“AUTHENTIC CHRISTIAN LIVING”
TEXT: Romans 8:12-17
INTRO:
With so many beliefs and denominations in our society, a question that we must ask ourselves is: Am I a REAL Christian? Now I am not asking you to question your Salvation, as much as I am challenging you to look at your life, and see if it resembles a true believer.
What makes a person a REAL Christian? How does your personal life reflect what God expects of you?
ILLUS: There is an old saying: If being a Christian were a felony would there be enough evidence against you to bring a conviction? Unknown
PROP.SENT: The Bible teaches us that true Christianity comes with True change in our live. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!(2 Cor.5:17)- The New, the Change the different from before is the badge of our Christianity.
A. Righteous lifestyle!
Isaiah 64:6 All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
Webster’s defines Righteousness as, acting in accord with divine or moral law : free from guilt or sin.
Now I love this definition: Notice it does not say: Being Perfect, it says:
Acting in accord to divine or moral law. Acting would suggest that there is effort on our part needed. It is something we have to do on purpose. Free from guilt or sin.
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
Righteousness is a pursuit!
Before we started a relationship with Jesus Christ, we were unclean in the eyes of God. Even the good deeds we preformed were like filthy rags.
Now lets be honest about something here. What was the number one reason Jesus came to earth? To pay the penalty of our unrighteousness!
Galatians 2:21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
Now, I do not know about you, but when I received Jesus Christ as my personal savior, (saved from the penalty of my sins) when I realized that all of my sins were washed away, I felt a huge burden being lifted off my shoulders.
Before, my own righteousness was worth nothing. Now my righteousness is the ticket to heaven, because it is not my righteousness, but Christ’s that now covers
me.
Paul states this in Philippians
Philippians 3:8,9 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
To be a real Christian, means that we need to PURSUE Righteousness- We need to stop justifying it as a right. We need to look at sin through the eyes of God, rather from our own sinfulness
ILLUS: What is Sin?
· Man calls it an accident; God calls it an abomination.
· Man calls it a blunder; God calls it blindness.
· Man calls it a defect; God calls it a disease.
· Man calls it a chance; God calls it a choice.
· Man calls it an error; God calls it an enmity.
· Man calls it a fascination; God calls it a fatality.
· Man calls it an infirmity; God calls it an iniquity.
· Man calls it a luxury; God calls it a leprosy.
· Man calls it a liberty; God calls it lawlessness.
· Man calls it a trifle; God calls it a tragedy.
· Man calls it a mistake; God calls it a madness.
· Man calls it a weakness; God calls it willfulness.
Seeing sin as God does, as the one thing tht will keep you from a healthy relationship with Him, will help enable us to live righteous lives.
B. Evangelical passion!
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
A Non-Evangelical Christian is an Oxymoron!
When Jesus left the Earth He gave all the “Christians” them and us the most important marching orders. GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES!
Now I know some of you are thinking, “Pastor is on His Soap Box again”- and my response is- You Got It!
Except it is not my Soap box- it is God’s instruction to every Christian- Don’t get upset at the messenger!
We are an Evangelical Church- Just as we need to be a REAL church, representing the Body of Christ, we need to be Evangelical-
There is not any more important task we should be more concerned about, than EVANGELISM- An Evangelical is someone who shares the Evangelical message, the Gospel, the Good News, of the Saving Grace of Jesus Christ.
Let’s look real briefly at the life of Jesus’ disciple Andrew in the bible-
Andrew led his brother to faith in Jesus Christ. Now as we look at this passage, keep in mind that next week is Harvest Sunday- The fifth Sunday of the month, which happens four times each year. This is the time when we all invite our unsaved friends to church.
There are 4 principle here that we can follow in our inviting people into a relationship with Jesus.
John 1:40-42 “Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.”
1. One who heard! – “what John had said,” the gospel message
There were multitudes in Andrew’s day who had not heard the message. He was one of the privileged few. Likewise, there are many people even today in 2003 in Plumas County who have not yet heard the simple gospel message.
The great news of the gospel according to Romans 10:13-15 is that, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one whom they have not heard?” It continues in v.17, “For faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” So many people have not heard about Jesus Christ.
John’s Gospel was this: “Repent and be baptized for the kingdom of God is near. Behold one is coming.” The message is still the same except that: “Christ has came and will soon come again.”
But hearing is not enough… Andrew not only heard but he was also…
2. One who followed Jesus!
Romans 10:9,10, “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
I have to talk straight with you, because I love you. Some of you have heard the message before. In fact some of you have heard it so many times that you could repeat it word for word. You could almost pass for a real Christian. I say “almost” because although you may have everyone else convinced, if you do not have God convinced, you are not a child of God.
