“Unquenchable Compassion”
The Mystery Revealed Series
2/1/09; 2 Corinthians 8:7, Matthew 5:43-48

Introduction: I have some questions I want to ask you:
1. What do you put in a toaster?
Answer: "bread." If you said "toast," maybe you should give up now.
2. Say "silk" five times. Now spell "silk." What do cows drink?
Answer: Cows drink water. You wanted to say "milk," didn’t you?
3. If a red house is made from red bricks, and a blue house is made
from blue bricks, and a pink house is made from pink bricks, and a
black house is made from black bricks, what is a green house made from?
Answer: Greenhouses are made from glass. Did you think green bricks?
These questions show us that we can easily get a little confused about answers. This is true in life as well. It is easy to get confused about how we are supposed to live out our lives. So far in our series, “The Mystery Revealed,” we have talked about having Unquestionable Character, Undying Commitment, and Unwavering Conformity. This morning I want to talk about how part of our call to be stewards for God is to have Unquenchable Compassion.

I. The Need of others- (2 Corinthians 8:1-9; Acts 20:35)
a. Our heart- We have talked before about how God gives us
resources for life. These resources need to be seen not only for taking care of our own needs, but also for the needs of others around us. Throughout the Bible we read of God’s desire for us to be generous givers; to live life open-handedly. As Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 8:7- “But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” Here we see the apostle Paul commending the Corinthians for their wonderful faith, in their ability to speak, in the knowledge they possess, in the love they have for the apostles. But it is never enough if this faith, knowledge, and love, is not shown in action. The action to which Paul challenges them is the action of “grace.” When we act, we show that we are concerned with more than just ourselves.
Giving is an attitude first and foremost. That is why Jesus says in Acts 20:35, “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive” It is not so important how much we give, but the fact that we have a heart to give. If our hearts are in the right place, then the amount of giving will be taken care of.
We need to challenge ourselves to excel in our giving. If you think about it, we all have a competitive nature somewhere inside of us. Some more than others. We want to do well in what we do. How often do you do something, and then need to do a little more, or do it over again, because you didn’t think it came out as good as it needed to? This is our competitive spirit. And this competitive spirit needs to be a part of our giving as well.
b. Gracious giving- So what is this gracious giving that Paul is
referring to here? We can see this answer by looking at the earlier part of 2 Corinthians 8. Let me read for you verses 1-6: “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 5And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will. 6So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part.”
Paul uses the Macedonian church in comparison. The Macedonian church was a poor church. But they gave willingly, and generously (they gave beyond what they were able to give). Why did they do this? It was because of their attitude. They saw it as a privilege to give. They gave, because they were giving to the Lord. They were giving to be gracious.
Paul then says in verses 8-9, “8I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” Grace is a gift given that is not deserved. When we recognize, as the Macedonian church did, that what Jesus did was a “gracious gift,” our attitude should be the same. This then leads us to understand gracious giving as having a heart of compassion.

II. A Heart of Compassion- (1 Corinthians 1:4-7; Philippians 2:3-8)
a. The nature of compassion- In fact, this is what we learn in
Philippians 2:3-8; the example that Jesus gave to us: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!”
I read a statement once that surprised me. I hadn’t thought of this before until I read this statement. The statement was this: “Suppose you are in a group photo. The first time you see the picture, where do you look? (At yourself, right?) and if you look good, do you like the picture? If you are the only one who looks good, do you still like the picture?….” This is true. Most people, if not all people, when they look at a picture with themselves in it, look at themselves first. And they immediately seek to judge whether or not they look good in the picture. Why is this? It is because we can be very self-centered by nature.
Philippians 2 reminds us of the grace that Christ showed to us. The grace was that instead of thinking about lowering Himself and becoming human, instead of thinking about the suffering He would go through, instead of thinking about Himself, He thought about us. Jesus thought about what we needed so that we could be made free from our sin and be made right with God. This is the grace shown to us, and this is the grace that Paul was us to understand; the nature we are to have.
b. The idea of giving- It is interesting to note that the idea of giving,
as well as the practice of giving, throughout Scripture goes hand in hand with developing a heart of compassion. 1 Corinthians 1:4-7 tells us, “I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5For in him you have been enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your knowledge— 6because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. 7Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.”
Paul is given the idea of being compassionate to others by seeing how Christ was compassionate. Rarely do we show compassion before we think about compassion. Compassion starts as an idea, and then translates into an action. We see that God desires to show compassion, and then maybe we might think that others deserve to be shown compassion.
Compassion shows that we care. And don’t people need to know that others care? This is a big need in our world. Let me tell you 3 stories:
Story #1- Her name was Kitty Genovese. One night she was brutally attacked as she returned to her apartment. She screamed, and fought, and screamed some more until she was hoarse. For 30 MINUTES she screamed and fought as she was beaten and abused while 38 people watched the episode from their windows! Not one so much as walked over to their telephone to call the police. She died that night as 38 witnesses watched and stared in silence.
Story #2- Andrew Mormille was a 17-year-old riding on a subway, minding his own business when he was attacked and repeatedly stabbed in the stomach. Eleven riders watched the stabbing, but none came to assist the young man, even after the thugs fled as the train pulled into the station!
Story #3- Eleanor Bradley was shopping on Fifth Avenue in busy Manhattan when she tripped, fell, and broke her leg. Dazed and in shock she called for help; not for 2 minutes, or 20 minutes, but 40 minutes! Business executives, students, and merchants all passed by ignoring her crisis. Finally a cab driver pulled over and took her in his taxi to a local hospital.
I hope these stories shock you, because all too often, in less dramatic ways, we fail to see the needs of others around us and show compassion.

