13. Belajar Terbang

Hari besar bagi burung adalah saat dia mulai belajar terbang. Ibunya merasakan kesiapannya saat dia menggeliat, menegakan kepala, dan mengembangkan sayapnya. Dia mungkin membujuknya dari sarang dengan memegang umpan sedikit jauh, atau dia mendorong dia untuk mau naik keudara dengan sentuhan pelan. Lalu, dia mengibaskan sayap untuk hidupnya pada penerbangan pertama karena dorongan ibunya, yang kemudian menjelajah dunia sekelilingnya.

Menyedihkan untuk dikatakan, para burung lebih peka dari orangtua manusia. Teman bersayap kita tahu tujuan membesarkan anak mereka untuk mempersiapkan mereka meninggalkan sarang, sementara banyak orangtua tidak sadar kalau suatu hari anak mereka harus meninggalkan rumah dan membuat keluarga sendiri. Mereka menginvestasikan sedikit waktu dan tenaga dalam mempersiapkan mereka untuk mandiri. Anak-anak dengan cepat menemukan diri mereka sudah menjadi pria dan wanita, menghadapi saat meninggalkan rumah, kurang diperlengkapi menangani pekerjaa, menangani keuangan, atau bisa sukses dalam perkawinan mereka. Ini merupakan keahlian yang harus dipelajari, dan cara terbaik mempelajarinya adalah dalam rumah.

Tuhan menangani masalah ini dalam kerangka keluarga. Dia menyediakan kita, anakNya, dengan sumber dan kemampuan yang kita butuhkan untuk berfungsi dengan berhasil dalam kehidupan Kristen (2 Pet. 1:3). Roh Kudus didalam kita memampukan kita dengan kemampuan yang harus dimiliki untuk melakukan tanggung jawab kita (1 Cor. 12:11). Kemudian dia mendidik kita dalam Firmannya agar kita mampu mempraktekan kemampuan itu secara menguntungkan untuk semua pekerjaan baik (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Kita perlu mendapat petunjuk dari Pembangun Rumah dan menolong anak kita mengembangkan kemampuan untuk bisa mampu menjalan kan berbagai peran mereka dalam hidup.

Satu cara yang sudah jelas dalam menguatkan sayap mereka untuk terbang adalah dengan membiarkan mereka membuat keputusan sendiri. Keputusan itu akan sepenting munkin sesuai tingkat pertumbuhan mereka. Pertamanya mereka mungkin hanya memilih pakaian yang akan mereka pakai dipagi hari. Tapi saat mereka berkembang lebih dewasa, mereka akan memutuskan hal seperti teman mereka, pendapatan dan mengatur keuangan mreka, membeli baju mereka, dan memutuskan aktifitas mana yang mau mereka geluti. Jika kita telah mengajar mereka dengan baik, kita bisa percaya kalau mereka akan memilih dengan bijak dan bertumbuh kearah kedewasaan melalui praktek.

Kita semua belajar untuk jadi baik dengan melakukannya, didalamnya terdapat kesalahan. Anak kita akan membuat pilihan mereka, dan kita tidak boleh terlalu khawatir. Bukankah tuhan mengijinkan kita melakukan keinginan kita dan belajar dari kesalahan ? Dia selalu bersedia memberikan arahan dan menolong kita melakukan apa yang benar, tapi dia tidak mempermudah atau memaksa kita untuk taat.

Kehidupan anak kita akan dipenuhi dengan pilihan dan keputusan yang harus mereka pertanggung jawabkan dan dimana mereka akan membayar akibatnya. Kita harus membiarkan mereka memulainya dari pilihan kecil dan bertumbuh, daripada langsung masuk kearuh hidup diumur 21 dengan tidak memiliki pengalaman pengambilan keputusan, dan lambat tapi pasti tenggelam. Kita memperbesar ruang kebebasan setiap tahun, dan akhirnya melepaskannya. Kebebasan penuh sering merupakan bagian terberat. Ketidakmauan orangtua untuk melepas anaknya menghancurkan pernikahan mereka yang kita saksikan.

Salah satu anak kami datang dengan pengertian mendalam saat dia siap menghabiskan malam pertama jauh dari rumah, dirumah temannya. Baru berumur 7 tahun, dia mendapat pengertian atas pengalaman barunya. Kami hampir bisa melihat roda berputar diatas kepalanya saat dia berkata: “Saya mengerti” katanya, “saat saya bayi kalian merawat aku. Kemudian setelah besar saya dirawat secara dewasa, kemudian masuk kebagian lain. Kemudian satu hari saya bisa menghabiskan satu hari diluar, sekarang satu malam, kemudian satu bulan. Dan kemudian saya bisa tinggal terpisah dari mama dan papa.” Dia mengerti hampir sejelas kami. Para orangtua, mulailah memperbesar ruang itu dan menyiapkan anak kita untuk dibebakan.

Sekarang, selain pertumbuhan kebebasan membuat keputusan, ada beberapa pengertian dan tanggung jawab, yang penting bagi hidup berhasil, yang harus diajar dalam rumah. Orang tua yang mendidik anak mereka dalam keempat area ini sedang membuat dasar masa depan yang bahagia. Setiap area membutuhkan lebih banyak pertimbangan dari yang bisa kita bahas disini, tapi setidaknya prinsip dasarnya ada.

Mempelajari Nilai dari Bekerja

Jika kita ingin anak kita bertumbuh dewasa, orang dewasa yang mandiri, kita perlu memberikan tanggung jawab pribadi pada mereka. Orang yang bahagia adalah mereka yang memiliki sesuatu untuk ditawarkan. Mereka tahu diri mereka; mereka menyesuaikan diri; mereka anggota unit yang bernilai. Tuhan menetapkan kemajuan melalui meyakinkan anaknya tentang pentingnya mereka dalam keluarga. Setiap anggota tubuh Kristus memiliki suatu fungsi yang harus dilakukan. Petrus berkata, “Layanilah seorang akan yang lain, sesuai dengan karunia yang telah diperoleh tiap-tiap orang sebagai pengurus yang baik dari kasih karunia Allah. . . .” (1 Pet. 4:10, TLB). Kita akan berhasil jika mengikuti teladan ini.

Mereka yang duduk diam dan berpikir kalau dunia berhutang pada mereka umumnya sengsara, orang yang tidak bisa menyesuaikan diri yang membenci diri mereka dan tidak bisa bergaul dengan orang lain. Dan kebanyakan dari mereka tidak pernah belajar nilai dari bekerja saat mereka tumbuh. Salah seorang pelajar dengan jujur mengakui pada saya, “saya harap orangtua saya memberikan tanggung jawab lebih dan pekerjaan untuk dilakukan saat saya masih kecil. Sekarang saya berjuang untuk memperbaiki kebiasaan buruk, kemalasan dan kurangnya disiplin diri.” Jadi didiklah anak anda berkat keuntungan pekerjaan baik. Gunakan Alkitab. Tuhan punya banyak nasihat tentang hal ini (e.g. Gen. 2:15; 3:19; Prov. 6:6-11; 10:4-5; Eph. 4:28; 1 Thess. 4:11-12; 2 Thess. 3:10-12; 1 Tim. 5:8).

Kemudian letakan Firman kedalam tindakan dengan membiarkan anak anda berkontribusi dengan cara tidak langsung didalam rumah. Berikan mereka pekerjaan, kebebasan mereka untuk bertanggung jawab –tidak hanya untuk uang, tapi agar mereka bisa mempermudah pekerjaan dirumah. Bahkan anak kecil bisa membuat kamar mereka tetap rapi dan mengosongkan tempat sampah. Saat mereka lebih besar, mereka bisa merapikan tempat tidur, mengatur meja, membersihkan meja, menolong mencuci piring, menyapu ruangan dan garasi, mendorong pembersih lantai, membawa tempat sampah, menolong membersihkan halaman, membersihkan jendela, mencuci mobil, dan berbagai hal lain yang perlu diselesaikan. Anda bisa mendorong mereka untuk mencari pekerjaan lain diluar rumah, seperti mengantar surat kabar, memotong rumput, membeli sesuatu, atau menjaga bayi. Sebagian orang besar dalam sejarah Negara belajar disiplin kerja saat mereka muda.

Ada beberapa petunjuk yang perlu kita ikuti, saat mengajar anak kita bekerja.

1. Tunjukan mereka bagaimana melakukan pekerjaan yang anda minta. Kadang kita pikir anak kita sudah tahu hal yang tidak pernah kita ajarkan, dan saat kita memarahi mereka untuk melakukan itu. Beberapa menit petunjuk akan menghilangkan ketegangan itu. Dan walau anda memberi mereka petunjuk, buat mereka paham akan penghargaan terhadap pekerjaan yang dilakukan dengan baik. Salomo berkata: “apapun yang kamu lakukan, lakukan dengan baik . . .” (Eccl. 9:10, TLB). Waktu semua orang terbuang jika pekerjaan harus dilakukan kembali.

2. Ajar mereka untuk bekerja keras dengan sukacita. Inilah maksud Paulus ketika dia berkata, “Apapun juga yang kamu perbuat, perbuatlah dengan segenap hatimu seperti untuk Tuhan dan bukan untuk manusia” (Col. 3:23, NIV). Saat mereka pergi bekerja untuk orang lain maka waktu mereka bukan milik mereka sendiri. Itu milik employer. Jika mereka menggunakan setiap menit dengan baik dan menjalankannya dengan sukacita, mereka akan dicari dan dibayar dengan baik. Sejumlah bisnismen mengeluh pada saya, “saya tidak bisa menemukan orang yang ingin bekerja.” Orang muda yang belajar menyukai pekerjaan memiliki keuntungan dalam bursa kerja. Tapi yang lebih penting, Tuhan dimuliakan saat kita mengerjakannya dengan usaha terbaik dan kegembiaraan. Semua pekerjaan yang diperlukan bisa dilakukannya dan dilakuan walau bosnya tidak melihat.

3. Ajar mereka untuk berpikir saat mereka bekerja. Jika mereka cerdas melakukannya maka mereka akan jauh dari kesalahan yang mahal. Dengan pikiran, mereka bisa mencari cara yang lebih efisien dalam melakukan pekerjaan, atau melihat hal lain yang perlu dikerjakan sehingga mereka bisa memanfaatkan waktu kerja mereka dengan jujur dan produktif. Hal ini, dengan cermat dibangun dirumah, akan membawa perkembangan dalam dunia kerja.

4. Ajar mereka untuk menyelesaikan pekerjaannya. Sebagian kehidupan orang dipenuhi dengan pekerjaan yang belum selesai, dan mimpi yang berantakan. Mereka pindah dari satu pekerjaan kepekerjaan lain, tidak menemukan kebahagiaan dalam pekerjaan mereka. Mereka kekurangan keinginan untuk mempertahankan pernikahan mereka dan lari keibu saat ada masalah. Mereka tidak pernah belajar menemukan kepuasan tetap pada satu pekerjaan sampai akhir. Orangtua mereka membiarkan mereka berhenti apapun yang terjadi dan mereka tetap berhenti. Jika anak anda mulai suatu proyek, walau itu suatu hal yang dipilih sendiri olehnya, dorong dia untuk menyelesaikannya.

Mempraktekan prinsip sederhana ini akan menyiapkan anak anda untuk memenuhi kebutuhan hidup mereka. Mungkin juga bisa ditambahkan satu kata peringatan. Jangan berharap kesempurnaan. Walau kita ingin pekerjaan dilakukan dengan baik, kita harus ingat anak kita tetap anak kecil. Kita bisa mengharapkan mereka melakukan sesuatu sesuai dengan kemampuan mereka, tapi menuntut lebih dari itu akan membuat mereka frustrasi dan mematahkan semangat. Hal yang sangat menekan anak adalah tidak bisa menyenangkan kita. Pujian terhadap pekerjaan yang baik penting walau tidak sempurna. Biar dia tahu anda menghargai usahanya.

Menghargai Nilai dari Uang

Lanjutan dari belajar nilai pekerjaan adalah bagaimana mengatur uang yang kita dapat. Mengusahakan uang tidaklah berdosa. Kenyataannya, kita tidak bisa hidup tanpa itu. Dan penggunaannya yang tepat akan penting bagi anak kita untuk memenuhi kebutuhan fisik mereka, menjaga harga diri mereka, dan membuat pernikahan mereka berhasil, kita berhutang memberikan mereka petunjuk dalam area ini.

Untuk belajar bagaimana mengatasinya, mereka harus memilikinya. Uang mereka bisa datang dari 2 sumber utama, pertama pinjaman. Jika orangtua bisa menyediakannya, mereka bisa memberikan anak sejumlah kecil uang setiap minggu atas dasar pengalaman belajar ini. Suatu pinjaman tidak dibayar dengan tugas. Tugas merupakan kontribusi mereka pada keluarga seperti ibu dan ayah. Kedua, mereka mendapat pinjaman melalui pekerjaan lain, baik dirumah maupun diluar. Jika seorang anak ingin mendapat uang tambahan dengan melakukan hal disekitar rumah diluar tugas mereka, biarkan. Jika anda ingin membayar orang lain, kenapa tidak diberikan dalam keluarga?

Sekarang setelah mereka mendapat uang, ajar mereka menggunakannya untuk kemuliaan Tuhan. Ada 3 prinsip umum yang bisa menolong.

1. Ajar mereka memberikan dengan murah hati untuk pekerjaan Tuhan. Mereka tidak boleh kehilangan berkat dari pelayan yang setia. Cobalah janji ini: “Berilah dan kamu akan diberi: suatu takaran yang baik, yang dipadatkan, yang digoncang dan yang tumpah ke luar akan dicurahkan ke dalam ribaanmu” (Luke 6:38a, NIV). Bukan apa yang kita beri untuk dapat balasan. Keegoisan itu menghancurkan sukacita. Kita memberi untuk memuliakan Tuhan. Tapi dia menghargai ketaatan kita sehingga dia memberikan kembali dengan berlimpah. “Camkanlah ini: Orang yang menabur sedikit, akan menuai sedikit juga, dan orang yang menabur banyak, akan menuai banyak juga” (2 Cor. 9:6, NIV). Jika kita percaya perkataan itu dari Tuhan, sepuluh persen yang sering kita dengar hanya bagian kecil dari pengalam bersamanya. Bahkan jika anak kecil kita hanya mendapat satu sen seminggu, ajar dia memberi bagian dengan murah hati, mengembalikannya pada Tuhan.

2. Ajar anak anda menyimpan sebanyak kebutuhan rencana mereka dimasa depan. Kata “pembayaran mudah” telah menghancurkan banyak perkawinan. Betapa lebih masuk akal mendapat pendapatan melalui uang yang kita simpan untuk kebutuhan. Dan sudah saatnya anak kita belajar hal ini. Dorong mereka untuk menabung. Itu akan memberikan kepuasan pribadi karena menabung untuk membeli sepeda, atau untuk pergi kamp sampai saat itu datang. Dan pendidikan lebih bernilai kalau mereka membayar sebagian dari biaya yang telah mereka tabung?

3. Ajar mereka untuk mengeluarkan sisanya dengan bijak dan menghargai. Untuk menghargai mungkin tidak terlalu sulit. Mereka biasanya berterima kasih pada Tuhan karena mendapat uang untuk bisa mereka belanjakan. Tapi hikmat lebih sulit. Itu meliputi mensortir keinginan dan kebutuhan. Itu uang mereka, dan mereka bisa mengeluarkan untuk kesenangan pribadi jika mereka mau. Tapi jika mereka mengeluarkan semuanya dihari pertama, mereka tidak bisa melakukan apa-apa terhadap kebutuhan mereka minggu itu. Itu tidak apa-apa. Biar mereka merasakan akibat tindakan mereka. Pengalaman merupakan guru yang baik. Lebih baik merasakannya dengan sen daripada perahu dan rumah yang menghabiskan ribuan dollar.

Hikmat juga berkaitan dengan membeli dengan harga terbaik. Ajar mereka bagaimana berbelanja dengan harga terbaik. Bawa mereka ketoko dan tunjukan bagaimana cara membandingkan. Hikmat juga berarti menghindari pemborosan. Saya ingin pergi makan malam dirumah bisnismen Kristen yang kaya. Sebelum kita duduk makan steak yang baru kita baker, dia mengambil penjepit dan menuangkan bara kedalam air sehingga dia bisa menggunakannya kembali. Saya mulai menyadari kenapa Tuhan mempercayakan dia begitu banyak uang. Saya juga mengetahui dia memberi bagian yang baik kembali kegereja, dan sekarang jelas kalau dia pasti tidak akan memboroskannya juga.

Melihat anak anda memiliki sejumlah uang dan mengajar mereka bagaimana menggunakannya akan mematahkan 2 kegagalan yang menghancurkan. Pertama penghinaan karena harus meminta setiap sen yang mereka butuhkan, dan itu menghancurkan harga diri mereka. Kedua, mungkin lebih buruk, memanjakan mereka dengan memberi semua yang mereka butuhkan. Seseorang menyindir, “uang bukan segalanya dalam hidup, tapi itu pasti membuat anda tetap berhubungan dengan anak anda.” Orangtua yang mencoba menjaga hubungan dengan anak mereka dengan memberikan materi umumnya menderita sakit hati melihat anak yang tidak berterima kasih, karena hal yang didapat dengan mudah tidak terlalu dihargai. Orangtua seperti itu sering menghasilkan suami yang membeli apapun untuk menyenangkan keluarga, atau istri yang menghancurkan keuangan suami mereka karena uang. Ijinkan anak anda menginginkan sesuatu, menunggu dan merencanakan untuk mendapatkanya, kemudian bekerja dan menabung untuk itu. Saat dia mendapatkannya, dia lebih cenderung berterima kasih pada Tuhan untuk itu, menghargainya tinggi, dan menggunakannya dengan bijak. Anda akan sangat menolong dia.