Andrew not only heard what John had said about Jesus, but Andrew also followed Jesus. There were others in that crowd that day who heard but did not follow Jesus.
One Question: How many more times is it going to take for you to hear the message before you believe? The message isn’t going to change. It is fixed in the heavens. The Lord says, “I change not.” He is the same “yesterday, today, & forever.” Few of you have a hearing problem; you have a faith problem.
God expects so much more. God wants to give you so much more. “Anyone who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it,” Matthew 10:38,39. But you have drawn a line in the sand in your life. You have basically said to the Lord, “This is as far as I am willing to go. I have had enough. I am content.”
Aren’t you glad that as Jesus picked up that old rugged cross and started walking up the road to Golgotha, He didn’t stop halfway and say, “This is as far as I am willing to go. I have had enough.” “He could have called Ten Thousand Angels, but He died alone for you and me.” He went all the way. He died for us, at least we could live for Him.
“What do you expect?” Well, look at what Andrew did…
3. One who told about Jesus! – the “first thing” Andrew did…
Romans 10:14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
Let’s be honest for a minute. That’s the last thing many Christians would do.
What possessed Andrew to do something crazy like that?
He had heard the gospel message.
He believed in Christ and followed Him.
His encounter with Jesus was so real that it totally changed his life.
He loved his brother Peter enough to tell him the good news about Jesus Christ.
· “Don’t you agree that Jesus is the only way to heaven?” “Amen.”
· “Don’t you agree that people need to be reached with the gospel?” “Amen.”
· “Who will go and tell others about Jesus?” “The Preacher” “The Evangelist” “The Missionary”
Oh, how we need the spirit of Isaiah in our churches today. When God asks, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Someone to cry out, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8
No, I don’t believe that it’s my job to spread the gospel… It’s my calling. But if only preachers share the gospel, it’s only a drop of water in a bucket. There are not enough preachers. But if there were 5, 10, or 20 working together… what could happen? “If one will put a thousand to flight, then two will put ten thousand to flight.” Deut.32:30 The Kingdom grows exponentially.
4. One who found his brother and brought him to Jesus –
Churches love to talk about telling others about Jesus, but we seem to forget the other part… go find them and bring them to Jesus.
Luke 14:24- The master said, ‘Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full! (Mes)
Compel, Urge, Drag, Constrain, Make- are words used in different translations
The mentality is “build it and they will come.” We have to go to them. The primary purpose of the church is to be God’s witness about Jesus. It was the “first thing.”
Did you notice that the first person he told was his brother? You don’t have to go to Africa. Start by telling people that you know and love. However, for some telling your family is harder than strangers.
The greatest privileges in my life is when I lead my Brother Kert into a relationship with Jesus Christ, and when I had the privilege of Baptizing my two daughters, Reagan and Allison.
C. Authentic walk!
Ephesians 4:1-3 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
An Authentic, genuine walk with God is of the utmost importance-
Paul urges the church in Ephesus to live a life, WORTHY of the CALLING. What Calling- The Calling into the Family of God.
Paul mentioned in Romans, that we are no longer Slaves to our sinful nature, but we are slaves to Righteousness.
We at one time could not help but live a life of conceit, hatred, anger,. But now that we have been called into the Family of God, we need to live like children of a King.
Now if you think that just going through he motions, going to church once in a while, or even attending each week, and then going back to your homes and living the way you want is O.K.- Let me quickly share with you the words of Jesus when he was talking to some churches, Christians, Sunday go to meeting folk in the Book of Revelation-Chapters 2 and 3.
He tells the Apostle John to write a letter to each of the seven churches that surrounded the area of Patmos Island. Of the Seven Churches, only two of them were living Authentic lives.
To the Church in Smyrna he said: I know your afflictions and your poverty--yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
To the Church in Philadelphia he said: I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars--I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.
But notice what he said to these Christians who were not living Authentic Christian lives!
To the Church in Ephesus he said: Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
To the Church in Pergamum he said: I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.15 Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
To the Church in Thyatira he said: I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.
To the Church in Sardis he said: I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.
To the Church in Laodicea he said: I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
Simply what he is telling these 5 churches is this: You are not living Authentic lives for me. You are living the life you want. You are not living lives Worthy of the Calling-
You call yourselves Christians, you are not living lives WORTHY of that calling.
