Text: Eph 5:15, 1 Thess 2:1-12, Title: Walking Worthy of God, Date/Place: NRBC, 8/10/08, PM
A. Opening illustration: Mark Twain expressed similar thoughts about the meaningless of life in view of man’s inevitable death. Shortly before his death, he wrote, “A myriad of men are born; they labor and sweat and struggle;...they squabble and scold and fight; they scramble for little mean advantages over each other; age creeps upon them; infirmities follow; ...those they love are taken from them, and the joy of life is turned to aching grief. It (the release) comes at last—the only unpoisoned gift earth ever had for them—and they vanish from a world where they were of no consequence,...a world which will lament them a day and forget them forever.” Or you could be like Joel Osteen’s wife Victoria, and everyone will remember you…
B. Background to passage: Paul is defending his ministry among the Thessalonians as he was only there a few weeks or months, and forced to leave. And so he is recalling his actions there and giving them a little explanation as a reminder to the Thessalonians of his life among them. After testifying of his exceptional life lived among them, he reminds them of his exhortation and discipleship of them with a big purpose statement at the end: so that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. This is the reason that we exist—to bring God glory, to reflect in some small measure by our lives, our values, our commitments, our desires the infinite worth of Jesus Christ.
C. Main thought: Therefore in our covenant we have agreed to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; in order to achieve that goal-four ways to do that.
A. Carefully chosen steps
1. The language from our covenant comes from Ephesians 5:15, imagine that! The word circumspectly means to walk with carefully chosen steps with respect to how others view you because you are a Christ-follower. It states that we will be thoughtful about our actions based upon how our lives reflect upon the testimony of NRBC and our Savior. The last word Paul uses is blameless, and it means that in the standards of men, one is not able to make an accusation stick.
2. 1 Thess 4:12, Eph 4:1, 5:15, Col 1:10, 4:5,
3. Illustration: This is illustrated in the life of the famous author Mark Twain. Church leaders were largely to blame for his becoming hostile to the Bible and the Christian faith. As he grew up, he knew elders and deacons who owned slaves and abused them. He heard men using foul language and saw them practice dishonesty during the week after speaking piously in church on Sunday. He listened to ministers use the Bible to justify slavery. Although he saw genuine love for the Lord Jesus in some people, including his mother and his wife, he was so disturbed by the bad teaching and poor example of church leaders that he became bitter toward the things of God, someone once joked that the difference between the Baptist and the Methodists in the liquor store was that the Methodists would speak to you, I would be rich if I had a dollar for every time I had to try to clean up someone else’s mess when they offended someone else, tell about the Law and Order the other night about the born-again Christian, and the black church staff member who testified that he would embrace a Christian brother who was on trial for a racially motivated murder, and Jack expecting an opposite answer,
4. How often do we really ask the question: How will this action affect my church? Or other church members? Or: what will people think of Jesus (whom they know I claim) if I do such and such. Usually our question goes something like, How will I justify it if I get caught? There is much truth in the statement that you may be the only bible people ever read. I beg of you to be thoughtful about how your actions affect the cities’ view of our church or our Savior. Do you frequent places that you ought, or not frequent places that you should? Does the language coming from your lips magnify His worth? Do your relationships bring honor to Him because of their love?
B. Justice in dealings
1. Paul says that they were holy (pious), righteous, and blameless. Paul calls the Thessalonians as a witness to the things they saw, and God to witness to everything else of their character. As two witnesses are needed to verify testimony. He is appealing to the highest authority in the land, or in the universe. The word “justly” is the word for righteousness. This is a word that means conforming unto the law of God and the law of man simultaneously.
2. Micah 6:8, Tit 2:10-12, Amos 5:24, Pro 3:4, James 2:1,
3. Illustration: I always love talking to the people at Guidestone Financial Resources…Polycarp (2nd Century) Can you imagine what it was like for the church in Smyrna as they watched their beloved and aged pastor burn at the stake? Polycarp was his name. he was a disciple of Jesus’ disciple, the Apostle John. One could tell it immediately because he possessed the same tenderness and compassion as his mentor. Polycarp was Bishop of the church at Smyrna (present day Turkey). Persecution broke out in Smyrna and many Christians were fed to the wild beasts in the arena. The godless and bloodthirsty crowd called for the carcass of the leader – Polycarp. The authorities sent a search party to find him. He had been taken into hiding for some Christians but the Romans tortured two young believers until they finally disclosed his location. When the authorities arrival was announced there was still time to whisk Polycarp away but he refused to go saying, “God’s will be done.” In one of the most touching instances of Christian grace imaginable Polycarp welcome his captors as if they were friends. He talked with them and insisted they eat a meal. Ha made only one request before being taken away – he asked for one hour to pray. The Roman soldiers listened to his prayer. Their hearts melted and they gave him 2 hours to pray. They had second thoughts as well and were overheard asking each other why they were sent to arrest him? Other authorities also experienced a warmed heart when Polycarp arrived. The Proconsul tried to find a way to release him too. “curse God and I will let you go!” he pleaded. Polycarp’s reply was: “For eighty-six years I have served him. He has never done me wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King was has saved me?” The Proconsul again looked for a way out. “The do this old man, just swear by the spirit of the emperor and that will be sufficient.’ Polycarp’s reply was: “If you imagine for a moment that I would do that, then I think you pretend that you don’t know who I am. Hear it plainly. I am a Christian.” More entreaties by the Proconsul Polycarp stood firm. The proconsul threatened with the wild beasts. Polycarp’s reply was: “Bring them forth. I would change my mind if it meant going from worst to best, but not to change from right to wrong.” The Proconsul threatened, “I will burn you alive!” Polycarp’s reply was: “You threaten with fire that burns for an hour and is over but the judgment on the ungodly is forever.” The fires engulfed him. The witnesses noticed his faith and joy. He was finished off with a dagger. He was buried for the cause of Christ on February 22, 155 A.D. Bust on ol’ Earl, but say that it wouldn’t hurt Baptist to do it,
4. We should act in such a way that makes people want to have dealings with Christians and churches. Bosses should be looking for Christian employees. Landlords should be looking for Christian tenets. Individuals should be looking for apartment complexes and subdivisions full of Christians. If there are those that you have done wrong in this church or in this town, you should go and make it right. If there are those that have done you wrong, you should go and make it right. Pay your employees better than the world. Treat and speak of your bosses better than the world. WHY? It is glorifying to Christ!
