Our Behavior In This World

INTRO.- Our behavior in this world.

ILL.- Admiral David Glasgow Farragut (July 5, 1801 – August 14, 1870) was the first senior officer of the United States Navy during the American Civil War.

When Admiral Farragut’s son was about ten years old, the father said in his hearing, that when he was old enough to make a compact, and keep it, he had a bargain to offer him.

The son asked his father what the compact was. The admiral said, “The proposal I intend to make it this: If you will not smoke or chew tobacco, drink intoxicating drinks nor strong wines, till you are twenty-one years of age, I will then give you one thousand dollars.”

“I am old enough to make that bargain now,” said young Farragut: “I will accept the offer.” The bargain was closed; and, when young Farragut was twenty-one, the cash was handed over.

If a father made this offer today it would be a very rare thing and secondly, it would probably be even more rare if the son kept his commitment not to drink or smoke. Why is this? Because we live in a society that is filled with bad stuff! Bad stuff is everywhere and the temptation to do it abounds!

ILL.- Recently, television executives in Britain asked comedian Joan Rivers to leave their show during a commercial break. They were angry that she had just used two ugly and profane words.

Joan Rivers was exhibiting bad behavior! She had already been warned not to use profanity but she did it anyway. WHY? I guess because she thought it would be funny.

Bad behavior is everywhere in America: profanity, lack of respect for others, road rage, indecency, hatred, violence, etc.

But what about Christians? Are Christians any different from anyone else? Is their/our behavior different in this world?

ILL.- George Galllup reported this some years ago: There’s little difference in ethical behavior between the churched and the unchurched. There’s as much pilferage and dishonesty among the churched as the unchurched. Religion, per se, is not really life changing. OUCH!

In our text, the apostle Paul speaks of his own behavior in this world...His behavior as an apostle of Christ. As "one sent" on a special mission. And we all have a special mission, believe it or not! Is our behavior supposed to be different from most people in the world? Absolutely!

Titus 3:1-2 "Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men."

That sounds like good behavior! It is and we should live it as best we can.

PROP.- Let’s consider Paul’s behavior and how it applies to us.

1- Authoritative - no

2- Gentle - yes

3- Blameless - yes

I. AUTHORITATIVE - NO

"As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you." We could have been hard on you.

ILL.- A boy said to his father, "Dad, can you write in the dark?" "I think so. What is it you want me to write?" "Your name on this report card."

ILL.- A little girl came home from school and said to her mother, "Mommy, today in school I was punished for something that I didn’t do."

The mother exclaimed, "But that’s terrible! I’m going to have a talk with your teacher about this ... by the way, what was it that you didn’t do?" The little girl replied, "My homework."

Who has the authority at home and at school? Hopefully, it’s parent at home and not the child. And at school it’s the teacher and not the student.

Someone has to have authority in life: at home, at school, in the work place, in the world, and even in the church.

WHO RUNS THIS PLACE, ANYWAY? That could be a question that some people might ask when it comes to the church. And some people might answer in these ways: the preacher, the elders, or the church board, etc. And all of these would be wrong. WHY? Because there is only one person with all authority and rule in the church!

Even though every church has it’s leaders who exert a certain amount of authority, there is only true authority in the church, whose will must be done! And we must never go over His head!

ILL.- I knew of a preacher many years ago in one church who kept spending the churches’ money. And I was told that it wasn’t a little amount of money either. If he thought the church needed something he just got it and charged it to the church. The church board told him to "cool it." But he didn’t "cool it." He kept right on spending money. Why? I guess because he thought he was "running the show," so to speak. WRONG.