All About Him
Acts 17:28
Introduction:
We live in a “me” culture. People are jumping from job to job, relationship to relationship, marriage to marriage and church to church many times because of selfishness. One of the most famous lines from Jan on the Brady Bunch was when Jan was feeling left out, not getting much attention and she pulled her Mom and Dad into the den and gave her most famous speech, “All I hear any more is Marsha did this and Marsha did that, MARSHA, MARSHA, MARSHA!” What about ME! And that is the attitude of so many folks today. We may not articulate those words but our lives reflect a “what about me” attitude that has given birth to a generation coming up that has adopted an attitude of entitlement. The government should provide for me. The school should cater around me. The workplace should be more flexible with me. And the church should minister TO me.
Speaking of the church. I am seeing more and more folks in our culture that come to a church looking at ways the church can bless them: what do you have for my children? What are you going to do with my Teenager? I need contemporary music. I want the old hymns. I like expository preaching. I like thematic preaching. I like topical sermons. I don’t think its church unless the choir has robes and responsive readings are a part of the service. I need the church to pay my bills this month. I need someone to call and visit me when I miss a Sunday. If I don’t get a handshake or a hug from folks in the church, I will go somewhere else. MARSHA, MARSHA, MARSHA!
To quote Rick Warren in his book Purpose Driven Life, “It’s NOT about YOU”. And if it is not about YOU, who is it about? It is all about HIM. He is our reason, He is our purpose, He is our meaning, He is our way, He is our truth, He is our life!
As we get back on focus let us consider the life He lived on earth as our example, the death He died as our substitute and the life He is now living, which very soon, we shall live!
1.He Lived The Life We Should Live:
In his popular novel In His Steps (Subtitled: What Would Jesus Do), written in 1896, Charles Sheldon relates the story of Rev. Henry Maxwell who encounters a homeless man who challenges him to take seriously the imitation of Christ. The homeless man has difficulty understanding why, in his view, so many Christians ignore the poor:
"I heard some people singing at a church prayer meeting the other night,
'All for Jesus, all for Jesus,
All my being's ransomed powers,
All my thoughts, and all my doings,
All my days, and all my hours.'
And I kept wondering as I sat on the steps outside just what they meant by it. It seems to me there's an awful lot of trouble in the world that somehow wouldn't exist if all the people who sing such songs went and lived them out. I suppose I don't understand. But what would Jesus do? Is that what you mean by following His steps? It seems to me sometimes as if the people in the big churches had good clothes and nice houses to live in, and money to spend for luxuries, and could go away on summer vacations and all that, while the people outside the churches, thousands of them, I mean, die in tenements, and walk the streets for jobs, and never have a piano or a picture in the house, and grow up in misery and drunkenness and sin.”
This leads too many of the novel's characters asking, "What would Jesus do?" when faced with decisions of some importance. We as born again believers ought to be concerned with imitating our Lord Jesus Christ.
• How He Acted We Should Act:
Jesus Christ did not believe in nor did He tolerate a hypocritical lifestyle or a semi-sold out life. Just look at His thoughts about the church in Asia Minor called Laodicea! He said things like “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” –Luke 14:26. Jesus was the original author of the thought “It’s not about YOU”. Jesus made the lame to walk, caused the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the mute to talk, He restored relationships, I could go on forever as there is no library in the world that could contain the stories and testimonies from those He touched. He made a difference because He cared. It has been said that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. He made a difference because He cared. We can make a difference, we simply must care.
I recently came upon a question posted on the internet that I want to share: this young man writes:
“I'm really tired of my own desires and weaknesses getting the better of me. And I'm really tired of not living in the power and likeness of Christ. But that doesn't seem to be enough. I feel like I'm losing more ground in my walk with the Lord than I'm gaining; every time I get ahead some trap or snare comes along and knocks me back again. Trying to avoid them, prepare for them, etc.; doesn't seem to work. I know the Word, and use it, and still get caught anyways. Obviously, I must be missing something.
It's tempting for me to blame my half-asleep church that's twice now missed revival when it came close, and often fails to help non-gray haired members, but I know I'm responsible for my own walk. For all the negative things around me, the problem is in me, and I want to fix it.”
The answer to this young man and us when it comes to acting like Jesus did? “And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts”-Gal. 5:24
We must have the attitude that Charlie did with Don Maxey. Charlie witnessed to this man just months before he passed away and was able to lead him to the Lord. When I visited this man a few days later he said “Pastor I am a new man. I have Jesus in my heart because I received the Gospel. A man came by and led me to Christ, I don’t remember who it was, but I know who is in my heart.” Charlie’s reply when I told him that? “It matters not that he remembers me, as long as he remembers the Lord” You will make a difference when you can learn that it is all about Him in your actions.
When we go through this life acting like Jesus, we find a supernatural power and boldness that not only changes our lives, but challenges the lives of those around us. There are times in every believer’s life where they are delving into the Word of God, in constant prayer, doing what God has called them to do and abstaining from what God has told them not to do. Times when one feels so close to God so filled with the Holy Spirit, right with God, others and self that the power from God is overwhelming! Then comes life. A hectic job, aggravating traffic, health issues, and bills to pay and before we even realize it, the power is gone. There have been a few people through the years that have maintained that power.
Take for example Charles Finney who so acted like Jesus and had so much power in his life that he was known to walk into an establishment and with just his presence folks would cry out and repent. He walked into a factory once, receiving a tour from the manager, and when introduced to one of the workers she broke into tears, hit the floor, confessed her sins and cried out for mercy. Within an hour the entire factory was shut down as folks were coming to Christ and getting right with God. In the course of one year, 1857-1858, 20 percent of America’s population was swept into the Kingdom of God!