Merencanakan Pekerjaan Hidup Mereka

Judul itu mungkin bisa menyesatkan, karena bukan pada tempatnya kita memilihkan pekerjaan anak kita. Sebagian orangtua mencobanya. Mereka sudah memilih pekerjaan anak mereka, mengikuti jejak mereka atau masuk kebisnis keluarga. Orangtua lain berasumsi anak mereka masuk college untuk bersiap bagi pekerjaan yang prestige. Tapi yang lain terancam oleh pendidikan tinggi sehingga mendorong anak mereka untuk memilih dagang dan mulai kerja. Tapi kita tidak berhak mengatakan pekerjaan mana yang Tuhan ingin dia kerjakan untuk memenuhi kebutuhannya dan keluarganya. Keputusan itu antara mereka dan Tuhan. Tanggung jawab kita adalah membimbing mereka untuk berkomitmen total pada Yesus Kristus, kemudian mendorong mereka mencari kehendakNya dalam keputusan penting ini.

Sejak awal anak kita harus yakin bahwa Tuhan memiliki rencana bagi hidup mereka, dan hidup yang baik ditemukan dengan mengikuti rencana itu. Karena berbagai sebab banyak anak kecil memandang jalan Tuhan adalah yang paling menyedihkan, paling sulit, dan paling kurang dihargai. Jadi mereka memutuskan untuk menjalani jalan mereka dan melakukan kehendak mereka sendiri. Tapi kita bisa menunjukan Firman pad amereka, mendorong melalui penggambaran hidup sekitar kita, membiarkan mereka melakukan kehendak sendiri merupakan jalan yang ujungnya maut. “Ada jalan yang disangka orang lurus, tetapi ujungnya menuju maut” (Prov. 14:12, TLB). Melakukan kehendak Tuhan, sebaliknya membawa sukacita dan berkat (cf. Yakobus 1:25). Disatu titik dalam hidup muda mereka, mereka butuh menyerahkan diri pada Kristus dan berkata, “aku ingin mengikuti rencanaMu dalam hidupku.” Teladan penyerahan diri kita kepada kehendak Tuhan, dan nasihat yang kita tawarkan, sangat berpengaruh dalam membawa mereka menyerahkan diri padaNyaAt some point in their young lives they will need to yield themselves to Christ and say, “I want to follow.

Sekali keputusan dibuat, tugan merencanakan pekerjaan hidup mereka sangat diringankan. Sekarang tinggal membimbing mereka menemukan dan melakukan kehendak Tuhan. Apapun yang mereka pilih, itu karena Tuhan memanggil mereka dan karena itu tempat paling strategi bagi mereka untuk menggunakan kemampuan yang diberikan Tuhan untuk kemuliaanNya. Dengan pengertian itu, ada beberapa prinsip yang bisa membimbing anda.

1. Dengan berdoa lihat ketertarikan dan kekuatan mereka, kemudian usulkan cara menggunakannya dalam pekerjaan. Singkatnya, ada seorang anak laki-laki yang sangat tertarik dengan pesawat terbang dan kemampuan yang tidak biasa terhadap mekanik. Usulkan seperti ini, “kamu bisa menjadi pilot misi yang hebat suatu hari nanti.” Tuhan mungkin menggunakan benih pemikiran itu untuk menyediakan arah ditahun mendatang. Hidup tidak menarik saat kita tidak melakukan apa yang ingin kita lakukan atau apa yang cocok kita lakukan. Tuhan ingin talenta kita digunakan dan kebutuhan terdalam kita terpenuhi.

2. Kenalkan mereka pada orang Kristen yang luar biasa yang menyerahkan hidupnya seluruhnya pada Kristus. Baik mereka bisnismen, atau misionaris, atlit atau pengkhotbah besar, mereka akan memberi dampak mendasar bagi anak anda. Kehadiran mereka dalam rumah anda dan disekitar meja anda bisa menantang anak anda memberikan hidup mereka pada Kristus.

3. Selalu Memberi tempat pada Pelayanan penuh waktu sebagai pilihan hidup anak anda. Walau Tuhan membutuhkan orang Kristen yang berkomitmen dalam setiap saat hidupnya, tapi kebutuhan akan pastor, misionaris, dan pendidik Kristen sangat mengejutkan. Jelas Tuhan tidak menghendaki setiap orang Kristen masuk keprofesi ini. Dan mereka tidak lebih tinggi dari orang yang dikantor atau ditoko, jika itu jadi pilihannya. Tapi kekurangan pekerja Kristen menunjukan orang-orang tidak mendengar panggilan Tuhan bagi pekerjaan pelayanan Kristen. Mungkin orangtua tidak bicara tentang kebutuhan ini juga menekankan pentingnya hal ini.

4. Dorong anak anda mengunjungi sekolah Kristen yang baik setidaknya satu tahun. Apapun pekerjaan yang mereka percaya kehendak Tuhan, pendidikan Alkitab mereka, hubungan mereka dengan pemimpin Kristen, dan kesempatan pelayanan Kristen akan membuat mereka lebih efektif menjadi saksi Yesus Kristus selama hidup mereka.

Mempersiapkan Mereka untuk Perkawinan

Penulis lagu mengatakan bahwa kasih dan perkawinan seperti kuda dan gerbong. Tapi mengutip lagu lama, “Itu tidak selamanya begitu!” Sebagian pasangan berperang. Orangtua mereka tidak pernah mempersiapkan mereka untuk hal paling intim dan hubungan terpenting dalam hidup. Mereka mungkin memberikan formula kegagalan melalui teladan yang salah. Jika kita ingin mengajar burung kecil kita untuk terbang, kita butuh menangkap beberapa prinsip dasar untuk membimbing kita mendidik mereka bagi pernikahan.

1. Terbuka dan informal tentang seks sejak awal. Semua prilaku tentang seks tidak terpisahkan dari pernikahan yang bahagia, dan kita memasukan prilaku itu sejak popok mereka mulai dipasang. Tuhan mendisain seks sebagai bagian penting dari hidup, dan biaya mengabaikannya sangat tinggi –ketakutan, malu, kehamilan yang tidak diinginkan, penyakit dan perceraian.

Dimulai dengan menyebut bagian tubuh dan fungsinya dengan namanya yang sebenarnya. Menyembunyikannya dengan istilah dari generasi ke generasi menunjukan bahwa mereka malu atau kotor. Dan saat pertanyaan tentang seks mulai datang, jangan menyambutnya dengan kaget atau diam. Tidak ada gunanya kuliah berjam-jam tentang alat reproduksi saat sikecil umur 3 tahun bertanya darimana bayi datang. Tapi tidak ada alasan orangtua Kristen mengabaikan hal ini. Katakan kalau Tuhan membuat bayi bertumbuh ditempat yang khusus didalam ibunya. Jika dia cukup ingin tahu dan bertanya bagaimana bayi bisa ada disana, katakan ayah menaruh benih disana dengan kasih. Alkitab menjijikan hal ini. Kenapa kita harus begitu?

Tempat kita terbatas, tapi mengunjungi toko buku akan menemukan buku yang menolong anda mengajar anak anda tentang seks, itu akan membuka banyak materi yang baik disetiap tingkat perkembangan, sampai perkawinan.

2. Ajar mereka peran seks mereka dalam hidup. Pria tidak lebih tinggi dari wanita seperti sebagian orang ajarkan tapi fungsi mereka berbeda. Tuhan membuat anak jenis seks yang dia ingin mereka mengerjakan pekerjaan unik yang diberikanNya untuk dicapai dalam hidup. Tekankan kepuasan akan peran yang diberikan pada mereka. Kemudian jelaskan pada mereka perubahan tubuh saat puber dan bagaimana perubahan itu cocok dengan rencana Tuhan bagi mereka saat mereka kawin.

Ibu perlu mengajar anak perempuan mereka bagaimana menjadi istri yang baik dan penjaga rumah, bagaimana menunjukan kepada suami mereka hormat, dan bagaimana memenuhi rumah mereka terasa bahagia (Eph. 5:22-24, 33; Prov. 31:10-31). Ayah perlu mengajar anak laki-laki mereka menjadi suami yang baik, bagaimana memenuhi kebutuhan istri dan melakukannya dengan baik dan tidak egois (Eph. 5:25-32). Guru terbaik adalah teladan yang baik. Ibu dan bapak yang terus bertengkar atau saling meneriaki sulit memelihara pasangan pernikahan yang baik.

3. Tunjukan pada mereka bagaimana memilih pasangan yang sesuai dengan pilihan Tuhan. Walau Tuhan memanggil sebagian orang tidak menikah untuk pelayanan khusus, pola normal adalah menikah (Gen. 2:18). Penting bagi anak kita mengetahui bahwa jika Tuhan ingin mereka untuk menikah, dia telah memiliki pasangan yang baik. Menemukan pasangan itu akan menghasilkan sukacita besar. Tapi bagaimana mereka melakukannya? Mereka akan mulai melalui persiapan diri bagi pasanga mereka, terutama membangun karakter Kristus dan perhatian pada orang lain. Kemudian mereka akan pergi dengan orang Kristen yang mereka kenal. Jika mereka jadi tetap dan membatasi diri pada seseorang terlalu cepat, mereka tidak bisa menemukan pilihan pertama Tuhan. Dan jika mereka mengencani orang tidak percaya, mereka memberi diri pada bahaya keterlibatan emosi yang pada akhirnya tidak memuliakan Tuhan.

Saat mereka kencan, mereka harus menjaga standar Alkitab dan berlaku dengan kemurnian. Dorongan seks merupakan salah satu dorongan terkuat dalam hidup, dan itu meningkat pesat sebelum anak kita siap menanggung tanggung jawab pernikahan. Saat mereka terlibat secara fisik sehingga terbawa kedalam pernikahan yang premature atau dengan orang yang salah, betapa besar penderitaannya. Jadi mereka harus merencanakan kencan mereka untuk menghindari situasi demikian. Dan mereka harus berjanji dengan Tuhan kalau mereka tidak saling memegang tubuh, atau hal lain yang membawa mereka kedalam dosa. Para ibu harus menjelaskan pada anak perempuan mereka bagaimana prilaku berpakaian dan akibat yang ditimbulkan pada lawan jenis. Para ayah harus mengajar anak laki-laki mereka untuk menghormati harga diri mereka dan peka pada perasaan gadis yang mereka kencani.

Lebih jauh, saat mereka kencan, mereka menjelajahi kepribadian masing-masing. Merayu bukan alat mendapat pasangan dengan menutupi kesalahan kita. Sudah waktunya bicara tentang apa yang disetujui dan tidak, untuk bergumul bersama tentang kesulitan dan bekerja sama mempraktekan prinsip Firman Tuhan. Pasangan yang dipilih Tuhan tidak akan membenarkan masalah, tapi menghadapinya dan berusaha menyelesaikannya sesuai Alkitab. Waktu orang yang benar muncul akan ada rasa kesatuan jiwa dan rohani dan ikatan mendalam mendedikasikan pada Kristus. Dan saat saat penting tiba, burung kecil kita sudah siap terbang. Betapa bahagia hari itu saat mereka memberikan diri mereka pada pasangan pilihan Tuhan dan mulai membangun fondasi generasi Tuhan berikutnya. Kehilangan yang kita rasakan terpuaskan melalui ucapan syukur kita pada Tuhan untuk kebaikan dan anugrahNya dalam memberikan keberhasilan pada kita sampai ditahap ini.

4. Saat mereka meninggalkan sarang, setujui beberapa aturan dasar. Sebagian situasi tegang bisa muncul antara orangtua dan anak mereka yang sudah menikah karena hal seperti ini tidak pernah dibicarakan. Seperti, walau anda selalu ada bagi mereka ketika mereka butuh, mereka pada dasarnya sendiri. Anda dengan senang hati menawarkan bantuan tentang bagaimana menyeimbangkan budget mereka, bagaimana membuat kue, bagaimana Sam bisa mengatasi mood istrinya, dan masalah seperti itu. Tapi pilihan untuk menangis pada mama dan papa karena hal kecil tidak terbuka bagi mereka.

Hal yang lainnya, sebagai kakek anda anak menikmati menjaga bayi, tapi anda terperangkap disitu. Anda punya kehidupan anda sendiri, dan hidup anda tidak berkisar disekitar sikecil, sepenting apapun dia dimata anda. Anda harus cukup jauh untuk membuat rencana yang diperlukan, dan anda memiliki hak berkata “tidak” tanpa penjelasan lebih lanjut jika anda ingin.

Akhirnya, ada saatnya anda menikmati melakukan hal untuk mereka dan memberikan hal pada mereka. Tapi anda mengajar mereka bagaimana bekerja dan bagaimana mengatur uang mereka. Anda tidak mengijinkan mereka menggunakan anda, atau membebaskan mereka dari perangkap keuangan. Anda begitu mengasihi mereka dan berdoa dengan setia, tapi mereka tidak lagi dibawah otoritas anda. Anda harus menghormati aturan ilahi dan tidak turut campur dalam hidup mereka (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:5). Mereka harus menghormati itu dan tidak mengijinkan diri mereka tetap bergantung pada anda lagi. Mereka harus belajar bertumbuh bersama dalam anugrah Tuhan. Dan sukacita Tuhan akan menjadi milik anda dan mereka.

1. Lifestyles of the Poor and Nameless (Matthew 5:1-5)

Related Media

Matthew 5:1-5¹
January 11, 2004

Introduction

Why does God let that happen to us?

You’d think that we’d get better treatment from someone who loves us.

And yet at some point in our lives we all experience terrible sorrows.

We all get into situations that we simply cannot stand, cannot handle, and cannot find a way out. We all have heard the little voice deep down inside us that says, “You’re a miserable failure.” Some of you here this morning are probably experiencing those feelings right now.

Why does God allow those unpleasant and even tragic experiences in our lives? That’s one of the questions that really bothers us.

That’s a complicated discussion and probably there is no one ultimately satisfying answer that anyone can give you to that question. I think that on some level, we’ll probably wrestle with that issue for the rest of our lives. But I can offer you a part of the answer this morning. One of the reasons God lets bad things happen in our lives is because it’s the very best thing that could happen to us.

Sounds like a contradiction, I know. But you know what? That’s the way the truth often is. That’s just the kind of paradox that characterizes our leader, Jesus, and his teaching.

The Jesus Curriculum

This is the beginning of a new year and it’s a good time to start a new series. So I thought this morning we might begin a new project that will be the backbone of our Sunday morning teaching for probably the next 2-3 years. We’ll stop along the way to explore some other topics as well.

But our main course is going to be a study of the teachings of Jesus.

In a way, that’s what we do every week, because the whole Bible is God’s Word. But specifically, we’re going to examine what Jesus actually taught his followers while he was here on earth 2000 years ago.

I’d like to call it, “The Jesus Curriculum”.

During his ministry, Jesus performed many miracles, healed the sick and spoke in parables to huge crowds of people. But the majority of his time, Jesus spent with his followers, teaching them, training them.

Jesus taught many things on many occasions. But in the pages of the New Testament, we find three major lessons that he gave specifically to those who were following him and wanted to learn from him.

Basically, Jesus taught his followers about:

Life in the Kingdom, or, The Kingdom Handbook
about The Community of the Spirit
and about The Return of the King

Popularly, these three lessons are known as:

The Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5-7
The Upper Room Discourse, found in John 14-17 and
The Olivet Discourse, found in Matthew 24-25

Today we’re going to begin our study of the Sermon on the Mount.

I’ve called it “The Kingdom Handbook” because essentially, it is a manual for citizens of God’s Kingdom. In other words, an instruction manual for those who want to follow Jesus, the King.

The “Kingdom of God” has a deep and significant meaning in the Bible.

It really begins with the kingdom that God established for Israel in the days of Moses. That kingdom developed into the kingdom of David, Israel’s greatest king. After hundreds of years of unfaithfulness to God, the kingdom finally fell apart. But God promised through the prophets that one day the kingdom would be restored by a future king, the Messiah. When Jesus began his ministry, his message was, “The Kingdom of Heaven is coming soon.” The ultimate arrival of God’s Kingdom is still in the future when Jesus will return and establish his kingdom on earth. As Jesus said at his trial, “My kingdom is not of this world.” But in the meantime, there are some aspects of his kingdom that have already begun. We who follow Jesus are all citizens of God’s invisible kingdom. Jesus is our King and he is sovereign over us.

While we await entrance into the future kingdom, we live on this earth, but we acknowledge that our citizenship really lies in God’s kingdom. Therefore we live our lives according to the principles of God’s kingdom, not according to the principles of this world.

“The Kingdom Manual” tells us how things in God’s Kingdom work and we discover that things work very differently in God’s Kingdom that they do in our world. In fact, sometimes it’s almost exactly the opposite of what we might expect.

G.K. Chesterton describes the Kingdom Handbook this way:

“On the first reading of the Sermon on the Mount you feel that it turns everything upside down, but the second time you read it, you discover that it turns everything right side up. The first time you read it, you feel that it is impossible, but the second time you feel that nothing else is possible.”

The message Jesus taught to his followers is radically different than the conventional wisdom of our world. But it comes from the one who created us and asks us to believe that he knows best how life is supposed to work.

Well, let’s take a look at exactly what Jesus taught his followers and you’ll see what I mean about the paradoxes of the Jesus Curriculum.

[5:1] Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, [2] and he began to teach them, saying:

Notice that there are large crowds of people following Jesus around, but here he specifically sits down to teach his disciples.

What is a disciple?

We often think of the 12 apostles when we hear the word disciple. The apostles were some of the disciples, but apostles and disciples are very different. The word for disciple means literally, a learner. It was used of someone who followed a rabbi (that is, a teacher) to learn from him.