III. Functioning in Community- (Luke 10:30-37; Romans 15:14;
1 Corinthians 12:7)
a. Designed to live in relationship- We were designed to live in
relationship. But because of our selfishness, because of our “I don’t want to get involved” attitude, we often fail to live in a compassionate manner. This was put to the test one day by some seminary students. The class had been given an assignment from Luke 10:30-37, the familiar story of the Good Samaritan. Just in case you don’t remember the story, let me refresh your memory. Jesus told this story in response to the question “Who is my neighbor.” So Jesus tells of this man who was going from Jerusalem to Jericho, and who gets beaten and robbed and left half dead. A priest goes by and doesn’t help. A Levite goes by and doesn’t help. Finally, a Samaritan, one who is at odds with Jews, sees the man and helps him. The seminary experiment was this: one of the seminary students put on old rags, disguised himself as though he was beaten and bruised, and then placed himself along the path the other seminary students would travel on to get to class. These seminary students, with their written assignment tucked under their arm, ALL PASSED BY WITHOUT OFFERING ANY HELP!
God desires that His people function in community. God desires that we share the heart that God has for people; the heart for the people God places in our path. Romans 15:14 says: “I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another.” God has placed in us what we need to care for one another. We just need to let that idea come to fruition!
b. From isolation to connection- We all know that we need to connect
with others. But often times we isolate ourselves from the world. We isolate ourselves from the problems around us. We isolate ourselves from those who have great needs. We have the knowledge of needing to be a “Good Samaritan,” we just don’t like to put this knowledge into practice.
God has freely extended to each one of us His grace and mercy. As stewards of God’s grace and mercy we are called to extend this unmerited favor towards others. The whole chapter of 1 Corinthians 12 is about the Holy Spirit giving us gifts. 1 Corinthians 12:7 explains why: “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” We are given spiritual gifts for the same reason we are given physical gifts and resources, to share them for the common good.
We are to think about the need to show compassion, then be open to the ways God brings us opportunities to show compassion, and then seek to use our gifts and resources to show compassion to others. This is how community is lived out. This is how God designed for life itself to be lived out. And if we do, our lives, and the lives of others around us will be better for it!

Conclusion: God has ordained all relationships. And we are called to be good stewards of those relationships. Jesus calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves. In Matthew 5:43-46 we are challenged once again by the words of Jesus: “You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies… 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?” To show love to only those who love us is not compassion. We have to love everyone God places in our path.
We have a choice either to be a blessing and show God’s grace to others, or to be self-serving. I think we know which one God wants us to be. God didn’t give us this life, God didn’t give us our resources, God didn’t give us our gifts to be self-serving. God has clearly given us the command and the example of what we are called to do. Let’s seek this day to live with “Unquenchable Compassion,” so that we might fulfill our purpose, but also make a difference for the Kingdom of God. Amen.

