Humility

KEY QUESTION
What does it mean to value others before myself?

KEY IDEA
I choose to esteem others above myself.

KEY VERSE
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:3-4

Today marks the end of a 30 week journey of Basic Christian Thought.  We have look at the Christian Faith through three different lens: Think, what  do I believe; 2) Act, What should I do; and 3) Be, who am I becoming.

Each of these sections have give us opportunity to not just hear the stories of the Bible, but to put some of the pieces together and understand the foundations of a Christian worldview.

I think given our Christian worldview, it is appropriate that we started this section with Love and that we conclude it with Humility.  These would be — in my mind — two defining attributes of Jesus Christ as his life is presented in our Gospels. In fact, as we prepare ourselves for the season of Advent we remember the greatest act of humility in human history — when the eternal Word of God… “became flesh and dwelled among us.”  

The first church highlighted the humility of this action and Paul quotes from what many think is a Christian hymn when he writes to the Philippians:

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11, NIV)

And for us, we are looking today at that passage and more specifically the two verses that precede it:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:3-4

Humility is not something that comes easy for us…it seems that there are always lessons to learn

Illustration: Chan Gailey, a football coach told how he learned a lesson in humility.

Gailey was then head coach of Alabama’s Troy State, and they were playing for a National Championship. The week before the big game, he was headed to the practice field when a secretary called him back to take a phone call.

Somewhat irritated, Gailey told her to take a message because he was on his way to practice.

She responded, “But it’s Sports Illustrated.”

“I’ll be right there,” he said.

As he made his way to the building, he began to think about the upcoming article. It would be great publicity for a small school like Troy State to be in Sports Illustrated. As he got closer, he realized that a three-page article would not be sufficient to tell the whole story.

Coming even closer to his office, he started thinking that he might be on the cover. “Should I pose or go with an action shot,” he wondered. His head was spinning with all of the possibilities.

When he picked up the phone and said hello, the person asked, “Is this Chan Gailey?”

“Yes, it is,” he replied confidently.

“This is Sports Illustrated, and we’re calling to let you know that your subscription is running out. Are you interested in renewing?”

Coach Gailey concluded the story by saying, “You are either humble or you will be humbled.”

Alan Price, Chatsworth, Georgia; source: Chan Gailey speaking at a dinner in Dalton, Georgia (4-20-04)

Learning humility requires changing our perspective about God, others and myself.

First let’s consider Humility before God:

Every time we come and worship we are reminded that there is a God and we are not Him. Our first step toward genuine humility begins with how we see God!

God is the creator – we are the creatures.  Do we get a sense of the distance between us? I can make cakes, God can make galaxies

Here is how the Bible speaks of God. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command… (Hebrews 11:3a, NIV)

Do we grasp what that means? Here is an illustration of God’s greatness that keeps us in a position of humility.

Keller shares that when he was young man At a Christian camp in Colorado, a woman Bible teacher gave an illustration that changed my life.  She said, “If the distance between the Earth and the Sun, 150 million kilometres, was reduced to the thickness of a sheet of paper, then the distance between the Earth and the nearest star would be a stack of paper 21 metres (70 feet high).  And the diameter of our galaxy would be a stack of paper nearly 500 km high.  That’s how big the galaxy is.  And yet, the galaxy is nothing but a speck of dust, virtually, in the whole universe.  

And the Bible says Jesus Christ holds this universe together with the word of his power.  His pinky, as it were.”  And then she asked the question: “Is this the kind of person you ask into your life to be your assistant?”

Part of our worship is too utter praise to God Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. 1 Chronicles 29:11

God’s greatness is immense and incredible….
Man is not the measure of all things – but as the Psalmist says –
When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
the moon and the stars you set in place—
4 what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them? Psalm 8:3-4

I can cakes but God can make galaxies. Do we have an abiding sense of God’s greatness?

Secondly learning the way of humility means I consider

Humility toward Others:

A litmus test for our ability to be humble toward others is that we

Cut the criticism and celebrate others.

Criticism’s dark side is a form of pride…As CS Lewis says, pride is the pleasure of having more than the next person. Pride is the pleasure of being more than the next person. If I can’t have more than you I will diminish and criticize what you have so I can scramble up once again on mount ego!

Criticism is often fueled by competition

We authentically “…value others above yourselves… (Phil 2:3-4, NIV). It is more than a technique, flattery or a coping skill with people but we genuinely celebrate the good in others and give thanks to God for what He is doing.

Why do we value them? Because God in Christ values them. He was willing to give his life for all of us. That means we are valued by God.

I love how C.S.Lewis says it in his book The Weight of Glory

“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously – no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption.”

Valuing them is expressed when we celebrate in a spontaneous and gracious way. Talk to parents – usually this comes quite naturally to celebrate their children – but the call is to value all others.

Celebrate others by honoring them, learning from them and serving them.

Celebrating others is rooted in the grace we have in Christ.Here is a good observation, “…in Jesus we are shielded and protected from the worst things about ourselves. Because Jesus shields us like this, we should of all people be zealous to restore reputations versus destroying reputations, to protect a good name versus calling someone a name, to shut down gossip versus feeding gossip, to restore broken relationships versus begrudging broken people.” (source: Scott Sauls, Befriend (Tyndale, 2016), page 48)

Humility within Me:
A preoccupation with ourselves is not what Christ desires in our lives! But selfish ambition and vain conceit

While it is true that the man of humility is not inclined to think highly of himself, this is not because he consciously endeavors to despise himself, but because in his service and his devotion he forgets self.

