THE PASTOR’S POINTS
sermon ministry of
CEDAR LODGE BAPTIST CHURCH
Thomasville, NC
September 21, 2003
11As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, 12That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 (KJV)
Paul Hogan was ¡§Crocodile Dundee¡¨ in the movie by the same name. The ¡§Australian fad¡¨ spawned a new term for Americans; we had never heard of a walkabout. According to Dundee¡¦s explanation, a walkabout in the Australian outback wasteland is a sort of pilgrimage ¡V an experiential, self-actualizing kind of wandering about for an indiscriminate period; just walkabout!
A different Paul (the apostle) was the original ¡§walkabouter¡¨. This Paul¡¦s walkabout is not an aimless wandering; rather it has purpose. In our text the word ¡§walk¡¨ is peripatein, to walk all about. The word means your lifestyle. Paul says it should be a worthy walk, a lifestyle that honors God, and leads others to His Kingdom.
Paul worked diligently at convincing the people in Thessalonica to have this kind of godly lifestyle¡Khe exhorted, encouraged and testified like a father training his children. The questions come easily at this point¡K
„à What¡¦s YOUR walkabout? Is your walk godly?
„Ã Do you WANT this kind of godly walk?
„Ã If so, HOW does this kind of godly walk come about in my life?
„Ã What do I have to do?
Let¡¦s talkabout this walkabout¡K
THE IMPORTANCE OF A WORTHY WALK
The Purpose of a worthy walk
The purpose of a worthy walk is the Kingdom of God. You say, ¡§What does God¡¦s kingdom have to do with me? After all, it¡¦s His kingdom.¡¨ Well, very simply it is the one thing in which God is interested as far as you¡¦re concerned. The Kingdom of God can only exist in that place inside of you where your choices are made.
¡Kbehold, the kingdom of God is within you. Luke 17:21b
So, the purpose of a worthy walk is that God might have rule over your heart. It takes a surrender to have that happen. God has given us free will, and, unless we turn that over to Him it remains ours. Until you turn your will, your choices over to Him you cannot be a child of His. I have known plenty of folks who claim Christian heritage, but when it comes to choices, it¡¦s still all about what they want, not bending to their will to God¡¦s.
The Need for a worthy walk
This points-out the need for a worthy walk, which is so great in the human population. The word which the King James Version translates as ¡§worthy¡¨ is one of those compound words, made from several. If you trace the root back, the origin of the word is in a verb ƒÑƒ×ƒßƒzƒnmeaning ¡§to lead¡¨.
We are all leaders to some degree. As long as people watch other people the actions we take will lead people¡Keither towards God or away. Joe Alexander sent me a story via email several weeks ago which illustrates the point:
I was sitting at a stop light this morning. The lady in front of me was going through papers on the seat of her car, and when the light changed to green she did not obey its command - a green light is a commandment - NOT a suggestion.
When the light turned red she still had not moved. With my windows rolled-up I began screaming at the woman and beating on my steering wheel. My expressions of distress were interrupted by a policeman, gun drawn, tapping on my window. Against my protestations of, "You can’t arrest me for hollering in my car," he ordered me into the back seat of his.
After about two hours in a holding cell, the arresting officer advised me I was free to go. I said, "I knew you couldn’t arrest me for what I was yelling in my own car. You haven’t heard the last of this." The officer replied, "I didn’t arrest you for shouting in your car. I was directly behind you at the light. I saw you screaming and beating your steering wheel, and I said to myself, "What a jerk. But there is nothing I can do to him for throwing a fit in his own car. Then I noticed the Cross hanging from your rear view mirror, the bright yellow Choose Life license plate, and the Jesus is Coming Soon bumper sticker, and I thought you must have stolen the car."
Paul held this need of a worthy walk as so important that he used three kinds of preaching on the Thessalonican brethren to drive the point home. He said he exhorted, comforted and charged; he warned, encouraged and testified.
A worthy walk is needful to live the Christian life. But, don¡¦t miss that the ¡§leadership¡¨ of a ¡§worthy¡¨ walk is also followership. This is one of the few true ¡§circular arguments¡¨ I¡¦ve ever seen. In a circle, to lead, one must follow; and to follow, one must lead. In a circle of folks, you are always behind someone and always ahead of someone. In the Kingdom of God it is also this way. Faith begets worship, and worship increases faith. The more faith you have the more you will want to worship. The more you truly worship, the stronger your faith becomes.
(Faith cometh by hearing¡K Romans 10:17)
If I want to be God¡¦s person I must follow Him. The more closely I follow Him, the greater the example He will make of me to lead others. That, in due time builds my desire to follow Him; the circle continues.
