Faith’s Greatest Achievement

Introduction

I can’t commit to you 100% on this, but I’m toying with the idea of doing a question and answer Sunday night, maybe several of them, where you submit a question you would like me to answer with the scriptures, and I would attempt to do two or three of those, perhaps, on a Sunday night, maybe even just one. I got this idea even after Sean submitted something for me to consider as a possible sermon idea, so I might just raise his idea as a question and go from there. So if you want to submit a question, instead of having a box out in the foyer and somebody submitting something anonymous, I hate anonymous, I need you to sign your name to it. So just why don’t you just go ahead and hand it to me and I’ll stick it in my coat pocket and we’ll see if I can answer some of your questions in the next several months.

We’ll try to get to that. Turn in your New Testament to Mark the seventh chapter. There’ll be a few moments before we get there.

And that’s sort of what I want to do with you tonight. Talk about the nuts and bolts of real Christianity and what it means to truly be a success in life. How would you define success? Are you driving your car on the street of success? I want you to be a success. You are capable of being a success in life. So how are we going to measure that? What is the benchmark of success academically? Well, it starts with those scores. The grades that we get in school and then those important tests that we take like the SAT. 2,400 points. When I was in school, which tells you how long ago it was, our perfect score was only 1,600. We had two sections. Now, you young people, you’re so fortunate, you have more.

You have three sections, 2,400. If you get 2,000 on the SAT, most of the adults that are younger than me that have taken the test that has 2400, most of them got 2,000 or better. I’m just going to throw that out there. They did. Now, young people, if you get 2,000 on the SAT, success. Going on from that, if we get a bachelor’s degree, success. Perhaps if we go a little bit further and get some initials behind our name. As a result of furthering education, we would see ourselves as a success. Or as we gain that profession and we become that laborer who works the 40 hour week and makes a pretty nice income, is able to put away some funds for retirement, lives in a certain neighborhood, drives a certain car, at least a car that I’m happy with.

Then I can say I’ve been a success in life. We have kids, we have a family, we raise our kids to be pretty decent human beings. Success. Sports, we talk about success. Okay, Aggies, I’ll throw you a bone. If you win a Heisman Trophy, you’ve had some success. Or, better yet, hopeful, an FCC championship. Or even more a BCS championship. If we’d had the playoff system, the Aggies would have won the national championship last year, in my opinion. And so we have all kinds of ways of measuring success. And success looks like different things to different people depending upon what you’re focused on in life. I think we can learn a lot by what others have said about success. I want to start tonight with a quote from Elbert Hubbard.

Not to be confused with old Mother Hubbard. That’s just to see if you’re awake. Elbert Hubbard said some succeed by what they know. Some by what they do, and a few by what they are. Hold that thought. Ralph Waldo Emerson. This may be the only time I ever quote him. The definition of success, he says, to laugh much, to win respect of intelligent persons and the affections of children, to earn the approbation of honest critics, and endure the betrayal of false friends. To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to give oneself, to leave the world a little better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition, to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exaltation. To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeed. Well, there’s some good thoughts in there. And I bet you’re really going to be surprised when the next quote comes from Johnny Carson. My success, he says, just evolved from working hard at the business at hand each day. To others, success is simply answering to no one but yourself. To be able to buy what you want to buy, to do what you want to do to vacation, when and where you want to vacation. Success. Achievement. Those are beautiful words in whatever realm or endeavor that a person pursues. That’s the way we want to be remembered by others. He was successful. She was successful. Is that the way you want to be remembered? Do you want other people to look at you and say that person was a success?

Well, that’s a lot better than the other, isn’t it? People look at you and say, he was a failure. She was a failure. No, none of us want to be that. We want to be a success. And rightfully so. Now, Theodore Roosevelt gets quoted a little bit more than Johnny Carson. He noted of achievement. The credit belongs to people who are actually in the arena. Who know the great enthusiasms, the great devotions to a worthy cause. Who at best know the triumph of high achievement? Who at worst fail while daring greatly. So that their place will never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat. I’ve always liked the cold and timid souls part of that quote. How many of you have been to Egypt?

Oh, not many. Have anybody been to the pyramids? Well, you’ve seen the pyramids and pictures and some kind of book somewhere, have you not? I saw this picture of achievement, the pyramid, certainly a great achievement, and then this quotation under it. You can do anything you set your mind to when you have vision, determination, and an endless supply of expendable labor. Thank you for staying with me and giving me that a laugh there. That’s good. Well, what is the nature of spiritual success? What are some of the greater achievements of faith? I want to talk to you tonight about faith’s greatest achievements. You know, there’s some things we talk about an awful lot. In terms of what it means to be a success as a Christian.