Jesus, like other rabbis of his day, had a group of people who attached themselves to him for training. When Jesus told the fishermen, “Follow me,” he was inviting them to be his learners, his disciples.

So the teaching in Matthew 5-7, then, is not directed to the world. It is directed to us, to those who would follow Jesus and be trained by him.

When Jesus sat down, he assumed the typical position of a rabbi who was training his disciples.

Kingdom Character

His message about the kingdom begins with the characteristics of the kingdom’s citizens. What kind of people belong to God’s kingdom? The answer might surprise you.

Title: Lifestyles of the Poor and Nameless

One might expect the citizens of God’s kingdom to be the best and the brightest, the most noble, the most worthy, the most beautiful, the strongest and the bravest. But instead we find that God’s kingdom belongs to the poor and the nameless. It belongs to those who in this world are outcasts.

As Jesus describes the surprising characteristics of the citizens of God’s kingdom, he begins with the word “Blessed.” The first few verses of the Sermon on the Mount are known as “the beatitudes.” They speak of those who are blessed. The word “blessed” means “fortunate” but without the idea of chance; someone who is envied for his condition; someone who should be congratulated. It doesn’t mean “happy” in the sense of a feeling of happiness, but rather it describes a state that should make someone ultimately satisfied, fulfilled and joyful.

The surprising part is not that citizens of God’s kingdom are blessed. The surprising part is the characteristics for which they should be congratulated.

1. Spiritually Bankrupt

[3] "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The word poor is the word for a beggar, but it refers here not to those who lack material wealth, but to those who lack spiritual wealth. Blessed are those who are spiritually destitute, the spiritual paupers, the spiritually bankrupt. Blessed are those who don’t have any spiritual resources whatsoever—no great acts of kindness to commend them, no deep insight into truth, no moral backbone to keep them on the straight and narrow. Blessed are the spiritual washouts for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

Ok, see what I mean? Not at all what you’d expect. Very upside down from our perspective. But that’s what Jesus says.

How fortunate it is to be a spiritual nobody. Why? Because the spiritual nobody is the one who is completely convinced that there is nothing he can do to have a relationship with God. There is nothing he has to offer. He is totally dependent on God’s grace and mercy. He recognizes that he needs God because he’s bankrupt on his own.

In Luke 18:10-14 Jesus tells a story about "Two men [who] went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. [11] The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself:

'God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. [12] I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

The Pharisee was a spiritual somebody. He had his resources and he was counting on them to impress God.

[13] "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said,

'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

The tax collector was spiritually bankrupt. He had nothing to offer. All he could do was plead for God’s mercy. And Jesus says,

[14] "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

The point of the story is not that we should be humble about how good we are. It’s that we all need to recognize that we’ve got nothing in us that we can use to impress God. All of us fall short of the requirements. All of us need God’s grace. If you’re a pretty good person, then sometimes it’s hard to see that, to recognize how much you need God.

But if you’re a spiritual beggar, if you’re spiritually bankrupt, then Congratulations! You’re so fortunate that your need for God is so obvious that you can’t miss it. You’re so blessed that you know just how desperate your situation is, because some people will never understand.

You know, this is one of the disadvantages of growing up in a Christian home with godly parents. This is one of the disadvantages of being a basically good guy. I’m not advocating that we dive into sin headfirst so that we’ll all know how vile we are. Sin is a poison that destroys life.

But those who have known the destruction of sin are fortunate because it’s often easier for them to understand how much they need God than it is for a basically good person to understand how much they need God.

The good news is that we all need God and we all can discover that.

St. Paul grew up in a godly home and he had some pretty great spiritual resources, yet he discovered how little they meant compared to his great need:

Philippians 3:4-8 I myself have reasons for such confidence. … [5] circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee;

[6] as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. [7] But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.

[8] … 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.

The spiritual resources that we put in the plus column can become an obstacle that keeps us from understanding that we are God’s only because of grace and not because of what we have done. Before we can enter God’s kingdom, we need to recognize our spiritual resources for what they are—rubbish! List your spiritual assets. They are rubbish.

If, on the other hand, you are one of those who basically has no spiritual brownie points at all, then congratulations! You’re just the kind of person that belongs in the kingdom of heaven. No wonder Jesus attracted such a collection of prostitutes and sinners. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

2. Deeply Dismayed

The second characteristic is in verse 4:

[4] Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Happy are those who are sad. What an oxymoron!

Are you troubled? Are you suffering? Are you terribly hurt and disappointed? Are you discouraged or crushed or despairing? Congratulations! The comfort of God’s kingdom belongs to you.

Mourning hardly seems like occasion for congratulations. When things don’t go well for us, we want to complain as if this verse said, “Blessed are those who moan.” But Jesus says, sorrow is an occasion for joy, for celebration. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be sad. It means you should also rejoice if you’re sad. Because if you’re mourning, then you get it, you understand just how broken and ugly this world is. You’ve experienced the trauma and tragedy that comes from a fallen world; the mess that comes from man run amok; the wages that come from sin. You’ve experienced the sting of death, the corruption of disease, the pain of broken relationships.

Because of that, you have a much better chance of recognizing that this world is not the way it is supposed to be and we are just not equipped to live like this. It really stinks! You have a much better chance of recognizing that we were really meant to live in a world without sin, and so you have a much better chance of seeking reality in God’s kingdom. How fortunate! Congratulations! You’re just the kind of person that belongs in the kingdom of heaven.

When things go well for us, it’s easy to get comfortable living on this planet. But ultimately we don’t belong here. This planet isn’t our home; it’s just a layover! And if things are comfortable for you here, you might be inclined to fool yourself into settling down for a long stay. But if your life is full of pain and sorrow, then congratulations! You are the kind of person who can’t wait to get out of this place and start our real lives in the kingdom of God.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

3. Completely Inadequate

A third characteristic is found in verse 5:

[5] Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

In the Bible, Moses is described as the meekest of all men. The word “meek” sounds to us like a weakling, but we see Moses act with great courage and authority. But his meekness is found in his sense of inadequacy. When God asked him to do a job, Moses said, “I can’t do it. I’m not your man. I don’t have what it takes. I’m completely inadequate.” And Moses was right. However, by God’s power, by God’s ability, and by God’s leading, Moses acted and led with great courage and ability.

I think at heart most everybody is either an “I can do it” kind of person or an “I don’t have what it takes” kind of person. You probably know already which kind of person you are.

The “I can do it” people are resourceful and self-confident. They’re optimistic. They take charge and seem to instinctively know what to do.

The “I don’t have what it takes” people are more hesitant and halting. They have little confidence in themselves or in others. They expect they will fail. They’re often paralyzed by inaction. They feel completely inadequate. If that’s the kind of person you are, then congratulations! You are just the kind of person that belongs in God’s kingdom.

If you’re the kind of person who has a lot of resourcefulness and self-confidence, then it’s easy to try to do it yourself, to count on your own strength or your own smarts. But if you feel completely inadequate, congratulations. You are much more likely to turn to God and rely on his resources. You are much more likely to understand just how much you need his guidance and his strength and his wisdom. “Can do” people have a much harder time learning to trust God in their everyday lives. But people who are completely inadequate are forced to look outside themselves for resources. How fortunate you are! If you could visit a first-century church, what kind of people would you mostly likely find?

Paul writes to the Corinthians,

1 Corinthians 1:26-30 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.

[27] But God chose the foolish things of the world … God chose the weak things of the world …[28] He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--…

[29] so that no one may boast before him. [30] It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus.

All of us need to depend on God, but that truth is easier for some of us to recognize than others. Those who are foolish and weak and lowly and despised are those who more easily recognize that they need to depend upon God everyday. And so those are the kind of people that populate the kingdom of God. That’s the same idea Jesus had in mind when he said,

Matthew 18:3 “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

A child is completely dependent on his parents and he knows it. In fact, a normal child just assumes that his parents will take care of him. That’s the kind of attitude we need to have toward God. We can’t do it. We don’t have what it takes. We are completely inadequate. But God can do it and he wants us to depend upon him.

[5] Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

I’m not a very meek person. I’m more of a “can do” kind of guy.

However, there was one meek moment in my life I can remember: when I was approached about becoming a pastor at this church. I remember saying, “I’m not the guy you’re looking for.” I was persuaded to come anyway. But there have since been many times when I feel completely inadequate for this job. And that’s good, because I am completely inadequate for this job. I hope I never forget that. And I’d like to say thank you to all of you who periodically remind me that I’m completely inadequate to be your pastor. That may sound like sarcasm, but I really believe that even if criticism is unfair or untrue, it can still remind us of the truth that we do not have what it takes. Nor are we meant to. We’re meant to be uncomfortably in over our heads, because that’s when we will be forced to rely on God’s resources and not on our own. Do you feel completely inadequate for what God has you doing? Congratulations!

Conclusion

Congratulations to

the Spiritually Bankrupt
the Deeply Dismayed
and the Completely Inadequate

Why does God allow unpleasant experiences in our lives?

Why does God let us experience terrible sorrows?

Why does he put us into situations that we simply cannot stand, cannot handle, and cannot escape?

Why must we hear that little voice inside us that says, “You’re a miserable failure”?

Because those are the kinds of experiences that expose the thread-bareness of our self-sufficiency. They help us find the end of our own resources and thus they force us to find strength and comfort beyond ourselves.

They drive us to God, which is the only place where we can find true and lasting strength, comfort, and fulfillment.

So the next time something happens to you that brings you great pain, the next time someone reminds you how completely inadequate you are, the next time failure exposes your own spiritual bankruptcy…

Congratulate yourself. The kingdom of heaven is yours.

¹Copyright 2004 by Lewis B. Bell III. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 1 in the The Kingdom Character series delivered by Chip Bell at Fellowship Bible Church Arapaho in Dallas, TX on January 11, 2004. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with credit.

2. With Liberty and Justice For Me (Matthew 5:6-8)

Related Media

Matthew 5:6-8¹
January 18, 2004

Introduction

Last Sunday, I began with a question, “Why does God allow bad things to happen to me?” There’s another question that usually goes along with it, particularly when the bad things that happen to me are caused by someone else. Our second disturbing question is, “How can they get away with it? Why doesn’t God make them pay for what they did to me?” People have been asking God that question for thousands of years.

Deep within us, we all long for evildoers to be brought to justice.

Last week I was in court for jury duty. People come seeking justice.

But for some who come to court, the last thing they want is justice.

They know they’re guilty. They know what they deserve and they are in court, not seeking for justice, but hoping for mercy.

One month ago, December 18, in Seattle, Washington, Gary Ridgway, also known as “The Green River Killer” was sentenced for murdering 48 women. Because Ridgway helped police to locate the remains of some of his victims, he was spared the death penalty and instead was sentenced to 48 consecutive life terms. The Associated Press reported:

“The sentencing gave the victims' relatives a chance to confront Ridgway at last. With an eloquence honed by years of grief, they stepped forward and cursed the killer, or forgave him.

The brother (Tim Meehan) of one of the victims said, "It was not your right to decide who lived and who died. …I can only hope that someday, someone gets the opportunity to choke you unconscious 48 times, so you can live through the horror that you put our mothers and our daughters through. ... May God have no mercy on your soul.”

Others lashed out at prosecutors, investigators and the news media.

"I believe we've been sold by the prosecutor for not giving us the justice that we could expect," said the mother (Helen Dexter) of one victim.

But another mother (Kathy Mills), whose 16-year-old daughter was killed, offered Ridgway forgiveness. "You have held us in bondage all these years because we have hated you — we wanted to see you die — but it's all going to be over now. That is, provided we can forgive you. Gary Leon Ridgway, I forgive you. I forgive you. You can't hold me anymore. I'm through with you. I have a peace that is beyond human understanding."

One of the fathers (Robert Rule), said, "Mr. Ridgway, there are people here who hate you. I'm not one of them. I forgive you for what you've done. You've made it difficult to live up to what I believe, and that is what God says to do, and that is forgive, and he doesn't say to forgive just certain people, he says forgive all. So you are forgiven."

Looking inside myself, trying to imagine how I would feel if this horrible man had killed my little girl, I don’t know how these parents could forgive.

I would want to have this man pay for his crimes. I would want to see him dead. I would probably volunteer to pull the switch myself. In fact, I think death is not enough punishment for him. I would like to have him toasting in hell just as soon as we could arrange for it.

As one victim’s daughter (Sarah King) said to Ridgway, "I'm glad you didn't get death. Death is too good for you. Someday you will die and you'll go to that place and you'll get what you deserve."

I saw a Clint Eastwood movie in which the bad guy tries to kill Clint’s daughter. In one scene, as the daughter lay badly injured in a hospital bed, the killer comes in to finish her off. But Clint gets the jump on him and sticks a needle in his neck. The killer, feeling groggy from the poison entering his body, can only manage to get out one word to Clint, begging for his life: “Mercy?” Clint looks at him with that steely Eastwood glare, and, as he injects the remainder of the poison into the killer’s neck, he says, “Mercy? Fresh out.”

You want to know the truth? That’s pretty much how I feel about Gary Ridgway. I want justice. How about you? Are you that kind of person to wants to see someone pay for their crimes? If you are, then Congratulations! The Bible says that you’re just the kind of person that will appreciate the Kingdom of God. Because in the Kingdom of God, justice will be done.

Last week we began a new series, which is part of what I call
“The Jesus Curriculum”, the lessons that Jesus gave his followers while he was here on earth. Today we continue our study of the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5-7. I’ve called this part of the curriculum “The Kingdom Handbook” because essentially, it is a manual for citizens of God’s Kingdom. In other words, an instruction manual for those who want to follow Jesus, the King and be trained by him.

Jesus’ message about the kingdom begins with the characteristics of the kingdom’s citizens. What kind of people belong to God’s kingdom? The answer is surprising.

As Jesus describes the characteristics of the citizens of God’s kingdom, he uses the word “Blessed.” The first few verses of the Sermon on the Mount are known as “the beatitudes.” They speak of those who are blessed. The word “blessed” means “fortunate” but without the idea of chance; someone who is envied for his condition; someone who should be congratulated.

Last week we talked about three kinds of people who are blessed. Three kinds of people who deserve to be congratulated for being so fortunate.
the Spiritually Bankrupt, those who have nothing worthy of qualifying them for a relationship with God.
the Deeply Dismayed, those who are grieved by the pain and suffering of this world which is caused by sin.
and the Completely Inadequate, those who recognize that they can’t do it, that they don’t have what it takes.

These are the kinds of people who recognize their insufficiency. They have found the end of their own resources and thus they have been forced to seek for strength and comfort beyond themselves. They have been driven to God, the only place where anyone can find true and lasting strength, comfort, and fulfillment. And because of that, they are to be congratulated.

Title: With Liberty and Justice for Me

Today we move on to the next three beatitudes, three types of people that Jesus says are blessed, three types of people that should be congratulated. Last week we looked at three great needs. This week, we look at three great desires. They all have to do with the issue of justice. If you are among those who have these three desires, then Congratulations! You’re just the kind of person who will appreciate the characteristics of God’s kingdom.

Crying for Justice

Let’s look at the fourth beatitude in verse 6:

[6] Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

The word “righteousness” often refers to uprightness, doing the right thing, obeying God’s rules. But the same word is also used for what in English we call “justice” and I believe that here that is exactly what Jesus has in mind.

In many places throughout the Bible, God’s people cry out for him to give them justice, to punish those who murder their loved ones, invade their land, steal their possessions, tell them lies, and cheat them in business. God’s people cry out to him and ask him to act on their behalf and bring them justice.

Jeremiah 12:1 You are always righteous, O Lord, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?

Sometimes it seems like people who do evil things will get away with it. But throughout the Bible, God also promises that one-day, justice will be done. No crime will go unpunished. No wrong will go unanswered.

I believe that is the promise in view here.

Are you that kind of person who doesn’t like to see the wicked get away with their crimes? If you are, then Congratulations! The Bible says that you’re just the kind of person that will appreciate the Kingdom of God. Because in the Kingdom of God, the demands of justice will be satisfied.

Acts 17:31 [God] has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed.

Psalm 9:7-8 The LORD reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment. [8] He will judge the world in righteousness; he will govern the peoples with justice.

Isaiah 9:6-7 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
[7] …He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.

Psalm 45:6 Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.

2 Peter 3:13 In keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

There will be justice in God’s kingdom. If you like justice, then Congratulations! That’s just the way God feels. And you’re going to like what you see in God’s kingdom.

[6] Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Jesus says that in the kingdom of God, justice will finally be fulfilled. All those who hunger and thirst for justice will be ultimately satisfied by the justice of God’s Kingdom. That means that Gary Ridgway’s crimes will be punished. Adolf Hitler’s crimes will be punished. Sadaam Hussein’s crimes will be punished. Chip Bell’s crimes will be punished.

Oh, no. Wait a minute. Did I just say that I was hungry and thirsty for justice? Maybe I should think about this for minute. However much I want justice for everyone else who’s offended my sensibilities, what I really want for myself is to go free. I want justice when it comes to everyone else. But when it comes to my crimes, what I really want is mercy. It’s a strange combination: liberty AND justice for me.

Unexpectedly Forgiving

Fortunately for me (and fortunately for all of us), God is merciful. And he congratulates all those who reflect his quality of mercy in their own lives.

[7] Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Mercy is unexpected forgiveness. Justice is a punishment that someone deserves for what they have done wrong. Mercy is unearned. It’s a surprise. It’s forgiveness that someone does not deserve. There is nothing they’ve done to justify it. God forgives your sins, not because you said you’re sorry, not because you’re trying to make up for it. God forgives your sins just because he is merciful. And since God has been merciful to us, he expects us to be merciful toward others.