Ortberg book…

The wide path of unhealthy navel-gazing and the narrow path of healthy self-forgetfulness  

“in the last days… people will be lovers of themselves…” (2Timothy 3:1)

In “The Era of the Narcissist,” Aaron Kheriaty points out the self-absorption of our era:

Of all the amazing features of the medieval cathedrals, one feature stands out as very strange to the modern mind: We have no idea who designed and built them. The architects and builders did not bother to sign their names on the cornerstones. People today might ask, Why build the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Chartres if you can’t take credit for it? No lasting fame? No immortalized human glory? We’re perplexed by the humility of these forgotten artists who labored in obscurity. Do and disappear? This is not how we roll in the America of the twenty-first century.

All this humility and anonymity began to change during the Enlightenment. For example, when Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s wrote his book Confessions in 1789 he dedicated it “to me, with the admiration I owe myself.” The book opens with these lines: “I have entered upon a performance which is without example, whose accomplishment will have no imitator. I mean to present my fellow-mortals with a man in all the integrity of nature; and this man shall be myself.” In contrast, the 4th century Christian thinker Augustine’s Confessions(Rousseau ripped off Augustine’s title) gives all glory to God, as in his opening line from the Book of Psalms: “Great thou art, and greatly to be praised.” As much as we might admire Augustine’s humility, Rousseau’s language sounds more familiar. “To me, with the admiration I owe myself” is a dedication that would look right at home today on social media.
Adapted from Aaron Kheriaty, “The Era of the Narcissist,” First Things (2-16-10)

The deeper we move into loving God and loving others we become forgetful about ourselves!

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less” – C.S. Lewis

 

Litany of Humility

 

Lord Jesus. Meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

Journey to Gentleness

KEY QUESTION
How do I demonstrate thoughtfulness and consideration?

KEY IDEA
I am thoughtful, considerate and calm in my dealings with others.

KEY VERSE
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. (Philippians 4:5, NIV)


Isn’t funny how we often connect gentleness with a certain type of personality? Anyone who does not fit that stereotype obviously isn’t gentle…right?

Listen to this story…

At St. Francis High School in La Canada, California, math teacher Jim O’Connor is known for his tough, no-nonsense approaching to algebra, pushing his students—all boys—into shape. O’Connor, a Vietnam vet told CBS News, “It drives me crazy when people say school should be fun. I mean, it’s nice if it could be, but you can’t make school fun.”

Pat McGoldrick, a senior at St. Francis says, “[Until people get used to him,] they think he’s really mean.” But that all changed for Pat and his classmates when they visited Los Angeles Children’s Hospital to recruit blood donors for a blood drive they were organizing.
When the boys mentioned where they went to school, they were immediately met with awe. The hospital staff said things like, “Oh, so you must know Jim O’Connor. Isn’t he wonderful?”

The boys were stunned and, if they were being honest, a little confused about the man they thought they knew. That confusion was cleared up when they saw a plaque in the hospital for all-time donors. At the top of the list? Jim O’Connor. A universal blood donor (type O-negative), O’Connor has donated a total of 72 gallons of blood and platelets since 1989, surely saving countless lives along the way.

But there was more that the boys learned that day: Jim O’Connor, who never married or had children of his own, volunteers three days a week holding and rocking sick and dying babies when their parents can’t be there. O’Connor says of the babies, “I don’t want to see them alone. You can’t do that.”

O’Connor’s students were blown away. Their tough teacher had a gentle and caring heart.

Bonnie McMaken, Carol Stream, Illinois; source: Steve Hartman, “Tough California teacher has a tender heart,” CBS News (2-14-14)

When you think of gentleness what comes to mind? On first blink we may default to images of syrupy sweetness and softness, we may perceive it as effeminate and/or a personality disposition that we suspect does not do much for us in a highly competitive world.

But gentleness as described in the bible is a Christ like character trait for those who being filled with the Spirit of God. Jesus gives an invitation where he says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest…(Matt 11:28) In this invitation Jesus reminds us that He is gentle and humble in heart.(verse 29) Rest for our souls includes learning the way of gentleness from our Saviour.

[We learn the way of Jesus in order to become, as Eugene Petersen says, “our eternal selves for the eternal city”.(citation:The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb)]

Scripture shows us God is far less interested in your results than the person you are becoming. So today let us consider the quality of gentleness.

Our key verse today is taken from Philippians 4:5

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. (Philippians 4:5, NIV)

We must understand this is so much more than speaking in “hushed tones” or having a “soft touch” or “getting hurt easily”. Today we want you to consider three distinctive expressions when you are on your journey in demonstrating gentleness.

JOURNEY TO GENTLENESS

Gentleness is not having Half-baked opinions but sees the whole context.

The idea of gentleness includes you are not insisting on every right of letter of law or custom. You understand what is expected but you navigate the standards not with unbending strictness but instead are merciful and are tolerant of slight deviations.

In other words you attempt to thoughtfully see the whole context. Rather than simply state in a half baked way “well that is the rule” you strive to see the intent behind the rule and make adjustments as needed.

James 3:17 catches this idea of wise thinking with gentleness – But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times

You are a professor, you have stated 12 noon to be your deadline for papers. Someone delivers a paper in at 12:07. What is the right response? What is the gentle and right response?