C. Faithfulness in engagements
1. Paul spoke of their knowledge of his lack of hypocrisy, his reality, and his approval by God, and his diligent labor on their behalf. Faithfulness or blamelessness was a huge accolade in this day and time. This epitaph was used on funeral stones often of people who had lived long lives of faithfulness.
2. 1 Cor 4:1-2, Matt 25:21, 23, Luk 16:10-12,
3. Illustration: I remember a message that Dr. Patterson preached one day to all the students; in it he described those that might be doing ministry in order to gain fame or recognition, or to gain an employment, or to gain access to the opposite sex for purposes other than ministry. He told us if that was our motivation or intention, to get out now. Don’t embarrass the Kingdom of God when you are exposed as a fraud. Go and sell insurance or used cars. Tell about Derek and his determination to be faithful to the promises that he had made even when deceived, b/c he believed that it honored Christ,
4. Where are the people who would still say “my word is my bond?” Whether it is coming to church or staying married, or showing up at dinner when agreed, or getting to work on time, can others say that about you—that he does was he says? Most of us could use an empowering grace in areas of commitment in life. Everything is so replaceable, expendable, disposable, exchangeable, that we carry it right on into the church. If you promise to do something, do make others come and harass you about it. At least have the decency to tell them to continually remind you.
D. Exemplary in behavior
1. And if those last few clauses didn’t cover something, this one does. We have agreed at NRBC, like Paul and his team to live a life that you may pattern yours after. That is what the word example means.
2. Col 2:6, Philip 1:27, Matt 10:37-38,
3. Illustration: A rather pompous-looking deacon was endeavoring to impress upon a class of boys the importance of living the Christian life. “Why do people call me a Christian?” the man asked. After a moment’s pause, one youngster said, “Maybe it’s because they don’t know you.” Harold and Dorothy Wills. When they got married, mom was a believer and dad was an unbeliever. And dad was content to stay married to mom so they never even considered divorce. Now, Dorothy was careful not to nag Harold with the gospel. She simply prayed for him, answered his questions about the Lord when he asked, and endeavored to live the Christian life in front of him. Finally, in 1987, after 48 years of marriage, at the age of 75, Harold Wills accepted the Lord as his Savior.
4. What if every person at NRBC acted like you? What if everyone was as faithful as you, gave like you, prayed like you? What if young minds and hearts began to study your life so that they may learn how to live? What areas of your life would you say: do as I say, not as I do? What areas in your life would you altar if others were going to use you as a pattern? Would this bring honor and glory to Christ? Is it obvious to others where your true loyalties lie? Everyone in Tifton should want to be like us?
A. Closing illustration: In Bill Gates’ new book Business @ The Speed of Thought, he lays out 11 rules that students do not learn in high school or college, but should. He argues that our feel-good, politically correct teachings have created a generation of kids with no concept of reality who are set up for failure in the real world. RULE 1 - Life is not fair; get used to it. RULE 2 - The world won’t care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself. RULE 3 - You will NOT make 40 thousand dollars a year right out of high school. You won’t be a vice-president with a cell phone, until you earn both a high school and college degree. RULE 4 - If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss. He doesn’t have tenure. RULE 5- Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping, they called it opportunity. RULE 6 - If you mess up, it’s not your parents’ fault, so don’t whine about your mistakes, learn from them. RULE 7 - Before you were born, your parents weren’t as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills; cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you are. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parents’ generation, try "delousing" the clothes in your own room. RULE 8 - Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life has not. In some schools they have abolished failing grades; they will let you try as many times as you want to get the right answer. This doesn’t bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life. RULE 9 - Life is not divided into semesters. You don’t get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time. RULE 10 - Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop to go to their jobs. RULE 11 - Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one.
B. Reality is that it (the covenant promises) could actually happen, but it starts with you…
C. Questions and answers
Additional Notes
• Clarify that these things are not means by which one earns heaven or church membership, but the covenant commitment of members to one another in church because they are saved.
