Introduction:
A. One day a woman was driving through a snowstorm just outside of Denver, Colorado.
1. She was completely lost and struggling under the hazardous weather conditions.
2. She was relieved when she happened upon a snowplow.
3. Since she was lost she decided to follow the snowplow as close to the machine as she could while it removed snow from the road.
4. At times the blowing snow almost cut off her view, but she just kept following the huge truck.
5. After some time, the snowplow stopped and the driver got out and came back to her car.
6. The snowplow driver said, “Lady, where are you trying to get to by following me?”
7. The lady replied, “I’m trying to get to Denver.”
8. The snowplow driver replied, “Well, you’ll never get there following me! I’m just plowing this parking lot!”
9. Here’s the lesson for us: Before we let others lead us, it would be helpful to know their direction and destination.
B. As your spiritual shepherds, we want you to have the confidence that we are leading you in the right direction and the right destination.
1. We believe it is important for us to have spiritual direction for our lives that comes not from our thinking, but from the Word of God.
2. Periodically, we believe it is important for us to renew and restate our goals and directions.
3. It is next to impossible for us to move forward together and hold each other accountable if we don’t review what we are all about every once in a while?
C. So, in order to clarify our goals and be reminded of God’s expectations for us, we have made the bookmark that we made available last week.
1. As I said last week, I would encourage each of us to take the bookmark home and keep it in a prominent place – put it on the refrigerator or keep it where you do your daily devotional.
2. Then, when each of us see the bookmark, we can be reminded of our shared goals.
3. Feel free to take as many as you need and to share them with others as well.
D. If you were here last week, then you know that last week’s sermon covered the first six of the twelve shared goals.
1. What I will be doing in today’s sermon is to briefly touch on the second six shared goals listed on the bookmark.
2. As I mentioned last week, these 12 shared goals are not a perfect list, but hopefully they help organize and direct our hearts and lives toward pleasing God and being faithful to Him.
3. Before we move on to the second six of the twelve shared goals, let’s recite the first six.
4. God wants us to strive toward these shared goals (please say them with me)
a. Believe Wholeheartedly
b. Worship Regularly
c. Fellowship Devotedly
d. Serve Willingly
e. Pray Fervently
f. Give Generously
Now, Let’s talk about the second six of Our Shared Goals
A. The seventh shared goal is Study Diligently
1. I intentionally started the second six shared goals with this one, because the shared focus on God’s Word is not only an extreme privilege, but is a sacred responsibility.
2. It is impossible to overemphasize the important place that God’s Word must have in each of our lives.
3. The importance of studying God’s Word diligently isn’t just for spiritual leaders, but is necessary for every follower of God.
4. As a spiritual leader, I’m challenged by the example of Ezra, the OT spiritual leader.
a. The Bible says this about Ezra: He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given…For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel. (Ezra 7:6, 10)
b. How did Ezra become well versed in the Law of Moses?
c. It didn’t just happen overnight or by an immediate download from the cloud, rather it came from the fact that he devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law.
d. Ezra’s ability to live and teach God’s Word came from diligently studying it.
5. But the privilege and responsibility of studying diligently isn’t just for spiritual leaders, but involves every follower of God.
a. I chose Acts 17:11 to convey this shared goal because I’m always so encouraged by the Bereans.
b. Acts 17:11 says: Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
c. The Bereans examined the Scriptures every day to make sure the things Paul was teaching were true.
6. Every one of us have the responsibility to make sure the things we believe are true – we can’t just give the excuse that we were just believing and following the teaching of our leaders.
7. That’s why Paul gave Timothy these instructions: Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15).
a. We learn from that verse that being approved by God has to do with correctly handling God’s Word.
b. To correctly handle God’s Word, we must study it to know it and live it and teach it.
8. Because the studying of God’s Word is a shared goal, we try to offer numerous opportunities for us to study the Bible together.
a. We have Bible studies on Sunday mornings, Tuesday mornings, and Wednesday nights.
b. Additionally, we offer other Bible study opportunities from time to time.
c. I would encourage each of us to participate in as many studies as we can.
