of God. If we build great empires without God they will ultimately mean nothing when those same empires are destroyed to make way for other empires, or when God judges all things in light of His holy justice. Early in the disciples’ earthly walk with Jesus there came a time when some people began to wonder and doubt the things that Jesus was saying. Jesus asked Peter, “What do you think and are you going to leave me also?” And Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Years later that same Peter penned some words for us just before he was martyred. Second Peter chapter 1:3-4: “As we know Jesus better, his divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive his own glory and goodness! And by that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in the divine nature.” And in verses 5-7 he admonishes us to make every effort to add to our saving faith goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. “For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We can participate with Christ. We are not alone. We are in Christ and Christ is in us. It may not seem like it at times but if we do and become what the written and living Word tell us to do and become we will become more like Jesus, and less like the world of men and women opposed to Him.
Third, the pathway for life is the Word of God. Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet, a light for my path.” John 8:12: “I am the light of the World.” Jesus said, “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but he will have the light of life.” There is direction for life in these words. I want to go back and take a look at that statement Jesus made in Luke 4:18. “The Spirit of the Lord is on me because He has anointed me to preach the good news.” Just what is the good news? In the original language the word for good news is “euangelion.” Can you say it three times fast? What other word does it sound like? Euangelion, euangelion, euangelion, evangelical. Right! Evangelical. In Romans chapter 1:16, that word appears and it says, “I am not ashamed of the “euangelion” (the good news) of Christ.” We translate it “the gospel.” And it appears one hundred times in the New Testament. We do get the word “evangelical” from euangelion. An evangelical is one who tells the good news. So, if you claim that word in your belief system, it carries an obligation.
What is the gospel message? Turn to 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 where the apostle Paul gives us an explanation of the gospel. “Brothers and sisters, I declare unto you the gospel (the “euangelion”) which I gospeled to you.” It sounds awkward but the same basic word is used in both cases. Verse three starts Paul’s explanation of the gospel. He gives three things to remember. 1) Christ died for our sin according to the Scripture. 2) Christ was buried. 3) Christ rose again according to the Scriptures. Death, burial, and resurrection are the core of the gospel message, the core of Christianity. Paul wrote 13 books of the Bible. He wrote them to explain doctrine, to address problems, to deal with social issues, and to admonish proper Christian behavior and attitudes. And each of these letters contain the same basic concepts of what the Christian faith is all about. Very simple. Romans 3:23: “All have sinned and fallen short of God’s intended glory.” But “God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God’s anger against us" (verse 25). First Corinthians 2: “I proclaim to you the testimony about God for I resolve to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” Second Corinthians 5: “God made Jesus Christ who did no sin to become sin for us so that in Him we could become God’s righteousness.” Ephesians 1:7: “In Christ we have redemption through the blood of Christ and forgiveness in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”
I am astounded and marvel at the simplicity of the gospel. It is so simple, yet so profound. “Once you were alien to God, enemies, but now God has received you (Colossians 1).” Think of it. God has received us because of what Christ did at Calvary. We were strangers to God. We were enemies. But now, Jesus says, “You are my friends.” We were earthbound like a caterpillar, but now we are heaven bound following Christ. When does this start? Second Corinthians 5:17 says, “If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation.” The old is passed and the new is come. We may not be all God wants us to be now, but we have entered a newness that will culminate in our becoming like Christ someday, “for we shall see Him as He is.” Since we are risen with Christ, we must seek, or set our hearts on, those things that have eternal value—the kingdom of heaven and its King, Jesus Christ. Remember! The final judge of everything is God and only what He deems worthy will be counted as valuable. The voters could elect you to a Hall of Fame of sport or music or dance or whatever, but unless God finds value in it, it will mean nothing in the end! If you serve the world of men, your service will mean nothing when that same world is destroyed. When the world goes up in flames so will all your honors and recognition. Look to the eternal judge and find your importance and significance in Him and His plans. And if you do you will be among those who praise God in heaven. “After this, I heard the sound of a vast crowd in heaven shouting, ‘Hallelujah! Salvation is from our God. Glory and power belong to him alone. His judgments are just and true. He has punished the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and he has avenged the murder of his servants'" (Revelation 19:1-2). And if you do not you will be among those who curse Him in your sin. Chose life now while you still have the chance to choose!
Evaluating the Word of God (Part 2)
I want every child of God to know, to get a sense, of your significance to God. He loves you and has a purpose for your life. We have been purposely planted in this time and space, in the time that is labeled by most philosophers and people as the post-Christian era. In other words, Christianity is done. Jesus has had it. I do not think we are here by accident. I think we have something to do.
What is the main purpose that you find in most people’s lives today? Listen to Francis Schaeffer, one of the greatest Christian philosophers of our time, talking about our society and its values. He said, “As the more Christian-oriented value system has weakened,” in others words, Christian influence has been losing out in recent years, “the majority of people have adopted two impoverished values. Number one, personal peace. Number two, affluence. Personal peace is just to be left alone. To live our lives with minimal possibilities of being disturbed. And affluence is a life of ever-increasing prosperity, made up of things, more things, and better things, a success that is judged by one’s level of material abundance.” How does this work its way out in every day life? What is the popular idea today? Tolerance. Correct! You have heard the clichés. “Don’t rock any boats.” “To each his own.” “Live and let live.” “If two people consent, it’s ok, and after all, there’s no such thing as absolutes or eternal moral values anymore.” I remember in “Fiddle on the Roof” when Tedya is talking about the new young man Perchek that came to the town of Anatevka and the Renchek said to him, “There’s a great big world out there that can’t be ignored.” And Tedva said, “You’re right.” One of the local adults responded, “Who cares? Let those people take care of themselves. They don’t matter to us at all.” And Tedva follows, “You’re right.” To which another local observes, “Tedva, they can’t both be right.” And Tedva concludes, “You also are absolutely right.” This is the philosophy of many today. Two ideas or concepts in direct opposition to one another are treated as equally true. If you think like this, what difference does anything make? And it seems that even many Christians only get upset when some power threatens their own peace or affluence. Schaeffer continues, “And if mankind is only what modern people say it is,” listen to this question, “Why does man’s biological continuation have any value at all?” Good question, Why does man’s biological continuation matter if this world is all there is, if there is no God, no eternal life, no right and no wrong?
The results of this kind of thinking are increased violence, the cheapness of life, and a survival-of-the-most-powerful mentality. Might makes right. And if I have more than you, I must be more valuable and better than you. Schaeffer concluded that ultimately we have two alternatives. “We stand between two alternatives. Imposed world order, or, affirming, once more, the foundation which gave us freedom in the first place.” Schaeffer identifies that foundation as the written Word of God, especially the Ten Commandments, and the living Word, Jesus Christ. These two sources were significant roots to Western civilization. To the many freedoms we enjoy today. But as always happens the carnal heart of man turns the legitimate freedoms we enjoy, freedom of religion, freedom of education, freedom of property ownership to name a few, into license to satisfy every evil desire of his heart. What God meant as a good the sinful heart has turned to evil.