I remember my daughter in a provincial speech contest years ago. There were 2 parts to the competition. One was the main speech and then a spontaneous shorter speech from a randomly drawn question.

She did really really well in her main speech. When it came time for the spontaneous question – If I remember correctly – her question was based on a quote from Albert Einstein dealing with technology’s impact on our society” She was asked if she agreed or disagreed and to speak for minute or so why.

The quote was big and she panicked. She said she disagreed with Einstein and then stammered in somewhat confused sentences for the next moments.

I remember the judges took a long time after all the students finished both parts. I knew Megan was at the top of the group with the main speech and likely last with the spontaneous part.

As the main judge came up to deliver the who finished in 1st, 2nd and 3rd place – he stated their dilemma with Megan’s speech results – he summed it up by saying that the main speech was the primary goal of the competition and in light of that – Megan was rewarded for her efforts in that high school provincial speech contest.

I tell that story because it required the ability for the judges to see the whole context…and make a gentle decision.

When we begin to grasp context we will become gentle. We avoid becoming someone who wants an unbendable rule of law/tradition without being tempered by graciousness, mercy, or compassion. We will avoid becoming someone who lacks empathy and wisdom when evaluating what is just.

Micah 6:8 – what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy – those words from Micah show us…

Gentleness wisely includes mercy with what is right and just.

Gentleness is not being being Heartless but considers the person.

When we see people the way God sees people we will find that the best response includes gentleness.

Wisdom literature of the bible encourages us with this instruction – A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger – Proverbs 15:1. In our words with others, gentleness paves the way to deeper understanding because you are treating others with respect.

How do you respond when you are encountering someone who is coming across as heartless, harsh and with no empathy to your situation? Walls go up. Loving people means we take time to put ourselves in other people’s shoes. And by doing so this we are practicing gentleness because we are considering the other person. We are feeling what they are feeling.

Do to others as you would have them do to you. Luke 6:31

Philip Yancey shares a story from his book Vanishing Grace that I think illustrates this aspect of gentleness where we truly consider the other person.

Once, while speaking on the topic of grace in Toronto, I asked the audience about their own experiences conveying grace to others. One woman shocked us all: “I feel called to minister to telephone marketers. You know, the kind who call at inconvenient hours and deliver their spiel before you can say a word.” Immediately I flashed back to the times I have responded rudely or simply hung up. She continued:
All day long these sales callers hear people curse at them and slam the phone down. I listen attentively to their pitch, then I try to respond kindly, though I almost never buy what they’re selling. Instead, I ask about their personal life and whether they have any concerns I can pray for. Often they ask me to pray with them over the phone, and sometimes they are in tears. They’re people, after all, probably underpaid, and they’re surprised when someone treats them with common courtesy.
Philip Yancey, Vanishing Grace (Zondervan, 2014), pp. 75-76

This story reminds us that gentleness is not a heartless harsh response but really thinks about the other person. This is letting your gentleness be evident to all.

Gentleness is not being Hot-headed but shows restraint in its response

As much as gentleness involves thoughtful understanding of the context and considering the other person/persons ultimately it comes down to our response.

Recently we had an Emergency Evacuation Plan rehearsal – we are learning that when people are involved in intense situations there are 3 common responses – FIGHT, FLIGHT or FREEZE.

I got thinking how often when we are dealing with people we find our emotions are taking us into one of those 3 responses. We fight, we take flight or we freeze. What is hard about all those responses is that none of them demonstrate gentleness.

Which one are you?

All of these responses may feel good in the moment but in the long run these are simply immature emotional responses that are not loving and do not demonstrate gentleness.

Being considerate of others, gracious and kind requires us to choose our response. Specifically it means we restrain our response.

I think we often think gentleness means weakness when in fact it means strength under control. Gentleness always focuses on how love can be experienced in that moment.

Think of Jesus encounter with Peter after his resurrection. Here was Jesus who had just defeated the powers of Satan and death. All authority in heaven and earth is his. He knew Peter had denied him. How did He treat Peter?

Around that fire on the shore – Jesus simply asked Peter 3 times – read in John 21 – “do you love me?” What a gentle Saviour. Jesus goal was restoration, not rejection. He led with compassion not correction.

What difference would it made if Jesus had commissioned Peter in a harsh manner? What if Jesus had responded with a FIGHT, FLIGHT, FREEZE? But how he restored Peter is part of what gentleness is all about. How we live, work and serve with others is where our restrained/retrained response makes all the difference.

True for all believers but I this is true especially for leadership – In 1 Timothy 3 – Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task…of all the qualities catch this one – not violent but gentle – we may feel the urge to lash out but in the end it achieves little.

Here is a story about how a gentle response changes the moment when things can’t be changed.

“Ed and his wife, Barb, are from Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Waltz’s daughter, Deb, has cerebral palsy.

Barb had hoped that Deb would walk one day. After performing a battery of tests, the first doctor led Ed and Barb into a small conference room where he bluntly laid out for them what they could expect. In a tone that was cold and emotionally disconnected from his patient, the doctor said, “It is extremely unlikely that your daughter will ever walk.”

Still in a state of shock from the devastating news, Barb asked, “But what kind of shoes should I buy for my daughter?” She was thinking about some special corrective shoes, or perhaps shoes connected to a brace.

