The Approval of One
Proverbs 12:2 “A good man obtaineth favor of the Lord: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.”
Galatians 1:10 “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”
How many of you have ever played a recital piece? You probably will never forget your first recital: sweaty hands, sinking sensation in your stomache, involuntary trembling, but a determination to do your best.
I’ll never forget playing a piano piece for a Christmas program on the mission field in Haiti. I was around 9 or 10 years old. I practiced for weeks. Over 500 people came to that Christmas program. But as I played, I had one question in my mind. What did my mother think of my performance? I glanced up for a moment to see my mother’s expression. In that moment, I saw all I needed to know. She was pleased. She was happy. In the middle of 500 people, I looked for the approval of one.
This morning, I’d like to talk to you about the approval of One. ---
William Shakespeare wrote “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players…” Have you ever felt like you are on stage, the stage of life performing for the audience all around you? I have often felt the pressure and the pull of performing on life’s stage. I’m certain that you have also felt that pressure. -- “What do my coworkers think of my work performance? What do my classmates think of my academic skills? What does my church think about my Christian walk? From the world’s point of view, a good appearance- a good show is the only thing that matters. If we’re not careful, life morphs into a stage, every man and woman- the actors.
We become addicted to approval. We live from day to day allowing our emotions to swing based on what others think of us. We spend our lives foolishly trying to please the crowd and live for the approval of man. There is a tyranny and a bondage in living for man’s approval. Henry Swope said, “I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure which is: “Try to please everybody.”
This morning, I would like to set a different standard before you, the Scriptural standard. Instead of living in bondage, craving the approval of everyone around us, the Bible calls us to live for the approval of One. The Apostle Paul said, “Am I trying to live for the approval of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Paul realized that it is impossible to fully please man and God at the same time.
The Scriptures call us again and again not to live for the expectations of man, but for the satisfaction of God. I Thess. 2:4, “But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.” I Thess. 4:1, “Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.”
We live for the applause of One. There is nothing better or more fulfilling to know that God says, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.” Can anything compare to having the smile of God’s approval?----
Let’s look at some heroes of the faith who lived entirely for God’s favor.
Come with me to the dawn of time. God’s majestic creation was only a few years old, but it was tainted by the curse of sin. A clearing comes into view. The trees and briars have been cleared from this field. Two rugged men stand on both sides of the clearing. Each of them has an altar before him. Each of them has made a sacrifice to God. Cain offered the fruits of the soil. Abel offered one of his precious lambs. Cain rebelled against God’s standard of animal sacrifice, but Abel obeyed completely giving one of his precious lambs. The New International Version of the Bible tells us that “The Lord looked with favor upon Abel and his offering.”
This was the first time in history that the Bible tells God looked with favor upon a man. God was pleased with Abel, and Abel rested under the smile of God’s approval. “By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings…” Heb 11 ------
Enoch was man a who walked with God. He was a man who lived and breathed to bring joy to God. In fact Hebrews 11:5 tells us, “He was commended as one who pleased God.” In a time when much of the world was going away from God, Enoch made it his highest priority to live not by man’s opinions but by fellowship with God.
In a time when the world was doomed to be destroyed by the judgment of God, another man lived under the favor of God. His name was Noah and the Scripture tells us “Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” (Gen 6:8) Noah and his entire family were saved because He lived under God’s smile.
In Genesis 15:1, God came to Abraham telling him, “Do not be afraid Abraham. I am your shield, your very great reward.” Abraham pleased God and lived for the applause of One. Because of this God took Abraham and made of him a great nation. God took one of Abraham’s descendants, Jesus Christ, and made Him the Savior of the world.
Moses was another great man of faith who lived for the approval of God. God loved Moses so much that He told him, “I know you by name and you have found favor with me.” (Ex. 33:12)
Samuel found favor with God. As only a young boy, we read that Samuel “grew in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men.” (I Sam 2:26)
Acts 7:46 tells us that David enjoyed God’s favor. He was a man after God’s own heart. ----
Mary, the mother of Jesus, enjoyed the favor of God. Luke 1:30 tells us, “The angel said unto her, “Fear not Mary for thou hast found favor with God.”
These are only a few of the great heroes of the faith who enjoyed favor with God. They lived with one audience in mind, to please God alone.