ILLUS: Marine Corps Boot camp lasted 18 weeks when I was in the Corps. During those 18 week, we were never, ever called Marines. The very last week of Boot Camp was so exciting because we new we were going to graduate. Then our Drill Instructors handed us a patch to iron on our camouflaged uniform. The Patch simply said- U.S. Marine! We were finally WORTHY of calling ourselves Marines. One of the proudest moments of my life, is right after graduation, my Senior Drill Instructor, Staff Sgt. Perez- looked me in the eye and said, ‘Congratulations Marine”- The Marine Corps is a very proud, exclusive fighting organization, not everybody can become a Marine. But Jesus Christ has a very proud organization as well, and there is room for everybody! It is called the Army of God, I like calling it “God’s Corps”- are you living a life Worthy of that calling? Pastor David Schaal
D. Loving our brother!
John 13:34-35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Church, Do You Love each other? Now do not answer so quickly! I mean do you really Love your fellow brothers and sisters?
How about those who may not attend this fellowship?
The command of their Master ( v. 34 ): A new commandment I give unto you. He not only commends it as amiable and pleasant, not only counsels it as excellent and profitable, but commands it, and makes it one of the fundamental laws of his kingdom; it goes a-breast with the command of believing in Christ, 1 Jn. 3:23 ; 1 Pt. 1:22.
It is the command of our ruler, who has a right to give law to us; it is the command of our Redeemer, who gives us this law in order to the curing of our spiritual diseases and the preparing of us for our eternal bliss. It is a new commandment; that is, (1.) It is a renewed commandment; it was a commandment from the beginning ( 1 Jn. 2:7 ), as old as the law of nature, it was the second great commandment of the law of Moses; yet, because it is also one of the great commandments of the New Testament, of Christ the new Lawgiver, it is called a new commandment; it is like an old book in a new edition corrected and enlarged.
The example of their Savior is another argument for brotherly love: As I have loved you. It is this that makes it a new commandment —that this rule and reason of love (as I have loved you) is perfectly new, and such as had been hidden from ages and generations. Understand this,
Of all the instances of Christ’s love to his disciples, which they had already experienced during the time he went in and out among them.
· He spoke kindly to them,
· Concerned himself heartily for them,
· And for their welfare,
· Instructed,
· Counseled,
· And comforted them,
· Prayed with them and for them,
· Vindicated them when they were accused,
· Took their part when they were run down,
· And publicly owned them to be dearer to him that his mother, or sister, or brother.
· He reproved them for what was amiss,
· And yet compassionately bore with their failings,
· Excused them,
· Made the best of them,
· And passed by many an oversight.
Not to mentioned laying down his life for them. Greater love hath no man than this, ch. 15:13 . Has he thus loved us all?
We must love one another in some respects after the same manner; we must set this before us as our copy, and take directions from it. Our love to one another must be free and ready, laborious and expensive, constant and persevering; it must be love to the souls one of another. We must also love one another from this motive, and upon this consideration—because Christ has loved us.
The reputation of their profession ( v. 35 ): By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another. Observe, We must have love, not only show love, but have it in the root and habit of it, and have it when there is not any present occasion to show it; have it ready. "Hereby it will appear that you are indeed my followers by following me in this.’’
REAL Christianity depends on it.
Note, Brotherly love is the badge of Christ’s disciples. By this he knows them, by this they may know themselves ( 1 Jn. 2:14 ), and by this others may know them.
This was what Jesus was famous for; all that ever heard of him have heard of his love, his great love; and therefore, if you see any people more affectionate one to another than what is common, say, "Certainly these are the followers of Christ, they have been with Jesus.
That, if the followers of Christ do not love one another, they not only cast an unjust reproach upon their profession, but give just cause to suspect their own sincerity.
Are we this type of believer? Or are we-
· Spiteful
· Backbiting
· Quarrelsome
· Unforgiving-
The True sign of a Real Christian is the love they show to other people.
CONCLUSION: In closing let us consider How REAL our walk with God is. Is there and area that you can improve on.
· Righteous Lifestyle?
· Evangelical passion?
· Authentic walk?
· Loving our Brothers?
There is no better time than right now to make a commitment in the area that you need to improve.
You can make that change in your life this morning, by simply telling God-
· Take my Heart and Form it
· Take my Mind Transform it
· Take my Will conform it
To Yours Oh God, To Yours-
Closing Song: Take My Life, by David Ruis, 1994 Vineyard Music
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Unless otherwise stated: All “Scripture taken from HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Peterson, E. H. 1995. The message : New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs . NavPress: Colorado Springs, Colo.
Lesson of the Apostle Andrew take from the teachings of Lyndon Marcotte Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, “Andrew in Action” September 2000
Tan, P. L. 1996, c1979. Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : [a treasury of illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors, teachers and Christian workers]. Bible Communications: Garland TX
Henry, M. 1996, c1991. Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible : Complete and unabridged in one volume . Hendrickson: Peabody
