Doing What Others Will Not Do Part #1

Introduction

So I was sinking deep in sin, part of the people’s door very deeply staying within, singing to rise the war was the master of the sea, and I dispared pride from the waters lifting me not a lift in me when nothing else could help love me when nothing else could help love me all my heart to him I did ever do him I play in his lastly ever is great to say lost almighty and so true marriage my soul’s best on faithfully service to live when nothing else could help love with me when Because of our discussion in our adult auditorium Bible class this morning and the puzzled looks on people’s faces when I was talking about Lucifer in Isaiah 14, I have already decided that next Lord’s Day evening, the sermon is going to be entitled The Truth About Lucifer.

So we’ll be looking at that a little closer. And then since some people think that’s a reference to the devil and his fall, I’m going to do a sermon about angels a couple of weeks after that, just to follow up on that theme. So thank you for helping me decide my sermon topics.

And I want to say a word about one of the songs Mike chose. I couldn’t help but think of Sherry’s cousin Eric, who worships at East Side of Baytown. Every time we sing Lord make Calvary real to me, I think of him because he leads that song somewhat periodically. He likes that song. But if you ever notice when you get to the chorus, it says faster. And you may not have perceived that we were going any faster when we got to the chorus, but we actually were.

He said, No, I’m beating four-four faster. He was so adamant that he was beating. I said, Well, Eric, you may be beating four or four faster, but it feels slower to me. So anyway, I like the way we did it, Mike. Lord make Calvary real to me. And hopefully, not just we get the cadence of all that right, but the Lord’s Supper was actually enhanced by our ability to contemplate on the life of Jesus and the death that he died. Have you heard the name? Oh, by the way, this is a two-part sermon. If you want to get all of it, you’ve got to come back tonight for the rest of it. Five o’clock. I know some of you won’t be going out to eat and being distracted by all that, so you no problem getting back tonight at five o’clock, if some of you, a few of you want to go home and watch the Texans.

I don’t know why. But have you heard the name Sir Thomas Moore?

Sir Thomas Moore is a name that people will often connect to his work, Utopia, which pictured an ideal commonwealth where there was perfect justice and social harmony existed. It’s interesting where the term utopia comes from, comes from. It actually is two Greek words, which means not a place. It doesn’t exist. This is not a real place, but of course we all know better than that because there is a utopia, Texas. Of course it exists. And they just filmed a movie. In Utopia, you’ve heard maybe the title, Seven Days in Utopia. You haven’t seen it, right? It’s about golf. But it’s actually a pretty well done movie with one famous actor. That’s it. Robert Nouvall. And you can get it on DVD at your local store. Seven days in Utopia.

Not that it matters if you see that. But utopia, a lot of people think that’s the way the world ought to be. Wouldn’t it be great? David Letterman, who I’ve never watched regularly, during his monologue several years ago, he would make a joke, you know, and then he would say, Can global peace be far behind? And of course, that was another joke that he was adding on top of the joke that he already told, because wouldn’t it be great if there was no war anywhere in the world, that all countries could get along with one another and there was never any conflict or nuclear proliferation and concerns about oil and all of that. Wouldn’t it be great? Well, the idea of the desire for utopia sometimes trickles down to our families.

Wouldn’t it be great to have a home where there was never any conflict whatsoever? That there was never any disagreement about anything ever. Or any difficulty that had to be dealt with in our families. Well, we can strive for that and pursue that, just like we can a better world. But there will always be bumps in the road. And even in regard to the life of a Christian, some are expecting utopia. Some folks are baptized into Christ, and they think as a result of that, they’re not going to have any problems anymore. That life is going to be a veritable rose garden as a result of obedience to the gospel, that all troubles are going to be removed. There’s never going to be any hardship or hurdles or trials or difficulties.

1. A Utopian View of the Life of a Christian

Well, we’ve just studied in 1 Peter 4 and verse 18. That it is with difficulty that the righteous are saved. So there’s going to be some troubles along the way that we have to deal with, not to mention the chastening of the Lord, as mentioned in Hebrews chapter 12, for our own benefit. And yet some people have this utopian view of the life of a Christian and not just the life of a Christian, but their involvement in the local church.

But realistically, in the local church, everyone is not going to behave themselves as they ought. There’s going to be difficulties from time to time that a congregation has to deal with. I think of these passages in 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 15, where Paul says, I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself. And there’s the troublesome two words conduct himself in the household of God. And that household of God is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. The fact is, some will struggle to live their lives consistently with the truth. He says, I write these things so one might know how to conduct himself or herself. And then Timothy is told to take heed to himself that he conduct himself properly.