9. But even these group studies are not to take the place of our own personal reading and studying of God’s Word.
10. The only way that each of us will grow toward maturity and live a life that is pleasing to God is by committing our life to knowing and living and sharing God’s Word, so let’s embrace this shared goal of studying diligently.
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B. A eighth shared goal is Live Purely
1. This goal has always been a challenge for followers of God because the world has been an impure place for a long time.
2. We often think that the time when we are living is the worst of the worst, and it may be, but the truth of the matter is we are called to strive toward holiness and purity regardless of how evil and impure the world is around us.
3. Part of the challenge for us is the fact that all of us were and are sinners, and before we made the commitment to live a life of purity many of us were living in very unholy ways.
a. Look at the “before” state of many of the early Christians…
b. Ephesians 2:1-5: As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved.
c. Titus 3:3-5: At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.
d. Both of those passages describe the depravity we had been in, but then also point to God’s work to forgive and save us.
e. Receiving salvation also involves a repentance and commitment to live differently - purely.
4. Peter describes this new shared goal of purity in these words: As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Pt. 1:14-16)
a. In becoming Christians, each of us have made a commitment to strive toward God’s holiness and that is a tall order!
5. Here is how Paul described a pure life: But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person - such a man is an idolater - has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (Eph. 5:3-5)
6. I wish we had more time to spend on this shared goal because it is so important - it touches on purity in our sexual lives, purity of our entertainment activities, and purity of our conversation.
7. For the Christian to not even have a hint of impurity of any kind is a high bar to strive toward, but it is what God expects and requires – God wants us to be holy like He is holy.
C. A ninth shared goal is Love Unconditionally
1. Last week we started out list of shared goals with believe wholeheartedly, which was an excellent place to start, because faith is so central to a proper response to God.
2. A second thing that is equally foundational to following God is love.
3. In many ways love is the answer to most of the questions we face in our lives.
4. Jesus declared that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves (notice our banners).
5. In other places Scripture also links loving God with loving others.
a. Like when John says: If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. (1 Jn. 4:20)
b. In the parable of the sheep and the goats, Jesus communicated the truth, “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Mt. 25:40)
c. He was teaching that when we serve others by giving them what they need in their time of trouble, we are really doing it to the Lord, Himself.
6. Paul summed up what is most important, when he wrote: The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Gal. 5:6)
7. From these verses it is obvious why I chose love as one of our shared goals.
a. But you might have noticed that I have qualified it as love unconditionally.
b. I did so because God’s love for us is unconditional – God doesn’t love us because we love him, or because we are good, or for any other reason than that God is love.
8. Our love for others should be like God’s love for us– it shouldn’t be a love with conditions, like I will love you if you deserve it, or if you love me back, or if you are good.
9. So let’s strive to be like God in how we unconditionally love all people.
a. In a world of hatred and division, our unconditional love will stand out – Jesus said, “All people will know that we are his disciples if we love one another.”
10. Of course, let’s keep in mind that God loves unconditionally, but that His approval and His favor have conditions, but not His love.
D. A tenth shared goal is Speak Wisely
1. A year ago, I did a 9 week series on the use of our tongue that I called “Speak Life – Speaking Words that Heal, Not Hurt”
2. Throughout that series, we learned that the Bible has a lot to say about the use of our tongues and we learned just how powerful our tongues are.
3. Proverbs 18:21 says: The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
a. Our tongues have the potential to do so much good or to cause so much harm!
4. If we don’t properly use our tongues then our spiritual lives and effectiveness can be nullified.
a. James 1:26 says: If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.
5. One of the first steps to speaking wisely is to not speak too quickly or not to speak at all.
a. James 1:19 tells us to be quick to listen and slow to speak (don’t get those backwards!)
b. Proverbs 12:18 says: Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
c. Proverbs 10:19 says: When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.
d. Proverbs 17:28 says: Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.
e. So wise speaking starts with not speaking at all, or not speaking quickly.
6. Once we have that part of it under control, then we need to learn how to speak wisely and appropriately.
a. Ephesians 4:29 is a good place to start: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
7. What are unwholesome words?
a. Merriam-Webster defines it as: detrimental to physical, mental, or moral well-being.
b. Therefore unwholesome words tear people down physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
c. Our goal with our words should be to build people up and to have people benefit from what we say.
