If we could choose the way that we would die, how many of us would choose to die in burning building? How many of us would choose a sinking ship? Anyone want to go through the pains of ravaging cancer before death? How about the numbness and loss of Alzheimer leading to death?
While many of us are not able to choose how we will die, churches on the other hand have a choice in the way they decline in health and die. Some go up in smoke because of arguments and fights. Others drown because of false, and ultimately harmful, teachings. Stills others are ravaged by uncontrolled sin in the lives of those in the church. Finally, churches die because they no longer function as a church, an organism that reproduces disciples of Christ who worship God.
This morning, we will address the problem of non-reproduction in the church, and so hope to avoid extinction of our church. The jump-off text for this message is from Paul’s second letter to Timothy, chapter 2 verse 2: "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others." Paul is calling his protégé, Timothy, to reproduce what Paul has taught to others into new people who will in turn reproduce the same things in others who will in turn reproduce the same things in others.
But what are the things Timothy heard from Paul that Paul wanted Timothy to entrust or deposit into others? Do we know the content to be deposited? Yes, at least everything that Paul wrote in the letters titled 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians and Philemon. Timothy was present when Paul wrote these letters. The contents of these letters include biblical instructions for faith and for living a right and healthy relationship with God and with one another through Jesus Christ.
We will look at why and how we are to reproduce in others these biblical instructions for faith and for living. The call is not new with Paul. Jesus Christ, before he ascended into heaven, spoke these final words, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples (or students) 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. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
This call to reproduce in others biblical instructions for faith and living was not new with Jesus Christ, either. Deuteronomy 6:4-7 reads, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
FIRST, Why are we to reproduce in others the biblical instructions for faith and for living? After all, our society tells us, "What may be true for you may not be true for me. It matters not what you believe, as long as you are sincere."
Remember the mass suicide by the members of the Heaven’s Gate cult? They sincerely believed that a UFO would come take them after their mass suicide. What we believe does matter, because what we believe determines how we behave. If we are wrong but sincere, we can be sincerely and seriously wrong.
Another barrier to reproducing in others the biblical instruction for faith and for living is not focused on sincerity but on uncertainty. Many parents are unsure of what to pass onto their children. There are so many changes in medicine, technology and philosophy that parents want their children to choose for themselves, because the parents are not sure. As a result of immature choices, subsequent generations of people grow up wanting freedom without responsibility, actions without consequences, and spirituality without morality. Whether we believe in God or not, common sense would tell us that children are immature and incapable of defining their own morality, spirituality and worldview.
Why should we reproduce in others the biblical instructions for faith and for living? Two reasons: Because God calls us to, and because the Bible is trustworthy and superior to any other source for life with God and with one another. The Bible is superior intellectually, morally, spiritually, and practically.
The biblical instruction for faith and for living is INTELLECTUALLY SOUND. Many argue that harm comes from the biblical teaching that mankind is sinful. Instead, many people claim that mankind is basically good but society and institutions corrupt us. If we stop to think, we would ask, "Then who corrupted society and institutions? Or who make up our society and institutions?" And if mankind is basically good, why do we have locks on our doors, alarms in our cars, and why do we pay to have police officers and prisons? Biblical instruction for faith and for living reflects sound intellect.
The biblical instruction for faith and for living is MORALLY SUPERIOR. As noted by Fred Smith, "Michael N. Hart, the historian, says that Christianity enjoys its greatest uniqueness in this, for no other great religion tells its adherents to love their enemies. In most religions, revenge is not only justified but commanded." Because we have been greatly forgiven and loved by our Creator we can forgive and love even our enemy. Forgiveness is only one of many examples of how biblical instruction for faith and for living is morally superior.
The biblical instruction for faith and for living is SPIRITUALLY SAFE. There are no spiritual gurus or many gods in the Bible for which we worship and owe our allegiance. There is only one true God, whose character does not change, full of truth and grace. Furthermore, we cannot win the favor of this God through our own efforts; therefore, others cannot manipulate us in the name winning God’s favor. Only in trusting the sufficiency of Jesus Christ’s death on the cross to pay for our sins can we gain God’s favor. Biblical instruction for faith and for living is spiritually safe.