Congratulations to those who demonstrate mercy, to those who forgive others even though they’ve done nothing to deserve it. Congratulations to the merciful, because that’s just the kind of thing God would do. And if you appreciate mercy, guess what? That’s exactly what you’re going to get in God’s Kingdom.

Jesus tells a story about mercy in

Matthew 18:23-35 "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. [24] …A man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.

[25] Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. [26] "The servant fell on his knees before him.

'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' [27] The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

[28] "But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.

[29] "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' [30] "But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.

[31] When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. [32] "Then the master called the servant in.

'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. [33] Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?'

[34] In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

[35] "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

Why should we show mercy to a criminal that clearly doesn’t deserve it? Because God has been merciful and we didn’t deserve it either. Since God has been merciful to us, we should be merciful to others.

It’s odd that these two qualities should stand side by side in the beatitudes: justice and mercy. They call for opposite responses: one for punishment, the other for liberty. Yet both of these characteristics are qualities of God, and both are qualities that God would like to see replicated in us: the desire for justice and the exercise of mercy.

Shakespeare wrote in The Merchant of Venice:

Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy.

[7] Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Absolutely Innocent

The sixth beatitude is found in verse 8:

[8] Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

The word “pure” means without any contaminant, stain or spot. Here Jesus is saying that those who are citizens of the kingdom are absolutely innocent of anything wrong. Not only is their outward behavior completely perfect, but so is their heart: their innermost thoughts, their motives, their desires, their dreams. They are absolutely innocent through and through.

If you were among the disciples who were listening to Jesus that day on the mountain, you would probably find yourself coming abruptly to a halt at this point. Congratulations to those of you who are spiritually bankrupt, to those deeply dismayed by this world, to those who feel completely inadequate to live life. Congratulations to those of you who long for justice. So far, so good. Most everyone is probably thinking, “Not a problem. That’s me. I’m in the kingdom for sure.”

When we get to congratulations to those who are unexpectedly forgiving, there are probably a few people squirming. “I really need to be more merciful. I’ll have to work on that.”

But when we arrive at the sixth beatitude, it all comes screeching to a halt. Congratulations to you who are absolutely innocent—inside and out—because you are the ones who will see God. Oops! Congratulations to someone, but it isn’t me.

Psalm 24:3-4 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? [4] He who has clean hands and a pure heart.

God’s standard is absolute innocence. Not one spot or blemish is allowed. Do you ever use the 5-second rule at home? You know, if it’s on the ground for 5 seconds or less, then it’s not really dirty, you can stick it in your mouth. Well I don’t know if you ever noticed, but in surgery, there is no 5-second rule. If it touches anything not sterile, then it’s dirty.

That’s the way it is with God’s holiness. He requires absolute perfection.

Hebrews 12:14 without holiness no one will see the Lord.

So much for the congratulations. But wait a minute. There is a way. Because the Bible says that if you are in Christ, then not only are all your sins forgiven, but you have the righteousness of Jesus Christ. If you are in Christ, then you do have a pure heart. In God’s eyes you are absolutely innocent. So congratulations! You will see God after all.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

It’s through God’s mercy and grace that you have been declared clean. If you are in Jesus, then you are the pure in heart. But wait a minute. What about God’s justice? How can God be a God of justice if he lets me go free? How can God be a God of justice if he lets anybody go free?

Romans 3:25 God presented [Jesus] as a sacrifice of atonement. …He did this to demonstrate his justice.

God can be just and merciful at the same time because of the death of Jesus. The death of Jesus meets the demands of justice. And because of that, God can extend to us his great mercy and forgive our sins.

Jesus alone is pure in heart and because we are in him, we will see God.

[8] Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Conclusion

Congratulations to

those who are Crying for Justice
those who are Unexpectedly Forgiving
those who are Absolutely Innocent

because you’re just the kind of people who will appreciate God’s kingdom. In the kingdom, God will bring justice to all, and through his mercy he will proclaim that all who trust Jesus are absolute innocent. Only in God’s kingdom can I experience liberty and justice for me.

Conclusion

The beatitudes are commonly thought of as characteristics that we must strive to attain so that we may qualify for the blessings of the kingdom. But that’s not what Jesus has in mind at all. Rather, the beatitudes are pronouncing God’s blessing on those who have certain inadequacies because that is the kind of people who most need God’s kingdom. And the beatitudes are pronouncing God’s blessings on those who long for certain perfections because that is exactly what the kingdom will bring. But all these people are going to receive the kingdom strictly out of God’s grace, not because they have mastered the Kingdom Character.

When Jesus spoke the beatitudes, he was not setting a new standard of holiness and asking the people to rise to meet it. Rather, this was the introduction to his lesson, designed to meet people right where they were and give them hope that God’s kingdom would satisfy their deepest needs and fulfill their deepest desires no matter how unworthy they might be.

If you will permit me just a little silliness, I’d like to try to express what I think is a modern-day equivalent of the spirit of the beatitudes:

Infomercial

Do you have the feeling that you’re spiritually bankrupt?

Are you deeply dismayed by all the unnecessary evil and suffering in this world?
Do you sometimes feel completely inadequate to live your life?

Maybe you’re one of the thousands of people who long for the day when all the criminals get what’s coming to them.

But for yourself, you’d somehow like to get God to give you another chance.
Wouldn’t you like to live in a perfect world?

Well, Congratulations! You’re just the kind of person we’re looking for.

You probably thought all this was impossible. But now there’s a solution to all these problems and more.

It’s God’s Kingdom. That’s right, God’s Kingdom.

Just listen to all these blessings you will receive through this special offer:

All your sorrows will be comforted. That’s right, He’ll wipe away every tear from your eye.
You’ll receive an inheritance.
You’ll also get to live in a society based on absolute justice.
At the same time, you’ll be forgiven of everything you’ve ever done.
And that’s not all.
You’ll actually get to live a perfect life in a perfect world. What could be more perfect than that?
Not enough you say? Well, how’s this?
You get to see God. That’s right, a personal audience with the creator himself.

You’ve probably heard offers like this elsewhere. You probably have friends who tried to purchase cheap imitations. But God’s Kingdom is the one-and-only original, the genuine article, the only way you can experience all these blessings.

And all this comes with an eternal lifetime guarantee. That’s right. These blessings will last forever! They never run down. They never expire. They never wear out. There’s nothing you can do to destroy them.

You’ve seen the price that others are asking for these blessings.

Well, how much would you be willing to pay to enjoy these blessings in your own heart?

Would you give up all the sin in your life?
Would you trade everything you own?
Would you commit yourself to a lifetime of doing good deeds?

Well, put away your wallets, because right now you can have all these blessings absolutely free! That’s right. You heard me. They are all absolutely, 100% free. God even pays for the shipping and handling.

That’s right with just one incredible payment of someone else’s sinless life, you can have every one of these amazing blessings. And they are all guaranteed forever.

Sounds too good to be true? Just wait.

There’s even more!

Along with this special offer, you also get:

eternal life!
And you will receive the Holy Spirit who will lead you, comfort you and teach you everyday.
You get ultimate fulfillment and a sense of purpose for your life.
You get the amazing prayer hotline in case you ever need help.
And along with these blessings, you will also receive a special membership in God’s family where you will be encouraged by thousands of others who have become part of God’s Kingdom.
That’s not it. As an added bonus offer, if you’re one of the first 100 billion to call, you get a lasting sense of peace and joy to carry with you everyday. Who else can offer you that?

Nowhere else can you get all these amazing blessings for our incredibly low price of absolutely nothing. This offer is not available in stores. In fact, it cannot be purchased anywhere. The only way you can be part of God’s Kingdom is through this special limited time offer. So don’t delay, act now. Don’t send any money.

Just call out this number today, 1-800-I-TRUST-JESUS, and you can begin to enjoy the blessings of God’s Kingdom in your own home this very day. Remember, that’s 1-800-I-TRUST-JESUS. Call him today.

This offer was paid for entirely by God’s Grace.

¹Copyright 2004 by Lewis B. Bell III. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 2 in the The Kingdom Character series delivered by Chip Bell at Fellowship Bible Church Arapaho in Dallas, TX on January 18, 2004. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with credit.

Related Topics: Hamartiology (Sin), Spiritual Life

3. Peace without Honor (Matthew 5:9-12)

Related Media

Matthew 5:9-12¹
February 1, 2004

Introduction

You know, if Jesus were here, I think he’d do things a lot differently. You know the saying, “What would Jesus do?” It makes us stop and think about how Jesus would behave in our situation. Well, I’ve been thinking a lot about that this week, with the Super Bowl coming up and all. And I think that if Jesus was in charge of the Super Bowl, I think he’d do things a lot differently. So, I’ve come up with a list of the

Top Twelve Things Jesus Would Do at the Super Bowl

(one for each of the twelve apostles)

Number 12. Throw moneychangers out of the concession stands
Number 11. Miraculously provide front row parking for everyone
Number 10. New ticket policy: “whosoever will may come”

Number 9. Grace-oriented pep talk in the locker room
Number 8. Encourage each team not to give offense to the other
Number 7. Command the waves

Number 6. Cancel all penalties for players who believe in Him
Number 5. Feed the crowd with only 5 hotdogs and 2 bags of peanuts
Number 4. Discourage any “Hail Mary” passes

Number 3. Clothe the cheerleaders
Number 2. Promote third-down conversions
and the Number 1 thing Jesus would do at the Super Bowl….
Root for the Cowboys

Ok, I admit it’s a little silly to think about what Jesus would do at the Super Bowl. But it is true that Jesus had a way of thinking about life that was very different than the way we people usually think about life.

The New Testament tells us about the things that Jesus taught his followers as he tried to change their way of thinking to get them to think from God’s perspective instead of from a limited human perspective.

We are exploring his teachings in “The Jesus Curriculum”, a study of the major talks that Jesus gave to his followers. Today we continue our study of the “Sermon on the Mount” found in Matthew 5-7. I’ve called this part of the curriculum “The Kingdom Handbook” because it tells us how things work in God’s Kingdom. It is an instruction manual for those who want to follow Jesus and pattern their lives after his thinking.

Jesus’ message about the kingdom begins with the characteristics of the kingdom’s citizens. There are nine phrases that describe the kind of people that will really appreciate God’s kingdom. They are nine phrases that describe us.

These nine phrases are sometimes called “The Beatitudes” because they each begin with the word “Blessed” and describe how happy you will be when you realize what God’s kingdom is like. The word means someone who should be congratulated. So if you’ve discovered God’s Kingdom, then congratulations! You’re really going to like it.

But the characteristics Jesus describes are a little surprising. You’d think that the citizens of God’s kingdom would be the best and the brightest, the most noble, the most worthy, the most beautiful, the strongest and the bravest. But instead we find that God’s kingdom belongs to the poor and the nameless:

the Spiritually Bankrupt, who have nothing worthy of qualifying them for a relationship with God. Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

the Deeply Dismayed, who are grieved by the pain and suffering of this world which is caused by sin. They will be comforted.

the Completely Inadequate, who recognize that they just can’t do it, that they don’t have what it takes to live life. They are the ones who will inherit the Kingdom.

And we saw that God’s kingdom is going to be particularly satisfying for those who are Crying for Justice because there will be justice.

Those who are Unexpectedly Forgiving will love God’s Kingdom because they will undeservedly find forgiveness.

But the only way both these things can be true is because Jesus has died for our sins, satisfying justice, providing us with forgiveness, and giving us his own perfect righteousness so that we can be Absolutely Innocent and worthy to see God in the Kingdom. Because of Jesus, I really can have both liberty and justice for me.

The first three beatitudes tell us that God’s kingdom meets three great human needs: spiritual bankruptcy, grief, and inadequacy. The second set of three tell us God’s kingdom satisfies three great human desires: justice, forgiveness and innocence.

Title: Peace Without Honor

Today we come to the final set of three beatitudes. They each have to do with relationships between Kingdom citizens and all the other people in the world who do not belong to the Kingdom. Once again we have a paradox, because the citizens of the Kingdom are called to pursue peace with the citizens of the world, but Jesus says that their peaceful overtures will generally be answered with hatred and violence. The life of a Kingdom citizen in this world is a life of peace without honor.

If you are experiencing these three things in your relationships with the people around you, then congratulations! What you are experiencing is normal for a citizen of the Kingdom. That’s exactly the way God’s Kingdom works.

Promoting Harmony

The seventh beatitude is found in Matthew 5:9,

[Matthew 5:9] Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

This verse is not about those who are peaceful nor about pacifists, but rather about those who actively try to promote harmony in the world. Making peace is not a passive activity. Sometimes it requires confrontation when we would personally feel more peaceful if we simply ignored the problem and walked the other way. Sometimes making peace requires taking a tough stand and not giving up. Making peace is a pursuit. It is action, not apathy.

A citizen of the Kingdom is a peace peddler, representing Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), representing the God of Peace (Romans 15:33; 16:20; Philippians 4:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:20). That is why those who promote peace are called “sons of God” because they act just like their Daddy, the one who is the inventor of peace.

There are three aspects of the ministry of peacemaking mentioned in the Bible. First of all, the peace that we promote on earth is peace with God.

Romans 5:1 Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

We have peace with God. But we are also meant to help others find peace with God.

2 Corinthians 5:18-20 God…has committed to us the message of reconciliation. [20] We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us…. Be reconciled to God.

We bring a message to the world we live in. God is not their enemy. He loves everyone and wants to have a relationship with them. Part of making peace is promoting harmony between man and God.

But a second aspect of making peace is to try to get along with people while we’re here on this planet. To me there seems to be a good deal of antagonism these days between the American church and the people of the world. There’s a lot of “us vs. them”. But listen to what the Bible says about the desired relationship between the church and the people of the world.

Hebrews 12:14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men.

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, [12] so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders.

The third aspect of making peace is promoting harmony in the church. Even in the healthiest church, there will be conflicts and clashes. A peacemaker is one who works for reconciliation and harmony between brothers and sisters in the fellowship.

1 Peter 3:8-11 all of you, live in harmony with one another; … [9] Do not repay … insult with insult, but with blessing, … [11] seek peace and pursue it.

Romans 14:19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

Romans 12:16-18 Live in harmony with one another. …[18] If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.

Are you a peace promoter? Do your words and actions bring people into harmony with God, with you and with each other? If so, then congratulations! You are just like your Daddy, the God of Peace. You are experiencing one of the qualities that characterizes life in God’s kingdom.

Mistreated for Doing Right

Unfortunately, however, your attempts to promote peace will not always be met in kind. The eighth beatitude is in Matthew 5:10,

[Matthew 5:10] Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

I seem to remember someone telling me that doing the right thing has its own reward. But sometimes, doing the right thing will bring you trouble. That’s the message behind this beatitude. If you have ever been mistreated because you did the right thing, then congratulations! You have just experienced another one of the qualities that characterizes life in God’s kingdom. However strongly you try to promote harmony in your relationships with those outside the kingdom, you are destined to experience their hatred, their abuse and perhaps even their violence.

When we read the word “persecution” in the Bible, we usually think of people who have been tortured or even executed because of their faith.

When I was growing up I remember reading the stories of people like Richard Wurmbrand, a pastor behind the Iron Curtain, who was imprisoned and tortured because of his faith. And I read about Jim Elliot, the missionary to South America who was killed by the Auca Indians.

When Julie became a Christian in college, she read Foxe’s book of Martyrs, which tells of people down through history who have been killed only because they would not renounce their faith in Jesus. Although we don’t experience that kind of persecution here in the United States, there are many countries in the world today where followers of Jesus are still murdered only because they are Christians. Many parts of the world are completely antagonistic toward Christianity.

The Bible says that is what we should expect. Why we don’t experience it in the United States, I don’t really understand. I think that we would do well to expect though that in our lifetime we may yet see that kind of persecution in our own country.

But in the meantime, I think it is important to understand that though the word used here for “persecute” certainly includes torture and murder, it is not limited to the most extreme forms of persecution.

diwkw, means “to pursue”, to chase after something or someone. In this context, it is pursuing someone to hunt them, mistreat them or hassle them. While persecution can be torture, it could also be teasing someone, discriminating against someone, or refusing to tolerate them. In Greek, it was used in the legal profession as a technical term which meant “to accuse” someone. The English word means to treat someone in a cruel or unfair way.

This beatitude says that if you are mistreated because you did the right thing, then you are to be congratulated. Your mistreatment is evidence of your citizenship in God’s kingdom.

2 Timothy 3:12 Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

Waiting tables. Serving alcohol. Once I refused to serve a customer because he was drunk. When I went back for a job, my manager wouldn’t hire me. He told me it was because as I Christian I had sometimes refused to serve people alcohol.

1 Peter 3:14, 17 If you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. … [17] It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

Another time, I was specifically asked by my boss to keep my eyes open to see if anyone was taking food from the restaurant. When she asked me if any food had been taken, I told her what had happened. She fired one of my co-workers and that night he came back to the restaurant and threatened to kill me.

If you do the right thing, sometimes you will suffer for it. That’s OK. In fact, congratulations! That’s part of being a citizen in the Kingdom.

Acts 17 tells the story of Paul’s trip to the Greek city of Thessalonica. He was there only three weeks but during that time several people trusted Jesus and formed a church. However, at the end of the three weeks, citizens opposed to Christianity started a riot and arrested some of the new believers, accusing them of treason against Caesar. They were released after posting bond. A few months later, Paul wrote a letter to the newly formed church.

1 Thessalonians 3:2-4 We sent Timothy… to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, [3] so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them.

[4] In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.

Experiencing persecution for doing the right thing is a normal part of being a follower of Jesus. If you’re lucky enough to be persecuted because of righteousness, congratulations!

Mistreated for Jesus

The ninth and final beatitude is a different, but very similar point.