This is the need for a worthy walk among God¡¦s people. God needs leaders, not more 50 or 70 year-old babes in the crib. You, my dear brother or sister were born to live a life for God. If you have been re-born by the Spirit of God, you have been re-born to lead for Jesus ¡V a worthy walk, a leadership lifestyle.
The Call to a worthy walk
Beloved, you never retire from it either. God¡¦s word says it is He who is calling us into this Kingdom. The word ¡§calling¡¨ is in the present active tense ¡V it is a continuous action. He called you, and He keeps calling you. Your life is an open book for the whole world until they pull that casket cover over your lifeless face.
An automobile has an internal combustion engine that provides power to move the car down the road. This call is an internal combustion of Holy Spirit fire that has called, and keeps on calling you down the road of a worthy walk for Jesus. It is a lifetime calling and commitment you make to Jesus¡Kand an eternal relationship!
THE BUILDING OF A WORTHY WALK
Now, at this point in time either you have or have not made that commitment to Christ; if you have, and you are building a worthy walk, blessings upon you. If you have not, but would like to ¡V listen on¡KI want to give you four BUILDING BLOCKS for constructing a worthy walk with Jesus.
Building Block #1. A Worthy Walk is Bible Based
Let these three portions of the Word of God sink-in for a moment, and then try to think ¡V if it¡¦s at all possible ¡V that the Word of God is unimportant in this process of a worthy walk.
16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3:16 (KJV)
12For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (KJV)
16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV)
When I was talking before about the purpose of a worthy walk I alluded to folks I have known who wanted to be saved and go to Heaven; they just didn¡¦t want God interfering with the choices they made until such time as they loaded up to go there.
Without exception, these people have been those who either have very little use for God¡¦s Word ¡V preached, read or otherwise ¡V or who find convenient ways to explain-away the clear teachings of Scripture.
Beloved, when it comes to thinking what you want, you can twist whatever I say, and it isn¡¦t going to bother me too much ¡V I¡¦ve been criticized plenty¡Kmost of it deserved. However, if you twist the Word of God and deny its power and clear teaching, you are going to deal with a righteous and angry God. It will be so, in this life, or the next; mark it down.
On the other hand, if you use the Word appropriately, bending your will to it, the promises are life-giving:
15Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)
105Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105 (KJV)
Rightly divide the Word of truth¡Kit is a light ¡V oh how needful in a world like ours! A worthy walk begins by being Bible based.
Building Block #2. A Worthy Walk is Spirit Led
14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Romans 8:14 (KJV)
To be led by the Spirit of God is not some spooky, mystical experience that only ¡§super-Christians¡¨ can have. This is something that is not only available to every believer, but is also a commandment. We are commanded to be filled with His Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).
How do you know if you¡¦re getting this building block right? Do you feel something when the Spirit is filling you? Do you talk funny? Are your feet lifted of the ground as you walk; superhuman strength?
I can always tell a believer who is being obedient with this building block for a worthy walk¡Ka Spirit-led believer is one bearing fruit:
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)
This fruit is the evidence of a Christian who is planted like a tree near the living water, drinking in the nutrients of God¡¦s ways through God¡¦s Word, like roots finding the living water. It is the mark of a believer who takes in God¡¦s will through His Word, bending his own will towards God¡¦s way. It changes him. The extremities of his life begin to be characterized by fruit. Where there was anger and hatred now grow love and gentleness; pride and arrogance have been replaced by meekness and temperance. Confusion and duplicity have been banished by the presence of peace and goodness.
How can you tell the Spirit-filled, Spirit-led believer? It is not by mindless chattering of some gibberish like you¡¦re a Sam Super-Christian with a spiritual merit badge. Rather it¡¦s the changed life that people can stand to be around because there¡¦s something so good and wholesome and right about someone who spends time submitting himself to the Spirit of God.
More than just being able to recognize someone who is filled with the Spirit, and being led by the Spirit ¡V how can we be filled with the Spirit. How do you go about that? You ask! Is it that simple? Yes it is that simple; ask in prayer, but only if you mean to genuinely surrender to the Holy Spirit¡¦s leading in your life. He will come and cleanse you of sin and fill you with a blessing you won¡¦t have enough room to store ¡V you¡¦ll have to share it!
It makes a difference when you build with building blocks of a Bible-base and being Spirit-led, and¡K
Building Block #3. A Worthy Walk is Kingdom Focused
This third building block is the one which lies upon the foundation of the first two. The Word of God is designed to change you and make you fit to be led by the Spirit. Those are wonderful, but they only lay the foundation. They are not the reason for which God comes to die for us. Remember, He is interested in a Kingdom. The focus of a strong believer, equipped with the Word of God and filled with the Spirit of God is to build the Kingdom of God.