Is the church going to be undaunted and brave enough to speak up for Christian values. Time is running out. Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” And Jesus answered him, “I am the truth.” God’s truth provides certain things. It provides salvation. It provides moral teaching. It teaches values. And it gives us direction. People are and behave according to the way they think. “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” The way we as a country think today determines the culture of tomorrow. When Jesus Christ comes into our lives, He changes things and if we are truly risen with Him, alive in Him, He wants to change specific things. He wants to change the way we think, the way we live, the way we talk, and the way we treat others.
Rick Warren’s book, Purpose Driven Life, highlights how we can please God. First, we are to love God supremely. That is the first and greatest command. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.” Then, he says, trust God completely. Like Abraham did when he took off from Ur. He did not know where he was going, but he trusted God. Third, obey God wholeheartedly. I think of Noah who followed the direction of God in every detail for 120 years. Building a gigantic boat in the middle of nowhere, far from any water source. And lastly, he adds, praise and thank God continually.
Those are all good suggestions or commands. But commands can be observed with the wrong attitude. What should be the heartbeat of the Christian? Not just knowledge for knowledge’s sake or commands to show off how spiritual we are. “I have more memory verses than you.” “I have a bigger church (or study group) than you.” What should be our attitude, our passion, our spirit, our personality? What am I really made of? What is my bottom line? And what kind of feeling do people get or sense about me when I am trying to relate to them?
Jesus wants us to live responsively. What I mean by this is best defined by Paul in Romans chapter 8:14: “Those who are led by the spirit of God are sons of God.” In other words, how I respond to the Holy Spirit’s direction or leading reveals my true nature. Now, let us look at that for a moment. I can guarantee you that everyone of us, if you have any relationship with God at all, have had spiritual promptings from time to time. That is the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. So, what is the application? First, if you have an inner urge to do or say something, to talk to that person, to notice their pain or sorrow, look at their countenance, is there stress there, do they need help, follow it. I am not saying to follow every desire of your heart. Some of those desires are wrong or evil. But if that urge or desire corresponds with God’s Word and can be judged righteous and good then follow it.
I remember Bob calling me one time and saying, “Al, I want you to perform a funeral service for a friend of mine, Sue, her husband died.” The story behind Bob’s relationship with this family is interesting. A while back, Bob was doing some busy work for Christ, delivering something or whatever it was. He was in a hurry, rushing around. He never stops, anyway. He was rushing around doing something for God and suddenly gets this phone call from Sue saying, “Would you come and talk to my husband. He says he wants to find out how to become a child of God.” What should Bob do? Well, he has all this work to do. He has to deliver stuff. Got to go there. You know, on a schedule. No, he drops everything. He went to her husband and led him to the Lord. A wonderful event! This is what I call divine interruptions. This is when we are listening to the Spirit of God prompting something in our spiritual heart and directs us to say, go, do, whatever. I have had similar experiences myself. I know other people have told me the same thing. Responsively, allowing the Holy Spirit to do the directing that needs to be done. But always examining ourselves to see if what we are about to do or say is in agreement with God and His ways. We cannot be overly trusting of our heart. How often have you heard someone say that God led him or her to do something that was obviously wrong or hurtful to someone? They have assigned a personal impulse they had to God. We must be careful, but we must also be willing to go, say, or do what God directs.
In Luke chapter 7, Jesus was invited to spend some time with the self-righteous Pharisees in the home of Simon. A prostitute came in. She stood weeping behind Jesus. Her tears fell on His feet and she washed His feet with her hair. Simon accused Jesus of not being a prophet because if He were, He would know what kind of a woman she was. And according to their tradition, a righteous person should not go close to her, let alone allow her to touch him. Jesus challenged Simon by asking him, “Simon, do you see this woman?” What did Simon see? Simon saw judgment. Simon saw dirt. Simon saw ugliness. Simon saw sin. Simon saw punishment. And you know, he felt so much better about himself because he was ‘better’ than her. But Jesus saw her penitence, her sorrow, her hope, her potential, that she was a needy and repentant person. And Jesus Christ offered her forgiveness and new life. We do not hear too much more about Simon, but the story of this young lady has been told for centuries. Are you sensitive and responsive to the Holy Spirit’s promptings in your daily relationships with people? I believe that a tender heart is more macho than any athlete’s super act in the game of sports.
Luke 19, verses 1-8 tell us about a little giant named Zacchaeus. He was a shrewd little guy. He was wealthy and a self-admitted cheater, until he met Jesus. He repented of his wrong ways and was so dramatically changed that he paid back everybody he had cheated four dollars for every one he had taken from them and then he gave away half of what he had to the poor. Jesus said of Zacchaeus, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a son of Abraham.” Man looks on the outward appearance. God looks on the heart.
A bunch of heavy hitters were putting their offering in the box and Jesus was standing there observing them and said: “Look at this widow. She came along with two little coins and dropped them in and she has given more than all those other guys who dropped money out of their abundance.” It is not how much you give but with what heart attitude you have when you give!
Jesus never told His disciples that they had to go to seminary in order to have an impact for Him and His kingdom. But He did say they needed to look beyond their occupation and themselves to reach men and women for Jesus Christ. “You are my witnesses,” He said. In Luke 19:46, Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out the hucksters and the money-changers. They were desecrating the house of prayer and he called them thieves. Almost every day we meet people in shops, malls, or school or wherever, using foul language and telling stories that are abominable. Using the name of Christ as a curse word and then they saying, “Pardon my French,” as if it was not that serious. I think that it is appropriate to tell them how offensive it is to dishonor Jesus Christ. When the occasion presents itself we should be bold enough to find God’s way within a situation.
It has been said that the greatest handicap the church of Jesus Christ has in fulfilling its mission is the unsatisfactory lives of professing Christians who are rude, crude, impatient, and self-centered. Paul says in Ephesians 5:21, that out of respect for Jesus Christ we are to be courteously reverent to one another. I find it hard to understand how two Christians can treat each other the way they do, whether it is a business matter, between friends, in churches, marriage, whatever. People often will be nicer to a beggar or store clerk than they are to their spouse. I came across beatitudes for the home the other day. Let me share three of them with you. “Blessed are the husband and wife who are as courteous to one another as they are to their friends.” “Blessed are the husband and wife who love their mates more than any other person in the world and fulfill their marriage vows of fidelity and helpfulness.” And lastly, “Blessed are the husband and wife who never shout at one another, who make their home a place of encouragement, where never is heard a discouraging word.” If Christians cannot examine themselves correctly when it comes to their bad behaviors, what chance do they have of distinguishing God’s voice from their own in their daily lives?!
The great hope of Christians is that Jesus Christ is coming back to be reunited with His spiritual family and to rule with righteousness and justice. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God and it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him like he is" (1 John 3:2). In the next verse, I John 3:3, John adds, “And everyone who has this hope purifies himself, just as Christ is pure.”