“Unwavering Conformity”
The Mystery Revealed Series
Sunday, January 25, 2009; 1 Corinthians 4:1-2

Introduction: Illustration- I have some Play Doh here; and you can see that it is very moldable. It will conform to what ever shape I decide to mold it into! I’m not a very good sculptor, but I can try to make an animal….
As we think about our series, “The Mystery Revealed,” we need to realize that God’s mysteries can and will be revealed to us. But even more than that, our scripture this morning lets us know that we are “stewards” of God’s mysteries. So let us talk this morning about what this means, and how we are called to live this out.

I. The Mysteries of God- (John 16:7, 13, 1:12; Col. 1:18-20, 25-28;
Deuteronomy 7:8; Romans 3:24)
a. God’s revelation- The truth about God and God’s truth, is that
they are mysterious, but not hidden. That is, they are not hidden to those who have received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, and follow Jesus as our Lord, then we open ourselves to the guiding and leading of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus was getting ready to leave this earth, knowing that His time was short, knowing that He would be crucified on the cross, He tried to instruct the disciples on what all would happen. Jesus tried to help the disciples understand that it was actually a good thing that He would be leaving them.
Jesus says this in John 16:7, 13- “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor (Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you…But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” One of the important roles of the Holy Spirit is to lead us into God’s truth; God’s revelation. As the creator of all things, of the world, of you and me, of the animals and plants, rocks and trees, and the universe, God knows how everything works and how everything fits together. God has designed the plan for all things.
So, while it is a mystery to you and me for the time being, it doesn’t have to stay a mystery. God desires to share this mystery with us. God wants us to know His plan and purpose, His revelation for the world and all that is in it. The apostle Paul knew this, and that is why he tells us in Colossians 1:18-20 and 25-28, “And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross…” As I said before, it starts with us being reconciled to God by Jesus’ blood being shed on the cross for us, as a sacrifice for our sins. Once we accept this, we are then restored in our relationship to God, and can be a part of all that God has for us to know and to do.
The apostle Paul goes on to say: “I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 27To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” For many, the mystery was that everyone would be included in God’s kingdom; Jews and non-Jews alike. This is why God could make the promise to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, because the Gentiles would be part of this “In the New Testament we are told that the Gentiles are a part of this “many nations.” To be part of this family, which is God’s family, only requires that we accept what Jesus has done for us, and let Jesus save us. In this we become children of God, and have Christ within us.
b. God’s redemptive will- On top of this, God does not leave us to
guess at His will. God has a redemptive will for the world and for you and me. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE A REDEMPTIVE WILL? In general, we see how in ancient times, when prisoners were taken in battle, it was made known that the prisoners would be released on payment of a price. This process was called redemption, and the price was a ransom. Likewise, this process of redemption and ransom was applied to slaves as well. Slaves could be liberated; redeemed.
In the Bible, we can go back to the Old Testament and see redemption take place as well. The whole story of the Exodus is a redemption story. Israel, God’s people, have been taken into captivity by the Egyptians. They have become slaves. This slavery makes it difficult for them to follow God, worship God, and live for God. They cry out to God and God hears their cry. Through Moses, God enables the Israelites to be redeemed from their slavery. We read of this in Deuteronomy 7:8- “But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”
When we get to the New Testament, redemption is talked about more in terms of our sin; we are slaves to our sin, and in need of redemption from our sin. And so Christ died on the cross to redeem us; to pay the ransom price. That is why the apostle Paul responds to the truth of our sin with Romans 3:24- “We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”


