Happy Friday, Friends!
I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama!Last Sunday, at the start of his message, our Pastor, Steve Huskey, stated that as he was preparing his message, he thought, “What if thousands heard this message and really lived it?” I decided right then and there that I would do whatever I could to make sure the message got out. What if?!
We are in a sermon series we call God at the Box Office. The pastor will take the message from a movie and apply it to Biblical truth and principles. The first movie was The Mandalorian. Apparently, the key character in the movie is asked why he does different things, and he always responds with, “This is the way.” “The way” determines the way he lives his life.
Pastor Steve then beautifully and quite convincingly preached about The Way not being just what we believe, as disciples, but what we do. As he stated, “Believers believe, but disciples do.”
Now, before I go any further, let’s not get this twisted; as a Christian, I believe that you go to Heaven by accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Savior. There is nothing to do but confess our sins, our need for Him, and to accept Him into our hearts. Jesus did all the doing to earn our way there.
Understanding salvation, how do we live? Pastor Steve made several great points:
- “Christianity is a way of living, and a way of loyalty to Jesus Christ as your Lord.”
- “Not just a list of things we believe, it is how we live.”
- “Believers don’t change families, lives, communities, etc., disciples do.”
- “How do you find any of The Way? Nobody can know what you think or believe. They can see how you live.”
- “I don’t care what you believe, I want to see how you live.”
Now there are two scriptures that I want to share with you – one Pastor Steve shared and one he did not.
The one he shared was Acts 9: 1 – 2 (NIV):
9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
Then he asked, “How would he know they belonged to the Way?” This is where the statement, “Nobody can know what you think or believe” just by looking at you; “they can see how you live.” A question worth asking: if someone simply watched the way you live your life, would you be convicted? Maybe more piercing to the soul; would you want to be? Just got real!!!
The other scripture that kept bouncing around in my mind during the whole sermon was one that has challenged me for years; James 2:18 – 19 (NIV) says,
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
It should be noted that this scripture comes from a section titled "Faith (belief) and Deeds." The fact that I believe in God does not make me any different than a demon…hits me every time!
Pastor Steve then shared several different codes for living as disciples. He pointed to the Sermon on the Mount, the 10 Commandments, Galatians 5, and The Didache. While I encourage all of us to be mindful of all these ways of living, I want to specifically highlight Galatians 5 and The Didache this morning.
Galatians 5:22-26 (NIV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
How are we doing? In viewing our lives, are love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control present? If not, we may believe in Jesus; however, we are not following His example.
This is from THE DIDACHE: The Teaching of the Lord Through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations, based on the Roberts-Donaldson translation. I am simply going to copy and paste Chapter 3.
Chapter 3.
Other Sins Forbidden.
My child, flee from every evil thing, and from every likeness of it. Be not prone to anger, for anger leads to murder. Be neither jealous, nor quarrelsome, nor of hot temper, for out of all these murders are engendered. My child, be not a lustful one, for lust leads to fornication. Be neither a filthy talker, nor of lofty eye, for out of all these adulteries are engendered. My child, be not superstitious, since it leads to idolatry. Be neither an enchanter, nor an astrologer, nor a purifier, nor be willing to look at these things, for out of all these idolatry is engendered. My child, be not a liar, since a lie leads to theft. Be neither money-loving, nor vainglorious, for out of all these thefts are engendered. My child, be not a murmurer, since it leads the way to blasphemy. Be neither self-willed nor evil-minded, for out of all these blasphemies are engendered.
So Friends, what if we really lived as disciples of Jesus, not just believers? How different would our lives, families, communities, etc. be? Counter-cultural? For sure! As I type that, Joshua 24:15 comes to mind:
15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Two cute/quippy little things have been coming to mind as I have been typing this message.
1. “And they will know we are Christians by our love.” Not by being right, angry, busy, etc.
2. A Christian person was telling another the joy of knowing Jesus, as having him as your Lord and personal Savior. The person asked, “Has your heart ever told your face?” Have you noticed how many Christians look dour all the time? Doesn’t look very appealing and is not representative of Jesus, who came that we may “have life, and have it more abundantly.”
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can contact me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day and a wonderful weekend. Please cherish your precious family, be kind, and please stay well!
Kev
The one he shared was Acts 9: 1 – 2 (NIV):
9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
Then he asked, “How would he know they belonged to the Way?” This is where the statement, “Nobody can know what you think or believe” just by looking at you; “they can see how you live.” A question worth asking: if someone simply watched the way you live your life, would you be convicted? Maybe more piercing to the soul; would you want to be? Just got real!!!
The other scripture that kept bouncing around in my mind during the whole sermon was one that has challenged me for years; James 2:18 – 19 (NIV) says,
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
It should be noted that this scripture comes from a section titled "Faith (belief) and Deeds." The fact that I believe in God does not make me any different than a demon…hits me every time!
Pastor Steve then shared several different codes for living as disciples. He pointed to the Sermon on the Mount, the 10 Commandments, Galatians 5, and The Didache. While I encourage all of us to be mindful of all these ways of living, I want to specifically highlight Galatians 5 and The Didache this morning.
Galatians 5:22-26 (NIV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
How are we doing? In viewing our lives, are love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control present? If not, we may believe in Jesus; however, we are not following His example.
This is from THE DIDACHE: The Teaching of the Lord Through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations, based on the Roberts-Donaldson translation. I am simply going to copy and paste Chapter 3.
Chapter 3.
Other Sins Forbidden.
My child, flee from every evil thing, and from every likeness of it. Be not prone to anger, for anger leads to murder. Be neither jealous, nor quarrelsome, nor of hot temper, for out of all these murders are engendered. My child, be not a lustful one, for lust leads to fornication. Be neither a filthy talker, nor of lofty eye, for out of all these adulteries are engendered. My child, be not superstitious, since it leads to idolatry. Be neither an enchanter, nor an astrologer, nor a purifier, nor be willing to look at these things, for out of all these idolatry is engendered. My child, be not a liar, since a lie leads to theft. Be neither money-loving, nor vainglorious, for out of all these thefts are engendered. My child, be not a murmurer, since it leads the way to blasphemy. Be neither self-willed nor evil-minded, for out of all these blasphemies are engendered.
So Friends, what if we really lived as disciples of Jesus, not just believers? How different would our lives, families, communities, etc. be? Counter-cultural? For sure! As I type that, Joshua 24:15 comes to mind:
15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Two cute/quippy little things have been coming to mind as I have been typing this message.
1. “And they will know we are Christians by our love.” Not by being right, angry, busy, etc.
2. A Christian person was telling another the joy of knowing Jesus, as having him as your Lord and personal Savior. The person asked, “Has your heart ever told your face?” Have you noticed how many Christians look dour all the time? Doesn’t look very appealing and is not representative of Jesus, who came that we may “have life, and have it more abundantly.”
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can contact me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day and a wonderful weekend. Please cherish your precious family, be kind, and please stay well!
Kev
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