8. These are great guidelines for our speech at home, at work, at school, in church, and via electronic media.
9. In the turbulent times we live in – with all the acrimony and divisiveness, we need to speak wisely!
E. An eleventh shared goal is Evangelize Gracefully
1. It would be so remiss of me to leave evangelizing off the list of our shared goals.
2. When Jesus was criticized for trying to bring salvation to Zachaeus the tax collector and the other sinners at Zacheaus’ home, Jesus said that he came to seek and to save what was lost (Luke 19:10).
a. Our world is so lost – people need Jesus more than ever!
3. Jesus was all about helping the lost to be saved – even to the point of dying to make it possible.
4. As you know, just before Jesus left earth to return to heaven, He left these marching orders: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (Mt. 28:19-20)
5. So, it is clear that our mission as Christians is to help other people become Christians.
6. But I called this shared goal “evangelize gracefully” because evangelizing gracefully will help us to be more effective in saving the lost.
7. Look at the verses I chose to convey this shared goal: Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:5-6)
a. Notice that wisdom is required in order to make the most of evangelizing opportunities.
b. Notice also that Paul talks of our conversation being graceful and seasoned with salt.
c. It may be the truth that a person is hell bound, but there are blunt ways to say that and there are graceful ways to say it.
d. I have also tried to help us understand that although we are to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth, too much light is blinding and too much salt is distasteful.
8. We need wisdom from the Spirit to help us to evangelize gracefully.
F. The twelfth and final shared goal for us is Walk Humbly.
1. I think faith is a great place to begin, and humility is a great place to end.
2. Pride will get us nowhere we want to go, but humility will put is in the right place before God.
3. Even if we are able to embody and exemplify the first eleven of these shared goals, we will have missed the mark if we take pride in our great spiritual accomplishment.
4. In the end, no matter how well or poorly we live up to the goals before us, we must remain humble before God.
5. Throughout Scripture, we are told over and over again that “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)
6. I like how Micah 6:8 simplifies things: And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
7. We must be humble in all ways – toward God, toward others, and toward all things.
Conclusion:
A. I want to leave us with two concepts as we close this examination of our shared goals.
1. The first concept has to do with a willingness to pay the price through practice.
2. Sometimes people go up to accomplished musicians and say: “I’d give anything to play like that!”
3. What they really mean is, “I wish I could wake up tomorrow morning and be an instant virtuoso.”
4. Look at this cartoon: “I don’t want to practice! I want to skip ahead to the part where’ I’m awesome.”
5. Spiritual maturity and holiness are a lot like mastering an instrument – it takes many hours and years of practice.
6. Older, godly, mature Christians got that way through years of practice – so, don’t give up, just keep practicing and striving toward the shared goals.
B. The second concept has to do with breaking the long term goal into a short term one.
1. Imagine trying to be successful at the game of bowling without seeing the pins.
2. In 1933, Bill Knox did just that—and bowled a perfect game without being able to see the pins.
3. At Philadelphia’s Olney Alleys, Bill had a screen placed just above the foul line to obscure his view of the rest of the lane, including the pins.
4. His purpose was to demonstrate the technique of spot bowling, which involves throwing the ball at a selected mark on the floor near beginning of the lane.
5. Like many bowlers, Bill knew that you can do better if you aim at a mark close to you that’s in line with the pins. He proved his point with a perfect 300 game of 12 strikes in a row.
6. I would encourage us to break the shared goals down into simple, practical, daily or weekly targets.
7. As we build those small, simple, practical things into our daily or weekly activities, then they become habits to build on.
8. For instance the one on studying diligently – take a look at what you are doing and assess what more should you be doing, or what should you be doing differently and make a small change.
a. Add a bible class, or add a daily reading program.
9. When it comes to speaking wisely – start with an assessment of where your tongue is causing trouble, and start with a small step of eliminating a bad, destructive habit and build on that.
10. Aiming at a closer target can help us to reach the larger, more distant target.
C. I pray that all of us will call upon God and cooperate with God in an effort to grow toward maturity in Christ.
1. I pray that these shared goals will help to shape us into the Christians and the Church that God wants us to be!