II. Being Stewards of the Mysteries- (1 Cor. 6:20, 4:1-2, 2:7-14; Ephesians 5:15-17; Romans 12:1-2)
a. What is required- Because we have been redeemed, we can know
the mysteries of God. But knowing isn’t enough. There is a responsibility that comes with our redemption. As 1 Corinthians 6:20 tells us: “You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” Our redemption needs to be understood in terms of our every day experience. As redeemed, we belong to God and are called to live as God calls us to live; as God created us to live. As stewards of God’s mysteries.
Along with redeeming us, the Bible also talks about redeeming time. In Ephesians 5:15-17 we are told: “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.” God has redeemed us to live according to His will; to make the most of our life. And this can only come through relentless and consistent pursuit of God. Often our pride gets in the way of recognizing that God’s wisdom is far superior to our own.
Once we understand this, then we are compelled to share it with others. That’s why Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:7-14, “No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"— 10but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
Did you follow that? I know there is a lot there, but let me highlight just a few things. First, we are to speak God’s secret wisdom. And yet, when we speak this wisdom, we need to understand that those who are not of God cannot understand it, because it is spiritually discerned. So, second, we need to understand that not all Christians understand God’s secret wisdom; God’s mysteries. As we understand God’s mysteries, we need to be compelled to share it with others so that they can understand as well. And then third, we need to let the Spirit of God prepare us to learn and share even more mysteries of God. This is an ongoing process!
b. Not conforming to the world- As we pursue God, and seek to be
stewards of the resources and mysteries of life, God will help to conform us to His perfect will. ILLUSTRATION: You may have heard me share this illustration before, but I want to share it again, because it fits well with our lesson. When a caterpillar is a caterpillar, it leads a very earth bound life. It cannot fly. It is not particularly beautiful. But then one day it comes time for it to turn into a butterfly. Once the caterpillar escapes the confines of the cocoon, it becomes a butterfly. As a butterfly, it is transformed. It is more beautiful, and can soar to greater heights.
Spiritually speaking, this is true for you and for me. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, and choose to let Him be our Lord, we escape our cocoon, and can fly to new heights. Be we have to allow ourselves to be transformed. As Paul tells us in Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
To live out God’s will we have to know God’s will. But we will struggle to know God’s will until we allow God to transform us. This is part of God’s mystery. As long as we allow the world to influence our thinking, we will stay partly in the cocoon; we will not be transformed. We have to give up our earthly understanding, and our earthly desires, and begin to see things with an eternal perspective; with God’s perspective. God will use our relentless pursuit of being stewards of His mysteries to close the gap between our flawed understanding and God’s perfect will.
The more we open ourselves to the mysteries of God, the more we will see like God wants us to see, with the eyes of God. And when this happens, we will start living as God’s servants. In our scripture reading this morning, the apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, “So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. 2Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” We will know that we are understanding the mysteries of God and being stewards of the mysteries of God when others see that we understand the “secret things of God.” We will find ourselves understanding what others don’t understand!

Conclusion: (Go back to the Play Doh) Looking again at this Play Doh figure I made, we can see that it is not a beautiful creation. But if I allowed a real artist to put his or her hands on it, they could turn it into a beautiful creation. When we give ourselves over to God, we put ourselves in the hands of a real artist. God not only shapes who we are, from the inside out, but also shapes our minds. God transforms us by giving us the mind of Christ, and leads us to understand more and more.
Have you ever been trying to read an instruction manual, and you’re not understanding what needs to be done; And you start to get frustrated; Then you choose to read the instructions one more time, and a light bulb goes on, and you seem to understand? This understanding is a wonderful place to be. This is what happens when we allow God’s Spirit to work in and through us. We understand what life is about. We understand what our relationship with God is all about. We understand what eternity is all about. I hope you will seek “unwavering conformity” to be like Christ, in mind, body, and spirit, this day and every day. Amen.

“Undying Commitment”
The Mystery Revealed Series
2 Corinthians 9:6-8; 1/18/09

Introduction: There are a lot of things to be committed to in life; our spouse, our job, our family, our friends, our sports teams, our church, and God. We are committed to each one in a different level. We are hopefully more committed to our spouse and family than we are to our friends. We should be more committed to our church than to our sports teams. And ultimately, we need to be committed to God.
It is interesting to see how people claim to be Christians, followers of Christ, and yet their life doesn’t really live out this claim; they lack commitment. This morning, as we continue in our “Mystery Revealed” series, we look at the need for undying commitment when it comes to God and our faith. I want us to look at how God desires for us to reflect commitment. What does this look like? How do we know if we are truly committed to God?