And we’re not going to belabor the point here because we talk about these things a lot. Not just assembling together, but what it involves in terms of committing to brethren. And that’s the way we need to view it. It’s not just what we do before God because He’s commanded us to do it, but it’s also what we do with each other and for one another as we stir up one another unto love and good deeds. And so there’s a commitment to brethren. There is unwavering devotion to God, prayer and meditation. And we talked about that briefly this morning. There are some other things that are involved in spiritual success, equipping ourselves to teach others. The things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, Paul tells Timothy, these things entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

And we talk a lot about pursuing holiness, the things that God says are immoral behavior to abstain from those, and the things that God identifies for us as good, activities and behavior that is consistent with his holiness, and we talk about pursuing holiness. 2 Corinthians chapter 7 and verse 1, removing from our lives all defilement of flesh and spirit and perfecting holiness in the fear of God. And so we talk about good behavior and bad behavior and the kinds of things Christians should do and shouldn’t do. And some things are not all that clear. And so we’re supposed to examine everything carefully and hold fast to that which is good. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 21. But I think in teaching about this and talking about this, sometimes we get the proverbial cart before the Lord.

And while all of these things are involved in what I would call true success in life, beyond achievement and education, beyond achievement in the business world, beyond achievement in the community, beyond achievement as most people define it, beyond success as most human sources define it. When we talk about the greatest success and achievement in this world, it has to do with faith. That’s what the Hebrew writer is talking about in chapter 11. He’s not talking about all of the great emperors of all time and all the great warriors of all time. He’s talking about the great people of faith the whole time. And they are those who have truly achieved. And so as we pursue these spiritual things that are the definition of true success, again, sometimes I think we get the cart before the horse and forget about the things that cause these to happen.

What must first occur inwardly? You see what’s going to take care of points one, two, three, and four. Or at least coincide with success in points one, two, three, and four, is what is happening on the inside of a person. Our salvation is more than just about an external washing in water, isn’t it? Baptism is about an inward regeneration, a renewing by the Holy Spirit. It is about a change unto the devotion and service to Christ and a molding of ourselves in every way after Him. And that begins first and foremost inside the way we think. And some of the greatest failures of Christians take place within the parameters of the mind. The way we’re thinking.

That’s why Jesus said, What is the greatest commandment? They got the answer right. They had the intellectual knowledge, and yet he would have to say about one who got the answer right in Mark chapter 12. You are not far from the kingdom of God. Arrival in the kingdom, success in the kingdom, has to do with not only knowing the right answer, but living the right answer in your affections. That is, loving the Lord your God. With all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all your strength, and loving your neighbor as yourself. And that takes place within. When we fail, why do we fail? Because something’s happened in our hearts. I want you to read with me Mark 7 now, verse 14.

He’s just had a confrontation with the Pharisees, religious people whose hearts were bad. Their hearts are far from me. They teach as doctrines, the commandments of men. They set aside God’s commands for their tradition. And that’s not all they do. I’ve always loved the statement of verse 13. In fact, I have it underlined, and you do many things such as that.

And then he tells a little parable. He says, Listen to me, all of you, and understand. There is nothing outside the man which going into him can defile him. But the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. If any man has ears to hear, let him hear. Do you understand what I’m saying? The Jews were all concerned about the things that they could eat that were clean, and the things that were unclean according to the law. Now, Jesus is about to change things, new legislation for his new kingdom, as we’ll see in just a second. And so he’s telling them that really that’s not God’s ultimate intentions of righteousness and what cleanliness really involves. It’s not about food that you eat and food that you don’t eat.

People got all hung up on that. The Pharisees were not going to eat unclean food, and yet they have all of these heart problems that he’s just addressed.

The issue here is what a man thinks and what proceeds out of him as a result. Now the disciples are a little confused by this. And so they questioned him about the parable in verse 17. And he said to them, remember, he’s just said, if any man has ears to hear, let him hear. Do you understand what I’m saying? Are you lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him? Whatever foods you like. And some of you like crazy things.

I can’t stand hummus. Olives. I don’t like olives. They’re cushy. I know the kids agree with me, right? No olives. But beets? Okay, beets, you like beets? As awful as those things are when you choke them down. They’re not going to defile you. Now, we know, Scott, pork is not going to defile us. Pork’s a good thing. No matter what you eat, it is not going to affect you spiritually. I ate the wrong food, I’m spiritually a failure. It’s not about that anymore. Because it goes not into his heart, but into his stomach and is eliminated. Thus he declared all foods clean. Now that’s new. And he was saying, and focus on this. That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man.

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man. But would we not be a little less critical of some of these than if somebody believed instrumental music was okay?