33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33 (KJV)
What does the Kingdom mean, beside the rule of God in your heart? Well, just so you¡¦ll know how important this really is, consider how often it is the subject of the Word of God which prepares you for that Kingdom:
„Ã Luke 4 ¡V Jesus preached the Kingdom.
„Ã Mark 15 ¡V Joseph of Arimithea waited for the Kingdom.
„Ã Mark 4 ¡V Jesus compared it to a mustard seed¡Ksmall, but unlimited potential.
„Ã Luke 6 ¡V Belonged to the poor.
„Ã Luke 7 ¡V Produces greatness.
„Ã Luke 8 ¡V Place of mysteries.
„Ã Luke 9 ¡V Only fit for those who forsake things & plow straight ahead in faith.
„Ã Luke 10 ¡V the place to be sought.
„Ã Luke 13 ¡V a hidden place.
„Ã Luke 14 ¡V the place of a great coming banquet.
„Ã Luke 17 ¡V a place within you.
„Ã Romans 14 ¡V Not things, but righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit.
„Ã 1 Cor 4 ¡V Power
„Ã 1 Cor 6 ¡V Not inhabited by habitual sinners.
„à John 3 ¡V Only the ¡§born-again¡¨ can see it.
Not only is our building Bible-based, Spirit-led, and Kingdom-focused, these building blocks of a worthy walk is glory bound¡K
Building Block #4. A Worthy Walk is Glory Bound
The Bible-based, Spirit-led, Kingdom-focused, Glory-bound life lives on a higher plane. Paul told the Thessalonian church that God had called (and continually calls) every believer into His Kingdom and glory. We had a lot of fun with that word when Dr. George Thomasson was here. If you recall, he told us that whenever bad things happen he has learned to shout¡K.GLORY! Well, this is the reason why¡Ka worthy walk, a leading lifestyle has learned the great secret that we are glory bound. We are headed for better things than we can see here. Isn¡¦t that something to shout GLORY over? You bet it is!
Paul had a special way of putting that; he shared it with the folks in Philippi:
8Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8 (KJV)
Now, if you have never entered the Kingdom of God, but are considering it, I have to confess to you that you cannot just drum-up those kinds of thoughts. You cannot be ¡§up¡¨ all the time and be sincere about it. I¡¦ve known some folks who were dear people, but they lied a lot. Whenever they came in the church door they were grinning like Alice¡¦s Cheshire cat; looked like a fruitcake half the time. They were afraid to admit if anything was wrong. I call it the ¡§lying smile¡¨. It¡¦s nothing sinister, but they just couldn¡¦t learn to relax. Sometimes things stink!
Paul knew that; he also knew that even though this life was not all peaches and cream, the life in the Kingdom was better than anything anyone¡¦s ever dreamed. When you¡¦re seeking the Kingdom, thoughts like Philippians 4:8 are a normal part of the territory. It¡¦s not make-believe land, but it really is the stuff of which our Savior¡¦s dreams lift us over life¡¦s hard ways.
A missionary who served in Laos tells of how he sees the Kingdom:
While serving as a missionary in Laos, I discovered an illustration of the kingdom of God. Before the colonialists imposed national boundaries, the kings of Laos and Vietnam reached an agreement on taxation in the border areas. Those who ate short-grain rice, built their houses on stilts, and decorated them with Indian-style serpents were considered Laotians. On the other hand, those who ate long-grain rice, built their houses on the ground, and decorated them with Chinese-style dragons were considered Vietnamese. The exact location of a person’s home was not what determined his or her nationality. Instead, each person belonged to the kingdom whose cultural values he or she exhibited. So it is with us: we live in the world, but as part of God’s kingdom, we are to live according to his kingdom’s standards and values. (1)
So, what¡¦s your ¡§walkabout?¡¨ Here¡¦s the bottom line ¡V it matters little where you were born, what language you speak, or if the spoon in your mouth as a baby was silver or plastic. What matters is which kingdom you choose. Do you choose the kingdom of this world, which is passing away, and will someday cease; or do you choose THE KINGDOM?
Consider with me:
I am resolved, and who will go with me?
Come, friends without delay,
Taught by the Bible, led by the Spirit,
We¡¦ll walk the heav¡¦nly way.
I will hasten to him; Hasten so glad and free,
Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to thee. (2)
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ENDNOTES
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(1) John Hess-Yoder, Portland, Oregon. Leadership, Vol. 7, no. 3.
(2) The Baptist Hymnal, (Convention Press, Nashville), 177, Words, Palmer Hartsough, Tune, RESOLUTION, James Fillmore, 1896.