[Matthew 5:11] "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

Notice the differences between verses 10 and 11. For one thing, the mistreatment has broadened. Verse 10 mentions “persecution”. Verse 11 has a whole menu of mistreatment: insults, persecution, and slander (spreading lies about someone that damages their reputation). We have added to persecution two forms of verbal attack. Insult has the idea of saying something damaging directly to someone. Slander has the idea of saying untrue, smears about you to someone else.

The second difference is a cause of the mistreatment. In verse 10, it is mistreatment because of doing the right thing. But in verse 11, it is mistreatment because of Jesus.

In the same way that a follower of Jesus will imitate Jesus by promoting peace, a citizen of God’s Kingdom will also imitate Jesus in another way. Just as he was mistreated, so will we be mistreated.

John 15:18-21 If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. ... If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. …They will treat you this way because of my name.

But suffering mistreatment because of Jesus is an honor.

1 Peter 4:14-16 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed.

(same word).

About a year ago, the Barna Research Group took a poll in which they asked non-Christians how they felt about certain types of people. The Dallas Morning News reported “Of the 11 people groups whose image was evaluated, evangelicals came in 10^th, trailing lesbians and lawyers but beating out prostitutes.” (Bill, if it’s any consolation, lawyers came out more favorable than Republicans.) Barna’s research shows that 22% of non-Christians have a generally favorable impression of evangelicals. About the same amount have a generally unfavorable impression of evangelicals. And more than half are either somewhere in between or they don’t know. The younger and more educated the person, the less likely they were to have a favorable impression of evangelicals.

Barna attributes a lot of this to ignorance. “The survey data suggest that people form impressions of others on the basis of one-dimensional images created and communicated by the mass media. …‘People’s impressions of others are often driven by incomplete, inaccurate or out-of-context information conveyed under the guise of objectivity when, in fact, there is a point-of-view being advanced by the information source.’”

I think we’ve all heard reports on the news or seen characters in a movie that portrayed believers as backward, stupid, gullible, nave, prudish, judgmental, insensitive and cruel. When these insults are not true and they are delivered as a result of our association with Jesus, then we should congratulate ourselves. Because we have just experienced some-thing that characterizes life in God’s kingdom and confirms our citizenship. We live in a world that is becoming increasingly intolerant of anyone who believes in absolute truth and will dare to advocate a moral position. When that behavior is slandered, you are being persecuted for following Jesus. Congratulations!

But you know, one of the problems with this whole thing is that sometimes when Christians are criticized as backward, stupid, gullible, nave, prudish, judgmental, insensitive and cruel, it’s because they are!

Peter goes on in the same passage to say that not all suffering is noble.

[15] If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. [16] However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.

Sometimes we suffer because we bring it on ourselves. It makes me cringe when I hear a born again leader in government or a publicly known church leader open their mouths and say backward, stupid, gullible, nave, prudish, judgmental, insensitive and cruel things about other people. That kind of behavior justly brings the ridicule of the world and that is not being persecuted because of doing the right thing or because of having a relationship with Jesus. Again, Peter says,

1 Peter 3:15-16 Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

But do this with gentleness and respect, [16] keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

Providing that the insults, the persecution and the slander are really because of Christ and not because we deserve it, this kind of mistreatment is actually cause for celebration: Jesus goes on in verse 12,

[12] Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

If you are being insulted, persecuted or slandered because of Jesus, congratulations! You’re in good company. Many have gone before you who endured the same experiences because they too were following God, trying to do the right thing and proclaiming the message of peace. What awaits both them and us is a great reward: the Kingdom of God.

Hebrews 11 tells the stories of some of these men and women who believed God and suffered for it, looking forward to the reward that awaits them.

Hebrews 11:13-16 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance.

And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. [14] People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. …

[16] they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Conclusion

Are you promoting harmony? Are you also being mistreated either because you’re doing right or just because you belong to Jesus?

If so, then congratulations! You are a citizen of the kingdom. Don’t worry. Be happy. Because the kingdom awaits. Your reward is great and it’s worth whatever you have to endure while we’re here on our layover on planet earth.

¹Copyright 2004 by Lewis B. Bell III. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 3 in the The Kingdom Character series delivered by Chip Bell at Fellowship Bible Church Arapaho in Dallas, TX on February 1, 2004. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with credit.

4. Oh My Goodness (Matthew 5:13-16)

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Matthew 5:13-16¹
February 8, 2004

Introduction

Welcome back to the Jesus Curriculum. We’re studying Matthew 5-7, also known as the Sermon on the Mount. It’s one of the lessons Jesus taught to those who followed him. Here Jesus introduces them to something called God’s Kingdom. That’s why we’re calling Matthew 5-7 “The Kingdom Handbook”, because in it Jesus tells his followers what they need to know as citizens of God’s Kingdom.

For the last three lessons, we’ve been looking at the Beatitudes, nine values that characterize God’s Kingdom.

The Kingdom isn’t something you qualify for by leading an upright life and performing great acts of service for mankind.

Instead, the Kingdom belongs to those who are spiritually bankrupt, to those who are filled with grief because of what sin has done to our world, and to those who cannot handle on their own everything life throws at them.

The Kingdom is the place where we will finally have justice, but at the same time we will be forgiven of all our mistakes and misdeeds. This is possible because Jesus himself died for us, satisfying justice and providing us with his own purity, allowing us to enter into God’s presence absolutely perfect.

In the meantime, while we wait for the Kingdom, we live here on this earth. As kingdom citizens we work for peace between God and man and among men. But as followers of Jesus Christ, we also expect that our efforts will be answered with persecution, with insults, and with slander. We will suffer for doing the right thing and we will suffer just because we are associated with Jesus.

Making these observations about what life on earth is like for a citizen of the Kingdom, Jesus naturally goes on to discuss the issue of living on earth more thoroughly.

In the next verses, 13-16, Jesus uses two metaphors—two word pictures—to describe the role his followers will play during their “layover” here on earth. These are also characteristics of Kingdom citizens. If you are a follower of Jesus, these two pictures tell you what you’re here for.

Jesus says you are salt and light.

For the next two weeks, we’re going to study these two pictures. They are found side-by-side in Matthew 5:13-16. This week, we begin with the first picture in verse 13:

A Metaphor: Salt

Matthew 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth.

Salt was very common in Jesus’ day, but also a valuable substance.

Sometimes Roman soldiers were paid in salt (Pentecost, p. 78) and if one of them was not performing his duties well, it was said that “he wasn’t worth his salt”.

Just like today, salt was used to flavor food and it was also used to preserve foods. There was no refrigeration, so, for example, fish that were caught in the Sea of Galilee were packed in salt and sent to market in Jerusalem. The salt kept the fish from spoiling.

That is the image Jesus uses to describe his followers. You are the salt of the earth. You add distinctiveness to the flavor of life on earth and you help to preserve human society; you keep it from spoiling. What is it about a believer that makes life more palatable and pure? I think that it’s clear that Jesus is talking about the basic goodness that should characterize those who follow him and obey his teachings.

If you’re following Jesus, putting his words into practice in your life, then you will become like Jesus—basically a really nice person, mostly pleasant to be around, helpful, compassionate, truthful, honest, kind and loving. Your life will be characterized by two things: the presence of good deeds and the absence of vices. You will be the kind of person that others are attracted to just because you are such a good person.

Please be careful here. Jesus is not saying that if you work hard at becoming a really good person then you will earn a place in the Kingdom. He is saying that if you have a place in the Kingdom (which comes only through God’s grace), then you will become a really good person as you allow Christ’s character to be formed in you. Christ’s followers will be good people.

The cumulative effect of that kind of goodness has an effect on the world. Through their moral decency and charitable works, believers have made this world a much better place to live. Many of the world’s hospitals, orphanages and universities were opened in the name of Christ. Missionaries have brought literacy, medicine, education, and practical training to millions of people in the name of Christ. American believers in particular have been extremely generous in their gifts to the world.

It is true that self-proclaimed “Christians” have also murdered, stolen and fought wars in the name of Christ. There have been unbiblical, selfish, misguided attempts to promote racial and gender discrimination (and even slavery) with the claim of biblical authority. These people acted in the name of Christ, but they did not obey the teachings of Christ.

Because it is the teachings of the Bible (almost exclusively among the world’s beliefs) that elevated women to their proper place as human beings equal in value to any man. The Bible inspired the prohibition of slavery and promotes the equal treatment of all people on the planet because they are all equally valuable to God. The Bible formed the basis of western law and inspired democratic freedom. The Bible has been a reliable moral compass that has served mankind well for thousands of years despite all the attempts to distort it or misrepresent it. The Bible teaches the principles of honesty, fidelity, respect for others, respect for property, justice, generosity, and non-retaliation. The Bible promotes peace and encourages men to treat each other with kindness, patience, compassion and understanding.

Those who follow Jesus and put the words of the Bible into practice have had and continue to have a tremendous impact on this world for good. That is what Jesus means when he says, “You are the salt of the earth.”

If we follow the Kingdom Handbook, “conforming to kingdom norms”, then, as one writer says, we will be “a moral disinfectant in a world where moral standards are low, constantly changing or non-existent.” (Tasker) And we will greatly benefit the world by the good deeds we do. You are the salt of the earth: a preservative, a flavor enhancer. As you follow the teachings of Jesus, pursuing good deeds and personal purity, you make this sorry world a much better place to live.

Notice the end of the verse:

But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?

It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

Salt in Jesus’ day was not the kind of pure salt we have today. It was mixed with impurities and if it was exposed to moisture for a long time, the salt could leach out, leaving only sand behind—it lost its salty characteristics. When that happened, the “salt” became worthless. It no longer tasted good. It no longer preserved anything. You just threw it out on the ground with the rest of the dust. You’ve all seen a saltshaker with grains of rice in it to absorb the moisture. Well, picture a saltshaker where all the salt has been shaken out and only rice is left in the shaker. That’s the idea here. It’s no longer real salt; it’s just tasteless trash.

That can happen to us too. If our goodness is compromised—if we stop doing good or if we permit moral corruption in our lives—then we cease to become salty—we cease to have the purifying and enhancing effect on the world that Jesus intends his followers to produce while they are here.

OK, so we know what Jesus says we should be: an influence on the world that makes it more pure and palatable. But how do we go about that? How do we function as the salt of the earth? How can we have a positive influence on the morality of a crooked and depraved society?

In the rest of the time we have, I’d like to look at some of the things we’ve tried. I believe that unfortunately many of the things we’ve tried have failed and I’d like to talk about why they have failed. And then I’d like to suggest what we need to do—what I think Jesus had in mind when he told us through this metaphor that we should have a positive moral impact on our world.

What We’ve Tried

Here’s one of the things we’ve tried: confronting sinners and condemning their behavior. This is a picture from CNN of a member of Operation Rescue. He’s standing outside Disney World, protesting on “Gay Day”, a specially organized event for homosexuals at Disney World. (Read quotes from article.)

Just this last year we had a similar event at the Ballpark in Arlington when the Rangers had a “Gay Day” and it, too, was marked with protests by some local churches.

The ProtestGayDay website says, "We praise God that through the media we were able to deter the homosexuals from buying the tickets. …Three young men got saved and came to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. 10 adults and 2 children were spared from unknowingly participating in festivities with homosexuals. Several Christians were enlightened to the need to stand against immorality. Thousands were exposed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Concerned Women of America reported: “Despite claims from the Resource Center of Dallas that they would draw 1,000 homosexual baseball fans to Sunday night’s game, the group was able to sell only 200 tickets for the special roped-off section. …300 Christians rallied outside the stadium in protest of what was billed in the media as “Gay Day at The Ballpark.”…The 8 by 4 foot neon green sign outside the Texas Rangers’ Arlington stadium near Dallas on Sunday night pro-claimed the outcome: “Christians 300, ‘Gays’ 200, Jesus wins.”

While homosexuals seem to inspire the most attention, groups like this have also been active in protesting in front of abortion clinics as well.

Perhaps you can think of some other examples, but it seems to me that homosexuality and abortion have become the two hot-button issues that Christians are concerned about today. Does it seem strange to anyone that Christians organize protests about homosexuality and abortion, but don’t call for protests and marches against greed, gossip, adultery, lying or self-righteous pride? Maybe it’s just me.

Please don’t misunderstand. I think the Bible is clear that homosexual behavior is wrong and that killing another person—even one who is not yet born—is wrong. I believe there is no question that the Bible identifies both these actions unequivocally as sin.

My question is, “By protesting and marching with inflammatory and offensive placards, by writing unkind editorials, by boycotting businesses who make charitable contributions or try to provide equal benefits to all their employees, by treating this as a war of us vs. them, are we effectively making this world a purer and more palatable place?” I think not. On the one hand, I believe that these protests do very little to promote morality. On the other hand, I believe these protests do much to communicate a false impression to the world that Christians are unloving, unkind bigots who hypocritically believe they are morally superior and are selfish and insensitive enough to think that their views of right and wrong should be forced upon others.

Sometimes the desire to promote morality in our society motivates the Christian community to try to legislate against sin. I believe there is a legitimate place for morality in politics (and we’ll talk about that in a minute). But I also believe that we have not been either careful, fair or kind in some of the laws that the Christian community has promoted and endorsed.

What does the Bible say about this warfare against sin in society?

I think it’s interesting to notice that even Jesus didn’t approach the issue the way we do and he didn’t tell us anything that would indicate we should. Jesus said once,

John 3: 17 God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

If anyone had the standing to condemn the world over its sin, it was Jesus. And yet he did not. If that is what we are supposed to be doing, then why didn’t Jesus do it? And why didn’t he specifically tell us to? This verse immediately follows a verse that you’ve probably heard of:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

It’s clear in the Bible that the message of Jesus and his followers to the sinful world is one of love and forgiveness, not one of condemnation and confrontation.

But you might be saying, “Yes, the message is all about forgiveness. But these people don’t know that they need forgiveness and they won’t know unless I tell them.” You know what? The Bible says that job belongs to someone else.

John 16:8 When [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:

It’s the Holy Spirit’s job to convince people that they are guilty and need forgiveness. That’s not our job. That shouldn’t be our approach. Instead, we are there to offer forgiveness to those who recognize they need it. Remember this verse from last week?

2 Corinthians 5:18-20 God ... gave us the ministry of reconciliation: …[20] We are . Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.

We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.

The preachers in the early church took a much different approach than the protestors of our day. They lived in a society that was terribly corrupt; a society in which abortion was commonplace and homosexuality was accepted as an alternate lifestyle. And yet the New Testament says ab-solutely nothing about any protests, confrontations, boycotts, or petitions against sin in society. When speaking to unbelievers, they did not con-demn their sin. They did not even try to point out how sinful they were. They only stressed that God was offering them forgiveness and pleaded with them to turn to God and accept his forgiveness for their sins.

There are many passages in the New Testament that confront sin and talk about how inappropriate it is. But you know what? As far as I know, every one of those passages is addressed to Christians and deals with the issue of sin in the church among believers. They do not reproach unbelievers for their sin. Rather, they plead with them to accept forgiveness if they recognize they need it.

What We Need to Do

That brings us to the question of what we need to do in order to be the salt of the earth, in order to have purifying and palatable influence on the world. First, I believe we need to

Pursue Personal Morality

Philippians 2:14-15 Do everything without complaining or arguing, [15] so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation.

The word “in” here actually means “in the middle of”, like salt rubbed into the meat. When you live in the middle of a crooked and depraved society, it can be difficult to maintain the kind of goodness that Jesus teaches us to pursue. It’s easy to let our moral standards lapse. It’s easy to take care of ourselves instead of serving others. In other words, it’s easy to lose our saltiness.

But if we really want to have a moral influence the world, the biblical way to do it is to actually live moral lives ourselves.

You know, I think I’ve mentioned this before, but as a parent I’ve noticed that kids worry a lot about whether their brothers and sisters are doing what they’re supposed to do. They come in and say, “Mom, Johnny’s got one of those things you told everybody not to touch.” I get really tired of all the help I get from my kids raising my other kids. I find myself saying like a hundred times, “Look, you worry about you. You’ve got more than enough work to do making sure that you’re doing what you’re supposed to do and not doing what you’re not supposed to do. Leave your brother alone.”

You know, I think that might be good advice for us as Christians. Is there some reason, biblical or otherwise why we can’t concentrate on our own morality and quit worrying about whether or not the sinners are sinning?

Research shows that the incidence of adultery, pre-marital sex and divorce is roughly the same inside the church as it is in society as a whole. Christians can be ungenerous, stingy and hard to please. We’ve got a man in our church that says, “When I go to work in someone’s home, I hate to see that fish symbol on their door, because I know they are going to be a pain to work with.” It is a shame that often society cannot tell the difference between the behavior of a Christian and the behavior of a non-Christian. If followers of Jesus are to be the salt of the earth, we must begin by working on our own morality. Personally, I think we’ve got more than enough to keep us busy. At least I do.

Can you imagine what kind of impact the church would have on society if Christians really practiced what they believe, if they purged themselves of sin and concentrated on being good, decent, kind people?

I believe that God’s instructions to us are not arbitrary. He told us to avoid sin because it isn’t good for us. If the church was pure, then I think people in the world would see that and long for the sense of peace and fulfillment that they saw in the church. I think you wouldn’t be able to keep people away. All by themselves (along with the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives) they would begin to recognize the futility of sin and they would long for forgiveness and the life of kind, quiet integrity that they might see in the church—if we passionately pursued our own personal morality.

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you right now? Is there something that you need to surrender? I’m not going to picket your house. I’m going to remind you that Jesus offers you forgiveness so you can be rid of the sin that feels comfortable but is eating away at your soul. The church is meant to be a place where sinners are forgiven and then commit themselves to living a life of moral purity. That’s how we will influence our world.