Without softening the blow, the doctor retorted, “Buy her whatever kind of shoes you want. She won’t be using them to walk in.” And with that, he quickly left the room, where Barb burst into tears.

Several months later, the family met with a second doctor. This time the entire scene felt different, though. Ed said, “My wife asked this new doctor essentially the same question she had asked the first one. She was still wondering if there was anything we could do that might enable our daughter to take even a few steps.”

The doctor paused for a moment, thinking. Then, he looked compassionately and directly into Barb’s eyes and said, “You know what I would do if I were you, Mrs. Waltz? I’d buy my daughter the prettiest little pink shoes I could find, with purple shoe laces.”

Barb knew what he meant.

Ed said, “We talked about our experience on the way home. Both doctors had told us the same thing—Deb would never walk. I’m ashamed to say what we felt like doing to the first doctor, but we felt like hugging the second doctor.”

Gently speaking the truth makes a difference in how that truth is received

My gentleness – Is it evident to all?
So here is our question. My gentleness and your gentleness is it evident to all? We are told to clothe ourselves with gentleness. Are you wearing gentleness well? When people have to meet you are they dreading it or looking forward to it?

“If we want to know the true measure of our gentleness, we have to ask others” – Randy Frazee

May I gently inquire – Will you ask someone this week?

Rediscovering Faithfulness

KEY QUESTION
Why is it important to be loyal and committed to God and others?

KEY IDEA
I have established a good name with God and others based on my loyalty to those relationships.

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Proverbs 3:3-4


Have you ever thought about this? God is far less interested in your results than the person you are becoming. Many people in our life have tried to substitute results for what they lacked: joy, relationship, character. (citation: Dallas Willard – Cutting Edge magazine, Summer 1999. A publication of Vineyard USA – Becoming The Kinds of Leaders Who Can Do The Job)

This fall has been a journey about Christian character – another way to say that is to ask: “Are we displaying virtues of a soul that is captured by Jesus?”

Today we are considering the quality of faithfulness

When I think of faithfulness certain images come to mind. The first is DOGS. They have this incredible trait of loyalty. At the beginning of the service you heard about Bobby the Skye Terrier from Scotland.

Another one is the the famous Japanese Akita dog known as Hachiko, or Hachi. Hachiko would see his owner off to work in the morning at the Shibuya Train Station, in central Tokyo and went to pick him up at the station in the afternoon when he returned from work.

Less than 2 years in doing this routine on May 21, 1925, Hachiko was as usually sitting by the exit at the train station waiting for his dear owner. But his owner never showed up…..he had suffered from a cerebral hemorrhage and died.  

Hachiko moved in with a former gardener of the Ueno family, but throughout the rest of his life he kept going to the Shibuya Train Station every morning and afternoon precisely when the train was due to enter the station, waiting in vain for the return of his beloved owner which sadly never came back.

This is an actual photo of him waiting to meet his master. He did this for the ten years!

A major Japanese newspaper reporter picked up the story of Hachiko in 1932 and published it, which led to Hachiko becoming a celebrity all over Japan.

People started calling him “Chuken-Hachiko”, which means “Hachiko – the faithful dog”.

Another image of faithfulness is from one of my favorite movies LOTR and the hero of the story – Samwise Gamgee. He was Frodo’s friend who made a promise that he would help him deliver the ring into the fires of Mordor. At one point early on on the trip Frodo tried to leave Sam because he began to realize how the depth of danger. In the novel there is this captivating moment

Frodo: Go back, Sam! I’m going to Mordor alone.
Sam: Of course you are, and I’m coming with you!

Sam’s demonstrated his faithfulness by sticking to his promise.  

Stories about dogs  and mythical creatures present faithfulness as a inspiring ideal

But let’s bring faithfulness into the real human world –

I think of SEARS – a 60 plus old company that has shut its doors, shut down its pension for its employees – all 12,000 of them. Many of them were loyal and look at their reward. Perhaps many them are wishing they had jumped ship sooner.

Another image is MARRIAGE – statistics tell us in Canada that despite vows of faithfulness – 41% of marriages today will end in divorce by 2035!

The Folly of Faithfulness – An inspiring ideal but a fool’s errand

Faithfulness I would suggest often gets bad press. We might be tempted to think – an inspiring ideal but a fool’s errand. Valuable employees move quickly from one job to another. Staying through to the end is often seen as optional. Being faithful others who are not your close family is not really considered wise.

Today’s wisdom tells us to be faithful to ourselves. In fact we often don’t value faithfulness because we see that often it is not rewarded. We fail to see how faithfulness has an intrinsic worth regardless of how others respond to this virtue.

We have to be careful not become friendly to the world’s thinking at a moment like this – we have to let go of the notion that a character trait is only good as long as we get something out of it! That is being “conformed to the pattern of this world” instead of being “transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (cf. Romans 12:2, NIV)

Transition: Our challenge is to understand “faithfulness” neither as an inspiring idea for dogs/hobbits nor as a foolish idea for people, but instead, to think of this as Jesus did and let it transform our thinking…

The Faithfulness of God
I do what I say
I’m not going anywhere

Faithfulness matters because we see it in the nature of God. God is faithful.