The biblical instruction for faith and for living is PRACTICALLY SIGNIFICANT. Almost every discipline is helped by the truth in the Bible. Business, leadership, human relations, philosophy, arts and sciences all have been influenced and advanced by the truth in the Bible. Did you know quantitative science requires that nature have order and this belief came from the biblical understanding that God orders His creation? Nicholas Copernicus, who corrected the traditional geocentric system of Aristotle and Ptolemy and also paved the way for Newton’s law of gravity, said, "The universe has been wrought for us by a supremely good and orderly Creator."
Now, I’m not saying that the Bible is a business book, a leadership book or a science book. God inspired the authors of this compilation of books so we could read and know God and know how to relate in a right and healthy way with Him and with one another. I am saying that the instructions for faith and for living from pages of the Bible are intellectually sound, morally superior, spiritually safe and practically significant. I’ve taken the long road to help us see that as a friend or a parent, you can have confidence to reproduce in others (friends or family) the biblical instructions for faith and for living.
Why are we to reproduce in others the biblical instruction for faith and living? First, God commissions us to. Second, we desperately need what God has to offer, truth and grace for how to live a right and healthy relationship with God and with one another.
WE’VE LOOKED AT WHY, NOW WE’LL LOOK AT HOW WE ARE TO REPRODUCE IN OTHERS THE BIBLICAL FAITH AND SKILLS. What are some practical ways of doing this? You can reproduce biblical faith and skills by supporting missionaries, by serving in ministries, and by studying to live as Jesus Christ did; that’s discipleship.
The missionaries we support are reproducing biblical instructions for faith and for living in those beyond our focus and community. Dean Saelao, who came on May 4, is reproducing biblical faith and skills in the San Francisco tenderloin youth. Tim Cole, who came last Sunday, is reproducing faith and skills in the Hokushin Valley Japanese people. When you partner with missionaries through prayer and finances, you are reproducing in others biblical instructions for faith and for living.
The ministries we serve in this church are reproducing biblical instructions for faith and living in our local community. The worship ministry, small group/bible study ministries and outreach ministry were never intended to simply increase your Bible knowledge and fellowship. These ministries are different entrances for people from our community and for us to be exposed to biblical instructions for faith and for living. When you serve in these ministries, you are reproducing in others biblical instructions for faith and for living.
The third practical way of reproducing biblical faith and skills in others is by studying to live as Jesus Christ did. I admired the person of Jesus Christ before I even knew that He was the Son of God. Jesus was a contagious person. I not only wanted to be His friend, but I wanted to be like Him. I wanted to follow in his step. He cared for others. He affirmed others. He ushered others into service. He guided others in the ways of God. He heightened other’s awareness of God’s grace. He taught other skills for ministry and for life.
Whether you are a father, a grandmother, a dentist or an engineer, you can reproduce biblical faith and skills in others if you will study to live as Jesus Christ did. Let me help us remember what Jesus did with the acrostic, C.A.U.G.H.T., that characterizes the contagiousness of Christ.
First, the "C" in CAUGHT stands for “Caring for people.” Jesus cared for people. He didn’t just force biblical instruction for faith and for living on others. Caring for others was his motive for reproducing biblical instructions for faith and for living. Jesus healed, forgave and taught about God’s plan of salvation because Jesus cared about people.
Many Christians are more interested in making converts or growing a church than caring for people. If love is not the motive, others will resent our efforts. I’ve shared the story of my efforts to double the membership of the Davis Asian American Christian Fellowship. After one year, the group went from 40 to 30 in membership. God ended my selfish ambition and called me to simply love the students and care for them. When I did this, the students saw the love of Jesus in me and brought their friends to be cared for. Nine months later, the group grew to 80. Care for people; Jesus did.
The "A" in CAUGHT stands for “Affirming people’s God-given potential.” Jesus saw that people could change, mature and become the person God intended. Affirming others was an expression of his belief in reproducing in others the biblical instruction for faith and for living. Jesus’ disciple, John, who was known as the Son of Thunder, because of his horrible temper, after being with Jesus, became known as the apostle of love. Peter, who was known to be quite unstable in his emotions, after meeting Jesus, became known as the rock, a picture of stability.