A second thing we need to do is

Advocate Morality as a Citizen

We live in a somewhat unique government. In a sense, we the people are the rulers of our country. As Christians, I think it is appropriate that we ask ourselves, “What kinds of laws should a Christian ruler make?”

We don’t have time to go into a lot of detail about this issue but I think it is very appropriate that we vote, write, speak, and persuade other citizens to pass morally upright laws. There are just two observations I’d like to make about how we do it.

First, I think we need to be kind. We are called to be peacemakers not rabble-rousers. Again, let me remind you about a verse we saw last week,

1 Peter 3:15-16 Do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience.

For the Christian, I believe there is no place at all in the political process for cruelty, anger, or belligerence. If we cannot speak about politics kindly then let’s not speak about it at all.

What about protests? I don’t know. It depends what look like. Are they kind and respectful or belligerent? If someone did the same thing to our church because they disagreed with what we believed, would you con-sider it persecution? If so, then what authority do we have for persecu-ting those who disagree with God that a certain behavior isn’t sin?

The second observation is that we need to be concerned with biblical morality as a whole. Political conservatives are usually focused on two or three moral issues and almost completely ignore some others. The Bible does teach that homosexual behavior and abortion are wrong. But it also teaches that it is wrong to deny justice to the poor, or to discriminate against a person because he has a different parentage, or to abuse the environment, or to wage war for selfish or capricious reasons. It also teaches about many other sins, the kinds of things that none of us want our government to police, prosecute or punish.

Some of these moral issues are priorities for political liberals. And yet the war cry of the political conservatives is so loud in the church that often these other “liberal” moral issues get lost in the din.

If this is how a believer feels about the political views of the typical evangelical church, just imagine how we come across to unbelievers.

I believe there is a place for a Christian to promote morality in society through the political process. But whether we like it or not, we live in a country that is ruled by the majority of the people. And the law of our land says that, whether or not it conforms to biblical teaching, the majority gets to decide what will be allowed. Is there any reason that we cannot join in the dialogue and advocate our personal support for a particular moral position without demonizing those who disagree? That would be an appropriate way to influence the morality of our society—as one citizen, respectfully expressing a personal opinion that is informed by the teachings of Jesus in the Bible.

Conclusion

The existence of moral laws will not bring morality to our society. But, if we pursue our own personal morality, if we live like the good, decent, honest, generous, upright people that God wants us to be, then we will have an purifying and palatable effect on the world. We will be the salt of the earth.

¹Copyright 2004 by Lewis B. Bell III. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 4 in the The Kingdom Character series delivered by Chip Bell at Fellowship Bible Church Arapaho in Dallas, TX on February 8, 2004. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with credit.

5. Now You See Me... (Matthew 5:14-16)

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Matthew 5:14-16 ¹
February 15, 2004

Introduction

Just about a week ago, on a flight from Los Angeles to New York, an American Airlines pilot came over the loudspeaker on the plane and asked all the Christians to raise their hands. Then he asked those who didn’t raise their hands to use the four and a half hours of their flight to talk with the Christian passengers about their relationship with God.

Although he denies it, some passengers claim the pilot said that anyone who wasn’t a Christian was crazy. Given the super-sensitive security consciousness of air travel after the 9-11 attacks were carried out in the name of religion, the pilot’s remarks caused some passengers to fear for their safety. One of them said,

“Just given the history of what’s happened on planes in this country, anything can happen at this point. So we weren’t sure if something was going to happen at takeoff, if he was going to wait until JFK to do something, but there was definitely the implication there that we felt something was going to happen.”

I imagine that the pilot is now having some second thoughts about whether that was the most effective way to encourage people to consider a relationship with Jesus Christ.

In fact, Jesus might also have something to say about that question. We’ve been studying Jesus’ words in Matthew 5-7, also known as the Sermon on the Mount or what I’m calling The Kingdom Handbook, designed to tell us about life in God’s Kingdom. It’s part of the Jesus Curriculum, our study of the major lessons Jesus taught his followers.

At the beginning of the Handbook, Jesus talks about the character of God’s Kingdom. He describes what we’re really going to like about the kingdom and then he turns to the question of life here on earth while we’re waiting for the kingdom to come. Jesus tells his followers that here on earth, we can expect to be insulted, persecuted, and slandered. But he also tells us that we have a special role while we’re here on earth.

In verses 13-16, Jesus uses two metaphors”two word pictures”to describe the role his followers will play during their “layover” here on earth. If you are a follower of Jesus, these two pictures tell you what you’re here for. Jesus says you are salt and light.

Last week, we talked about his first picture, “You are the salt of the earth.” Jesus wants us to make this place more palatable and pure. He wants us to live a life of goodness”a life of moral purity and good deeds. This week, we move on to the second picture,

A Metaphor: Light

Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world.

Light is a very common metaphor in the Bible. Along with darkness, light is often used to contrast knowledge and ignorance. Here, it almost certainly stands for the world’s opportunity to perceive the truth about Jesus. The world is “in the dark” about God, but Christians “turn on the lights”. Light allows people to see. Christians allow the world to understand how much God loves them and what Jesus has done to restore their relationship with him.

Being the light of the world, we actually carry out the same purpose that Jesus had in coming to earth. The gospel of John says that when Jesus was born,

John 1:9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

Jesus himself said,

John 8:12 "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

John 12:46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

John 12:36 Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light."

Jesus came to earth to show men that God loved them and to demonstrate what he was prepared to do to have a relationship with them. In a dark, dark world, that revelation was like a piercing bright light.

2 Corinthians 4:6 For God… made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

But now, Jesus is gone. He has left the earth and he has left us to fill the role of bringing light to the world”of bringing the world knowledge of God’s love and forgiveness. That’s what Jesus means when he says,

Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world.

If you remember, we saw last week that salt can lose its saltiness”that Christians can become ineffective in their witness if they lose their purity.

In the same way, light can also become ineffective. How? By being hidden. Light is meant to be seen and to allow people to see. Hiding it defeats the purpose of light. Jesus uses two examples to demonstrate that hidden light is ineffective:

[14] "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

A city in Jesus’ day was usually built on top of a hill and could be seen for miles. It was very visible.

[15] Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

The bowl Jesus is talking about here was about as big as this bowl and was used for measuring grain. The purpose of lighting a lamp was so everyone could see. If you put it under something, then the purpose was defeated.

In the face of persecution, a Christian might be tempted to hide their identity. But Jesus says if people don’t know about our relationship with Jesus, then it defeats the purpose of our “layover” here on earth. That’s the way it is with our witness in the world. If we are going to be effective in the role that Jesus gave us as his followers, then we need to be visible.

[16] In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

We must allow ourselves to be visible to the world around us. Notice the emphasis here in verse 16 is allowing the world to see our good deeds. This refers back to the basic goodness we talked about last week that should characterize us as followers of Jesus. Not only should we be good, but we should let the world see our goodness.

The hope, the goal, is that people will give praise to God. This is an important point to catch. The goal is not that people will say, “What great people those Christians are. Look at all the wonderful things they do to help people. Look at how honorable their lives are.” Rather, the goal is that people will say, “What a great God they follow.”

You know, the only way that will happen is that if we make it clear that the reason why we are living moral lives and doing good deeds is because we are following Jesus. If we don’t give God the credit, then we are not being a light to the world. I think this means that in every good thing we do for our fellow man, it is important that we give God the credit. If we do good, but fail to point people to Jesus, then we haven’t done what light is supposed to do. Being “salt” means that our lives should be characterized by goodness. Being “light” means that people are able to SEE that God is the source, and purpose and cause of our goodness.

Several years later, Peter repeats the same idea in his letter.

1 Peter 2:11-12 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.

[12] Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

Once again, the emphasis is on people giving God glory because they can clearly see our goodness. That is why our purity is so important.

OK, so we know what Jesus says we should be: a visible presence in the world that attracts people to God because they experience our goodness.

But just how do we go about that? How do we function as the light of the world? How can we make sure that the people of the world get to see the good things that God has produced in our lives?

In the rest of the time we have, I’d like to look at some of the things we’ve tried. (I believe that unfortunately many of the things that we’ve tried to do in order to be good have not helped our visibility.) And then I’d like to suggest what we need to do”what I think Jesus had in mind when he told us through this metaphor that we should be a visible example to the world of the goodness that God can produce in a human being.

What We’ve Tried

As we consider the issue of our visibility in the world, first, let’s look at some of the things that we’ve tried.

Isolation

The first is isolation. It probably first started as an attempt to preserve our own goodness, to keep ourselves, as James 1:27 says, from being “polluted by the world”. But in an effort to do things differently than the world, we created organizations that would allow us to spend our time with believers instead of unbelievers. Besides various church activities, we created Christian businessmen’s directories so we could do business with other Christians. We built Christian schools for our kids or schooled them at home. Soon many other organizations started popping up: Christian radio stations, Christian publishers, Christian counselors, Christian musicians, Christian newspapers, Christian artists, Christian television and Christian movies. The more immoral the world around us has become, the more alternative Christian organizations have multiplied.

I’m not saying that there’s anything wrong with these things. They all have their advantages. They all have their place. My point is, they also all tend to isolate believers from the culture at large. Though Jesus decided NOT to pull us out of the world, sometimes we have pulled ourselves out.

While there is nothing wrong with these Christian alternatives in and of themselves, the more occupied we are with other believers, the less involved we are with unbelievers”the more isolated we become from the people of the world and the more we need to work at building new connections with the folks that God intends to see us. Isolation makes us invisible”it hides the light that we are meant to shine.

But isn’t this isolation necessary in order to keep the church morally pure? Listen to what Paul said to the Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 5:9-11 I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people” [10] not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral…

In that case you would have to leave this world. [11] But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is . immoral.

The way we keep the church pure is by dealing with sin in the church, not by isolating ourselves from sinners in the world. If our lights are going to be seen by the world, then we must be involved in the world, not isolated from it.

Proclamation

A second thing that we have tried is proclamation. Usually from our isolated position, we try to spread the good news about Jesus with persuasive words. Stop to think for a minute about how most non-Christians might hear the message of the Bible today. It’s true that some people wander into churches and hear the gospel, but most do not. Some of the most prominent tools are TV evangelists and preachers, or big evangelistic crusades like Billy Graham. Then there are gospel tracts or books, people who go door-to-door, and street preachers.

Once again, there is nothing wrong with these tools of communication. Each of them has helped people meet and trust Jesus. But you know what else? Each of them tends to be impersonal and non-relational. Each of them relies heavily on words instead of example. But listen to what Paul says about his ministry among the Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 2:4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power.

It isn’t that Paul didn’t speak to them. He certainly explained the gospel. But he also lived out the power of the gospel in his own life, right in front of them, right where they could SEE it. Again, I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with crusades or tracts or street preaching. What I’m saying is that it is not enough. If we are going to be the lights of the world that God intends us to be, then we need to be seen and not just heard. To be visible, we need to get up close and personal.

I think that whenever these tools we’ve mentioned incorporate personal contact between an unbeliever and a believer, then they tend to have a greater impact. Let’s continue to use whatever tool will help someone discover Jesus.

What We Need to Do

But I also think that there are other, more visible, more effective ways for us to shine the light of truth on the world. Here are some things we can do to become more visible:

Make Contact

Get out and rub shoulders with the people of the world. Many of you work in environments everyday with unbelievers. Some of you belong to the Boy Scouts or PTA or a community sports team. What a great opportunity to get to know people and allow them to see the light of Jesus in you through your goodness. When Jesus left us here, that’s exactly what he intended. Listen to the words of his final prayer for his followers:

John 17:11, 15, 18 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. …

[15] My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. … [18] As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

We are to remain “unpolluted by the world” but the place we belong is “in the world”, right in the middle of it, involved everyday with people who need to see the light of Jesus in us.

Build Relationship

I think it’s clear that the normal avenue for the truth of the gospel is through relationship. It doesn’t need to be a long-standing relationship, but it must be relational. We must care for unbelievers as people, not as potential converts. Our love should be demonstrated in our willingness to serve. Here’s the way Paul described his own ministry among unbelievers in the Greek city of Thessalonica:

1 Thessalonians 1:5 You know how we lived among you for your sake. …[2:7] We were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.

[8] We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.

Notice that the message was communicated in both words and works. Paul and his partners let these people see them live life. They demonstrated on a day-to-day basis what life in Jesus looked like. The Thessalonians could see the goodness that Jesus produced in his followers and so they longed to experience that kind of life too.

[9] Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel.

Be Available

When you live that kind of goodness out in front of others, it will cause some to desire the same kind of life we have. The third thing we need to do is be ready for the day when someone, drawn by our goodness, asks us where we got it. We need to be ready to tell them where they can get it, too.

1 Peter 3:15 Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

I once worked with a waiter named Kevin. He was about as immoral and godless a person as you can imagine. Kevin knew I was a Christian and occasionally he’d tease me about being such a goody-goody.

He didn’t seem to have any interest at all in spiritual things. But Kevin was married and had a little girl. And one day he and his wife decided that in order to give their little girl a proper upbringing, they ought to do something for her spiritual education. They were looking for a church. How would they find one? Well, Kevin knew this guy at work. That’s right. He came to me and asked me if I could recommend a place where they could go. When he wanted to find a Christian, he knew where to find one, because I was not afraid to be a visible light in a dark place.

Point to Jesus

The final point is that we need to point people to Jesus. It isn’t enough to let people see our goodness. We need to let them know that it is Jesus that makes us good and produces that goodness in us.

You probably remember this verse from last week:

Philippians 2:14-16 Do everything without complaining or arguing, [15] so that you may become blameless and pure,

children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe [16] as you hold out the word of life.

I want you to notice the last phrase. “You shine, AS you hold out the word of life.” It’s really important that we follow up our good behavior and our good deeds by pointing people to Jesus. If we don’t then we are shining our light on emptiness instead of shining it on the world’s only hope.

Conclusion

You are the salt of the earth. You are meant to live morally pure lives and to do great good deeds to benefit the people of this planet.

You are the light of the world. As you live out this goodness visibly in front of the people of the world, your life will point them to Jesus where they too can find life that is real life.

That is the task that Jesus has left you on the planet to accomplish. We can still worship him when we get to heaven. We can still serve him when we get to heaven. We can still fellowship with each other when we get to heaven. But one thing we cannot do in heaven is help other people discover how they can get there too.

In April, our church is going to do something that we have never done before. We’re going to have a program called “Forty Days of Purpose”. It involves 7 weeks of Sunday morning worship services. It involves everyone in the church reading together for 40 days through a devotional book. It involves meeting in a small group for six weeks. I think this experience will revolutionize our church. We will probably never be the same. I’d like you to be praying about this, because God can use this to do some exciting things in our church.

But there’s something else I’d like you to be praying about. 40 Days of Purpose is also a great opportunity for you (yes, I mean you, not the person next to you). 40 Days of Purpose is a great opportunity for you to put into practice what we have been talking about today, being a light to your world. You can host a small group at your home and invite anyone to come over and be part of your group. This book is a national best seller and a lot of people have heard of it. You don’t need to know anything about the book. You don’t need to teach. All you need to do is ask people to come over to your house for six weeks.

I’d like you to start praying now about doing that. Some of you are probably feeling like you cannot do something like that. Start praying about that. This is an easy opportunity to make contact with non-Christian friends and build a relationship in a very normal, non-threatening way. It’s a great opportunity to be a visible Christian to your friends, your neighbors, your co-workers or your relatives. Let them see the light of Christ in you and then be available to talk, because they might just ask you how they can find what they see in you.

If you’re feeling nervous, don’t worry. You don’t have to do it now. All I’m asking is that you begin to pray about what God would want you to do and start thinking about who he’s brought into your life to see your light.

¹Copyright © 2004 by Lewis B. Bell III. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 5 in the The Kingdom Character series delivered by Chip Bell at Fellowship Bible Church Arapaho in Dallas, TX on February 15, 2004. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with credit.

Related Topics: Spiritual Life, Evangelism

1. Most Likely to Succeed

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Matthew 7:13-14¹

[Rearrange chairs into very narrow center aisle, wide side aisles. Someone handing out donuts at top of narrow aisle only to those who walked down narrow center aisle. deceptive signs? One usher telling people that donuts are straight ahead at the end of the center aisle.]

Introduction

Nobody likes to be told what to do. And given the choice, most of us would choose to be given a choice. We want selection. We like to leave our options open. We want to be able to decide things for ourselves. Well, this morning, I’ve got some good news for you.

Series: You Have a Choice!

God gives you a choice. That’s right! He allows you to decide certain things for yourself.

All this year, we’ve been studying the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. It’s a lesson about God’s Kingdom that Jesus taught to his followers. Here at the end of the year, we come to the end of the lesson. Jesus has told us that although we enter the kingdom by God’s grace, the kingdom and its citizens are characterized by righteousness—not just an external conformity to the rules, but the heartfelt inner righteousness of pure thoughts, motives and attitudes. We need to be investing in the kingdom, laying up eternal treasures in heaven instead of temporary treasures on earth. And in our relationships with each other, we should treat each other well—just the way we’d want to be treated.

Now Jesus closes his lesson by giving us a choice. In fact, he gives us three choices:

· Where are you going?

· Who are your guides? and

· What will you change?

Today we want to take a look at the first choice that Jesus lays before us: Where Are You Going? What is the purpose and direction of your life?

The Bible says, there are Two Paths you can take in life. And you are free to make the choice. God gives you that freedom. But as you decide, there are a few things you should know about these two options. One of them works and the other one doesn’t. One of them feels right and the other one doesn’t. One of them is popular and the other one isn’t.

Most Likely to Succeed

These two paths lead to two very different destinations. Your selection is a matter of life and death. One of these paths is most likely to succeed. The other is doomed to fail. The verses we’re studying today, Matthew 7:13-14, are all about the choice between these two paths. These verses tell us something important about the choice we have to make and they tell us something important about ourselves.