But our greatest example of someone who walked under the favor and smile of God, is found in Jesus Christ Himself. He served as our ultimate example.
In John 8:29 Jesus said, “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.” Jesus gave us six powerful words. They were simple and yet life changing. “I do always those things that please Him.” Jesus lived only for His Father’s approval. That’s why one of the greatest moments of His life was at His baptism when the heavens opened and He heard His Father say, “You are My Son ... with You I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:22). It didn’t matter whether the crowd was cheering or jeering - Jesus was content with the smile of His Father.
We can talk about how important it is to please God rather than man. We can look at all the great heroes of the faith who lived and breathed for the approval of God alone. But where does that leave us? How do live for God’s approval?
I found myself asking that question this last week. How did these men and women become known for living under God’s favor? In prayer, I felt the Lord clearly reveal to me, one night, three reasons why these people saw God smile upon their lives. Each one had three qualities in their lives which attracted the approval of God.
First, they had great faith. Enoch had enough faith in God that He was literally raptured into God’s presence. Noah had faith to build an ark for a coming flood. Abraham had faith to leave his own country to a land that God would show him. Moses had faith enough to lead the 12 tribes of Israel out of Egypt. Samuel had enough faith to restore the corrupted nation of Israel. David had faith to defeat the enemies of God’s people and restore a broken Israel. Mary had the faith that was needed to trust the Lord when He asked her to bring God’s only Son into the world. Jesus had faith enough to look beyond the cross and see the Resurrection.
Second, they had great obedience. Abel obeyed God by making animal sacrifices even when his brother grew angry at him. Enoch was so closely united with God’s will that he walked with God. Noah chose to obey the Lord’s command to build a monstrous ship, even when the world had never seen rain. Abraham chose to obey God’s voice, when God said, “Get thee from thy land.” Moses was obedient to God’s will traveling into enemy territory, to the land which had a death warrant issued for him. Samuel was obedient to God’s voice when God came calling, saying, “Speak for thy servant heareth.” David was obedient to God. When he could have killed King Saul, his mortal enemy, instead he said, “I will not lift my hand against the Lord’s anointed.” Mary was obedient to God’s will, saying to the angel Gabriel, “Be it unto me according to thy word.” Jesus was obedient to God’s mission saying to His Father, “Not my will but thine be done.”
Third, they had great suffering. Suffering is not glamorous. None of us want it. But it has always been a part of living for the approval of God alone. Abel paid the ultimate cost for his obedience to God, murdered by his jealous brother. Enoch lived a loners life while the majority of mankind forgot about God. Noah suffered the ridicule and the jeers of countless people during those decades that he built the ark. Abraham became a nomad, leaving a beautiful, cultured city, to wander the land and live in hardship. Moses carried the burden of the Israelite people for 40 years, a very heavy burden indeed. David was hunted down like an animal for months on end by King Saul. Mary suffered the loss of her most special Son. Simeon’s prophecy, “A sword shall pierce thine own soul” became reality as she knelt before the cross and watched her Son die. (Luke) Jesus paid a higher price of suffering than all of the above. He took the burden of sin for the entire world and experienced the terrible torture of the cross.
Friends, there is a high price to pay if we determine we will live for an audience of One. Having God’s approval means living in great faith, great obedience, and great suffering. And yet having God’s approval is the only thing worth living for.
Will you live for man’s approval alone or will you concentrate all your efforts and all your grand plans of life to hear Him say, “Well done thou good and faith servant. Enter into the joy of thy Lord.” (Matt 25:21)-----
The young man had waited for this moment for many months even years. He had practiced and practiced. It was his premiere appearance as a concert violinist. The audience heard much about his amazing talent, and they packed out the prestigious concert hall to hear him. They weren’t disappointed. In fact, his masterful playing brought them to their feet for a thunderous standing ovation at the end of the concert. But the eyes of that young man were not on the cheering crowd. Instead he looked to the balcony. There sat an old man. The violinist stood stock still and waited with intense emotion. At that moment, the old man in the balcony shook his and smiled approval. You see, the old man in the balcony was the violinist’ master teacher. The young violinist thought nothing of the cheering masses but waited for the approval of his master.
So my friends, I call you, to live for the approval of the master.
