"It’s All About the People"
Author: Dr. Neal Gray
Passage: Romans 15:1-7
Purpose: God’s interest is people. Do I love what Jesus loves? That is, do I love people as much as Jesus loves people? As God’s ambassador, and as the pastor of His flock, or as a brother in the family of God, the truest way to please God is to act on this: it’s all about the people.
INTRODUCTION
Opening
This past week, I had an epiphany. That is, God became so real to me that I knew God was present. Vicki and I were in the car, (on the way home from Washington, D.C., on April 1, 2002; no, this is not an April’s fool joke!), and I said to her, "Honey, the Lord has just given to me my freshest ’marching orders’ for leading His Church."
You see--and believe me--I knew that I knew that God had spoken. Here’s what the Lord said to me. He said, "It’s all about the people."
I replied, "But Lord, I thought it was all about You, about Jesus, about His Church."
God answered again. I’ll tell you at the end of this message what He said.
Scripture
Our Scripture is found in Romans 15:1-7.
ARE YOU STRONG?
Introduction
The passage begins with the phrase, "We then that are strong...." It assumes that some people will have strength that is greater than others.
What Are You Doing with Your Strength?
What will you do with the strength that God has blessed you with? We all make choices about what we will do with our strength. How will you use the strength of your life?
You very well may choose to lavish yourself with all that your hands can produce for you. That’s what the foolish rich man did.
And he said, "This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods." And I will say to my soul, "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry."
But God said unto him, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?"
So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. (Luke 12:18-21)
Or you may see the wisdom of the Scripture and teachings of Jesus, to be charitable in this life. Our real calling is to care for others.
Examples of Persons Who Bear Other’s Weaknesses
And you do this. In our congregation so many of you are actively bearing the infirmities of the weak members in your families.
I know that so many of you bear many burdens because of loved ones. YOU ARE SO VERY RIGHT IN DOING SO. "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves," (Romans 15:1).
Are You Strong?
Are you strong? What are you doing with your strength? Even Jesus, who is the strongest of the strong used His strength, His abilities, His time, to help others.
Don’t you know that our Lord Jesus could have commanded "legions of angels" to take care of His every need? And yet, He chose to live even without the most basic of necessities, e.g., "the Son of Man hath not [a place] to lay His head," (cf. Matthew 8:20; Luke 9:58).
==> You please the Almighty God when you turn your attention away from satisfying yourself, and toward attending to the most basic needs of the weaker persons around you. And THAT IS REAL STRENGTH.
WE ALL HAVE WEAKNESSES
Introduction
I suppose I should tell you something right now that you may not like to hear. But I shall tell you: EVERYONE HAS WEAKNESSES. Yes, my friend, you have weaknesses. And wouldn’t you like for a compassionate person to bear with your short-comings and your failings?
I Tried to Be Nice
A couple of weeks ago, one my short-comings came to light. Funny thing, I found it out because of my trying to be nice. I had tried to do a nice thing.
I sent to Colleen, (one of our regular Sunday morning worshippers), a note card. My purpose was to tell her how much I appreciate her and her family.
Well, the Sunday after I sent it, Colleen pulled me over to one side in the foyer. "Pastor," she said, "I got your card this week." And she showed me the front side of the card, with her address written in my handwriting and my return address label.
Then she turned the card over so I could see the note side. It was totally blank! Colleen asked, "Uh, Pastor, what did you want to say to me?!"
I was stunned. Of course. Stunned. It was one of those "hand-over-mouth" moments. You know what I mean. I quickly told her the message THAT I THOUGHT I HAD WRITTEN. She giggled a lot at me during my time of embarassment. But she was incredibly nice to me, not making fun of me, but helping me get through the moment.
"Thank you, Colleen!"
==> "Infirmities of the weak." As I’m getting older, I find that I can’t find things as quickly as I used to. Sometimes I don’t find things for days!
And I forget. My heart was right, I think, in wanting to share a nice sentiment with a sister in the Lord. But in my weakness, I created a confusing and embarrassing situation. And she bore my weakness!
We All Have Weaknesses
You see, we all have weaknesses. The thing that sounds good and right, as well as Scriptural, is that I should bear your infirmities.
At the same time, I hope that you will do that thing which is good and right and Scriptural, and bear my infirmities--with lots of love and understanding! Amen? Of course, Amen!
BUILDING UP ONE ANOTHER
Introduction
Let me explore just one more major thought. It has to do with the building up of one another. Especially we--as the family of God and co-laborers in Christ’s Holy Church--we ought to build one another up.