Preacher Chip Ingram in his blog “Living on the Edge” describes God’s faithfulness like this – Whether we’re conscious of it or not, we all believe in someone or something to “hold us up” inside. When that person or thing comes through for us, then life is good! But when that person or thing doesn’t come through for us, then we experience a sense of anxiety, dissatisfaction, and ultimately despair. But the truth is, there isn’t anyone or anything that will come through for us 24/7 – except for God Himself.

Grasping God’s faithfulness is expressed in two simple ways. God’s faithfulness means God is saying to us…

 

  • I do what I say
  • I am not going anywhere

 

God does what He says He will do!

God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? (Numbers 23:19)

  • God promised to Abraham a nation and from his family came tribes from those tribes the nation Israel was birthed.  
  • God promised a Saviour and we celebrate Christmas with the birth of Jesus.
  • God promised One who would take away our sin and while we were still sinners we see Christ dying for us on the cross.
  • Jesus promised he would rise again and now there is an empty tomb.
  • Jesus promised the Holy Spirit and now we see lives transformed when people are filled by faith with God’s divine presence in their lives.

I do what I say…

But God also says, “I am not going anywhere”

God’s faithful presence is heard throughout scripture where he will not leave us or forsake us. (Joshua 1:5) King David said, ‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (Acts 2:25) Jesus said

Here is something worth thinking about – The times we  experience God’s presence most vividly is when we are doubting, weak, tempted or when we sin.

In all those times if we listen we can hear God saying, “I am not going where.”

    • Are you stretched thin with doubts? See how creation reveals the presence of God. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1

 

  • Are you feeling weak, discouraged , overwhelmed.? When the apostle Paul was weak the Lord said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” In response, Paul said: Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. (2 Corinthians 12:9) We default to the belief God isn’t with us when we’re struggling and weak. But just the opposite is true.
  • Are you tempted? No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (1 Co. 10:13)

 

  • Have you sinned? God again shows us his faithful presence. Our natural reaction is to run and hide. We feel so bad and ashamed. But God promises that “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) – Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Praise God for His compassionate, merciful faithfulness...I do what I say and I am not going anywhere is how God shows us faithfulness time and time again.

Now here is where we are going – if faithfulness is a big deal for God it should be a big deal for me. It should be a quality that in my walk with God is becoming more evident. Faithfulness is a trait of intrinsic worth. When I seek to demonstrate it in my life I am following God’s example.

Faithfulness in me

I do what I say
I’m not going anywhere

So how does faithfulness live out in me? Do you see the overlap?

I do what I saywhen I make a promise I keep it. When I tell someone I will follow through I will. My words and action go hand in hand.

Living out my faith is a recognition that faith demands effort. Dallas Willard make an important distinction when it comes to faith and works. His slogan is “Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning. Earning is an attitude; effort is an action.”

When Jesus calls us to live in the Kingdom of God I have to start becoming a person where I do what I say….it will require effort to walk the second mile, serve others with a cup of cold water, showing up in each others lives to love one another.

I am not going anywhere…have you ever wondered when people need your presence the most? It is when they are stretched thin with doubts, feeling weak-discouraged -overwhelmed, tempted to sin and when they sin.

That is when God is calling us to follow his example as his dearly loved children. Think about your friendships, your marriage, your family, your family of faith, your circles of people where every soul you meet is looking for those people who are not going to check out…faithfulness means I am not going anywhere

Just like English, the Greek word for faithfulness is build on the foundation of “faith” or “belief”.  The standard Greek dictionary for the New Testament says that faithfulness is “the passive aspect of πιστεύω [to believe]” In other words, faithful is that virtue of being found worthy of trust.  If I am faithful, you can depend on me. You can believe in me.  What a great idea!  

So important is this character trait for the follower of Jesus Christ that Jesus himself lauds it as being at the top of list in terms of what separates the follower of Jesus from others.

Jesus told lots of stories about what the kingdom of God is like – there is that one about the master with 3 servants – before he went on a journey – one was given 5 bags of gold, one was given 2 bags of gold and one was given 1 bag of gold.

When the master returned two of them had done something with the gold – Master’s response – ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.Come and share your master’s happiness!’ Matthew 25:21

To the servant who did not do anything with gold – he was called wicked and lazy – and was cast out.

Jesus story tells us so much but one is this – faithfulness opens us up to opportunities where God wants us to serve.

To Jesus, faithfulness is a critical distinction between world and the church. May it be so with us.

Prayer: God you are faithful – You have shown us in your Word and through our lives that you do what you say and you are not going anywhere. 

 

Seek the Good (Brent Hudson)

KEY QUESTION
What does it mean to do the right thing? How do I know?

KEY IDEA
I choose to be kind and good in my relationships with others.

KEY VERSE
Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good (lit. “the good”)  for each other and for everyone else. (1 Thessalonians 5:15, NIV)


Introduction

Today we are looking at two virtues of the Christian life – goodness & kindness.  These are often seen as a bit bland and perhaps they are so obviously part of the Christian life that one could think they hardly warrant a message.  On the surface, I agree.  To use an idea from Paul, among the virtues these seem like “elementary teachings” or “milk, not solid food” — but I think the deeper we delve into these ideas, the more we see that simple ideas can sometimes be easy to ignore.

When you look up the word “goodness” or “good” in the standard theological dictionary of Greek words (NIDNTT) you notice right away that there are three words grouped together under the general idea of “good”.

