2008 You Pick ‘em Series – “What
the Bible Says About…Pursuing Godliness by Example”
1 Corinthians 11:1
Sermon preached at Curwensville Presbyterian Church – March 2, 2008
Prayer Introduction:
Last week’s sermon looked to answer the question one of you asked: “So…how
does one pursue godliness in the real world when surrounded by unbelievers? How
do you cope with the daily grind?” And last week we saw that God’s Word
tells us – in the opening verses of
Living the cross-centered life – where we memorize the gospel, pray the gospel, sing the gospel, remember how the gospel has changed us, and study the gospel – this is the way to pursue godliness in the real world. It takes real effort in the real world. Don’t you hate it when the sermon tells us to do something – especially something that isn’t easy?
The great old preacher, George Whitfield, said “It is a poor sermon that gives no offense; that neither makes the hearer displeased with himself nor with the preacher.” I must be preaching good sermons, because even I don’t like the preacher after the sermon.
A Lady asked her preacher one Sunday: "Why do you keep preaching repentance when it doesn't last?" He asked her, "Why do you keep taking baths?"
Memorizing takes real effort – and for some memorizing is especially difficult; but the Lord still calls us to do it.
Praying takes real effort – and for some, staying focused in prayer is especially difficult (you start thinking about your shopping list, and list of things to do); but the Lord still calls us to do it.
Singing takes real effort – and many really don’t like to do it; but the Lord doesn’t say, “Sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs…unless you don’t like to.”
Remembering how God has changed us takes real effort – and many don’t want to think about the past; let alone think about how we still need to be changed; but the Lord still calls us to do it.
Studying takes real effort – and it takes time, when many of us don’t feel like we have the time. But God doesn’t say, “Meditate on my word…unless you’re too busy; I certainly don’t want to interfere with your busy schedule.”
But here’s the thing. Knowing what you should do – and actually doing it are two totally different things. The only way to do it is through Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts. Let’s pray, and come to Christ together… We pray now for the preacher in the pulpit. He is not worthy, but by your grace he is able. And so it is through Jesus Christ that we pray – Amen!
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Listening to inspiring examples of others can produce the opposite effect – a profound feeling of inadequacy. I sometimes hear inspiring stories about people who died for their faith, and I’m pretty sure I would chicken out. Let’s see, be burned at the stake; or worship a ceramic statue of a cat – uh…meow?!
Also, we can end up focusing on the inspiring examples; rather than focusing on the example that they followed. Jesus Christ. This would be the opposite of what the Apostle Paul wants to have happen. Paul tells us to follow his example, as he follows the example of Christ.
I. Imitate Christ
In
As you know I’m a movie guy. I love movies. I always have. And as a kid I used to imitate my heroes in the movies.
I remember watching Clint Eastwood in “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” shooting through ropes with his rifle. So I went outside with my bb gun and tried to shoot the twine that was holding up my mom’s hanging plant. The good news is that I was an excellent shot – and hit that twine. The bad news is that I was an excellent shot – and cut right through that twine…and down went the hanging plant.
I remember watching Sylvester Stallone in “Rocky” – strong and tough, with a never give up attitude. And shortly thereafter I was trying to lift open a screen (push in the latches and lift). And using all of my strength – huffing and puffing – trying to lift it straight up. It wouldn’t budge, but I wasn’t about to give up; and then my dad came over and gently pulled it forward, and then swiveled up.
I also remember watching Mary Poppins and jumping off the roof of our garage with an umbrella in hand. Rather than floating through the air, I almost broke my legs crashing to the ground.
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But imitating a fictional character is the sincerest form of stupidity.
Far better than imitating Mary Poppins, or Rocky, or Blondie is imitating Jesus Christ.
This was the point behind Charles Sheldon’s famous book, In His Steps, which fueled the more recent, “What Would Jesus Do?” movement. Back in 1896, people took that question to heart – not just asking the question; but prayerfully seeking to do what Jesus did.
And the only way to do what Jesus did – to imitate Christ – is to love the one you imitate. And the only way to love Christ is to realize how much God loves us.
This is why we memorize the gospel, pray the gospel, sing the gospel, remember the gospel’s influence on us, and further study the gospel. It continually reminds us of God’s love.