I have a sign in my office that reads: "My central beliefs are that God is good even when life hurts, that people can change with God’s help, that the past, the present and the future are in the hands of my loving God." Do you complain, criticize, dread and demonize people, or do you affirm people’s God-given potential to change, mature and serve? Someone has said, "There is enough good in the worse of us and enough bad in the best of us that no one should judge how we will turn out." Affirm the God-given potential in people; Jesus did.
The "U" in CAUGHT stands for “Ushering people into a lifestyle of service.” Jesus didn’t just care for people or affirm people, but he trusted people to live out what they knew. Jesus sent his disciples out to do what he was doing. He ushered them into a lifestyle of service, not just into a Bible study. Furthermore, the people didn’t feel used by Jesus, because Jesus really cared for them and affirmed them. When others know you want the best for them, they will do what you ask them to do.
For example, the Elders will begin to lead communion later this year. The Elders will begin to minister with me as I visit people who are sick and need counseling. Your pastor is no longer the only person leading prayer meetings. Hazel has begun to periodically lead the prayer meetings. I’m not being lazy when I usher people into service that are traditionally for the pastor; rather, I’m sharing the blessings that come from serving God. Besides, the church is not in the business of keeping the pastor employed, but the church is in the business of multiplying people who possess biblical instructions for faith and for living. Usher people into a lifestyle of service; Jesus did.
The "G" in CAUGHT stands for “Guiding people in the ways of God.” Jesus was able to guide people in the ways of God, because Jesus had an intimate relationship with God, his Father. Jesus’ knowledge of God was not from hearing what others said about God. If you spent time with Jesus, you would know what God expected and what God provided. Even the religious teachers were amazed at the authority Jesus teaching commanded from people.
Although we are not called to speak in God’s place, we are called to proclaim God’s word, the Bible. Dawson Trotman, founder of the Navigators, told of the time his 6-year old daughter rehearsing John 3:16 in a small group setting, "For God so loved the world, dat He gave his one and only forgotten Son, dat whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." Because this little girl proclaimed the word of God, one man in that small group thought, " ’Whosoever’ could be me." And he received Christ that night. Guide others in the ways of God with the Word of God; Jesus did.
The "H" in CAUGHT stands for “Heightening people’s awareness of God’s grace.” Jesus heightened peoples’ awareness of God’s grace in his teaching and in his interactions. His story of the prodigal son identified God with the father who received the prodigal son with open arms and a feast. Jesus did not condone sin, but he also did not condemned the women caught in adultery, the tax collector or the demon-possessed, and He reminded us that anyone who has seen Him has seen the Father (God).
Do we remind people of the true God of grace, or are we turning people away from God by our condemning attitude? If you were the only representative of God, will other understand that there is grace and forgiveness with God? Do you know how to let the word of God and the Holy Spirit convict people of their sin without you yourself condemning people? While we don’t redefine what sin is, we do let people know that because of Jesus sin cannot keep them from God; only their hardness of heart can keep them from God. Heighten people’s awareness of God’s grace; Jesus did.
Finally, the "T" in CAUGHT stands for “Teaching people skills for ministry and for life.” Jesus didn’t just tell his disciples what was expected in life and in ministry without also instructing them in the "how-tos." Jesus taught with parables; He corrected His disciples and He modeled God’s instructions to them. For instance, in the matter of prayer, He taught them exactly what to include in a prayer. In the matter of making disciples, His life demonstrated the principles, which you are currently learning, captured in the acrostic, C.A.U.G.H.T.
Until we are motivated to take action, we really don’t care about the how-tos. The saying, "When a student is ready to learn, a teacher will appear" is applicable in reproducing biblical instruction for faith and for living. A student, a wife or a husband is ready to learn the how-tos of biblical instruction, when his teacher cares for him, affirms his God-given potential, ushers him into a lifestyle of service, guides him in the ways of God, and heightens his awareness of God’s grace. After you have done all that, you are ready to teach that student the how-tos; Jesus did.
Supporting missionaries is paying and praying for someone else to do the job, where and when we cannot. Serving in ministries is partnering with someone else to do the job better than we can do alone. Studying to live as Jesus Christ did is participating personally in the job. God calls us to do all three in order to maximize our opportunity to reproduce in others His instruction for faith and for living.
