Sermon Notes November 8, 2015 FBCam
Following Christ will Transform Your Character
2 Cor 3:12-18
There are many ideas about how to IMPROVE your CHARACTER
Tony Robbins wrote a book on how to “Unleash the Power Within You”
Kevin Leman wrote the intriguing book, “Have a New Kid by Friday.” It’s sold nearly one million copies!
Steven Covey writes about “win-win” situations
Oprah Winfrey has no shortage of guests and opinions on how to be a better person.
And in the religious category, Joel Osteen will tell you how to “Become a Better You”
All of these pundits claim to have some answer that will transform your character. But the best source that we can turn to is the man who came from heaven, Jesus.
He gave us many commands about our CHARACTER.
Today we will learn what Christ commands about our CHARACTER and
HOW to obtain the CHARACTER Christ Commands for us
We will look at 9 commands that Christ gave that all focus on our character. These are from Tom Blackabys book, “The Commands of Christ”
Command 1. Walk in the Light. John 12:35–36 ““The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”
Jesus was the “light” that was among them
He would be departing soon
He tells them that He must be the center of their lives.
Walk = conduct yourself
Darkness = the world around us
Command 2. Let your Light Shine. Matthew 5:15-16. “Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Being a Christian is not a SECRET part of life
Being a Christian is not a SEPARATE part of life
Command #3. Be Humble. Mark 10:42-45. “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Significance in Christ’s kingdom is marked by SERVITUDE, not POWER
Jesus demonstrated this by washing the disciples’ feet
POWER and PRIVILEGE are not the way of Christ’s disciples.
Command 4. Be Merciful. Luke 6:36 “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”
God is merciful. “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” (Psalm 103:8, ESV)
Mercy triumphs over judgment! “For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:13, ESV)
Command 5. Judge Not. Matthew 7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged.”
Command 6. Don’t be a hypocrite. Matt 6:5, 16
““And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.” (Matthew 6:5, ESV)
““And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.” (Matthew 6:16, ESV)
Command 7. Freely Give. Matthew 5:42; 10:8
“Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.” (Matthew 5:42, ESV)
“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.” (Matthew 10:8, ESV)
Giving FREES us from possessiveness. Illustration...... I remember packing our house in belongings to move to PA. We loaded up the truck, and closed the door. Kim and I were in our car, along with our 3 children following a truck in which was everything on earth that we owned. We realized how insignificant our accumulations really are! AT that moment, everything that mattered was in the car, and it was just our stuff that was stacked in the truck. It really gave us a good perspective on material possessions.
Command 8. Be perfect. Matt 5:48 “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
God is not looking for improvement,
God is looking for transformation.
Improvement will not gain us access to God
Command 9. Do not swear. Matthew 5:33-37. “And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” (Matthew 5:36–37, ESV)
This command is about our INTEGRITY
We should not need to impress others by trying to convince them that we are sincere.
Everything that we say or commit to do should be viewed as true.
That is a very noble list!
But it is DIFFERENT from philosophers and celebrities!
The DIFFERENCE
The WORLD’S wisdom focuses on SELFISH INTEREST.
FOR EXAMPLE, look at the GOLDEN RULE.
Matt 7:12 ““So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
The Golden Rule did NOT SAY
Do unto others what they do unto you. (That’s RETRIBUTION)
Do unto others before they do unto you. (That’s PRE-EMPTION)
Don’t do unto others what you do not want them to do unto you. (That’s SELF-PRESERVATION)
Similar statements found among The Letter of Aristeas, Confucius, Buddhism, the Stoics.
All are NEGATIVE statements.
All focus on SELF.
Jesus gave us something different. Something greater. A command that focuses on others.
Who Can Live Up To This Kind of Standard? It’s not just DIFFICULT. . . . IT’s IMPOSSIBLE.
How can we obey Christ’s commands related to our character? How do we change?
2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
This is spiritual TRANSFORMATION
It occurs as Christ lives in us. Romans 8:10 “But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”
How Does this take place? Through SANCTIFICATION
Jesus is our MODEL
You must have a personal relationship with Christ
You must depend on Christ to guide you (John 15:5)
You must learn from him. Matt 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Study Christ in the Gospels
Spend time with the Lord in prayer
Desire to know him
Spend time with his people
Choose Christ’s priorities over your own (die to self) Romans 8:13 “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
Allow God’s Word to enter into and transform your life. Rom 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
A young boy was doing his best to move a rock that was too big for his size.
Struggled.
His Father sees his struggle. “Are you struggling?”
“Yes, I’ve tried everything and I can’t get it to budge.”
“Are you sure you’ve tried every possibility, that you have used every resource at your disposal?”
“YES” I Can’t get move it, it’s too big.”
THE FATHER bent over and helped the boy move the rock.
“No son, you didn’t use every resource at your disposal. You didn’t ask for my help.”
Ask the Lord to help you be more like his Son!