I. Using our resources- (2 Corinthians 9:6-8; Deuteronomy 15:7-10)
a. Sowing and reaping- In our scripture reading this morning from
2 Corinthians 9:6-8, the apostle Paul challenges us in a significant way. He starts out by telling us: “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” Think of it in terms of farming. If you were growing a crop, you wouldn’t just plant a few seeds, you would plant many; you wouldn’t hold back some of your seeds to plant later. If you want a good return at harvest, then you sow a generous amount of seed.
This is true in the general sense of giving: Paul insists that no one was ever a loser by being generous. While we shouldn’t give with a reward in mind, the Bible does talk about the rewards that come from having a generous attitude about giving. This is because when we have a reward in mind, we usually are thinking about the wrong kind of reward, and then we are disappointed when what we expect doesn’t come about. The rewards that are received are usually not material in nature; it is not about the wealth of money and resources, although sometimes it can be that.
So what kinds of rewards can we expect when we are generous? When we sow generously, what do we reap?
1. First, we will be rich in love. It is difficult to be a loving person if we do
not have a giving attitude. A heart that is warm is a heart that seeks to reach out to others. To be stingy and selfish are not characteristics of someone who is rich in love. When we give of ourselves generously, people respond back to us with love; it is a natural response. And even more, we are blessed by God, who fills us with His love. When we give generously, we put ourselves in a position to receive God’s love, and God desires to pour this out freely to us.
2. Second, we will be rich in friends. Someone who is unloving cannot expect
to be loved. If we were to look around at those we know who are generous with their time, their resources, their love, we would see that they are loved back in a great way. People will go out of their way to be there for us when we are in need. The measure we have given ourselves to others will determine the measure with which it is given back to us.
3. Third, we will be rich towards God. Jesus teaches us that what we do
towards others, we do to God. If we find it difficult to give ourselves to others, then the truth is, we will struggle to give ourselves to God. We might think we have opened ourselves up to God. We might think we have a giving spirit when it comes to God. But whether or not we are rich towards God will be determined by our actions of how giving we are in our life in general.
b. The blessing of giving- Paul goes on to say in 2 Corinthians 9:7,
“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not
reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Paul wants us to understand that those people who have an undying commitment to the Lord, are those who not only giving generously, but they give willingly, and cheerfully. When the gift is given, there is joy, not regret.
In Deuteronomy 15:7-10 we are told: “If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. 8 Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. 9 Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: "The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near," so that you do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. 10 Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.” Have you ever found yourself looking at someone who was poor, or homeless, and thinking bad thoughts about that person? Maybe you think they should go out and get a job. Or maybe you think about getting as far away from them as you can because they make you nervous or fearful?
When we see a need where we can give, and we feel God leading us to give, we shouldn’t question the opportunity, we should joyfully respond to the Lord’s leading. Now that doesn’t mean we can or should give in every circumstance. Being the pastor of this church, there are many occasions where people come asking for help (usually it is for money). We don’t have the means to give to every person who asks. But even more, it isn’t always wise to give money every time someone asks.
This leads us to our next point, knowing God’s plan so we can follow it!

II. Following God’s Plan- (Jeremiah 29:11-13; Proverbs 11:24-25)
a. I know the plans- One of the challenges, when it comes to giving, is
that there are so many needs; so many ways we could give. How can we know when we should say “yes,” and when we should say “no?” In essence, if God calls us to give generously, if this is part of God’s plan, then are we going against God’s plan when we don’t give?
I don’t think that God expects us to give every time there is a need, or to every one who asks. Part of this is that people don’t always know what they need. They may ask you for money, but their real need is to become self-sufficient, and your giving them money will cause them to be all the more dependent on others. Part of this is that we don’t have the means to take care of all the needs that exist!
When Jesus was here on this earth, there were many needs that He didn’t take care of; many people who needed healing that He didn’t heal. So if this is the case, how can we know what God’s plan is for being generous with what we have?
Illus. The other day someone sent me these short commercials from Ameriquest mort-gage about not judging too quickly. In one of the ads a husband comes home to make a surprise romantic dinner for his wife. He is cooking the red sauce as he is chopping up some vegetables. All of a sudden his white cat jumps up on the counter and knocks over the sauce onto the floor. The cat jumps down to lick the sauce and gets some sauce on himself. The husband reaches down and grabs the cat by the scruff of the neck and picks him up. Just then the wife walks in and sees the cat in her husbands one hand (with what appears to be blood), and a large knife in his other hand!!
When we think about God’s plan for our lives, it isn’t always clear. There are times when we think things are going wrong, there are great struggles, and we don’t see how this can be God’s plan for our lives. It doesn’t appear to be what we want. But God assures us in Jeremiah 29:11-13, “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
b. Clear and unclear- When we find ourselves in these situations that
seem unclear, we need to trust God. A couple weeks ago I talked about how when we find ourselves in difficult and unclear situations, it is helpful to stop thinking about ourselves, and try to fulfill the need of another. And I believe that the more we give ourselves over to God, the more we will sense how we are to give, and to whom we are to give. I believe when we seek God, God will bring these opportunities to us.
God wants us to be a blessing to others, and when we are, He will then bless us. We are told in Proverbs 11:24-25, “One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. 25 A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”
But there are also those times when the way is clear. I know that many of you have had situations where you have heard of a need, and you felt a strong need to respond to the request that was being made.
Illus. A little over a year ago I had the opportunity to give away $1000 for what was called “The Kingdom Assignment.” I had been given $1000 by a pastor and his wife for the purpose of giving $100 each to ten people. The assignment was to find a way to grow the money, and then use the money to bless another ministry or ministry opportunity. When I first thought about it, I thought it might be easier to choose the 10 people I would give the money to ahead of time. But as I talked it over with the pastor and his wife, we decided we would let God direct the hearts of those who would respond. As I got to that point in my sermon, I explained the assignment, and then asked for those who felt that God was calling them to this task. Exactly 10 people responded!! Those 10 people felt led to answer this call.
When we let God’s Spirit into our lives, the Spirit prompts and prods, speaks and leads, so that we can know how and when God wants us to give.