And yet these things are justice condemning. There are a lot of things in regard to externals. That we need to do what God has instructed us to do and those things and show our submission and obedience to him. But I want to tell you, these problems in the heart of man can be just as condemning. And these are the things that condemned the Pharisees. They were still tithing, they were still worshiping, they still believe the scriptures, but they were not applying the scriptures. They were not thinking with the attitudes that are godly that one must have to please him. They were not successes spiritually, though they did a lot of religious things. I’m going to come back to that next Sunday morning, Lord will it.

1. How We See Ourselves

I want to talk about how we view things. Three in particular. That I believe are the key to spiritual success and success in life. And the first is how we see ourselves. I want you to turn back to Matthew 18. We’ve got to pay attention to passages like this. The disciples came to Jesus and they asked a good question who’s the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus called to himself the child and set him before them. Truly I say unto you, Jesus says, unless you are converted and become like children. You shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Okay. Jesus is talking about real success. The greatest in the kingdom of heaven is the one who humbles himself as a young child.

Paul would say things, like Galatians 6 and verse 3, when a man thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. A man ought not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think. Romans chapter 12 and verse 3. And then we have an example of one who thought more highly of himself than he ought to think. Diotrophes, who loved to have the preeminence, and he was rejected by John the Apostle. And we must begin, we must begin keeping our heart with all diligence where the Sermon on the Mount begins. I’ve always said it’s the most critical of all of the things Jesus was talking about in the Beatitudes, although all of them are essential and all of them work together.

But right at the very basis of everything, he said, what? Blessed are the poor in spirit. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. He said, You’ve got to become like a little child. That’s not going to happen without some work and some effort, some strenuous activity in molding the kinds of attitudes that we need to have to be that humble child. We have to become like children. We all know the story of King Saul, right? First king of the nation of Israel. Everything started well for Saul. In fact, when the lot fell upon his family and eventually on him, he was nowhere to be found. He’s over hiding by the baggage. I’ve always loved that about Saul. He was overwhelmed by his selection. And his best buddy, one of his best friends was Samuel, the prophet and judge.

That’s off to a great start. And then things just start to unravel. He offers a sacrifice that he had no right to sacrifice. In chapter 13, there’s the foolish vow, chapter 14, and then in chapter 15, the failure in regard to the Amalekites. And we’ve thrown over that many times. But I want you to think about something Samuel says, as his relationship with Saul is falling apart because Saul’s relationship with God is falling apart. What a tragedy. Don’t miss this verse.

That I hear.

You’ve rebelled. And then this little nugget in verse 17 of 1 Samuel 15, and Samuel said, Is it not true? Though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel. And the Lord anointed you king over Israel. And the Lord sent you on a mission and said, Go and utterly destroy. But did you see that phrase? When it was all going well, when things were a success for King Saul, he says, When you were little in your own eyes. What happened to Saul? He got digged for his riches is what happened. He started thinking more highly of himself than he ought to think. He was more focused on himself than he should have been. And he lost becoming the little child.

It’s the root of all of our problems. It’s the root of all of our problems in our homes. Humility. Lowliness. Small in our own eyes. Isaiah 66. To this one will I look, verse 2, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit and who trembles at my word. I could stay here for another 30 minutes. Actually, I’m almost done with the whole sermon.

And what am I? How many times have I tried to explain? We are completely dependent upon God for everything that we are and hope to be. I am what I am, Paul said, by the grace of God, as we saw last week. In 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 10. God has been merciful to me, and he has placed me by his grace in this position. And yet so often in the local church, people get carried away with themselves. Their ideas right about everything, and they’re not going to listen to anybody else. It’s my way or the highway.

Me. Everybody bow down at the shrine of me. When there are problems in local churches, it is almost always that. How do we see ourselves? We only are what we are because of Him. None of us are indispensable. If any one of us were to kill over, pretty sure this work would go on. And it would thrive as people stay committed to the King.

2. The Way We See God

It’s the problem in our homes. Self becomes the focus of everything. What I want, what I want to do. And because we’re so focused on ourselves and so big in our own eyes rather than little like we should be if we’re going to be a success. Because we’re so big in our own eyes, we don’t see God like we need to see him. Sermon coming up shortly on the size of God. Jared and I both are working on a sermon on that subject. He’s going to preach his at Southside very soon. And I’m not sure when it’s coming here because I’ve got a lot of sermon ideas I’m working on. But the way we see God is so important. How frequent our thoughts are of him and how large he needs to be in our minds and how large a place he needs to have in my life daily.