2. The Proper Working of Each Individual Part

In 1 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 16, and to take pains with these things, he is told. And we’re going to look at this verse a little bit more in detail in a moment. And I’m talking about Ephesians 4. Ephesians 4. I referenced this a couple of weeks ago in the sermon that you all can’t forget. Right? The sermons I preached on Sunday morning, the other continuation sermon on building the temple. We talked about Ephesians 4 and verse 16 briefly. I remember when I first started preaching, I would wear this verse out. And I was trying to get every member of the Biltmore Gardens Church in Indianapolis, Indiana, to supply their part. And sometimes I felt like, you know, some people just aren’t getting it. They’re just not going to be anything different than they’ve always been.

We’ll have more to say about that in a moment. Ephesians 4, 16. From whom the whole body being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part. God has an expectation of the proper working of each individual part in the body. If you’re in the body, that means you. God has an expectation for you to supply your part. And the result of everyone supplying their part in the body, just like we want every part of our physical body to supply its part and to do its work.

And so it is with Christ’s body. Each individual member supplying his or her part according to the proper working of each individual part because of the growth of the body for the building up of itself and love. And yet we’ve all been a part of congregations where the workload seems to be shouldered by less than 50% of the group. Where some members of the body are supplying, where some others want to be really stingy in the supply category, and to do very little, if anything, to assist the functioning of the local church. Ephesians 4.16 is tough in terms of practical reality. And then there’s Ephesians 5.27. As it speaks of Christ’s love for the church, that he gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her by the washing of water with the word, a reference to the Holy Spirit’s instruction for us to be baptized in order to be cleansed.

That, verse 27, this is troubled, this passage troubled me for a while. That he might present to himself the church in all her glory.

Having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that she should be holy and blameless. I thought, what congregation have I ever been a part of that lived up to that? That she should be holy and blameless without spot or wrinkle. Well, it occurs to me this isn’t talking about the local church. This is talking about the redeemed throughout the earth, then ultimately God will bring all of his righteous ones in the local church. There can be hypocrites and impostors and those who do not seriously and genuinely pursue their faith. And so he’s not talking about us as a local church. He’s talking about all believers, all the called out throughout the world. And he will ultimately bring all of his righteous ones to glory.

But obviously, shouldn’t the goal be in a local church to render every person holy and blameless before God? And it’s certainly within the realm of possibility that every member of the Decker Prairie Church could be a part of this glorious presentation at the last day. And that’s what we work toward, and that’s why we love and serve one another. That’s why we participate among each other the way we do as the Decker Prairie Church of Christ, because we want everybody within earshot who is willing, because we’re all capable. Everyone who is willing to be a part of that. How do we make these? What’s the problem? First of all, why is it utopia achieved in many of these realms? The problem of sin is one of the reasons why.

3. Settling for Less Than Our Best

And sometimes it is a problem of failed leadership. And sometimes, a lot of the times, the reason why it’s not utopia starts right here. With the problems of me in particular. And so I want to talk to you today, both this morning and tonight, about active participation in the religion of Christ. That’s really the only kind of participation that the New Testament describes that’s acceptable and to make Ephesians 4 and verse 16 a practical reality. Wouldn’t it? Is it just a utopian dream? Or is it possible that each of us can, by the help of God and by the encouragement of each other supply our part in his work? How are we going to get that done? And as we describe this active religion, I want to refer to an article I read many years ago.

It was near the back of one of these publications that I was reading, and it was a preacher from the state of California, I believe, as I recall, and it was called Let Us Do What We Will Do. And when I saw this title, I said, well, that’s interesting. We’ll see what he wrote about that. And he basically said, don’t encourage people to do what they’re not willing to do. That not everybody in the local church can do evangelism. So, as a preacher, I would recommend that you work with those who are willing to do the work of evangelism and focus and concentrate your efforts on them. And so I guess the title of the article is saying, Don’t challenge people to do what they don’t want to do.

Let them do what they’re willing to do. Well, I thought about that, and I’m saying to myself, well, then maybe we’re settling for less than our best. I want to tell you, when I challenge you, when I recommend to you what the scriptures are saying a believer ought to be engaged in, what I want from you is your best effort to accomplish that. If we’re just going to, well, let us do what we will do. You mean I should let you settle for less than your best. Does God deserve our best or not? And then I thought about that. Are we settling for less than what we are capable of? Is that a good thing to say, well, okay, you really don’t think you can do that.