III. Through impossible circumstances- (Matthew 17:20, 19:26; Lk. 1:37)
I just watched a movie last weekend called “Face the Giants.” This movie is
about a coach who is struggling to make ends meet. He is having trouble paying his bills, he doesn’t have the money to fix the things that are breaking, and his football team is heading towards another losing season. On top of this, he finds out from the doctor that he is the reason his wife and him aren’t able to get pregnant. He decides to give himself completely over to God; to give God his undying commitment. And he challenges his team to give the best of themselves to God. Because of this, his team starts winning. They make it all the way to the state championship game. The game is close, and at the end, just when the other team is going to score a touchdown and win the game, his team forces a fumble and runs it back to the other teams 34 yard line. He has a choice: with 3 seconds left in the game he can try a hail Mary pass into the end zone, or have his kicker try a 52 yard field goal (into the wind). He decides to go for the field goal, even though his kicker has never kicked it farther than 39 yards! He asks his kicker: “Do you believe God can help you make this field goal?” To which his kicker answers “Yes.” Just before the kicker tries the field goal, the wind changes direction, and the kicker kicks the ball through the goal posts for the unbelievable win!!
Ex. I want to show you a clip from this movie right after this win. Listen to the question the coach asks his players. “What is impossible with God?” To which his players answer: “Nothing coach.”[1:41 – 1:45]
In the Bible we read this over and over again. In Matthew 17:20 we read, “Jesus replied, ‘Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.’” In Matthew 19:26 we read, “Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” In Luke 1:37, the angel tells Mary, in regards to the Holy Spirit making her pregnant with Jesus: “For nothing is impossible with God.”

Conclusion: There is a story of a tightrope walker named Charles Blondin who walked a tightrope over Niagara Falls. Everyone was amazed as they watched him do it. Blondin then turned to the crowd and asked: “How many of you think that I could walk across the tightrope pushing this wheelbarrow?” Everybody’s hands went in the air. Then Blondin said: “Who is willing to ride in the wheelbarrow as I push it?” Only one hand stayed in the air. And Blondin successfully pushed him across in the wheelbarrow.
To have undying commitment to God is not just about lip service, it is about our actions. How we live shows our commitment to God. But even more, the way we give generously of what God has given to us shows it all the more. As Galatians 6:7-8 says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” We cannot fool God. God knows where our commitment lies. I hope yours lies with God. Let us seek to fully be committed to God, this day and every day. Amen.

“Unquestionable Character”
Series: The Mystery Revealed
Sunday, January 11, 2009; Genesis 3:1-7

Introduction: In the very beginning of the Bible, we are told some very important information: we have been created in the image of God. As the psalmist reminds us in Psalm 8:4-5, “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.” God has given us a status of glory and honor. God calls us to be fruitful and multiply, and to have dominion over the animals and the creation. We have been commissioned by God to carry with us the attributes of God Himself in His divine image. This is God’s design for us.
However, we struggle to live this out. This morning we start a series called “The Mystery Revealed.” This series is to remind us of who we are called to be, and how we are called to live. God wants to develop each one of us.