Friends, we serve the same God who has the same desire and offers the same power to us as He did with Charles Finney. We have the potential and the power to make every Wal-Mart, IHOP and School house a church house simply by the power exhumed by our presence. It is then that political correctness goes out the window as God comes in the door!
Or someone like Jonathan Edwards who while preaching a sermon folks were known to run down the aisle crying out to God for mercy while others would grab hold of a wall lest the ground below would open up and hell itself receive them. Oh we can have that same power from within realizing that same affect on those without if we would just surrender to our Lord and act like Him. Paul says “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” – II Tim. 1:7
D.L. Moody once stated “The world has yet to see what God can do through, to and for a man wholly committed to Him”. May we today, endeavor to be that man, woman, boy or girl that causes a stir on earth and a celebration in heaven.
• How He Reacted We Should React:
Jesus flipped the tables on humanity with His powerful teachings and unorthodox doctrines. His thoughts and His lifestyle shocked a culture marked with selfish motivations. Our nature says: respect those who respect you, hit back when hit, take revenge upon those that hurt us, and love only those who love us. In addition we only do for others when we will reap benefit for ourselves. In other words, I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine. And to counter that mentality Jesus reached out saying “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you, and persecute you” –Matt. 5:44
While there is boldness in acting how Jesus acted, there is a bonding that develops with those around us when we react the way Jesus reacted. We are called to be the “salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? ... You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid... Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven”. –Matt. 5:13-16
We are called to be different and unique. When we act differently we have boldness. When we react differently we have bonding. This world is desperate to see someone rise above mediocrity. Someone that is not conformed to this world but has been transformed. This world is looking for someone to prove that Christianity is real. They have seen what the average “Christian” is: the worker that talks about the boss behind his back. The wife who flirts with the new guy in the break room. The man that spends more time at baseball games then in church on Sunday’s. The choir member that reveals their love for the world on Facebook. The Sunday School teacher that complains about everything. The Pastor that embezzles money from the church…..the world has seen what “average” Christianity is and the world is NOT being changed. Oh but give me a believer that longs to be different. A man or a woman who is as pure on Friday night as they are on Sunday morning. A man or woman that protects and guards their testimony, even on Facebook. A boy or girl that is more in love with Jesus Christ and righteous living than Hollywood. And I will show you a world that can be changed and transformed. This world has HEARD what we believe. It is high time and about time this world starts to SEE what we believe!
Oh but you don’t know how hard it is to be different Pastor! You don’t know how mean my boss is, how bad the traffic gets, how tempting it is on the internet, how funny that joke was that I sent to everyone on e-mail, how much that person hurt me…No I don’t, but Jesus does…
“But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” –Isa. 43:1-7
Jesus knows you better than you do and He is not calling you to do something that you are unable to accomplish. God has called you, Jesus has reconciled you and the Holy Spirit has empowered and indwelled you. And now “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” –I John 4:4
Jesus was slapped, scourged, tortured, had a crown of thorns plated on His head, spit on, mocked, ridiculed, misunderstood, misaligned, misrepresented, humiliated, falsely accused, lied about, lied to, and hung on a cruel Roman cross and when the religious leaders where deriding him and the soldiers were mocking him what did He do? He asked the Father to forgive them! THAT is why the Roman Centurion proclaimed “Truly this was the Son of God.”- Matt. 27:54, and “he glorified God, saying, certainly this was a righteous man”-Luke 23:47.
I submit it was not just the earthquake. It was not just the supernatural darkness. It was the fact that the Centurion saw something different in Jesus. And it was because of His unique love and peculiar reactions that those around Him, like the Centurion, were changed.
When you start acting like Jesus you will realize a newfound supernatural power in your life that translates to boldness. When you start reacting like Jesus you will realize a bonding taking place with those around you that translates to a difference being made.
In closing, let me share with you some parts from The Letter to Diognetus, an anonymously written letter written to Diognetus in his request to know more about Christianity, written in the second century:
“To His Excellency, Diognetus: I understand, sir, that you are really interested in learning about the religion of the Christians, and that you are making an accurate and careful investigation of the subject. You want to know, for instance, what God they believe in and how they worship him, while at the same time they disregard the world and look down on death, and how it is that they do not treat the divinities of the Greeks as gods at all, although on the other hand they do not follow the superstition of the Jews. You would also like to know the source of the loving affection that they have for each other...They live in their own native lands, but as aliens…Every foreign country is to them as their native country, and every native land as a foreign country. They marry and have children just like everyone else, but they do not kill unwanted babies. They offer a shared table, but not a shared bed. They are passing their days on earth, but are citizens of heaven. They obey the appointed laws and go beyond the laws in their own lives. They love everyone, but are persecuted by all. They are put to death and gain life. They are poor and yet make many rich. Their names are blackened, and yet they are cleared. They are mocked and bless in return. They are treated outrageously and behave respectfully to others. When they do good, they are punished as evildoers; when punished, they rejoice as if being given new life. They are attacked by Jews as aliens and are persecuted by Greeks; yet those who hate them cannot give any reason for their hostility.”
Now that speaks of lives that are acting and reacting like Jesus Christ. Displaying power and causing the people around them to become so moved by their lives that they desire that same power. If you really want change you can believe in, don’t look to the Republicans or the Democrats, the school house, court house or even the church house. Start looking at the man, woman, boy and girl in the mirror as ask: “Am I living like Jesus Christ did?”