Although the choice is ours to make, Jesus begins with some wise advice:

Matthew 7:13 Enter through the narrow gate.

Even before we examine the two paths stretching in front of us, Jesus wants us to have the inside scoop: think narrow. “I’m about to give you a choice between two doors. And by the way, if you’re paying attention, pick the narrow door.”

The Path To Death

Then he gives us a contrast between these two pathways.

For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.

The first option is a wide gate and a broad path. The words used here describe a spacious, roomy, expansive highway to travel on. It’s just the kind of road you might choose. Travel along this road is easy and there’s ample room to accommodate everyone and all their baggage.

self indulgence

Destruction both now and for ever.

	Death	Life
The Onramp	wide
Road Conditions	broad
Traffic Report	many
Destination	destruction

The Path To Life

[14] But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Even the beginning of the path is restrictive.

narrow is literally “pressed together”, restricted (tribulation)

The implication is not spacious, but crowded, hard to navigate.

KJV said “strait and narrow”, but strait means restricted, like the Strait of Magellan, not “straight” meaning without curves.

repentance, humility, discipline, persecution

self-sacrifice, self-denial, spiritual resistance and conflict

a minority religion

Oswald Sanders: “A West Indian who had chosen Mohammedanism in preference to Christianity, gave as his reason that ‘Mohammedanism is a noble, broad path—there is room for a man and his sins on it. The way of Christ is a narrow way—the sins have to be left behind.’” (p. 149)

Life both now and for ever.

	Death	Life
The Onramp	wide	small
Road Conditions	broad	narrow
Traffic Report	many	few
Destination	destruction	life

If you’ve entered the narrow gate, don’t expect to fit in, to be popular.

Expect continued persecution, restrictions, not a life of ease.

Many people don’t have a problem with Jesus being a Savior, but a lot of people have a hard time accepting Jesus as THE only Savior.

John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else [but Jesus], for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.

1 John 5:11-12 God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

[Clip: “Planes, Trains” You’re going the wrong way!]

[Clip: “Planes, Trains” Do you feel this car is roadworthy? Yes, I do.]

The Road Not Taken

By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Which Path Will You Choose?

You have a choice—you can either choose to find life through Christ or through any other means. But the idea that all paths lead to God and to eternal life is a fallacy. Seeking life through anything but Christ is the most popular choice, usually an easier path, with fewer requirements and less restrictive. Most people choose that path to find life. Seeking life through Christ alone is a less popular choice, sometimes difficult, with specific requirements which eliminate many from the path (by their own choice). Jesus, however, is the only way to life. All other paths lead to death. Christianity is exclusive. All are welcome, but only those who come will be saved.

Notes:

The Road Not Taken

By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

¹Copyright © 2004 by Lewis B. Bell III. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 1 in the Kingdom Choices series delivered by Chip Bell at Fellowship Bible Church Arapaho in Dallas, TX on November 28, 2004. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with credit.

2. Beware of Sheep Imitations

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Matthew 7:15-23¹

Introduction

[Print real bulletin and fake bulletin (Bible studies on prosperity, race hatred, healing, universalism, Jesus as example, homosexual marriage)]

Beware of Sheep Imitations

The last one arrived just about two weeks ago. It was in a plain, simple white envelope. But the message inside was anything but ordinary. Besides the words which explained why the letter had been sent, the message really consisted of only two words: “Go out.” The thing which made this message extraordinary was that it claimed to be a message from God. The letter was from a woman whom I have never met and who, as far as I know, has never been to our church. But, she claimed, God had given her a message to deliver to us: “Go out.” The staff debated for a while whether that meant we should evacuate or head to the restaurant before we finally decided that it must be about evangelism. Every once in a while we get a letter like that here at the church from someone who claims to have a message for us from the Lord.

Or perhaps you’ve received an email from some Christian in Nigeria who has recently come to possess a huge amount of money that is being hidden from corrupt government forces. They’re writing to you because they want the money to be used for God’s work. So if you’ll just help them get a million dollars or so out of the country, they would be happy to share with you what God has provided.

All around us are voices that claim to speak God’s truth. They tell us what to believe, what to do, how to vote, how to spend our money and our time, how to raise our children and how to navigate our relationships. They claim to tell us our destiny. They claim to tell us the truth. But the truth is that many of the voices out there that claim to speak to us on behalf of God—most of them are fakers, cheats and phonies.

All you need to do is wander through any bookstore or flip your way through a few religious programs on TV and you will encounter the fakers. Their words are confident and persuasive. Their followers are many. Their results are remarkable. But they do not speak the truth.

The Bible is a dangerous book—perhaps the most dangerous book in the world—dangerous because it claims to be God’s own words, the infallible, inerrant, authoritative voice of God. So it is no wonder that people turn to the Bible to back up their own ideas and values. Down through history, and in our own day, the words of this book have been twisted to support all kinds of perversions. The reason people use the Bible that way is because they hope to draw from its authority. They are trying to tell us, “This isn’t just my idea. This is what God says. So you’d better listen to him.”

Series: You Have a Choice!

God gives us a choice. He lets us decide certain things for ourselves.

As we continue our study of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, we’ve come to the final section, where Jesus presents his followers with three choices:

Where are you going? Who are your guides? and What will you change?

Last week, we talked about Where Are You Going? We saw that we are presented with two paths in life. One is a broad path where the going is easy and the travelers are many. That path looks like the right one, but it leads to death. And then there is another path: narrow, twisted and torturous. Not many people find it, but that path leads to life. In fact, that is the only path that leads to life. Jesus says we get to choose which of those two paths we will take.

Today we come to our second choice: Who Are Your Guides? Which voices will you choose to follow?

The Bible says there are Two Teachers you can listen to for directions. And you are free to make the choice. God gives you that freedom. But as you decide, there is something you should know about these two teachers. One of them speaks the truth and the other one doesn’t. One of them is genuine and the other is a phony, a faker. The path you choose will determine whether or not you find the WAY. The teacher you choose will determine whether or not you find the TRUTH.

Who are your guides?

Baaad Disguise

Be alert for false teaching. (15)

In reminding us that we have this choice, Jesus also gives us some advice. Beware, he says, of sheep imitations. Not everything that looks genuine really is genuine. Not everyone who claims to speak God’s truth really does. There are a lot of voices out there. It’s easy to suppose that someone is speaking the truth because they use God’s name or because they quote the Bible. But Jesus says we must be on the lookout for false teaching.

Matthew 7:15-23 [15] "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

Prophet: not someone who tells the future, but someone who speaks for God.

Sheep’s clothing: they appear friendly & harmless, like a brother

Ferocious wolves: Dangerous. Their desire is to fleece you. Devour you. But you cannot tell that from their words or their outward appearance.

It’s the falsehood that devours you.

Be alert for false teaching. (15)

Jesus calls us to healthy skepticism. Be careful about the truth. Don’t swallow everything just because the name Jesus is on it. Don’t be so naïve. Amazing how naïve we can be. For example, The Declaration of Independence is often referenced as part of our nation’s deep Christian roots because it refers to “God” and “the Creator”. Yet the man who drafted the Declaration, Thomas Jefferson, clearly rejected Jesus Christ as the Son of God and rejected the Bible as God’s authoritative Word. The parts he found convenient he kept and the rest of it he literally cut out. We cannot accept something as true just because it comes from a Christian or someone who sounds like he might be Christian. (Movies where people talk about “Jesus”.) We must be alert for false teaching.

How can we tell the difference? One important way is by their words.

The test for a true prophet was, “Does his message agree with the rest of the Bible.” That’s a good test for anyone’s teaching, any book, any preacher, any idea, any philosophy, or any message supposedly from God. Apply it to me. Apply it to everyone you hear.

That’s why it’s important to know what the Bible says and know how to study it and understand it. That’s why we offer classes Wed nights.

Class: Unwrapping the Meaning of the Bible.

Wednesday nights, Jan 5 to Mar 9, 6:30, Fellowship House

So how do you tell the difference between true teaching and false teaching? One way is to compare the teaching to the rest of the Bible.

But there’s also something else you can use to evaluate.

Plastic Fruit

Evaluate teaching by what it produces. (16-20)

Jesus says we should evaluate teaching by what it produces. That is, what is the outcome of this teaching? What happens in the lives of the people who follow this guide? (Not the results. Not just the immediate outcome, but the long-term outcome.) How would God judge it?

Jesus uses an illustration, a metaphor, to describe what he means.

[16] By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

[17] Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. [18] A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.

[19] Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. [20] Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Evaluate teaching by what it produces. (16-20)

One of the best ways to tell the difference between a teacher who is genuinely teaching God’s Word and one who is falsely claiming to teach God’s Word is by their lifestyle. Does their life support their claim to follow Jesus? Do they themselves obey? (Not like the Pharisees.)

Be wary of spiritual leaders who live by different rules than the rules that apply to everyone else.

Doesn’t mean perfect obedience. No one is perfect.

But this is why a significant moral failure destroys a pastor’s ability to preach or lead a church.

Almost anyone can put on a good act. But no one can hide forever. Someone’s true character eventually comes out in their actions.

That’s why ministry in relationship. mini church

You will recognize them by their fruit.

In v. 21, Jesus has one other warning to give us about false teachers.

Name Dropping

Not everyone who names God knows God. (21-23)

A lot of people who claim to be Christians do not really have a relationship with Christ.

[21] "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Entering the kingdom: being saved.

It isn’t a profession of faith that matters. It’s doing God’s will. Obedience.

Again, this doesn’t mean perfect obedience. It doesn’t mean we earn our way to heaven by doing the right thing.

It means that real faith (trust) will always result in obedience. “Let loose.”

Not saying “God”, but living differently because of God. CHRISTMAS

[22] Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'

Note that Jesus presents himself as the one who will be the ultimate Judge on Judgment Day. He’s not just a nice guy. He’s not someone who is so full of love that He will let everyone into heaven in the end.

He presents himself as the one who will even tell some of his followers that they have deceived themselves and they will not be allowed into the kingdom.

[23] Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

Never knew: no relationship

Not everyone who names God knows God. (21-23)

People may admire Jesus. They may claim to believe in Him and even to follow him. But profession is not enough. Serving him is not enough. Even doing miracles in his name is not enough. It’s all about relationship. If you know Jesus, then you’re part of his kingdom.

If you know Jesus, then you obey him. maybe not perfectly, but deliberately.

If you don’t know him, if you don’t have a relationship with him, then you will be excluded. (not by me!) But you will be excluded by Jesus.

Conclusion

This morning when you walked in, you got a bulletin.

Everyday you have a choice. Who will you listen to? Where will you go to find out the truth?

The world is full of all kinds of ideas. The Bible is even used to promote widely divergent and sometimes contradictory doctrines. You have a choice—you can either choose to listen to the truth or you can listen to lies. We need to be aware that everything we hear is not true. Every interpretation of the Bible is not true.

How can we tell the difference between truth and error? Jesus says we need to evaluate teaching by what it produces, by its outcome or effect. This does not mean a utilitarian approach (if it “works”, then it must be true). This does not mean a popular approach (if it’s widely accepted, then it must be true). This does not mean a rational approach (if it makes sense, then it must be true). This does not mean an existential approach (if it satisfies me, then it must be true). This means that true teaching is going to lead us to produce the kind of righteousness that is described in the Bible: faith in Christ alone, dependence upon God, humility, love for others, moral behavior (biblically defined), and commitment to God’s eternal kingdom and righteousness. If any teaching is producing effects that contradict these values, then it is false teaching.

There are people (and teachers/preachers) who claim to act in the name of Jesus, and who actually prophesy, exorcise demons and perform miracles, but do not have a relationship with Jesus, do not know him, and do not have eternal life. So we must always carefully evaluate the message of anyone who claims to be teaching or acting on behalf of God.

The truth is out there. But so are all kinds of fakers, phonies and liars. You have a choice. Who will be your guides?

¹Copyright © 2004 by Lewis B. Bell III. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 2 in the Kingdom Choices series delivered by Chip Bell at Fellowship Bible Church Arapaho in Dallas, TX on December 5, 2004. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with credit.

3. Location. Location. Location.

Related Media

Matthew 7:24-29¹

Introduction

You know what they say are the three most important considerations in real estate:

Location. Location. Location.

That’s not just true in real estate. It’s also true about life.

Today we’re going to study a parable. It’s an illustration, a metaphor about real estate and about life. It’s a picture that Jesus painted about a choice that each of us has to make: what street do you want to live on?

Nobody likes to be told what to do. Given the choice, most of us would choose to be given a choice. We want selection. We like to leave our options open. We want to be able to decide things for ourselves. And fortunately for us, we have a choice.

Series: You Have a Choice!

God lets us decide certain things for ourselves. As we continue our study of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, we’ve come to the final section, where Jesus presents his followers with three important choices:

Where are you going? Who are your guides? and What will you change?

We’ve talked about the first choice, Where Are You Going?

We saw that we are presented with two paths in life. One is a broad path where the going is easy and the travelers are many. That path looks like the right one, but it leads to death. And then there is another path: narrow, twisted and torturous. Not many people find it, but that path leads to life. In fact, that is the only path that leads to life. Jesus says we get to choose which of those two paths we will take.

We also talked about the second choice, Who Are Your Guides?

Last week we saw that there are all kinds of voices out there claiming to tell us the truth: preachers, politicians, philosophers, books and movies.

Jesus says we need to be on the lookout for false teachers: people who claim to tell us the truth, but don’t. How do we know the difference? We compare what they say to the Bible. We evaluate their fruit: the long-term effect of their teaching. Not everyone who speaks in the name of Jesus tells the truth. Not everyone who names God knows God. A man’s relationship with God is demonstrated by what he does, not by what he says. So we must choose which teachers we will follow.

Today we come to our third choice: What Will You Change?

Jesus says that your life is like a house and you can choose to build your house on one of Two Foundations. You are free to make the choice. God gives you that freedom. But as you decide, there is something you should know about these two foundations. One of them works and the other one doesn’t. One of them is solid and dependable. The other is unreliable and sure to bring you disaster.

The path you choose determines whether or not you find the WAY.

The teacher you choose determines whether or not you find the TRUTH.

The foundation you choose determines whether or not you will find LIFE.

What kind of foundation have you chosen?

Let’s begin by picking up a verse that we looked at last week:

[21] "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

We saw that the person whom God accepts into heaven is not the one who says he has a relationship with him, but rather the one who really does have a relationship with him and demonstrates it by his or her actions. This verse is a contrast between talkers and doers.

But in verse 24, Jesus is making a contrast between hearers and doers. It’s about those who are listening to the truth that Jesus is teaching there on the mountain. He’s speaking to his audience. He’s speaking to us.

And he says that we all have a choice. We have all heard his words. The question is, now what? There are two ways to respond to the truth that you’ve heard through Jesus’ teaching. You have a choice. Are you going to do it, put it into practice? Or, are you going to settle for simply hearing it? In other words, now that you’ve heard the Sermon on the Mount, what will you change?

Doing the Truth

Jesus describes your choice by comparing your two options to two houses built on two different foundations. The first house represents those who are changed by the truth—those who do something about what they’ve heard. Jesus describes that kind of person in verse 24:

Matthew 7:24-29 [24] "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Each of us builds the house of our lives through our actions, our words, and our attitudes. With each decision, we lay a new brick, nail a new board.

The word wise means “thoughtful”, “sensible”.

The key thing here in the building is the foundation. Here there is an emphasis not just on hearing, but on application, follow through—actually doing the truth, acting upon what you have heard, putting the truth into practice. Doing truth is what Jesus calls the foundation of rock.

Notice that Jesus focuses in on “these words of mine”, drawing a parallel between his words and “the will of my Father in heaven” in the previous verses. Jesus is claiming essentially that his words are God’s will.

When we hear God’s word, we have a choice. We can be content with being informed—or we can put it into practice. We can allow it to change our lives.

The huge difference is in the outcome. Jesus describes the results of this decision in his parable of the house:

[25] The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

The hurricane that Jesus is describing here is most likely a reference to the final judgment when we all stand before God. That will be the ultimate test of our character. But I think that when he says this, Jesus also has in mind the hurricane that each of us faces in simply living life.

When difficult times come, when our beliefs and our values and our choices are tested, the outcome will depend upon whether or not we applied God’s word to our lives. The rain, the flooding streams, and the strong winds all represent the hurricane of life. Life is messy.

It throws us some pretty challenging problems, some very severe disappointments, an onslaught of stressful trials. Many of you are going through that dark side of life right now. You’re in the middle of the hurricane force winds. Life is taxing every ounce of energy and faith and hope that you have. You may be having days when you’re not sure you’re going to make it.

What Jesus is saying here is that your ability to weather the storm of life depends entirely upon one thing: your foundation. Have you put God’s word into practice? Are you doing what you’ve been taught? If you have, then you will be able to stand against the onslaught. You will survive the hurricane, because you have a solid foundation to stand on. You have allowed God’s word to shape your beliefs, your values and your choices.

This parable comes in two parts and here’s the first part:


	Doing the Truth will protect you (24-25)
The Builder	wise
The Foundation	rock
The Hurricane	rain flood winds
The Result	did not fall

Jesus says that doing the truth will protect you from the storms of life.

The person who recognizes that and builds his life around putting God’s word into practice is a wise, thoughtful builder. He has chosen a sturdy, rock-solid foundation. So when the hurricane of life blows cold and hard against him, he will not fall. He will not crumble.

Example: Noah obeyed God and was protected.

Hearing the Truth

There’s a second part to this parable. Beginning in verse 26, Jesus describes a second house—one which represents those who hear the truth but are not changed by it. They have chosen a different foundation for the building of their life.

[26] But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

Here again the builder assembles the house of his life through his actions, his words, and his attitudes. With each decision, he lays a new brick, nails a new board. But this time the builder is foolish. He chooses a foundation that is shifting, unstable, and undependable.