You really think that all you can give to God, remember one of the things I said to you two weeks ago, do something this year in your service of God and in your service of others and the people at Decker Prairie. You do something that you’ve never done before. And if you don’t challenge yourself in that regard, perhaps you’re not rendering to the Lord what you’re capable of doing. Like the one talent man who went and buried his talent instead of taking it and using it, perhaps not to the same extent, the same growth of the two talent man who got two talents more, and the five talent man got five. He didn’t say you need to, you should have gotten at least one talent out of that.

I invested with you one talent, and you should have got one talent more. That wouldn’t have happened if you’d done what Jesus says in the story to at least put the money out and gain interest. Instead of bearing, you wouldn’t double your money. You’re not going to get a hundred percent return on that. But he should have done something. And so, if we settle for less, look, preacher, I know you’re challenging me to do something different than I’ve always done, but I’m not really comfortable doing that.

Well, you may be preventing much needed spiritual growth and development. And beyond all of that, if we settle for less than our best or what we’re capable of, what about for what we will be held accountable? We will be held accountable not by what we determined that we are capable of, but what God believes we were capable of doing. And so this lesson this morning is entitled doing what others will not do. And it really doesn’t matter what you determined to do or not do, or what other people determined to do or not do. I want to talk to you about doing what many others will choose not to do. I don’t know if we’re going to arrive at some kind of utopian place or not.

4. Jesus Did What No One Else Could Do

But if it’s possible to arrive in some kind of utopian, the best possible family environment, the best possible church environment, it’s going to depend in large part about your decision and determination and in supplying this important quality of leadership. And as I conclude this morning, I want to give you three examples of leadership in the Bible and things that we learn about each one. The first, of course, you start talking about true leaders in the Bible, you have to start with the Savior of mankind. He not only did what others would not do, he did what no one else could do. I mentioned in Bible class this morning some statements Jesus made that are really quite incredible. We’ve said them so many times and heard them so many times that we really don’t stop to think.

If you were a first century audience and you heard this, what would have been your reaction when Jesus said, I am the living water. I am the light of the world. Or, like he said in John 12, if I be lifted up, I will draw all men to myself. Those are really incredible statements that Jesus made. No one else could do that. If I be lifted up, I will draw all men to myself. John chapter 12 and verse 32. He did no sin, neither was there any guile found in his mouth. 1 Peter 2 and verse 22. He left an example that we should follow in his steps. No, we can’t do some of the things that Jesus did, but some of the things we can imitate and do.

And being a leader and showing the way for others, we can do. And here’s something interesting about all three of these examples that I’m going to give you, and I want you to focus on this. All three of these examples of true leadership are accomplished in what we might call tough, nonconducive atmosphere to the accomplishment of these things. I mean, look at all that Jesus was dealing with. Misguided religious leaders, weakness in his disciples. Even an unapproving family. At the beginning, even Jesus’ brothers, his own family thought that he lost his mind, according to Mark chapter 3. I mean, he had all of these things working against him, seemingly. The religious leaders of the day, his own disciples struggled. His family was not with him initially.

At least they had questions about his sanity. His own brothers were not believing in him. And yet he accomplished all these things anyway. What does that tell me? When I say me, you’re supposed to say me. What does that tell me about my obligations to do something and to do right, even if others don’t. Last week, in the Sermon that you can’t forget, we talked about a religion that costs me something. A cost me something religion. You see the sacrifices that need to be made, and you make them. But you don’t sit back and say, well, you know, Brother Wayne back there didn’t do it. Or Brother Ken back there, he didn’t do it. Or Sister Joanne, she didn’t do it. You don’t look around and say, what others are going to do, the sacrifice.

It’s not really about them. It’s about my determination. And that’s what a true leader is all about. It’s about me determining what I need to do and getting after it. You know, I can’t supply your part for you. I think preachers, I think we want to do that sometimes, and elders, you know. You know, we want to supply the part for people. We can’t do that. We have enough, we have our hands full supplying our own part. You’ve got to determine to do that. And so that’s what you say. Okay, if we’re going to accomplish Ephesians 4.16 and make it a reality according to the proper working of each individual part, it’s my part that I’ve got to get after. And you’ve got to get after your part and supply it.