I. Reflecting God- (Genesis 1:26; John 4:24; 1 Corinthians 15:35-44)
I’m sure you have read it before, Genesis chapter 1, where we are told that
we are created in the image of God. Genesis 1:26 is where we find this: “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness…’” So we are to reflect God’s image; God’s likeness. But what does this mean?
a. Authority- First of all, it means that we have been given authority. God,
who is the authority over all, has given us the authority over what is here on earth (as I said before, the animals and all of creation). As such it is important and right for us to explore our world and our universe, and to know as much as we can about our universe. God has given us good minds to think, and study, and understand. By knowing our world, we are better prepared to rule over our world.
The problem comes, however, when we seek to abuse our world, instead of use it. To be in God’s image means that we are to rule as God would rule; with love, and mercy, and good judgment. To abuse the world we have been given does not show love, and it does not show good judgment. As we abuse our world, we cause it to not be a place that could continue to support and sustain us. Abuse also shows disregard to God who gave us this important role and responsibility.
To have this authority given to us by God is a gift, and should be appreciated as a gift. To be in God’s image means that we respect the animals and world around us. We seek to protect them and nurture them and care for them. It means that we use wisdom and good judgment on what we need for provision, but not being wasteful or damaging. We are to rule, but not destroy.
b. Flesh and spirit- Secondly, we are in God’s image because we are not only
flesh, like the animals, but we are spirit as well. To be flesh and spirit means that we are allied to both heaven and earth. Our flesh allows us to live in this world; experience this world; enjoy this world. Our bodies have been created specifically to live in the environment in which God has placed us. The earth was made for our bodies, and our bodies have been made for the earth. There is specific design here.
But there is another level to us, and that is our spirit. Our spirit is what allows us to connect with God on a deep spiritual level. Jesus made this clear when He was talking to the woman at the well in the gospel of John, chapter 4, verse 24: “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” We alone in creation have been given this privilege of being able to connect with God! We are spirit as God is Spirit, and therefore our spirit’s can connect.
God talks about how the earth and the world as we know it will one day be no more, but we will continue on forever. The apostle Paul helps us to understand this in 1 Corinthians 15:35-44, “But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?"…38But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. 39All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another… 42So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;… 44it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.”
c. To reflect God’s nature- A third way we are created in the image of God
is that we have the nature of God. While God is above and beyond us in most ways, there are a number of ways that we are like God. If you have gone through the new members class you have heard me talk about this before. We are like God in that we are loving (we can love others deeply), we can be forgiving, we are creative (God has given us the ability to create), we are eternal in nature, we can reason. I could go on and on, but I think you get the point.
We are created to reflect this nature of God; to exhibit it to one another; to be a reminder to each other of how we are to live. We have been given this honor by God as no other creature has. The problem is that we have fallen short of this ideal that God has set for us. And this has all come about because of sin.

II. The Distorted Picture- (Genesis 3:1-7; Romans 3:23, 6:6)
a. The Fall- As I just read in our scripture reading, sin was brought
into the world by Adam and Eve, through the deception of Satan. You see, Adam and Eve were not content to be made in the image of God with limitation. I think the real temptation was when Satan told Eve that she could be “like God.” Listen again to Genesis 3:5, “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Satan is telling Eve that she isn’t created fully in the image of God; she is still lacking something (the knowledge of good and evil).
Illus. “The Devil’s Triangle (or Bermuda Triangle)” Hot Illus., p.56
At 2:10 p.m. on December 5, 1945, five U.S. Navy planes took off in clear weather from Fort Lauderdale, Florida and flew east over coastal waters. At 3:40 p.m. commander Lt. Taylor reported that his magnetic compass was not responding properly. It was heard over the radio Lt. Taylor giving the command to bail out, and then all contact was lost. Quickly two seaplanes were dispatched. Only one of the seaplanes landed. For days they searched, but found no trace of the 5 aircraft or the giant seaplane. In January of 1947 a British commercial airliner vanished after radioing Bermuda that all was well. December 1967 a 23-foot cabin cruiser disappeared off the coast of Miami. Ten minutes after they had radioed, the Coast Guard arrived on the scene, but there was no sign of the cruiser.
There are government reports of some 40 ships and 20 planes that have mysteriously disappeared over the last 60-70 years in this triangle from Bermuda, to Puerto Rico, to a point in the Gulf of Mexico west of Florida. No one can explain what has really happened to these ships and planes!
There is a “Devil’s Triangle” in our spiritual life as well. Just like Adam and Eve, we can be tempted by Satan, and when we follow this temptation, we become lost in our sin, and our lives become distorted. This is not news to any of us, as we all know Romans 3:23- “For all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.”
b. God’s attributes clouded- Because of this sin, God’s attributes,
that are in us, get clouded. They are difficult for us to see; they are difficult for others to see. We are called to display God’s likeness, but when we are in our sin, we cannot display this likeness. What is shown is a distorted picture.
EX. I don’t know if you have ever seen this before, but sometimes on game shows they will show a picture of a celebrity. But there is one catch, and that is that the face of the celebrity is distorted; misshapen. The challenge for the contestant is to name the celebrity while looking at this distorted image.
That is what happens when we allow ourselves to be lost in sin. People look at us, and they don’t see God. The image we are portraying is so distorted, that they can’t see God’s attributes in our lives. And in fact, the sin clouds our own eyes to how we are to act, and talk, and respond, and love.
Unfortunately the challenge is that when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we bring our old life with us. We struggle to separate ourselves from the sin of the past. In Romans 6:6, the apostle Paul tells us: “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” You see, we know that our old self was crucified, but there are times when we enter the Devil’s Triangle, and we get lost in that old self again. When this happens we forget who we are (God’s creation), and we forget how we are supposed to live (one who follows and lives out God’s plan and God’s ways).

