Topic: "CHARACTERS THAT DEFINE A CHRISTIAN"
Scriptural Reference: Proverb 3:1-12
By Ptr. Jack Segismundo (Writer and Contributor of Sermon Central)
Jesus is Lord Church - Angono Chapter
Proverb 3:1-12.: Wisdom Bestows Well-Being
1 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you peace and prosperity.
3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favour and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.[a]
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.
9 Honour the LORD with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.
11 My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline,
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the LORD disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.[b]
Introduction:
Today I would to share with you the “Character that defines a Christian”. The book of Proverbs is referred to as wisdom literature along with several others: the Book of Job, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Solomon, and Psalms. This Book is so called Proverb because it consists of wise and important sentences, regulating the morals of men and directing them to wisdom and virtue. It speaks most highly of a person who can have has moral standard before God and men which we now know as Christian. And if we are willing to learn the wisdom of God we can walk rightfully before Him and before men.
There is a poem by Richard L. Baxter that is more likely to define a Christian. And the poem goes as follows.
The Path We Tread
From valley to valley out over the hilltops,
From sunshine to fog like the darkest of night;
So we follow the Lord down life’s winding pathway,
And walk much by faith and little by sight.
‘Twould be easy to see were His presence like lightning,
And easy to hear if like thunder His voice;
But He leads in the quiet by the voice of the Spirit,
And we follow in love for we’ve made Him our choice.
The path that we tread by the cross is o’er shadowed,
And the glory at times by pain is made dim;
Temptations assail and the spirit grows weary,
Yet we’re ever sustained by the vision of Him.
The years of our lives be they few or be many,
Will soon pass away as dreams of the night;
Then we’ll step through the portals on eternity’s morning,
And greet Him in glory as faith turns to sight. - By Richard L. Baxter
It is a wonderful thing to know that there are still people who live upon the face of the earth that exhibit a wonderful character. Our scriptural reference speaks a lot of that character that defines a Christian.
Character is the condition of the heart. William Hershey Davis said that "Character is the one thing we make in this world and take with us into the next. The circumstances amid which you live determine your reputation; the truth you believe determines your character|..... Your character is what God knows you to be.
In the book of Matthew 12:35 it says and I quote, "35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him." Apparently speaking, our scriptural reference speak of the following character of a true Christian::
I. He is Obedient to God
1 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you peace and prosperity. PROV. 3:1-2.
A Christian should be obedient to God. Peter T. Forsythe was right when he said, “The first duty of every soul is to find not its freedom but its Master”. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary said that: “In the way of believing obedience to God's commandments health and peace may commonly be enjoyed; and though our days may not be long upon earth, we shall live forever in heaven. “
II. He is Loving and faithful,
3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favour and a good name
in the sight of God and man. - PROV. 3:3-4.
There was a story of a certain pastor who announced he would be preaching next Sunday evening on “The Love of God.” As the shadows fell and the light ceased to come in through the church windows, the congregation gathered. In the darkness of the altar, the pastor lighted a candle and carried it to the crucifix. First of all, he illumined the crown of thorns, next, the two wounded hands, then the marks of the spear wound. In the hush that fell, he blew out the candle and left the altar. There was nothing else to say.
III. He Trust in God,
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.[a]
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil. - PROV. 3:5-7
The book of Psalms 2:12 says, “Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.” And Ps. 5:11 also says, “Let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy. “
IV. He Honours God,
8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.
9 Honour the LORD with your wealth,
with the first fruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine. PROV. 3:8-10.
Faith honours God and God honours faith! A story from the life of missionaries Robert and Mary Moffat illustrates this truth. For 10 years this couple laboured faithfully in Bechuanaland (now called Botswana) without one ray of encouragement to brighten their way. They could not report a single convert. Finally the directors of their mission board began to question the wisdom of continuing the work. The thought of leaving their post, however, brought great grief to this devoted couple, for they felt sure that God was in their labors, and that they would see people turn to Christ in due season.
They stayed; and for a year or two longer, darkness reigned. Then one day a friend in England sent word to the Moffats that he wanted to mail them a gift and asked what they would like. Trusting that in time the Lord would bless their work, Mrs. Moffat replied, “Send us a communion set; I am sure it will soon be needed.” God honoured that dear woman’s faith. The Holy Spirit moved upon the hearts of the villagers, and soon a little group of six converts was united to form the first Christian church in that land. The communion set from England was delayed in the mail; but on the very day before the first commemoration of the Lord’s super in Bechuanaland, the set arrived. Source unknown
V. He Accepts divine discipline,
11 My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline,
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the LORD disciplines those he loves,
as a father the son he delights in.[b] PROV. 3:11-12.
We must face the fact that many today are notoriously careless in their living. This attitude finds its way into the church. We have liberty, we have money, we live in comparative luxury. As a result, discipline practically ;has disappeared. What would a violin solo sound like if the strings on the musician’s instrument were all hanging loose, not stretched tight, not “disciplined”?
CONCLUSION:
Summarizing it all, the following are the characters that defines a Christian.
I. He is Obedient to God
II. He is Loving and faithful,
III. He Trust in God,
IV. He Honours God,
V. He Accepts divine discipline,
As William Penn have said, “To be like Christ is to be a Christian.”