3. Our Response to Others

That’s the key to success. I can’t be focused on the world 24-7. Well, I’m going to give God a few hours on Sunday. We talked about that this morning. And then somehow think that I’m going to grow in regard to the kind of person I need to be. To become like the little child of Matthew chapter 18. Our focus on God reveals just how small and dependent we are. So how we see God and the size of our view of God is critical to our success. And then beyond that, as we deny ourselves and serve Him, we deny ourselves also in serving others and focus on them. There’s so much about our response to others in the New Testament. It’s so critical to our success. And I mentioned this verse to you very recently.

Remember, I said I’m a sum it up kind of guy? Well, Peter is summing it up. In 1 Peter chapter 3 and verse 8. He says, To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kind-hearted, humble in spirit, not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead. For you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

But others may do things that rub me in the wrong way. They don’t always act perfectly. They don’t always think perfectly. Sometimes trouble results when that happens. And I think too often what we’re ready to do, we’re just going to wash our hands and move on. They didn’t measure up. We’ve got to be careful with that kind of thing. Because what if God did that with us? Tony didn’t measure up today.

Aren’t you glad he hasn’t done that with us? Oh, I know. We have to respond to his call of holiness, and we have to repent of our sins to continue on basking in his fellowship. I understand that. But once that is done, everything is clean in our relationship with God. And yet so often we struggle to do this with each other. Personalities. Personalities. I’ve seen it too often, brethren who worship in the same building, loathing each other. Loathing. Hating them. Why? Because they don’t think like I do on everything. If they thought like I do on everything, they’d be right, like me. That’s sort of the way we do it. They don’t think like I think they actually have, they dare to have some different thoughts on some things.

How dare they? Not everything is life and death. Not everything is absolute agreement 100% on everything. And so because we think it’s got to be that’s the way it’s got to be. And I like to use who wrote Hebrews. I don’t think Paul wrote it. I think you know I’ve said that a few times. But there are some of you that do. And you know what? That’s okay. Because what does that amount to in your salvation? We both believe the book of Hebrews is inspired. It’s God’s message, and we need to follow it. You’re not a false teacher. Because you believe Paul wrote Hebrews, even though you’re wrong.

You’re not a false teacher because we come out in the same place in terms of practice. We just like everything so neat and tidy. Wouldn’t it be great if everybody believed the same thing? Well, wouldn’t it be great if everybody had a personality that matched with everybody else’s? What planet are we from to think that’s going to happen? There are some wild personalities in this group. Some very different people. And you know, the more people we bring in here, the wilder the personalities are going to get. And yet sometimes I just, that person, I just have absolutely nothing in common with it. Don’t you know they were saying that in the first century? Jews and Gentiles. The Gentiles invited us over for dinner. No way, Jose.

They might serve pork. Scott would be there. But Jews and Gentiles, male and female, bond of free, you’re all one in Christ Jesus. I’ll tell you what happens. We start thinking in terms of how everybody’s relating to me. And how everybody’s treating me, how everybody’s serving me. You see, it all begins to be about me. How people are responding to me. Get the focus off yourself. Serve someone. Send the email. Send the text. Pray the prayer for somebody else. If there’s somebody you don’t like and you’ve not prayed for them, shame on you. Shame on me.

If you haven’t prayed for them, you definitely have no excuses.

Is Christ like real or is it just lip service?

John 13. He’s about to be betrayed and crucified. He goes around the room. He knows what’s looming. He’s going to pray all night about that. With great drops of sweat as blood. But before he does that, he’s going to teach his disciples, and he goes around the room. These dirty feet of the fisherman. Impetuous Peter that he’s had to call on the carpet how many times? Or things that he said. A tax collector, a zealot. You talk about a ragtag group, even the betrayer. And he goes around the room. And he washes their feet. You see, even at his final hours, even on the cross, it’s not about him. It’s about others. Spiritually, this is where we mess up. Spiritual success looks like little in your own eyes.

Conclusion

Great is God. Others before ourselves. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it flows the issues of life. You get these things right. And eventually, maybe not without some study, maybe not without some effort and dealing with certain prejudices that we may have. But you get those things right, eventually you’re going to get the Lord’s Supper right. Only two elements, unleavened bread and fruit of the vine. You’re going to get assemblies right, no instrumental music because there’s no authority for that in the New Testament. You’re going to get those things right. Everything flows out of what’s going on inside a person, and that is the measurement of real Christianity, and that is the measurement of success, and all failure can be attributed to failures within.

All that’s what Jesus said in Mark chapter 7. And so if there’s something on the inside that is not yet cleansed by the blood of Christ, you need to submit to him and receive his cleansing of the inner person so that you can arise and walk in newness of life as a child of the King. Can we assist someone in doing that tonight? Or if there’s someone who’s lost your way spiritually and needs to come home and to do so in some kind of public manner, won’t you come now as we stand and sing together?