III. God’s Image Bearers- (Romans 12:1-2; 1 John 2:15; Ephesians 2:1-5)
a. Be transformed- So how can we restore ourselves to be “image
bearers” for God? They say that character is what you do when no one else is looking. To be God’s image bearers means that we need to have unquestionable character. This doesn’t mean that we never do anything wrong, but it does mean that we acknowledge our shortcomings, seek out God for forgiveness when we do sin, and allow God’s Spirit to reign in us so that we can do our best at portraying the image of God.
The apostle Paul tells us what we need to do in Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
So we do 2 things: first we choose to not conform to the world, because as
1 John 2:15 says, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” We seek to follow God; not the world. And then secondly we let God transform us. We let God transform us by helping us to understand what is right and wrong; what is helpful and not helpful; what is holy and what is sinful.
Charles Schulz, the creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip offered up these questions: 1. Name the 5 wealthiest people in the world. 2. Name the last 5 Heisman trophy winners. 3. Name the last 5 winners of the Miss America pageant. 4. Name 10 people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize. 6. Name the last decade’s worth of World Series winners.
HOW DID YOU DO? The point is, none of us remember the headliners for too long.
Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special!!
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
THE LESSON is this: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials…the most money...or the most awards. They simply are the ones who care the most. This is what shows character, doing things because it was who we were created to be, not because we will get fame, or money, or attention, or accolades! Making a difference in people’s lives. Sharing the love of Jesus.
b. God’s Stewards- When you hear the word stewardship, you
probably think of money. But a steward is one who cares for that which has been entrusted to him. Money is just one aspect of what God has entrusted to us. We are called to be stewards of this world, our family, and the image of God’s character.
It is a big responsibility to try and live out. There is a saying that goes: “Your life may be the only evidence of God to someone else.” Meaning, that the way you live your life, can dictate how others view God. If you are a Christian, and you are judgmental, then they might think that God is a judgmental God; if you are hurtful with your words, then they might think God to be unloving; if you are dishonest, they might think that they can’t trust what God’s word says. We never know how our actions are influencing the thinking of someone who doesn’t believe.
On the other hand, Christians can also influence Christians. If you are struggling to live up to the standards of God, your struggle can cause others to struggle (especially if it is your children or someone who is young in the faith).
Being transformed then leads us to work hard at being good stewards of God’s image. Our character, who we are as a follower of Jesus Christ, is about our following God’s teaching. That doesn’t mean that we are perfect or without sin. But as people look at our lives, they understand that we love God with our whole heart, and that our goal is to follow God as best as we can. As people look at us, they see us as someone who holds up God’s ideals to be worthy of knowing and practicing.
We are told in Ephesians 2:1-5, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions…” As we are made alive in Christ, we desire to live a different kind of life; a life of unquestionable character, as we seek to display the likeness of God.

Conclusion: We are God’s image bearers. This is a profound privilege. The significance of such a responsibility requires us to commit our lives fully, and wholeheartedly to Christ. We need to desire to be God’s stewards in this way so that we might reflect the most vivid image of God’s character as we are conformed more and more to Christ through our Christ-like response to life’s joys and trials. As you think about your character, you might ask yourself if you are portraying the “image of God” you would like to portray. If not, where does God need to transform you? Give yourself over to him today, so that you can be a steward of “God’s character.” Amen.