It is my prayer today that not only will each of us have a greater appreciation for the written Word of God, but for the living Word of God most of all. For without the living Word, Jesus Christ, the written Word loses its significance. Christianity is not just a system of commands and social admonitions. But those commands and social admonitions take on significance when first we claim Christ to be our Savior and Lord and thereafter seek to become like Him. The commands and social admonitions are supposed to make us more like Jesus Christ. They are not designed to gain favor with God or somehow perfect us as we seek merit with God. And finally, I pray that anyone who does not yet know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord that they would be made new creatures in Christ, fit to one day stand before God and sing that song we read about in Revelation 19:1-2: “Hallelujah! Salvation is from our God. Glory and power belong to him alone. His judgments are just and true. He has punished the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and he has avenged the murder of his servants.” When you are born anew spiritually, you are part of the family of God and you become a new creation in Christ. And God enables you to be what He wants you to be for the rest of your days.
The Christian Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence says: “We the people of the United States in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare and secure the blessing of liberty to ourselves and our prosperity, do ordain and establish this Constitution.” This was signed as an official document on September 17, 1787. It was written for the citizens of the United States of America. The Christian also has a declaration of independence, a declaration of spiritual independence. The U. S. Declaration of Independence was written to declare freedom from a tyrannical British government. The Christian declaration of independence was written to inform us of our freedom from the dominion of sin. There are several passages that speak about this subject but one passage is especially helpful to our understanding. That passage is Romans 6:1-14. Verses 1 through 6: “For if we have been joined with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him in order that sin's dominion over the body may be abolished so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin. For if we have been joined with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him in order that sin's dominion over the body may be abolished so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin.”
Just writing and signing the Declaration of Independence in 1787 did not finish the issue. The enemy attacked and the United States had to defend herself. Just because Romans 6 declares a spiritual truth does not mean temptation and struggle will not occur. There are three key words in this Romans passage. If we apply the truth they represent to our lives we can experience a spiritual freedom that will free us from the dominion of sin.
In verse six we read the word "know." “We know that our old self was crucified with Christ so that sin's dominion over us, over the body, might be done away with so that we might no longer be enslaved to sin.” Galatians 2:20 adds: "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ lives in me. And the life I now live I live by the faith of the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me." This is spiritual emancipation. Verse 7: "Anyone who has died has been freed from sin's control." Practically that means the devil cannot make me do anything. He can only make suggestions, but he cannot make me do anything. Verse 9: "We know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again and death has no longer mastery or dominion over him." As Christians, you and I are in on that. I hope you appreciate
what Christ has done for you. The first step in spiritual emancipation from the dominion of sin is knowing the facts related to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ--“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). But mere head knowledge is not enough. Romans 6 speaks of a special kind of knowing. Our next two words help us to understand this kind of knowledge.
The second word is found in verse 11. The King James version uses the word "reckon" to connote the sense of the passage. I want to use words like "consider" or "look upon" or "realize." I think they are more current. Down here in the South, you know we have some words that are a little different than others might use. Words like "fixin' to." You know "I'm fixin' to do this," "I'm fixin' to go there." Then we say "reckon." "Reckon" means that you guess you might and you're not sure yet, and so the word "reckon" in the King James does not convey the correct idea to many readers. It could better be translated, the original word, by several words such as "count it so," "consider it so," or "believe it to be.” It means "rely on it.” It points to a mindset that has a secure trust in something. Based on this type of mindset we are capable of making a willful, thought-through decision to adjust our way of life. Ask yourself today, "Do I realize that what God declares is true for my life?" Paul's not teaching us that we will always feel that we are dead to sin. Maybe not even understand it. He is saying, “believe it, count it so, know it.” It is a promise that we cannot lose sight of if we want to live a life free from sin’s control over our actions. We are not talking about spiritual hocus-pocus but a theological reality. You did die in Christ, you were buried with Him and you are now raised with Him. This we believe. In the future when we have received our heavenly bodies that will be responsive to the things that please God without rebellion we won’t have to struggle to do right all the time. Our redeemed spirits and redeemed body will match each other perfectly and both will be responsive to holy and godly living. But that is not the case, yet. Now, we must often act contrary to our feelings to align our actions with God’s will. This we do by counting God’s Word as true and His redemptive work sufficient for sin’s defeat. Colossians 3:1: "Since you have been raised with Christ, seek those things which are above." Ephesians 2:1-6 talks about the same idea. "You were dead in your trespasses and sin but now you have been raised up with him." This is Christian doctrine.
We all know enough about sin to know how it works. Right? I saw a story this week. It talks about a lady who went on a new diet and was determined to succeed this time. She changed the way she drove to work because she used to go past a bakery she used to frequently visit, with all kinds of goodies in the display window. One day she forgot and before she knew it, she was driving by and saw all the great stuff she could consume. She looks at that and she reasons, “Well, maybe this is the way God works.” So, she prays, "Lord, it's up to you. If you want me to stop and have those delectable goodies that I see in the window, you create a parking spot for me right in front of the entryway." And would you believe, sure enough, there it was, on the eighth circling around the block was a parking space right in front of the entrance door. She stopped and appeased her conscience by convincing herself that it was God’s will for her to have the good things in life, which includes delectable pastries. Doesn't that sound like every one of us? You bet it does. Maybe when we least expect it or we just don't care, a temptation comes along and despite our ability to dismiss such thoughts immediately we chose not to. Instead we indulge ourselves. We know it is wrong. But we nurse the idea. The thought process continues and soon we give in. Sound strange? Not really. That is the way it works.
Read James chapter one. Three facts about sinning can be gained from this chapter. Fact number one is in verse 13. God does not tempt anyone. Fact number two is in verse 14. Each person is tempted when he or she is drawn away and enticed by his or her own natural desires. And finally, fact number three is in verse 15. After desire has conceived it gives in to sin. A little saying I used to hear years ago describes the situation. "Sin is a monstrous, oh frightful name to be hated. Needs but to be seen yet seen too often. Familiar with its face we first endure, then pity, then embrace." Human nature is still pretty much the same today as it was in biblical times. We justify ourselves, we are defensive—“Hey, what would you do if you had to live with that woman?” “Do you realize what it's like to stay around to hang around with him?” Or, “I just can't help it, it's the way I'm made.” The Holy Spirit uses Paul to call all of us to realize that we can live as though we have already entered the resurrection life--realize it, realize that what God declares is true for your life. After the future resurrection it will be instinctive. But now, we must “reckon” it to be so each time we face temptation.