  • The first refers to what is “good and moral”
  • the second to what is “good and pleasing” and
  • the third refers to what is “good and kind”

I’m simplifying, of course, human language is rarely consistent and often used ironically or in some symbolic manner.  But it is important for us to see that it is a big idea and that the concepts of what is good and what is kind are connected.

Sometimes in a translation, you find that an original saying is explained more than translated because the two languages don’t line up very well.  I find the text of 1Thess 5:15 is like that.  Literally the text reads: “pursue the good for each other and for all”.  Most translators will say the phrase “the good” is awkward and change it to “what is good” and then they add a verb “to do” to make it more clear “seek or strive to do what is good” even though the Greek text is actually more powerful when it says: “pursue the good”.  I want to leave the idea of “the good” alone and not make it “what is good” or “things that are good” — I want to leave it as it stands “the good” because I think it helps us look at our actions from 20000ft up above the ground. The view is clear in a broad way and I think it helps us understand the big picture. I am a firm believer that understanding the big picture of what God wants is the best help available in getting the details right in our lives.

And from our passage what is clear right away is. . .

“The good” exists…

It’s a strange thing to say really, but I think sometimes we forget it.  There is a moral category called the “the good” and it does exist and we need to be aware of its existence as we make life-choices.  As we look to the text Paul doesn’t hesitate in declaring we need to look for it. It’s there in every circumstance.  Sometimes it is hard to see.  Other times we may wonder if it is worth the effort to find, but we must never deceive ourselves into thinking it doesn’t exist.  In every circumstance and on every occasion, there is “the good” and we are told to look for it.

The very first line of Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life says: “it’s not about you”.  While that may seem ho-hum in a christian context, in a world that defines “#1” as “self” — it’s an important reminder.  And we need to be reminded regularly that life is not primarily about us and achieving all the things we set out to do.  Primarily, life is about God and bringing God glory. We do that primarily by believing in his Son, Jesus Christ and in an on-going focus on looking for what God is doing or wants us to do.  The thing that God would have us do we would call “the good”.  The good exists because God exists and “The Good” is primarily about God and his purposes, not about what I want.  Paul makes this clear in the passage when he says that for the Christian, it is the good of others and everyone that we are to be concerned.  We are part of that “everyone else” he refers to, but we are not at the center.

Even so, I know that we often struggle with figuring out “the good” in real-time.  The fact is that

“The good” can get complicated

  • It is often hard

The decision making is difficult in the best of times.  Usually there are many factors involved.  When you add the idea of the “the good” and then compound that with “for each other and everyone” — our thinking slows down.  Now we have to think about how our decisions affect others outside our immediate group — our spouse, our kids. Now we look at our extended family, our church, our friends & neighbours. The reach grows immediately from something simple to something hard.

But you know as well as I do that what is most difficult is actually doing this. Sometimes it is obvious what “the good” is but doing it will require something from us that is difficult.

  • Others may disagree

Another reason pursuing the good is complicated is that it conflicts with our desire to promote ourselves. Sometimes doing “the good” will get us criticized.  Sometimes people will misunderstand and sometimes people will just simply disagree with our understanding of what “the good” is.  These are the risks we run when we break free of a self-focused existence.

I know that the bible teaches to give a portion of my income to the church.  Traditionally, that is 10% – a tithe.  The NT teaches that all my possessions belong to God, but we like to give the first 10% of our income to our local congregation to support our common spiritual life.  If you come from a non-christian family, the first thing people will say if they find out is that you are crazy.  Maybe brain-washed.  I mean, who does that right.  Particularly if you are trying to get yourself out of debt or save for retirement or pay off a mortgage.  In a world acclimatized to “the easy” or “the self” — pursuing “the good” is a strange and often disagreeable thing.

  • We must decide

Finally, pursuing “the good” gets complicated by the simple fact that we need to make a decision and act on it.  It goes beyond a mental exercise. There may be 10 possible choices, be we must discern which one represents “the good”.  It may be that half of our options ‘good’ and so we need to look for what is best — the most good of our good options.  In either case, being frozen in indecision is not the same as pursuing “the good”.

We are called to actively pursue “the good”

To say that we are ‘called’ to actively pursue the good is a bit of a euphemism. Yes, it is true that we are called, but more accurately the Bible tells us to do this.  It is not a suggestion, or some ‘big over-arching’ idea about meaningful living — it is a command.  The command ultimately is rooted in another command — Love one another.  We cannot love one another and not seek the good for each other.  We cannot love one another and only choose what is good for me.  More importantly, Paul tells the Thessalonian Christians that “the good” stands as the opposite of evil.  Do not repay evil for evil but pursue the good for each other.  You see when you read the whole thing, it becomes clear that the “one another” part is not just people who are treating you well.  In this case, it is someone who may be treating your in an evil manner.  Someone who you may be tempted to get revenge on or at a minimum totally ignore.  But Paul says we must seek the good for each other — even if the ‘other’ is doing something hurtful to us.  This is ultimately the way of Christ.

Richard Hays wrote a massive book a decade ago and it is now consider a standard among scholars who teach NT ethics at the university level.  I’ve used it for courses I’ve taught at Crandall, but even more significantly, I use it as a pastor navigating the many life issues that come our way.

Hays doesn’t give all the answers, but what he does do is give three lenses to look through as we try to figure out what “the good” is in any circumstance.  I want to share those three ideas because — obviously — being able to know what is good is essential if we are to live for Christ in this world.  The first lens is the cross.  The cross has great significance to the Christian faith — it is the place where sin was beaten and our collective debt to God was paid in full.  As an example though. . .