How Do I Treat You?
God said, "It’s all about the people." The question for me to consider is this: how do I treat you? I’ll tell you how I want to treat you.
I want to treat you as though you are very, very special. I want you to know and sense and to feel the truth, i.e., that you are important. God help me.
"It’s all about the people." God is making this clear.
A Spirit of Approval
The famous stock broker, Charles Schwab, once said, "I have yet to find the man, however exalted his station, who did not do better work and put forth greater effort under a spirit of approval than under a spirit of criticism."
A Story About Others’ Importance
Recently I read an account that really got me thinking about God’s Word from Scripture, "Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification," (Romans 15:2).
In the mid-nineteenth century, two strong men vied for leadership of Great Britain’s government: William Gladstone and Benjamin Disraeli.
Many people believed that Gladstone, who had led the Liberal Party for 30 years, had the best qualities for Victorian England. He was a career public servant, a great orator, a master of finance, and a highly moral man. He had been Prime Minister of the United Kingdom four different times. Many good reforms happened under his leadership.
Benjamin Disraeli entered politics in his thirties. He had served as Prime Minister, also, twice. Many good reforms happened on his watch, too.
What set these two men apart was their approach to people. A story told by a young woman who met both men illustrates the difference. She had dined with the two rival statesmen on consecutive nights. When asked her impression of them, she said:
==> "When I left the dining room after sitting next to Mr. Gladstone, I thought HE was the cleverest man in England. But after sitting next to Mr. Disraeli, I thought I was the cleverest woman in England."
Rather than boast on his own achievements, Mr. Disraeli focused in on the achievements of the other person. The results are amazing when people know that you really believe in them.
==> "Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification." It’s all about the people.
CONCLUSION
God’s Interest is People
Here’s the end of the story. GOD’S INTEREST IS PEOPLE. He created us; and He said that His creation "was very good." He sent His Son to suffer for us.
So, do I love what God loves? And do I love what Jesus loves? That is, DO I LOVE PEOPLE AS MUCH AS JESUS LOVES PEOPLE?
As God’s ambassador, and as the pastor of His flock, or as a Christian brother or sister in the family of God; the truest way to please God is... remember, it’s all about the people.
The Rest of God’s Instruction
I told you how this all started.
God had said to me, "It’s all about the people."
And I had replied, "But Lord, I thought it was all about You, about Jesus, about His Church."
Here is what God answered, "It’s all about the people. I want you to introduce Me to them through My Son and My Spirit, so that we can live together forever. And then, teach them how to live their lives on earth, the way I want you to live together."
I said, "Yes, Lord. That is so very fine."
The Essence of that Instruction
And so I began thinking about how God’s instruction could actually be carried out. The Spirit interrupted my scheduled plan for preaching, and had me to prepare this message, to say to you that...
* We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves
* Let every one of us please his or her neighbor for his or her good
* Be like-minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus
* With one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and,
* Receive one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
And so, beloved, as a committed and loving follower of God the Father and the Lord Jesus, and in His Spirit, I tell you this truly:
* My wife is my first concern
* YOU are my first concern, and,
* Our Parkville Church is my first concern.
==> You are God’s people. And...IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE. I hope you will join with me "to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves."
Hymns & Reading
Suggested hymns and readings from the Church of the Nazarene "Sing to the Lord" hymnal:
He Is Lord.................. Hymn #269
Responsive Reading................#257
Crown Him with Many Crowns...Hymn #272
Jesus Is Lord of All.........Hymn #275
AMEN.
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| Copyright 2002
| Practical Holiness Ministry (r)
| "BRINGING PRACTICAL IDEAS TO
| THE CHRISTIAN LIFE." (tm)
|
| You may reprint or publish or hopefully preach
| this material as long as it is not-for-profit,
| except that it may profit one’s soul,
| (see Mark 8:36).
|
| Dr. Neal Gray is the Senior Pastor of the
| Baltimore Parkville Church of the Nazarene.
| 8510 Fowler Ave -- Baltimore, Maryland 21234
|
| You can reach Dr. Gray by e-mail at:
| mailto:drngray@earthlink.net
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| Also, please visit the church’s website:
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| LEARNING. MENTORING. SERVING. (tm)
| 2 Pet. 3:18 - 2 Tim. 2:2 - Matt. 20:26-28
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| All Scripture is the King James Version.
| Used with God’s blessed permission.
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