Jas 1:2-4 - 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (NIV)
I. Introduction
My last sermon I ended by saying, “Let’s make Jesus proud”.
But what does that look like? What is a “successful Christian”? Who will hear the words, “well done good and faithful servant?”
Will it be the one that stops sinning? Will it be the elders or those on the board? Will it be the pastors of the mega-churches?
Who can expect to hear those words of highest praise, “well done good and faithful servant?”
Will you?
II. Adoption of failures
Last time I went to great pains to explain that we are not worthy of God. In the story of Justin I pointed out his wrecked condition in several different ways from his illegitimate, unplanned birth to his enormous criminal file. It would be impossible to overemphasis our desperate situation before Jesus came along. We are all street kids, villains, selfish and confused, miles from what God means when he uses the term “human”, falling terribly short of being the glory of God we were made to be.
The purpose of pointing this out with so much force is that the bible does the same. Why? So that no one may boast. It is imperative that we come to God in humility. Our fallen egos war with God on every front. And pride is what turns angels into devils. The only way another ego can enjoy the presence of God is to subject itself to him.
The strong emphasis on us as failures sounds, at first, to be negative and destructive. Some might see Christianity as a faith that is out to squash the human spirit. But they would be wrong. It is only out to squash human pride. Meanwhile, the point is that God loves us failures and sent his son to die so that we can be considered a success.
III. Achievement is not an option
Be we aren’t a success. Are we? We are only considered a success. Since we know that we are failures, achievement is not an option. Did you hear that? Achievement is not an option. I get so frustrated with myself for not being what I imagine a Christian to be. I am not disciplined enough. I am not spiritual enough. I am not pure enough. I don’t pray enough. I am not thoughtful enough. I am not gentle enough. I am not humble enough. And on and on.
How about you? Are you Christian enough? Can you list your failures? Do you ever get down on yourself because you just can’t pull it off? Do you compare yourself to other Christians? Do you compare yourself to the Christian in your head?
Well guess what? I have good news for you. WE ARE FAILURES. Now, isn’t that a relief?
IV. Christian Success
Now don’t get me wrong, there are successes in our walk. It would be very depressing if it were otherwise! But that isn’t the point. God didn’t choose us because we were successes. He isn’t impressed with what we achieve. He wasn’t when he took us off the street and he isn’t today. There is no boasting before God. So, if God is after something other than achievement, what is it? What does it mean to be a successful Christian? What does it take to make Jesus proud?
Listen to this very simple message:
Heb 11:6
6 - And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (NIV)
No one can BE Jesus, but everyone can FOLLOW Jesus. No one can know God, but anyone can EARNESTLY SEEK him. What defines a Christian is not how good he is, but how hard he tries. EVERYONE can try.
Every commandment of Jesus sets us up for failure. But that’s assuming that he thinks we should actually be able to BE like him. Christianity isn’t about being like Jesus. Have you ever met anyone like Jesus? No. Does that mean there are no Christians? No.
A Christian is someone who believes IN Jesus, not themselves.
A Christian is someone who puts aside all notions of achievement, all concept of accomplishment, all fantasies of attainment and tries anyway.
Listen to Paul:
Php 3:12-14 - 12Not that I have already ... been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (NIV)
We do not glorify God by being like him as much as by pursuing him.
This is the Christian value of PERSEVERANCE. Perseverance is the quality of not giving up. This includes not giving up on yourself.
V. Trying is hard enough
Listen, trying is hard enough. It takes enough concentration and strength just to keep going. The journey to heaven is mostly uphill. What we don’t need is some sort of goal oriented thinking. It’s fine to have goals, as long as we know that we will fail in achieving those goals. The true goal is to stay the course. The true calling is to stand, to run as if we can win. To “press on”. Paul is not a failure for not having achieved his goal of “knowing Christ”. Instead, he is a success for pursuing this goal.
VI. Grace
You see, the rules haven’t changed. We are still operating in humility. We aren’t being moved from the position of “failure” to “success”. Just as God did the work of salvation, he must do the work of sanctification. And just as we had to accept the grace of salvation by repentance, we have to accept the work of sanctification by repentance. Repentance is essentially the act of trying.
Then, just has God instantly changes our spirits when we accept the grace of salvation, he slowly changes our souls as we accept the grace of sanctification. He commands us to do something we cannot do. And then, when the time is right, he does it!
Isn’t that great? Becoming is far too much for us. But trying to become is exactly what we CAN do. So we try and then he does according to his will.
But know this; there are only two conditions in the Christian walk: moving forwards and moving backwards. There is no standing still. Either you are pressing on or you have quit. And the things that God has for us both here on earth and in heaven are only available if you are “earnestly” seeking him. If you ARE earnestly seeking him, be encouraged. God is pleased with you.
VII. Why not?
Let me ask you this, under what conditions would a Christian stop trying? Have you stopped trying? If so, why?
Have you decided that it’s not worth while anymore?
Have you decided that it doesn’t matter?
For some that is true. For some, they consider themselves Christians because they made an apparent decision at some point in their life. And just what was that decision? For some it was the decision that they wanted to go to heaven. They were told that the only way to get to heaven was the cross. So they took up Jesus to follow the cross. Jesus is just a means to an end for them. They are simply using Jesus to get what they want. They are pursuing heaven by following the cross rather than pursuing God by following Jesus. They are marrying for money. There is no love. There is no desire for truth, for goodness, for righteousness. Therefore there is no effort to earnest seek him. Is that you? If so, I suggest you start over. I suggest you forget any decision you made in the past and make a new one today.
Maybe that’s not you. Maybe you have stopped trying because you have forgotten why you began to try in the first place. How does that happen? Have you lost your first love? I suggest you start over as well.
I think for most of us, we stop trying because we have given up on ourselves. Let me remind you that when you give up, it is not on yourself, but on God. Have you decided that you cannot grow? Have you decided that God’s grace is not sufficient for you? Have you decided that your weakness is bigger than God’s strength? Of course you haven’t. You have just forgotten. So let me remind you. God’s strength is made PERFECT in our weakness. We aren’t supposed to be successful, only faithful.
VIII. Conclusion
So, are you struggling? Having a hard time loving God with all your being? Having a hard time loving others as yourself? Good! Struggle. Fight the good fight of faith. Run the race marked out for you. Press on to take hold of that for which Christ has taken hold of you. It’s not supposed to be easy. In fact, you aren’t even supposed to be able to do it. You are only supposed to try. Whatever your failures are, keep at them. You must persevere! Perseverance must finish its work so that you can become mature and complete. Success is in the trying. Because in the trying is trusting. Whatever your challenges, you won’t ever beat them, but God will...when he’s ready...when you’re ready.
What pleases God is a person who trusts him so much that he will attempt to do whatever God wants him to do even if it is impossible. We have faith, he has grace. Relationship.
So, press on, Christian. Never quit, never be satisfied. And know that just trying is what makes Jesus proud!