The third key word is “surrender." It occurs several times in the text. It means "yield." Paul uses this word to tell us the secret to victory over sin. It is a command. "Do not surrender, offer or yield, the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but rather surrender yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life and surrender the parts of your body to God as instruments of righteousness.” Surrender to God completely without reservation. James 1:8 talks about the indecisive man who is unstable in all his ways. The only way to have victory over sin is to want to have victory over sin. This reminds me of a song I sang as a child. "Be careful little hands what you do, be careful little hands what you do. For your Father up above is looking down with love, so be careful little hands what you do. Be careful little eyes what you see, be careful little eyes what you see. For your father up above is looking down with love, so be careful little eyes what you see.” And it goes on to repeat with “Be careful little ears what you hear” and “Be careful little tongue what you say.” I want to add a new one—“Be careful little heart what you love." Simply stated but accurate. We need to be careful what we do, think, and say. We need to surrender to do what is right.
The reason we surrender is given in verse 14: "…in order that sin should not have dominion or mastery over you." The big idea in this passage is independence, freedom, liberty. Verse 14 ends with these words, "you are not under law but under grace." And the eternal fact of the matter is this, you are going to surrender to something or someone. We all do. Paul understood this. "Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?" And his answer is: "Absolutely not, God forbid it. Don't you know that when you yield or submit yourself to someone, to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey. You are slaves to sin or slaves to righteousness." Verse 18 tells us we have been set free, free from the control of sin. Until we arrive in heaven, we are going to have temptations coming against us. We are living our lives in what someone calls "earthsuits." But because we have died to sin's power, we have the power to no longer let sin rule over us. We have the Holy Spirit who can defeat sin every time. That is our right as a Christian.
God has issued this declaration of independence from the power of sin for each one of us and the choice is ours whether to appropriate it to our lives. We have a part in this battle. We can recognize the temptation and chose to reject the offer. Call a spade a spade, as we used to say. Adultery is sin, not emotional therapy. Gambling is greed or lust, not just entertainment. A lie is a lie, not a mental reservation. And Jesus Christ's name is holy, not a release for anger. Recognize the temptation. Confront sinful desires, do not excuse them or deny them. Avoid places of temptation. Practice self-restraint. And then substitute a Christian action for what you are tempted to do. You have a pornography problem? Get some good Christian literature and start reading. Play a game with your family; go to a Bible study. Fill the gaps left by the former things with new things that are both pleasing to God and good for your soul.
Let me give you a good old-fashioned idea from Romans chapter 13. "Make no provision for the flesh. Concentrate on Christ and make no plans to satisfy your sinful desires." Men, don't buy the raunchy magazine, don't hang out in the wrong places, don't sweet talk that attractive girl in your workplace, don't shop for that car that will bust your budget.
And ladies, you know when you are dressing to tease men, don't you? I worked
on a construction job before Ollie and I got married. Her grandfather was a supervisor and got me a job for the summer and every noontime there was a whistle that blew and when the whistle blew, this girl who worked across the street from our construction site came out and paraded herself up and down the street. She did not look to the left or the right but she certainly could hear the catcalls and the hooting and the howling. I guess it was a joy to her. It is a sin to entice (actively pursue) lustful thoughts. There are so many other things we do that we have Scriptural commands telling us not to. Gossip. Slander. Envy. Bearing false witness. But we still rationalize (or should I say become irrational) ourselves into doing them.
Paul several times uses athletes as examples for something he is teaching. He admires their self-discipline and how they are able to bring their bodies into subjection to their will, in order to reach their goals. Did you ever watch the World's Strongest Man competition? Somehow those guys have gotten their bodies under control in a way that I can never imagine. They do that so they can win the contest, whatever it might be. And we as Christians cannot do anything less in order to win victory over sin. Second Corinthians 10:5 says, "Bring every thought unto obedience to Christ." When we are tempted we have to yield ourselves to Christ’s purposes and goals to defeat sin!
I challenge you to exercise your God-given, purchased-by-Christ
right to be liberated from the power and control of sin through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. There is an old song that I like. “Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me. All of His wonderful passion and purity. Oh, thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine. Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me." I challenge you to think about this and to examine yourself, to be honest with yourself in order that you can do the will of God for His glory.
How Shall We Honor
Listen to the words given to Moses in Exodus 20:12, “Honor your father and mother so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” This is the fifth commandment. Not only does it tell us what attitude we are to have toward our parents but God states it to Israel as a conditional promise to bless them if they would keep it. Two thousand years ago the Holy Spirit directed the Apostle Paul to counsel the Ephesians church about family relationships. Ephesians 6:2 states, “Children, honor your father and mother, that it may go well with you; and parents, don’t exasperate your children but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Again it is stated as a conditional promise. God will bless those who honor their parents.
On the road to Emmaus after the resurrection, Jesus met two disciples who were walking dejectedly and He said to them, “What’s going on? Why are you so sad?” And they said, “Well, don’t you know what is going on? We had someone we hoped would be the Messiah but now He is dead.” Jesus began to instruct them from the Old Testament about the prophecies and all that was written about Him, especially in Isaiah and the Psalms. He expounded the Word of God to them and their hearts were touched. He did it from the Scriptures, from the Word of God.
Lets look at Exodus 20, closely. In verses 2-17, God gives them very basic commands that were to govern their attitudes and actions. He did not give them a long list of things to do and not do, but 10 basic commands that if followed would reach to every aspect of their hearts. When God gave them these 10 commandments He accompanied them with lightning, thunder, and smoke to impress them with the seriousness of the moment. God did not do these things to make them afraid of Him. One thing they should have learned in Egypt was that God is merciful to those who seek Him. He rescued them from Egypt and opened the Red Sea so that they could pass. Holy gratitude would have seen God’s merciful nature. But, instead they saw judgment. Exodus 20:19 tells us they refused to meet God. “And they said to Moses, ‘You tell us what God says, and we will listen. But don’t let God speak directly to us. If he does, we will die!’” They sent Moses for them because their hearts were not repentant. The sin that was still in their hearts made them afraid of God, made them reject God! Look at the Ten Commandments closely. Is there anything there that is unreasonable? These were basic commands that most people would agree with. They are profound because of their simplicity. In them God addresses core issues in the human heart. And one of these core issues was how children should behave toward their parents. A certain measure of humility is required to honor one’s father and mother. The human heart is born rebellious. To honor father and mother works against this rebelliousness!
In Matthew 21, Jesus told a story about a man who had two sons. He went to the first son and said, “Son, go to work in my vineyard today.” The son refused. “I won’t do that. No way.” But later he changed his mind and he went back and did it. He repented. Dad went to the other son and said the same thing, “Go work in my vineyard today.” The son replied, “Oh, absolutely sir. I will. Yes, yes, I will. Absolutely.” But he did not do it. Jesus asked, “Which one did what his father wanted?” The first son represents something that is biblically and theologically instructive--sinners who repent of their wrong ways and wrong heart, who come to Christ and follow His will and honor Him, will be forgiven and eternally saved from condemnation. The second son represents those who know all the right answers, the right words to say, who sound pious, but who do not actually have a heart directed toward God or His ways. They want to do what they want to do and ultimately reject God’s offer of forgiveness through Jesus Christ. They do not repent.
Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” Honor should be a basic element in every relationship. Parenting, marriage, business, whatever relationship you can think of. There is a direct relationship between having purity and giving honor. The word “honor’ appears about 200 times in Scripture. The origin of the word makes it related to two other words—glory and majesty. Honor is commonly understood to include respect paid to someone superior like a king, military officer, or corporate boss. This same type of honor is to be given to one’s parents. Honor is to be given because they are in a position of authority over us.
We need to look at some difficult issues if we are to understand what it means to honor others in positions of authority, including our parents. In Romans 13, Paul addresses the issue of Christian responsibility toward civil government. There are two legitimate questions that arise when discussing this topic. 1) When am I excused from honoring someone? Is there ever a situation when I am free to disregard a command given by an authority figure? 2) How do I decide when obeying God requires me to disobey someone in an authoritative position over me? I want to answer those two questions. The answer to these questions will not only help us to understand our responsibility toward civil government but our parents, as well.
In Acts 5:28 we read that Peter and the other apostles had been put in prison and released. They were told by the authorities not to preach in the name of Jesus. Peter responds in verse 29, “We must obey God rather than men.” In other words, when an earthly authority, whether civil or parental, commands us to do something contrary to a command of God, we are to obey God. “I have to do what God wants me to do,” Peter answered. Whenever they demand that I publicly renounce my faith or my moral conscience, we are to not follow their lead. We are to follow God’s leading and commands. Polycarp, a personal acquaintance of the apostle John about 100 AD, was told to deny his faith under the threat of death. He died tied to a flaming pole rather than follow such a wicked command. Corrie ten Boom is another example of someone who disobeyed a wicked command in order to do what was right. In World War II, she risked her life by rescuing and saving Jews from the Nazi authorities. She hid Jews against the orders of the government. Any command that requires you to deny your Lord or His ways is to be disobeyed. No matter who is giving it! Doing so does not violate the honor principle.
What determines my reaction or obligation to what I believe might be an evil or corrupt policy of my civil government? I admit that I have a problem with some people’s application of Romans 13:1-5. “Obey the government, for God is the one who puts it there. All governments have been placed in power by God. So those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow. For the authorities do not frighten people who are doing right, but they frighten those who do wrong. So do what they say, and you will get along well. The authorities are sent by God to help you. But if you are doing something wrong, of course you should be afraid, for you will be punished. The authorities are established by God for that very purpose, to punish those who do wrong. So you must obey the government for two reasons: to keep from being punished and to keep a clear conscience.” This is something I have been concerned about for many years. Many Christians believe that verse 1 settles it all. “Obey the government, for God is the one who puts it there. All governments have been placed in power by God.” Actually, I wish that all governments would fulfill their God given roles of protector of the innocent and punisher of the wrong-doer. Rebellion against this kind of government is condemned in these verses. And rightly so! But what about those governments who are not like the government described in Romans 13:1-5? What about those governments that oppress, murder, and steal from the very people they are supposed to be protecting? Are those same people supposed to support such villainy merely because it is a government that is doing it instead of an individual?
Sometimes justice and honor call for governmental change. When eminent domain becomes an excuse to relieve me of my property. When immoral actions by authorities destroy the honor of the position itself. When personal liberties are rescinded or restricted under the guise of security, we have to be on our guard. To compromise freedom for security, will someday leave us with neither freedom nor security. It has happened in other lands. Authorities that are supposedly in power to provide protection from harm, verse 4, become vicious (ruled by vice) and dishonorable and terrorize the good, while rewarding those who do evil. Martin Niebuhr, German Protestant pastor born in 1892, talked about what happened to him under the German Reich. He says, “They came for the Communists and I did not object. I was not a Communist. They came for the Socialists and I did not object. I was not a Socialist. They came for the labor leaders and I did not object. I was not a labor leader. They came for the Jews and I did not object. I was not a Jew. Then they came for me and there was nobody left to object.” Having said all this, I want to tell you how much I am grateful for my heritage as a citizen of this country for which I risked three years of my life in wartime service. But as a Christian I also believe we must be watchkeepers of our society and our government as well as our faith. Do not become complacent. It is always proper for a Christian to speak out and organize against evil doing. But it is never proper for that same Christian to do wrong in the process!
This same mentality extends to individuals in authority over us. How do we behave toward those who do not deserve it? They occupy a position of authority that we are commanded by God to respect, but they do so in immoral, predatory ways. What is the Christian to do? To get a biblical perspective on this question, please turn to Mark 7:6. The setting for this passage is in verses 1 and 2. The religious leaders and the teachers of the law, the Pharisees, have observed the disciples of Jesus eating food without ceremoniously washing their hands. “Oh, tsk, tsk, ain’t it awful?” The disciples are not dirty, they just have not washed in the traditional way. The traditional wash requires the individual to pour water on the hands and then let it drip off to your elbows and then turn the arms and let it drip down and off the fingertips. After all this you are considered clean. They approached Jesus and accused, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders?” How ridiculous. How trivial. Jesus told them what He thought of their arbitrary traditions. In verse 6, He says, “Isaiah was right.” What did Isaiah say? In Isaiah 24, when Isaiah prophesied God’s words concerning hypocrites, he said, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is worthless and their teachings are rules simply taught by men.” In other words, “You guys have placed your traditions and yourselves over God.”
Jesus also criticized their methods. They were creating loopholes for ways to avoid honoring God and parents? Verses 9-11 are enlightening. “You reject God’s laws in order to hold on to your own traditions. For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks evil of father and mother must be put to death.’ But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I vowed to give to God what I could have given to you.’ You let them disregard their needy parents. As such, you break the law of God in order to protect your own tradition. And this is only one example. There are many, many others.’” The Pharisees’ show of outward reverence did not correspond to their inward reality. Their human traditions made it ‘ok’ to neglect the clear commands of God. All through the gospels Jesus calls them religious phonies. He tells them, verse 15, that it is what comes from the heart that matters not what a person eats or what human tradition he keeps. In verse 18 He asks, “Are you so dull you cannot figure this out?” These were supposed to be the spiritual leaders and they could not see the obvious because they were blinded by their legalism and traditions. In verses 21-22, Jesus tells them what defiles a person. “For out of men’s hearts come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. All these evils come from inside and make a man unclean.”
Jesus reminded the Pharisees that it was their duty to honor and care for their elderly parents. And most of us accept the reasonableness of this command. But what is our behavior supposed to be toward unloving, uncaring, and even abusive parents. Ollie and I had good parents while we were growing up and we are eternally thankful for that. But we have been very close to a lot of people who have had horrible relationships with their parents, with parents who abused them and took advantage of them. They still feel the effects of that abuse as adults. How do we overcome the emotional damage done by the abuse? Well, let me share an illustration or two.