Notice something very important here. The foolish builder Jesus is describing is not someone who has no idea what God’s word says.

Jesus isn’t contrasting those who go to church with those who don’t.

He isn’t talking about those who read the Bible as opposed to those who don’t. Both the wise builder and the foolish builder are described as people who “hear these words of mine.” Both of them hear the truth. Both of them know the truth. The difference between these two builders is that one of them acts on the truth and the other one doesn’t. One of them practices the truth and the other one doesn’t. One of them is changed by the truth and the other one is simply well informed and educated about the truth.

Hearing the truth but not doing it is what Jesus calls a foundation of sand.

When we hear God’s word, we have a choice. We can be content with being well-informed—or we can put it into practice. We can allow it to change our lives.

Once again, the huge difference is in the outcome. Jesus describes the results of complacency about God’s words:

[27] The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

When difficult times come, when our beliefs and our values and our choices are tested, the outcome will depend upon whether or not we applied God’s word to our lives. At that point it doesn’t really matter whether or not you have heard God’s word. The only thing that matters is whether or not you have done anything about it.

Your ability to weather the storm of life depends entirely upon your foundation. Have you put God’s word into practice? Are you doing what you’ve been taught? If you have not, then you will not be able to stand against the onslaught of life. The hurricane will overcome you because you have no solid foundation on which to stand.

So here’s the second part of the parable.


	Doing the Truth will protect you (24-25)	Hearing the Truth doesn’t matter (26-27)
The Builder	wise	foolish
The Foundation	rock	sand
The Hurricane	rain flood winds
The Result	did not fall	fell with great crash

Simply hearing the truth doesn’t matter. Hearing alone does nothing to protect you from the storms of life. The person who builds his life without practicing God’s word is a foolish builder. It doesn’t matter how well he knows God’s word, how much he’s studied or read. It doesn’t matter how many years he’s gone to church. He has chosen a foundation that will fail. So when the hurricane of life blows cold and hard against him, his house will fall. And his destruction will be great.

God tells us the truth for a reason: He loves us. He wants us to have the very best life we can, abundant and full of meaning. He wants us to live forever in the wonderful place he’s created for us, where there is no deceit, no treachery, no unkindness. And so he tells us how we can do that. He tells us the truth.

Now, here’s our reaction: why is God trying to ruin all our fun? Why does he limit us and keep us from enjoying all these attractive pleasures that we see all around us. Why has he put so many things “off limits”—things that look good, wise, harmless, entertaining, exciting, cool and fun?

You know what the truth is? The truth is that God loves us so much that he tells us the difference between what is good for us and what will destroy us. The things that will destroy us, ruin our relationships, damage our health, steal our joy, and devastate our sense of fulfillment—those things God calls “sin”, and he tells us to stay away from it because sin will kill us. The wages of sin is death.

That is exactly what this verse is talking about here. When we hear the truth and choose to live by it, that truth protects us from sin’s destruction. But so often we hear the truth and choose to leave it at that, perhaps because we don’t trust it, or because we have some other option that we like better. But if we choose to simply hear the truth without following it, then we will be destroyed by the devastating effects of sin. Sin is a poison. It always kills. That’s why God wants us to stay away from it. Sin will tear down your house and it will fall with a great crash.

Please don’t let that happen.

Let’s get real specific. I’m not here to pretend that I’m any better than anyone else. This isn’t a contest. But you know already know what you’re tolerating in your life that God calls sin. And it’s important that you’re honest with yourself about whatever sin is in your life.

Are you being less than honest in your business or in your words?

Are you sleeping with someone you’re not married to?

Are you selfishly collecting things for yourself instead of being generous?

Are you holding a grudge, refusing to forgive the one who wronged you?

Do you gossip, condemn, or harshly criticize other people?

I could go on, but you know what? So could you. You know what it is in your life, and right now God’s Spirit is reminding you that it is sin.

You have heard the words of Jesus. Are you going to do anything about it? You have a choice. Will the truth make a difference in your life?

Will Truth Make a Difference in Your Life?

There’s another verse in James where he reminds us of this same idea:

James 1:22, 25 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. …[25] The man who …continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.

We church going folk get really good at hearing the truth. We listen to sermons. We read books. We go to Bible studies and small groups.

Some of us even go to seminary.

But what really matters is whether or not that truth is making a difference in your life. That is the choice you have to make. That is what determines whether or not you experience God’s blessing and protection.

------------------------------

With that astounding thought, the Sermon on the Mount ends.

And then Matthew records the reaction to what Jesus had taught:

[28] When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, [29] because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

The thing that amazed the crowds was that Jesus taught with authority.

The teachers in his day, called rabbis, would usually teach by citing a long list of previous rabbis who had answered a particular question or interpreted a certain passage. But Jesus spoke as one who had the authority on his own to speak directly about the kingdom, about the meaning of the law, about the future, about God’s requirements, and about how we ought to act and think. The way Jesus taught them left them amazed. They were probably amazed both at his words and at the way he delivered them.

However, interestingly enough, this verse doesn’t say anything about the kind of response that the teaching of Jesus had in the lives of those who heard him that day. Being amazed doesn’t change anything. Perhaps some of the people in the crowd that heard Jesus actually did something with what they had heard. Unfortunately, probably most of them were simply amazed.

We’ve spent the last year studying the Sermon on the Mount. You’ve heard the words that Jesus intended for you. Personally, I’m amazed at what he’s said in these three crucial chapters of Matthew. I hope you’re amazed too. But the most important question is what’s next. When you go home, how are you going to leave? Informed? Amazed? Or changed?

What Will You Change?

You have a choice—you can either choose to embrace God’s word and put it into practice in your life, or you can hear it and then walk away unchallenged and unchanged. If you choose to apply God’s word, to shape your life according to its teachings, then you are forming a stable foundation for your life which will allow you to endure and survive the difficulties and challenges that you will face in this life. God wants to protect us from the great damage that sin can do in our lives. The reason he says “no” to certain things is because they are dangerous, poisonous and destructive. He wants to spare us from tragedy. So he warns us and if we heed his instructions, then we will be protected. On the other hand, if you hear God’s word and then you choose not to act upon it, not to shape your life according to its teachings, then you are unprotected from the destruction of sin and the dangers of a fallen world.

It does no good to hear God’s word if you don’t do anything about it.

So, you’ve heard God’s Word. You’ve heard the words of Jesus that he taught his followers that day on the mountain. You’ve heard. The question is, “What are you going to do about it? What will you change?”

¹Copyright © 2004 by Lewis B. Bell III. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 3 in the Kingdom Choices series delivered by Chip Bell at Fellowship Bible Church Arapaho in Dallas, TX on December 12, 2004. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with credit.

1. Good Enough? (Matthew 5:17-20)

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Matthew 5:17-20
March 7, 2004¹

Introduction

Title: Good Enough?

You’ve probably heard this question before: If you were to die tonight and stand before God and he said to you, “Why should I let you into heaven?” What would you say to him?

When I ask people that question, a large part of the time the answer I hear back is, “I would tell him that I think I’ve lived a pretty good life. Hopefully the good I’ve done will outweigh whatever bad I’ve done.”

Maybe some of you feel the same way. Here’s the problem: Just how good is good enough? How good do you need to be to get into heaven?

What exactly is the cut off point?

It is not just a question that we ask today. It was also a question that people in Jesus’ day were very interested in. Knowing that, he answered it very clearly. Today, we’re going to look at his answer.

The Jesus Curriculum

We’re continuing our study of the Sermon on the Mount, a lesson that Jesus taught to his followers. It’s a kind of handbook for the kingdom of God. Last month, we studied the character of God’s kingdom and the character of the kingdom’s citizens.

The Kingdom Code

Today we come to the beginning of a new section: The Kingdom Code.

If you remember where we left off, Jesus has just said that his followers should let the world see their goodness and that will have a profound effect on the people of the world. In this next section, Jesus goes on to describe what goodness looks like. Exactly what did Jesus mean? What kind of goodness was he looking for? And exactly how good was good enough?

The code is still in place.

Jesus begins by saying that he’s not starting all over from a blank slate.

Matthew 5:17-20 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

“Law and Prophets” was typical way of referring to the Scriptures, what we call “The Old Testament”.

Jesus is trying to head off any misunderstanding.

Someone might think that if the spiritually bankrupt belong to the kingdom of God, then Jesus must be saying that it doesn’t matter if you’re good—that it doesn’t matter if you obey the law.

But Jesus is saying, “I am not doing away with it, I am fulfilling it.”

It means that the OT points to him and by his life, his teachings, his death, his resurrection, and his return he completes the OT—he makes it happen, he brings it into reality. Jesus is not setting it aside and starting over with something different. He’s finishing the incomplete masterpiece that was begun in the Old Testament.

Several things in the Old Testament are radically changed by the coming of Jesus Christ. In the completed masterpiece, there are temporary measures that are no longer needed, like sacrifices. But that is like removing the scaffolding. It is far different than erasing the masterpiece.

[18] I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter,

The smallest Hebrew letter is yod.

not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

The least stroke is probably talking about the small differences between some Hebrew letters. he, hait, tov; vav, zion, dalet, resh

Basically, he’s using two expressions to say that no part of the Old Testament, no matter how small, no part can be set aside without being fulfilled, as it is being fulfilled right now in the life and teachings of Christ.

Since that is true, it is important that we keep to the code.

The code is to be practiced and taught.

[19] Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven,

Better translation for “breaks” is “relaxes”.

but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

The one who is really fulfilling his role as a citizen of God’s kingdom is one who follows God’s commands and teaches others to do so too. They will be recognized as the great ones in the kingdom.

The code requires perfection.

[20] For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law,

The Pharisees were theological conservatives. They believed God. They believed his word. They wanted to live lives that demonstrated their devotion to God. So they were very careful about their behavior. They went to great extremes to make sure they were not disobeying God’s law. To the people of the day, there was no one more righteous than the Pharisees. But Jesus says, “If you aren’t better than them—the most righteous people you know—then

you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

In essence what that means is that no one is good enough to enter the kingdom of heaven. How good is good enough? Perfect. 100%. Better than you are. More righteousness than you have. Even the most righteous people are not qualified to enter the kingdom.

If you’re thinking that when you’re standing at the entrance to heaven, you’ll be hoping that you’ve been good enough to get in, then Jesus says here in these verses that you’re in for a big disappointment. No matter how good you are, it’s not good enough. That leaves us all in a tough spot. It means that no one is qualified to enter God’s kingdom.

So…where does that leave us?

After reading these verses,
I realize that I need…

It means that we need something. These verses tell us four things that we need when it comes to being good.

…righteousness

I’m not righteous enough to enter the kingdom. Correct.

You need someone else’s righteousness.

Romans 3:20-22 No one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law. … But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.

When we put our trust in Jesus, he gives us his righteousness. In God’s eyes, he makes us completely righteous.

Romans 8:3-4 What the law was powerless to do …God did by sending his own Son …to be a sin offering …in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us.

The law has not been abolished. It’s still there and it still reveals God’s will. But through Jesus, I have met all its requirements.

There’s a second thing from these verses that we know we need.

…the Old Testament

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

This is speaking of the Old Testament. It is still God’s guide for us. It is still a revelation of his righteous character.

A third thing Jesus says that we need.

…to do right

We don’t need to do the right thing in order to win God’s love and acceptance. We already have that. God’s love and acceptance are based not on what we do, but on what Jesus did for us.

We don’t need to do the right thing in order to look good to others. It doesn’t matter what other people think of us.

There are three good reasons why we need to do the right thing.

1st, the best reason to do the right thing is because it is good for us.

We often think of sin as a restriction from something good. “Keep away from that!” But sin is not a candy; it’s a poison. The reason God tells us to keep away is because it will kill us. So doing right is good for us.

Second, doing right is what we were made for. Good is what we were meant to be. He gave us righteousness (that means he forgave us and declared us righteous) so that his righteousness would change who we are, effecting every area of our lives. Christ saved us so we could become like him, not just in right behavior, but also in right thinking and believing.

Third, and perhaps most important, when we do right, we are preparing a gift to bring pleasure to the most important person in our life, Jesus. If you have been forgiven and you understand what Jesus has done for you, how can you not love him and want to show him that love? We often show love to people by giving them gifts. Do you know how we show our love for God?

1 John 5:3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,

2 Corinthians 5:9-10 So we make it our goal to please him, … [10] For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Reading this verse, it’s easy to think of this judgment as a trial. We immediately feel guilty (like getting called into the principal’s office).

But that’s not what this judgment seat of Christ is like. Think of it instead as Dad’s birthday party. The family’s all sitting around. Now it’s time to open the presents. Everyone’s a little curious to see what each person got Dad for his birthday. As the presents are opened, they reveal each person’s creativity, thoughtfulness and affection for Dad.

One day we are going to stand before God at a celebration in his honor. By the way we live our lives we are preparing a gift for him, the one who created us, forgave us, rescued us, cared for us and brought us back to life forever. On that day, the gifts will be opened and the contents revealed. What will you be giving the King at his celebration?

When I was a much younger man, I had a best friend (let’s call him “David”). Both raised in Christian homes. Both committed to follow Jesus. David and I were both dating and we told each other everything. Both of us occasionally pushed the limits of “how far can you go?”, but we were trying to “save ourselves” for marriage.

One day, David and his girlfriend “went all the way”. At the time it seemed all right, since, after all, they were planning to get married soon. And so they decided to have sex “on credit”. (the lay-away plan)

As you probably guessed, shortly after, they broke up. David was sick, physically sick. Not just because it hurt to break up, but because he had spent something precious that he could never again recapture. A few years later, David met another woman and when they married, I know that David’s greatest regret was that he couldn’t offer his wife the wedding present that he really wanted to be able to give her: his virginity.

Please don’t misunderstand. That didn’t diminish David’s love for his wife or his commitment to their marriage. And she still loved him deeply—whether he was a virgin or not. But because of the mistakes he had made, David was unable to offer her the one-of-a-kind, unique, specific gift that would best communicate his singular devotion to her. It wasn’t until his wedding day that he realized the value of what he had left behind.

I believe that is the situation with our gift for Jesus. Only while we are here on earth do we have the opportunity to prepare our gift for him—a gift designed to bring him pleasure—our obedience.

(I know right now, heaven seems a long way off. Maybe you don’t really feel like preparing a gift for Jesus—you’d rather please yourself. I know. I often feel that way.)

But when we all stand before him on that day, I think we will suddenly realize fully the extent of what Jesus has done for us. On that day, we’ll finally get it. And we will want to be able to give Jesus everything. We’ll want to show him our love, our complete devotion and allegiance. But at that point, all the shopping days will be over. Whatever gift we have prepared is the only one we will have to present.

On that day, when all the gifts are opened, we might want to give Jesus more, but we will only be able to honor him with what we have already done with our lives here on earth. That is why it is so important to do what is right. Because of God’s grace, our relationship with him will never be threatened, but at his celebration, we will want to please him with the way we have faithfully followed him.

This verse also gives us another reason to do right. At that same celebration to honor Jesus, after we have honored him by opening our presents, the Bible says that we will be rewarded for what we have done. What does that reward look like? That’s for another day.

But let’s go back to our list. After reading these verses, I realize that I need…

…to be genuine

Jesus said, “Your righteousness must be greater than that of the Pharisees. Although Pharisees were on very good behavior, Jesus criticized the Pharisees and scribes for being hypocrites.

Matthew 23:25 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

Play acting vs. sincerity.

Academy Award for best performance as a righteous person

External performance vs. Internal reality.

This is followed by six specific examples or applications.

What does it look like to be genuine in our obedience?

We’ll leave that for next week.

¹Copyright 2004 by Lewis B. Bell III. This is the edited manuscript of Lesson 1 in the The Kingdom Code series delivered by Chip Bell at Fellowship Bible Church Arapaho in Dallas, TX on March 7, 2004. Anyone is at liberty to use this lesson for educational purposes only, with credit.

You are here

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13. Belajar Terbang

Mempelajari Nilai dari Bekerja

Menghargai Nilai dari Uang

Merencanakan Pekerjaan Hidup Mereka

Mempersiapkan Mereka untuk Perkawinan

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1. Lifestyles of the Poor and Nameless (Matthew 5:1-5)

Introduction

The Jesus Curriculum

Kingdom Character

1. Spiritually Bankrupt

2. Deeply Dismayed

3. Completely Inadequate

Conclusion

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2. With Liberty and Justice For Me (Matthew 5:6-8)

Introduction

Crying for Justice

Unexpectedly Forgiving

Absolutely Innocent

Conclusion

Conclusion

Infomercial

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3. Peace without Honor (Matthew 5:9-12)

Introduction

Promoting Harmony

Mistreated for Doing Right

Mistreated for Jesus

Conclusion

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4. Oh My Goodness (Matthew 5:13-16)

Introduction

A Metaphor: Salt

What We’ve Tried

What We Need to Do

Pursue Personal Morality

Advocate Morality as a Citizen

Conclusion

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5. Now You See Me... (Matthew 5:14-16)

Introduction

A Metaphor: Light

What We’ve Tried

Isolation

Proclamation

What We Need to Do

Make Contact

Build Relationship

Be Available

Point to Jesus

Conclusion

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1. Most Likely to Succeed

Introduction

Series: You Have a Choice!

Most Likely to Succeed

The Path To Death

The Path To Life

The Road Not Taken

Which Path Will You Choose?

Notes:

The Road Not Taken

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2. Beware of Sheep Imitations

Introduction

Beware of Sheep Imitations

Series: You Have a Choice!

Baaad Disguise

Be alert for false teaching. (15)

Be alert for false teaching. (15)

After reading these verses,
I realize that I need…