“Let me Show you the Door”
2 Corinthians 6:3-10
If you have ever flown in an airplane and I am sure most of us have, then you know that one of the things they do is have the flight attendants give a few basic instructions. I don’t really fly that often but I will admit that when I do I don’t pay much attention to what the flight attendants are saying. I’ve already heard it.
My brother’s wife is a flight attendant and works out of the airport in Memphis. You may have seen her if you watch Wheel of Fortune … she was on there about 2 months ago.. some of you mentioned that you saw her. She actually won the big prize for the night … about $50,000. I have asked my brother to consider becoming a tither to our church. But anyway she is a flight attendant.
I am told that when people are seated on the plane that the flight attendants are actually looking for responsible people to sit in certain places. If you are going to sit in an exit row there are actually 3 requirements and if you pay attention to what the flight attendant has to say it goes something like this….. If you are seated near an exit door you have 3 responsibilities. If for any reason you fell you cannot carry out these responsibilities then we ask that you move to another area. (1) you must be able to understand the instructions concerning the exit door. (2) you must be able to to physically open the door. (3) you must then be able to verbally guide someone through the door.
Those are the 3 requirements for that person. Now let me ask you a question this morning what are the requirements to be a disciple? Really the same thing. (1) you must understand the instructions. (2) you must be able to pint people to the door and (3) you must be able to verbally guide others through the door.
Most of us would say that we could definitely accomplish the first two. We understand the instructions (Bible) in fact as I heard someone say, it’s not the part in there I don’t understand that bothers me. It’s the part I do understand. It’s clear. It’s convicting. But some of us need to be reminded that we don’t follow instructions very well. We understand the instructions but we don’t always follow them. Most of us then can get the door open but all of us are not completely sure how we could actually convince someone to go with us on the journey.
But we must understand that to be a true disciple and to go deeper as a disciple in the Christian life, we MUST be able to do all 3. Now this is where the difficulty begins in going deeper in our faith. Doing all 3 is very hard for many of us because as I said a few weeks ago not all of us are natural born leaders are we? In fact I’m not sure anyone is. I believe it is something that we must learn. We are not born leaders. We become leaders. We are not born disciples. We have to be reborn actually. Now this brings me to the BIG TRUTH I want to convey to you today. Here it is.
A true disciple is a follower. A true disciple also has followers.
To go deep we must stay on the path no matter how difficult the path may be. AND we must always take someone else with us. Now let’s look at the path.
The apostle Paul begins with these words. V.3 “We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path.” Now we all know what a stumbling block is. Paul was not the first to talk about them. Jesus, in speaking to the teachers of the law and the Pharisees said, “woe to you because you shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces.” (Ever had a door slammed in your face?) That’s what He’s describing. Then He says you yourselves do not enter nor will you let those enter who are trying to.
Jesus in His frustration at one point even said to Peter, “satan, get behind me. You are a stumbling block to me. Move back here because when you are here it causes me to stumble. You’re a problem on this path I ‘m traveling. Paul said you have to make up your mind NOT to be a stumbling block or obstacle in anyone’s path. Now back to v. 3, he gives us the reason we are not to do this. The reason not to put a stumbling block in anyone’s path..so that our ministry will not be discredited.
Paul was very careful about this even to the point that he said it is wrong to eat or drink anything that causes someone else to stumble. Don’t be a stumbling block. Because if you do your ministry will be discredited. Your testimony will be weakened and people will no longer follow you.
Remember a true disciple is a follower. A true disciple also has followers.
v. 4. Rather as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way. When you commend someone for something you make them look good. You find a quality in someone, faithfulness, whatever it may be and then you commend them for it. It’s like saying Good job! But it’s like Paul is saying here….commend yourself…pat yourself on the back…why? Because you’re a servant.
Then he tells us some ways to do that. Paul is a list-maker and here’s his list. This is a list of situations, difficult situations where if we handle these trials properly, people will follow. Look at the list. ---- in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses. I hate it when Paul begins with a list like this. Why can’t he say, when life is trouble free, everything’s easy and there is no stress whatsoever. I can tell you why. Because when your life is like that, if it ever is, no one will follow you. Listen, a true disciple has followers and people will follow you in direct proportion to your ability to handle hardship and difficulty.
People aren’t looking to follow someone whose life has the appearance of being trouble free. Why? Because they know that life doesn’t exist. Look at the next list. V. 5. In beatings, imprisonments and riots, in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger. All of my favorite things. Howe about you? On this list I can only identify with about half of these. Never been beaten unless you count our church softball team..but that’s another story. Prison and riots. Only time I’ve been in prison was to visit someone else who was in prison. And never participated in a riot. Although I did have very long hair in the 70’s. Hard work. I like to think I do that. I have had some sleepless nights and I have been hungry before but I usually knew what to do about that.
Next list. Vv.6-7. Now these two verses almost require an entire message by themselves but let me put it simply. People will follow others if their lives are a reflection of Jesus Christ. True disciples have followers. And this is the kind of person people will follow. Think of the person who is just the opposite. No one wants to follow them.
Next list. V. 8. Now he speaks in opposites. Bad report, good report. Poor but rich. Has nothing but has everything. I believe what Paul is saying in this list is summed up in one word. Perspective. How we see things. We often call this a paradigm shift. It means we see things one way but then we suddenly see those same things in a different way. Let me show you. Do you see the white vase in this picture? How many can see it? Now look at a different picture. Do you see the two black vases? OK. You know what the difference is in these two pictures? Nothing. They are the same. It’s all a matter of perspective. It’s a matter of how you see your life. Vv9b-10.
When you can learn to live that way, people will want to follow. On the other hand, if you don’t live that way, no one will follow. A true disciple is a follower and a true disciples has followers.
You ever heard this phrase before….let me show you to the door. There are a couple of ways we can say that. Bouncers in bars show people the door all the time. They put them out. Someone may show you the door by asking you to leave
But there are many other ways t show someone the door. And those are the ways Paul has described here. Through the difficulties you face, Live for Christ and every day point people to the door. In John 10 Jesus said, I am the door, if anyone enters through me, he shall be saved. John 10:9 NASB.
I read a story this week about a newlywed couple that had a disaster on their honeymoon. True story. They arrived at the hotel. They had reserved a large room with romantic amenities. That's not what they found. The room was not furnished very well, , no view, no flowers, a cramped bathroom and all they had was a pull-out sofa with a lumpy mattress. They tried t make the best of it but the next morning but it was not a good night and so the next morning the groom stormed down to the desk clerk .. very angry. When he finished ranting and raving the desk clerk asked him, "Sir, did you open the door in your room?" he said no, so he went back to his room went in and opened the connecting door and to his surprise there was a large beautiful room with a spectacular view, a king sized bed fully furnished. Huge bathroom. You have to wonder why didn't he try the door? Or why didn't he go down to the desk before going to bed?
I don't know, but I do know that there are a lot of people out there looking for a better life. And what they don't understand is that Jesus is the door you have to go through. You and me…we’re the desk clerk and it’s our job to point them to show them the door.