Ron Mehl, who wrote the book The Tender Commandments, tells of his experience in dealing with the command to honor one’s parents. He was well past 40 when he met his father for the first time. Ron was an outstanding preacher, author, and student of the Scriptures, but he admitted that every time he read the words in Scripture found in I Thessalonians 2:11, 12, his heart ached. “You know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children and encouraging, comforting, urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into His kingdom.” These are honorable qualities to be found in good parents. But Ron felt hurt, robbed, deserted, and betrayed because his father had not been a good parent. He asked himself the question some of you might be asking yourself, “Why should I honor my parent? I need a valid reason, God. You told me to do it. I want a reason.” And the answer he found, which is so interesting and simple, was in the last five words of the commandment. “Honor your father and mother so that you may live.” If you are trying to get even by striking back or making them suffer, this will hurt your soul. That applies to every one of us no matter what has happened to us in the past. Revenge destroys the soul. It takes us farther from the godly disposition God wants us to cultivate. You become a slave to your bitterness.
Ollie and I have experienced our share of that kind of stuff—control and abuse, but I can still tell you that God has authority over my life. I respect Him and I honor Him. He is my loving Heavenly Father and His eternal Word is good for me and it is a guide for my life. He is the one who can change my life. You can tell me what I ought to do, but Christ will be the one who helps me change. Christ wants to walk and talk with us through troubling times. Not just to live through them but to come out of them more godly and free from the negative effects of bitterness and rage. I keep coming back to Colossians chapter 3. I am going to read it from the Philips translation. “Since you are risen with Christ, reach out for the highest gifts of heaven where your Lord reigns. Give your heart to heavenly things, not to the pressing things of earth. For as far as this world is concerned, you’re already dead and your life is a hidden one in Christ. One day, Christ, who is the secret center of our lives, will show Himself openly and you will share in that magnificent appearing.” And I hope that excites you like it does me. And let me testify to this idea. While it is not always obvious, Jesus Christ is the inner living center of my life. You have heard me say before, “Christ in me, the hope of glory.” Peter was not pure in heart when he cursed and lied and deserted his Lord, yet when he saw the resurrected Savior, he began to live beyond himself for the rest of his life. He lived as someone who was seeing God daily. He brought honor to his Lord in a magnificent way because he allowed God to purify his heart despite his evil surroundings.
Two of the greatest friends that Ollie and I have had were Pete and Terry. Terry was Ollie’s roommate in college and Terry and I and Pete and Ollie were all at each other’s weddings. We were sort of the class clowns at college and we had great times together. Terry’s father was very abusive and her mom was a saint. From age 5, Terry can remember her father as being a mean, hard-drinking, ready-to-swat-you-at-a-moment’s-notice kind of guy. He never worked a day in his life, and Terry would stand between him and her mother in order to protect her from his physical abuse. He never supported the family and Terry did not see him for several years. But he showed up at her wedding, got drunk, and ruined the reception. When Terry’s mom died, he begged to live with Terry and Pete. Pete was a pastor at one of the larger churches in Delaware. They had four sons yet they let him live in their house. They had a couple of rules—no swearing and no drinking. But he embarrassed them even when he went to church because he would come-on to the women. But Terry honored him until the very day he died by caring for him. I thought to myself, “What in the world is her secret?” And this brings us to what Terry had that can help us understand the nature of honor.
What is the nature of honor? It is not wealth. It is not position. It is not power. And it cannot be bought. It is sad to say but an honoring spirit does not come automatically as a result of being a Christian. It must be strived for and attained as a by-product of walking with and obeying Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:1 commands us to be imitators of God as His dear children. As earthly children strive to be like their parents when they are young, so should we strive to be like our heavenly Father throughout our lives. We do this by looking to Jesus Who is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). Jesus, despite His access to all the resources in the universe, yielded Himself to honor His Father even unto a painful and humiliating death. Jesus was not a masochist, who loved and sought pain and humiliation. Masochism is not normal. It is sinful. It is self-loathing and self-punishment. It is dishonoring to the God Who created us. Jesus endured the pain and humiliation because it was in fulfillment of the Father’s eternal plan and for our eternal benefit. When we think about honor this morning, I hope we will think about Jesus Christ. That He can make our lives into a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God as we live according to His example. Jesus honored the civil authorities by being law abiding and paying His taxes. But notice, He refused to follow its wicked lead when it came to denying His Father and His heavenly mission. The principle we learn from Jesus is this: “Strive first to honor those in authority over us, including our parents, until they require us to do something that will lead us to disobey a direct command of God. In such cases we are to follow God and not the authority. But in our refusal to obey a wicked authoritative command we are never to do wrong in the process.” This is what Jesus did when He walked this earth 2000 years ago. He taught us that it was the wicked authority that placed itself in opposition to God that caused Him to oppose it, not a rebellious attitude!
Following Jesus Christ as our example, our first principle is to always honor our parents unless they require us to sin in the process. In such cases, we are to follow God’s direction while still maintaining a respective attitude toward the offending parent. We are to gracefully decline to follow his or her wicked lead. But in all other situations we are to honor them as Jesus honored His Father, with reverence and godly behavior.
Aging: Finishing Well
I want to address the dangers of growing old and the importance of finishing well. Recently I came across two reminders about how to look at life as we grow older. I am nearing my 80th birthday so this topic is important to me. The first is Psalm 71, probably written by David. I was impressed by the caption in some Bibles that appears before that Psalm. It says, “A Psalm for old age.” The second is a chapter in a book entitled “Aging is a State of Mind.”
Turn to Psalm 71, verse one. “In you, O Lord, do I put my trust.” You notice something? This is very, very personal. “God, I am talking to you. In you, O Lord, do I put my trust.” This is foundational to living a life that is pleasing to God—at any age. Begin with God! And in verse 5 he says, “You have been my hope, O sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth.” He is looking back on his life and what does he see? Verse six: “…from birth I have relied on you and I will ever praise you.” In other words, “I am glad to be here. I am glad I am alive and I am glad I know you, God.” Are you glad you are a Christian? I certainly hope so, but if not, why not? What is the reason?
What a thrill it is to watch how God works in people’s lives. Look at verse 7. He evaluates his own life and says, “I have become an amazement to many people.” People are watching him to see if his faith is genuine. But life can play tricks on us and that is what worries me. In verse 9, fear shows up. The uncertainties of the future begin to dominate his heart. “Do not cast me away when I am old. Do not forsake me when my strength is gone.” Which brings us back to the second part of verse one. “Never let me be put to shame.” What we fear most about death and aging is the uncertainty of the process. Whether it is extended poor health, frailty, mental instability, loss of vitality, loneliness. I personally do not fear death since I know to be “absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” But it is the messiness of aging and dying that causes some concern. And it bothered the psalmist, too.