5. The Example of the Prophets

Jesus accomplished salvation in tough circumstances. But what that testifies to, and in our attempts as well. The power of character when coupled with a right relationship with God. It’s a powerful thing. And then I want to take you next to the example of the prophets. You talk about what might, some might style some tough circumstances and a non-conducive atmosphere. Just take a look at Jeremiah’s circumstances. You might argue that some of the best people were already gone. They’d already been carried away into captivity. Daniel and Ezekiel, they’re long gone. They’re already over in Babylon. And here’s Jeremiah prophesying a message of doom to a people that God says they’re not going to change. But you’re going to preach this message anyway. He was a laughing stock all day long.

But he said, the Lord is with me like a dread champion. In Jeremiah chapter 20. He says, let me tell you about the priests. They’re all greedy. They go after gain. There’s no one who stands in the way like they should. He says, ask for the old past. Wherein is the good way and walk in it? But they said, We will not walk therein. Isaiah, a generation earlier than Jeremiah, but suffering the same kind of rejection. In fact, Origen and other first centuries and beyond writers suggest that Isaiah is actually pictured in Hebrews chapter 11 as one who was sawn asunder. Cut in two because of his sand for the Lord and the things of his Lord. Sometimes these prophets didn’t have a lot of allies as they proclaim God’s message.

6. The Example of the Gentiles

And then there’s the example of the New Testament of the Gentiles.

And he makes an appeal to Jesus. This was on behalf of his servant, which is amazing in and of itself, to come heal his servant who is paralyzed at home. He’s suffering great pain. And Jesus says, I’ll come to heal it. And the centurion understands the circumstance.

Lord, I am not worthy for you to just say the word.

Conclusion

No, not in Israel. And he said the word. Servant was healed. The Syrophoenician woman in Matthew 15, again, I’ve not found so great a faith. No, not in Israel. And then there at the cross, when Jesus is dying, and again, showing that true leadership, there is a centurion standing there who says, certainly this was a righteous man, the son of the living God. Again, the power of faith in your circumstances, whatever they are, no matter the opposition, no matter if even everyone in your family is on board or not. Whether everyone in the local church is on board or has the excitement or zeal that you do for the things of the Lord, that really doesn’t change what you do. I love the statement as we come to our conclusion this morning in 1 Chronicles chapter 12.

We’re going to give some specific examples of where we can demonstrate this kind of leadership tonight. But in 1 Chronicles chapter 12, in the days of David, as it was talking about his adherents, it says in verse 32, there were the sons of Israel, Issachar. Notice what it says about these sons of Issachar. Issachar doesn’t get a lot of press as a tribe. But they do here in 1 Chronicles 12. Men who understood the times with knowledge of what Israel should do. Now, whether Israel does it or not, the men of Issachar, I’ll tell you what kind of people they were. They understood the time and they knew what Israel should do. And they joined David. Zebulun, 50,000 men who could draw up in battle formation with all kinds of weapons of war.

And they helped David with an undivided heart. You take the example of Issachar and Zebulul, and you put that together. Men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do, people of undivided heart. I want to tell you, they’ll accomplish things, and no wonder. David’s kingdom flourished with the likes of the men of Isakar. And Zebelin. So this message this morning and tonight has a single theme, and it is.

The individual who says, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and He died for me, and I need to be enlisted in His cause, and I’m going to be immersed in water for the forgiveness of my sins. That individual has made a determination. I’m not going to be average. I’m not going to be run of the mill. And it doesn’t matter if the rest of the world chooses death. I’m choosing life. And I’m choosing to be involved in the greatest cause that exists on this planet. And if you’ve already done that, you need not lose sight of the excellence to which you were called. I’m not going to be content being average, being mediocre in run of the mill. I’m going to excel as a servant of the Lord.

I’m going to worship enthusiastically. I’m going to practice holiness. And I’m going to pursue it tenaciously despite my missteps at time from time to time. I’m going to get busy with the life of faith every day. And I’m going to participate among his people effectively, and I’m going to stretch myself in his service because he’s worth it. And we’ll say more about that tonight. Do you have the determination this morning, if you’re not a Christian, to rise above the average? And let the Lord elevate you to heavenly places in Christ by becoming a Christian. Won’t you respond now as we stay in the same song?

I am straight.

So we’re passionate while I will be holding my wood to my sea wave place for me for me.