  • The Cross teaches us to sacrifice

We need to be reminded again and again that personal sacrifice is the norm for the Christian life.  If we are to seek the good for each other, that means that we all sacrifice and we all benefit from each other’s sacrifice.  We are actually strengthened by that sacrifice rather than weakened by it.  And I’m not just talking spiritually — though that also is true — I’m referring to strength of character.  It is as we learn to put others before ourselves that we learn what real strength is. Anybody can be a bully or self-centered person. It’s actually really easy to just focus on self — what is hard is putting that aside.  The cross teaches us that this is God’s way.  It’s not something for us to boast about. It’s not something that makes us better than others.  Sacrifice is the way of God. It’s what the Father did when he sent his Son; it’s what Jesus did when he gave his life, it’s what the Holy Spirit within us is doing as we grieve and quench His holy presence in us because of sinful choices. God sacrifices.  If we are to pursue the good, we must be ready to sacrifice.  It’s not always necessary, but we must always be ready.

The second lens Hays gives us the church — but not the building or institution — the community of people who profess faith in Jesus Christ and have experienced spiritual rebirth in Christ.

  • God’s community discerns and expresses the good together.

It is in spiritual community that we understand what “the good” is.  We discern it together.  We pray for understanding and we discuss God’s word together.  We declare “the good” as it is clearly stated in Scripture and we learn from each other how to apply God’s truth with humility and grace in our modern world.

In John 17, Jesus makes it very clear that it is in the community of his followers that the world will see hope.  It is Christians unified in Christ, worshipping him and living for him — following his ways in all things — that will show the world that Jesus is God’s son.  That’s an amazing privilege and responsibility.

At the human level, our first connection must with others who seek to follow Jesus.  People who can help us and correct us. People who see things we don’t see and who may not see what we see.  There is a mutuality to it and in this mutual love and friendship we find the good together. None of us lives in a vacuum.  We need each other, not just for emotional health but to truly understand the ways of God.

Finally, Hays’ third lens to help us find “the good” is to accept and cooperate with His Spirit in us.

  • God gives us power to demonstrate goodness and kindness

Even though we are prone to make selfish choices.  We are prone to deceive ourselves about what “the good” actually is.  God has placed his Spirit in us to give us the power to change and to live for him — to pursue “the good” for each other and everyone else.

In Galatians 5, we see that goodness and kindness are among the qualities that are produced by the Spirit living inside of those who believe in Jesus Christ.  God is doing that inside of us.  The seeds are planted and power to grow is in us.  We have no excuses when we are angry and hurtful to each other.  Choosing “the good” is always an option.

Sometimes pursuing what is good for others will mean hardship for ourselves.  People may criticize us.  People may find fault in us.  Yet at the end of the day, we are a people called to follow Christ and to seek the good for others and everyone else.

That is the way of the cross.

That is the way of spiritual community.

That is the way of the Spirit of God, at work in us, giving us the power to Seek the Good.

Seek the Good

Seek the Good

KEY QUESTION
What does it mean to do the right thing? How do I know?

KEY IDEA
I choose to be kind and good in my relationships with others.

KEY VERSE
Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good (lit. “the good”)  for each other and for everyone else. (1 Thessalonians 5:15, NIV)


The journey we are on this fall in our community of faith is too look at the list of virtues or inner qualities of the heart that has been captured by Jesus. Today we are going to pay specific attention to qualities of kindness and goodness.

They are part of the visible gifts of God’s Holy Spirit indwelling us. (Make a note of this passage) Galatians 5:22-23 – But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control…

This call upon our lives to demonstrate kindness and goodness becomes our canvas today as we draw out the implications of a simple verse in the bible.

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good (lit. “the good”)  for each other and for everyone else. (1 Thessalonians 5:15, NIV)

If we are to be known for our kindness and goodness we are going to be people who will always strive to do what is “the good”. We will seek the good.

When the bible speaks about the good we are proclaiming a profound truth. We are saying if we that to find meaning, significance and purpose in our lives we are called to be people who seek the good. This is a moral imperative for God’s people.

 

Brent reminded me the text of our key verse literally translates this part of the 1 thessalonoians 5:15 – “pursue the good for each other and for all”

Let me read this observation by Brent, (That means)There is a moral category called the “the good” and it does exist and we need to be aware of its existence as we make life-choices.  As we look to the text Paul doesn’t hesitate in declaring we need to look for it. It’s there in every circumstance.  Sometimes it is hard to see.  Other times we may wonder if it is worth the effort to find, but we must never deceive ourselves into thinking it doesn’t exist.  In every circumstance and on every occasion, there is “the good” and we are told to look for it.

In fact when we are considering what job we are called to do, how we are to live among others within our families, neighbours and within God’s family and how wil make a difference in this world – seeking the good for others is an anchor point for our lives.

And the good that exists is not based on me. Often a wide gulf exists between each other when the good becomes, what is good for me”. That phrase masks the motives that lie beneath the surface. It is code for – my wants and my desires. Good for me comes to mean what I find comfortable and convenient.

 Rather the good exists because God exists. The very character of God includes goodness.