But we have to face reality. Can you understand David’s concern? In his youth and young adulthood he was full of strength and vigor. He was a mighty warrior. But as he aged he feared weakness and having to be led around wherever he went. He felt weak and vulnerable. First Kings says this about David: “Now King David was very old, and no matter how many blankets covered him, he could not keep warm.” The realities of aging were very real to David. But in Psalm 71:5 he said, “You are my hope, O Lord.” In verse 14 he said, “But I will keep on hoping for you to help me… .” David knew his fighting days were over but he still wanted to be useful for God. He still wanted his life to matter (verse 9). “And now, in my old age, don’t set me aside. Don’t abandon me when my strength is failing.”
Quite some time ago there were two major manufacturers who were competing for prominence in the cigarette market. And one of them decided to add a few more grains of tobacco and one millimeter more length to its cigarettes. It emphasized the fact that they were longer and that you get more for your money. And the company swiped a major part of the market. The other manufacturer who saw its sales dwindling did not know what to do. Finally, it came up with a new slogan. And the slogan was, “It is not how long you make it, it’s how you make it long.” Quality over quantity! “It’s not how long you make it, it’s how you make it long.” I will never forget that slogan. I think that slogan should be a pledge in the heart of every child of God. It is not how long your life is that matters most, it is what you do with the time you have.
Thus far my heart has pumped blood through my body over 300,000,000 times. What a marvelous creation God has given to us. Here is a question I often ask myself. “How do I say thanks to God for what He has given me?” But life in these bodies is not forever. Nearly 50 years ago I was in the life insurance business and I sold a policy to a man in our church who had just come home from the mission field. One year later Stan called me over to his house for dinner and during the meal he told me that he could not afford to pay the next premium and he was going to cancel the policy. But it was his custom to take a verse out of a packet of Scriptures and read it and then pray before the meal. And that evening the verse was Isaiah 38:1. “This is what the Lord says. Put your house in order for tomorrow you die.” His wife looked at me. His kids looked at me. I just sat there and let him think for a while. I smiled. He said, “Hand me the checkbook!” Before that year passed, his family received the proceeds from that policy. I was so moved and motivated that I went on to become “man of the year” for my insurance company that year.
So, I asked myself, “What are these bodies of ours for?” I happen to believe that they are to be containers. Paul calls them “temples.” Peter uses the word “tents.” Whatever the label, they are dwelling places for God’s Holy Spirit. Think about that for a moment. When Jesus was living here, the people of this planet for 33 years had God’s actual presence in their midst. But when Christ went back to God the Father, He sent the Holy Spirit and ever since that day the Holy Spirit has been looking for people within whom He can accomplish, by His residence, the will of God and thereby realize the expansion of the gospel. You know, there is not a more wonderful, significant calling than to be a child of God. Are you pleased with how you are handling that assignment? And do you think God is pleased? This assignment does not end when you retire. Like David, we should seek to be useful until the day we die!
A second discovery I made was a book entitled Age Erasers for Men. Sounds like a good book, does it not? Let me quote from the chapter “Aging is a State of Mind.” “You are as young as you think. Forget about the birthdays, the number of candles on the cake, the gray hairs on your head,” and I add, “hearing aids and hip replacements.” “Age is not a number, it is an attitude. By having the right attitude, not only will you live longer, but you will remain younger longer.” Satchel Page was one of the greatest pitchers in all of baseball history. He was a black man pitching in the Negro league before Jackie Robinson broke into the major leagues. He probably pitched well into his 60s but he never admitted his age nor did he worry about it. One day a reporter asked him about his philosophy on aging. He said, “It’s just a question of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it don’t matter.” No! you cannot stop father-time but you can live a more productive, vigorous life if you stay active. And that goes for your spiritual life, as well.
Having a positive attitude and staying active does help. But it is not a cure-all. Father-time will still search us out, slow us down, and challenge our resolve. Aging can be especially challenging and has led some people of God to miss the goal of finishing well. Look at King Solomon. What can compare to his wisdom, his writings, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, the way he dealt with those two woman fighting over the baby? And how about the building of the glorious temple during his kingship? What a tremendous, magnificent building it was! But in his later years the poor guy just became downright silly. Seven hundred wives!? A lot of it was for political maneuvering, but 700? And he had 300 stand-bys. First Kings 11:4 says, “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord.” Verse 6: “He did evil in the eyes of the Lord.” Verse 11: “So the Lord said to Solomon, since this is your attitude, I will tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants.” Because of his wayward leadership idolatry grew throughout the kingdom and to stop its spread God had to split the kingdom in two. In one generation the kingdom David worked so hard to build collapsed. Solomon did not finish well!
Hezekiah, a king, accomplished wonderful things for God’s people. But when he was near death, he prayed and asked God to heal him, and God did. God told him that He would give him 15 more years of life. He got his 15 years, but then what happened? The blessings that God provided were great. But instead of having a positive effect on Hezekiah he became a showoff. He pridefully invited representatives of Babylon into his palace to showoff how much he had accumulated. This was before they became a great nation. They now knew there was much to plunder in Judah and they would never forget it. Isaiah said this to Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:16-18): “Listen to this message from the Lord: The time is coming when everything you have—all the treasures stored up by your ancestors—will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord. Some of your descendants will be taken away into exile. They will become eunuchs who will serve in the palace of Babylon’s king.” And what was Hezekiah’s response? Second Kings 20:19: “‘This message you have given me from the Lord is good.’ But the king was thinking, ‘At least there will be peace and security during my lifetime.’” Hezekiah made a mess of his last 15 years. Those 15 years turned out to be bad for Judah. After Hezekiah’s death his son, Manasseh, became king at twelve years old. Second Kings 21:2-3a says this about him: “He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, imitating the detestable practices of the pagan nations whom the Lord had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites. He rebuilt the pagan shrines his father, Hezekiah, had destroyed.” In his youth Hezekiah did what was right in the Lord’s sight by destroying pagan idolatry throughout Judah. But during his last 15 years he gave birth to a son who did not see this part of his father. Manasseh saw the prideful, greedy, indifferent Hezekiah. And he turned into one of the worst kings Judah ever had! His reign started the downward spiral that eventually led to the Babylonian invasion in 586 B.C. Hezekiah did not finish well!
My best friend in my junior and senior years in high school was an athlete, musician, and had a lot of personality. He was a great guy, a lot of fun. He had a profound effect on me in those early years. After college I did not see him for about 30 years. We arranged a reunion on one of my trips to California and we met at a Denny’s restaurant for lunch. We spent a couple hours talking and reminiscing. He was brought up in the same church as Howard Hendricks, the seminary professor. We talked about all kinds of stuff. When the subject got around to spiritual matters and Jesus Christ, he turned cold and quiet, sad. He wouldn’t talk about it. A few months later I learned he had died from alcoholism. He did not finish well!
These illustrations are not fun to discuss. It can be downright discouraging. You know what? I am not finished, yet. So I have to ask myself, “Can this happen to me?” People are very nice to me, saying nice things about how good I look and all that kind of stuff. But I am not done yet and I do not want to end up like Solomon, Hezekiah, or my friend Hap. These illustrations break my heart and they break God’s heart. I ask myself, “How can I avoid an old age collapse? Hebrews 12:1b says, “Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.” And how do we do this? Verse 2a: “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish.” We are to throw off, get rid of, things that hold us back, the sin that holds us in its grip. We need to finish the race not stumble and fall before the finish line!
In the past few months I have seen some spiritual miracles. I have seen some new births in Jesus Christ. I have seen some dynamic growth and spiritual development and maturity in people who have come to know the Lord. And I say, “Praise God. It is wonderful.” But sad to say, along with that, I have seen some disheartened, unsatisfied Christians frustrated because they just do not have the will to follow through on what they know is God’s leading. Ron Mell says, “Cease from your striving. Listen to the voice of God’s Spirit. Let Him work in your life.” I know it is not always easy to listen to God’s Spirit. I have been through it. When I was a life insurance salesman I was sitting with this doctor who wanted to make me a rich man. In one evening by selling all of this particular insurance package, I could be a rich man. But there was one problem. He asked me to do something about another policy that was wrong. He wouldn’t buy the policy that was going to make me rich until I did something with this other policy that was illegal. And I discovered something about myself that evening. That Al, Sunday-School-superintendent Al, was tempted to do something wrong and illegal in order to be rich. I actually sat there and contemplated doing the wrong thing. I thought I could not be tempted that way. But boy, when it was right there, the bucks were on my fingertips, I was! I did not do it. But I wonder what my life would have been like had I done it. Do you think I would have been in the pastorate for close to 50 years? Would I have even wanted to be in the pastorate at all? And to think how close I came to changing my life forever!
A few years later I was a pastor in one of my churches and discovered that a high level denominational leader was having an affair. I had to deal with it. He was worried about his job because it was a job in a Christian organization. His first question was, “Is this going to affect my job?” He had no remorse at all. And I said, “We will talk about that.” And lo and behold, every Monday morning underneath my door appeared these envelopes that had money in them. And that money, I figured out, was about the equivalent of a fifteen percent raise for me. And we were poor. He did this for about six weeks. I told my wife, “We have to do something about this.” I finally talked to him and he said, “Are you getting the envelopes?” “Yeah, I got the envelopes.” “You wouldn’t consider that a bribe, would you?” I said, “That is exactly what it is!” I gave him all the cash back. It was tempting. When I opened that first envelope, the thought ran through my mind, “God is taking care of us.” No, that is not what it was about. Do not play games with your character! Reputation is what men think (I could have done it and maybe others would not have found out about it) you are. But character is what God knows you to be!
I knew a guy who was a bright, young entrepreneur who had recently received Jesus Christ into his life. And he was about to open up a new, upscale haberdashery. He had just received a large shipment of suits, shirts, socks, and ties. He was going to open this place in the next couple days and then the night before his grand opening, some guy in a truck backed up and took it all out. They never found anything. And I could just hear this guy saying, “Huh, thanks a lot, God. I trusted you. I give my first testimony and You do this to me.” And so I went over and had a chance to meet with Tom very soon afterward and he said, “You know what, Al? I am so glad I am a Christian. If I were not a Christian and this happened to me a few weeks ago, I would have probably taken my life.” Jesus Christ made the difference.
There is a Greek word used less than a dozen times in the Bible and I will give you three instances of its use. It is a six-letter word--maketi. It means from now on. It is always associated with statements of purpose. Paraphrasing. Second Corinthians 5:15: “The purpose of Christ’s death for us is that no longer shall we live for ourselves but maketi--from now on--we have to live for Christ.” First Peter 4:1-2: “Since Jesus Christ gave His life in order to finish off my sin problem, no more shall I live my life according to my old sinful nature, but maketi--from now on--for the days and weeks and months of my chronological clock that is still running, live them according to the will of God.” Ephesians 4:14. Paul is talking about Christian maturity. He says, “Baby, infant Christians should not just stay that way, but maketi—from now on--grow into a stature measured by the example of Jesus Christ.” It is never too late to start living in a way that pleases God. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. And I say that whether you are 10 or 80 or 92. If you only have a year to live, or a month, a week or a day, make it worthwhile! Make it something God will be pleased with and something that will help others. Make your life count for His kingdom. Be involved in the furtherance of His truths and ways in this world.
I want to take you to Paul’s last written words. Look at 2 Timothy 4. Paul has lived a hard life. His was not a life of ease and luxury. As the apostle to the Gentiles, he suffered many hardships. He had lived well but the end is near. Will he finish well? He sums it up by saying, “I am being poured out like an offering.” That is a strange term. The word is “spendow.” We get the word “spent” from it. His life was “spent out” for Christ. It is almost used up. But he rejoices because God began a good work in him and at some point in the near future it is going to end. How does he feel about this? How does he view his years in the ministry? He said, “I have fought the good fight.” A fight? Did he have struggles? It seems like Paul had nothing but struggles. He struggled against men. He had to be let down in a basket out of a back window in order to save his life on one occasion. He was stoned and left for dead on another. He struggled against ideas. At Mars Hill he convincingly debated with the greatest philosophers of the day. He struggled against problems in churches. The pastoral epistles were written to address problems in various local churches. But in spite of the struggles, his heart and his attitude were such he could rejoice in what God had done with his life.
Some of you have known me a few weeks. Others have known me months and some for 10-12 years. People often ask Ollie and I how we handle the ups and downs of life. I usually say, “I take my calling as a Christian and a pastor very, very seriously. But I do not take myself seriously at all.” And I mean that in a way that says, “I want to be a real person. I want to tell you how the Holy Spirit can work in your life, as he has in mine.” Years ago, after two years at a particular college I transferred to another college because it had an anthropology program that would help me to become a missionary. The day I arrived on campus they dropped the major. “Ok? Now what?” I went to the counselor and asked, “Hey, where do we go from here?” He said, “I don’t know, Al, but let’s give you a test.” So he gave me one of those profile tests and the results were surprising and quite shocking to me. He said, “You are not going to be a missionary because you rate so low in that area. But we noticed something about you. You are extremely high in business, so why don’t you become a business major?” So I did--business and economics. I graduated and was in business for nine years, but just before my life insurance job I went to take another profile test. “We’re going to hire you, but we’re not sure. We have never seen a profile like this in our lives. You are extremely high in business but you are even higher in ministry.” This makes me weep a little bit because in less than nine years God’s Holy Spirit, without me even knowing what was going on--I was just trying to be a faithful Christian--did a work in my life that radically changed me.
I want to encourage you. Let the Holy Spirit, the sovereign Holy Spirit who will prick your conscience, guide you, and instruct you, do His thing in your life. What He does in you, live it out enthusiastically. Finish the ‘race’ God has given you. And I pray that you can say with Paul, “I have endured and finished what God has given me to do.” Finish well, my dear friends!
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