I think of Jesus words when ask by the rich young ruler. “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. (cf.Mark 10:17-18)

In the OT songbook of the Psalms we hear –

How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! Psalm 116:5

One of my earliest choruses I learned was “God is so good, God is so good. God is so good. He’s so good to me”

Consider how the bible shows us God is good.

  • God created a world that was good. Paul reminds us of this when he tells Timothy – Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. 1 Timothy 4:4
  • God works good in the midst of evil. In the story of Joseph and his family Joseph  declares –  You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people
  • God has planned long ago for us to do good things. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10

The Good exists because God exists. “The Good” is primarily about God and his purposes, not about what I want. We need to remind ourselves of that on a regular basis. Jesus Christ is at the center of God’s purposes – and the highest good is that Christ is center of all we do.

The good can get complicated

As we get along on life it seems that seeking the good can get complicated.    

 

  • It is often hard

 

The decision making is difficult in the best of times.  Usually there are many factors involved.  When you add the idea of the “the good” and then compound that with “for each other and everyone” — our thinking slows down.  Now we have to think about how our decisions affect others outside our immediate group — our spouse, our kids. Now we look at our extended family, our church, our friends & neighbours. Now we have to think about the difference of what is nice, versus what is best which may look worse up front but good in the long run.

Seeking the good grows immediately from something simple to something hard.

Example of fire drill – yelling fire is more dangerous than pulling the fire alarm –   

But you know as well as I do that what is most difficult is actually doing this. Sometimes it is obvious what “the good” is but doing it will require something from us that is difficult.  

 

  • Others may disagree

 

Another reason pursuing the good is complicated is that it conflicts with our desire to promote ourselves. Sometimes doing “the good” will get us criticized.  Sometimes people will misunderstand and sometimes people will just simply disagree with our understanding of what “the good” is.  These are the risks we run when we break free of a self-focused existence.

I know that the bible teaches to give a portion of my income to the church.  Traditionally, that is 10% – a tithe.  The NT teaches that all my possessions belong to God, but we like to give the first 10% of our income to our local congregation to support our common spiritual life.  

If you come from a non-christian family, the first thing people will say if they find out is that you are crazy.  Maybe brain-washed.  I mean, who does that right?  Particularly if you are trying to get yourself out of debt or save for retirement or pay off a mortgage.  In a world acclimatized to “the easy” or “the self” — pursuing “the good” is a strange and often disagreeable thing.  

 

  • We must decide

 

Finally, pursuing “the good” gets complicated by the simple fact that we need to make a decision and act on it.  It goes beyond a mental exercise. There may be 10 possible choices, be we must discern which one represents “the good”.  It may be that half of our options ‘good’ and so we need to look for what is best — the most good of our good options.  In either case, being frozen in indecision is not the same as pursuing “the good”.  

We are called to actively pursue “the good”

A rationale often given to not chose the good is stated – “well we really didn’t have a choice.” Choosing the good is always an option.

I think about all the good choices in the midst of misguided, foolish, wrong and evil reactions we face in our lives. Let us not be simplistic – there are real dilemmas we face in our marriage, parenting, work as employers/employees & play, as a friend, neighbour,  global citizen, and life itself about what seeking the good as a soul who is learning to think, act and be like Jesus.

But choosing the good for a follower is anchored in these realities of the good news of God to us.

    • The Cross teaches us to sacrifice

we are often reminded doing good will require we say no to our self centered desires in order for the good to happen.

    • God’s community discerns and expresses the good together.

Often we may wish for more good to happen n the world around us…we celebrate when it occurs but are not surprised when we self interest reigns. But the one place where we can seek the good consistently is in God’s family the church. We need to encourage one another to seek the good as fellow believers – encourage generosity, service, learning, caring.

The church needs to be the place where we have honest , at times uncomfortable and challenging  discussions as we prayerfully discern about seeking the good.

Doing the good happens together – when you and i come together God leads us to do things that by ourselves is unimaginable.  

 

  • God gives us power to demonstrate goodness and kindness

These qualities are God’s divine work in our our souls. We need to actively depend on all the energy that Christ so powerfully works in you and me. (Colossians 1:29)

 

Conclusion:

Seek the good – do it kindly – these are essential characteristics of love. How will you express goodness and kindness this week Are you becoming a person who is living out such is the love of Christ we are called to express.

 

Choosing “the good” is always an option

 

“Seek the good for each other”

 

What is the good? Criteria for the good.

 

What are the tools/truths do I have at my disposal to discern the good?

 

Everybody has a dilemma of what is the good?

 

Ethical perspective:

 

  • Do the good versus the wrong
  • Do unto others  
  • Prayerfully ask for wisdom
  • We may discern differently
  • Good is different from nice and comfortable
  • Decision made by faith

 

His purpose is to show the meaning of kindness in the life of the man whom Christ has

grasped. Kindness and gentleness belong to the visible gi”s of the Spirit (Gal.

5:22). Love (See art.; → ἀγάπη) shows itself as kindness (1 Cor. 13:4, expressed

here by the vb. chrēsteuetai hē agapē). For kindness is an unmistakable and

essential characteristic of love. Because kindness is one of the chief gi”s of the

Spirit, it becomes the subject of the exhortation of Col. 3:12: “Put on then, as

God’s chosen ones, compassion, kindness.”

 

  • The good get complicated
    • The good is hard
    • Others discern differently
    • We make choices by faith

 

  • We are called to actively pursue it.