That’s why
Martin Luther said, “We must preach the gospel to ourselves, lest we become
discouraged.” Every time you are discouraged from pursuing
godliness in the real world, among unbelievers – every time the day feels like a
daily grind – take a moment to remember that God loves you. He doesn’t just say
he loves you. He has demonstrated his love in this: While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us (cf.
Why seek to imitate Christ? Because he’s a real hero in the real world
II. Why The Bible Tells Us to Imitate Christ
Have you noticed that the Bible never tells us to do things that come naturally and easily? The Bible never tells me to eat too many chocolate chip cookies. The Bible never tells me to be mean to someone who has been mean to me. No, the Bible tells me to do things like imitate Christ.
Mark Twain said – “Most people are bothered by those Scripture passages which they cannot understand. But for me, the passages in Scripture which trouble me most are those which I do understand.”
I understand that I should seek to imitate Christ. And he is my hero…sometimes; and then I forget again. I get sidetracked. I get caught up in the daily grind. I get caught up in living in a real world among unbelievers.
In fact, a funny thing happened on the way to preparing this sermon. Something just wasn’t right with it. So I pulled up my Bible Illustrator software program – which is occasionally helpful. For the past couple of years, whenever I start the program, the same illustration comes up on the start screen. When I started it the other day, a different opening screen came up – that I had never seen before. It contained the following quote from Sinclair Ferguson – a seminary professor of mine, who I admire deeply. He said:
“When we look back on what the masters of the spiritual life have written and said, it's hard to escape the conclusion that we have been the victim of a confidence trick in our century. Over the past few decades, the evangelical church has been gripped by a series of issues and concerns that have primarily been marginal, or at best of secondary importance. Conferences, seminars, and books on a whole series of ‘vital concerns’ have dominated center stage and determined the agenda in many churches and for many individual Christians. ‘But strikingly absent has been concentration on God Himself.’” (Sinclair B. Ferguson in A Heart For God. Christianity Today, Vol. 32, no. 1).
There are always issues that we need to look at. There are social issues. There are theological issues. There are family issues. There are personal issues. As your pastor, it is my God-ordained job to address those issues. I am called to protect the flock from the false teaching, which exists in the world – and, sadly, in the church. I am called to teach the whole counsel of God – to address issues that are uncomfortable; but need to be addressed.
But first and foremost – as Sinclair Feguson has so wisely put it – I am to help us concentrate on God himself. Jesus Christ, and no issue, should always be at center stage.
This, as it turns out, is exactly what this morning’s passage is about. The reason why this sermon wasn’t coming out right – is because the focus wasn’t right. Until the focus is on Christ, nothing is right.
Samuel Wilberforce said, “Some clergy prepare their sermons; others prepare themselves.” I had spent so much time trying to prepare the sermon; I had forgotten to spend time preparing myself – to simply spend some time with the God who loves me so much.
Life gets busy doesn’t it? You aren’t writing sermons, but you are working your jobs. Taking care of kids, and parents. Trying to pay the bills. Trying to find time for your spouse. The daily grind gets to be quite grinding.
My favorite TV commercial, right now, shows a woman trying to work on the computer at home. The kids are playing – loudly – in the other room; and the mother is clearly frustrated by the noise. Well that mother comes bursting into the room with the kids and says, “Somebody here needs a time out.” She then proceeds to walk through the room and then you see her sitting calmly in a recliner reading a book and smiling. She needed the time out.
We give our kids a time out – not as punishment – but as discipline; to have a moment to calm down and pray.
We need to give ourselves a time out from time to time throughout our day – as a spiritual discipline. We need to take a gospel break – a few moments to pause and reflect on the gospel.
Take 2
minutes and work on memorizing
A drive to work – when you’re by yourself – is a great time to sing a hymn (nobody’s listening); or listen to some Christian music.
If at all possible have your Bible – or a Christian book – nearby that you can read for a couple of minutes. In fact, you that the bestselling book of all time is the Bible; but do you know what the second bestselling book of all time is? The Pilgrim’s Progress – by John Bunyan.
If you want to be encouraged. If you want to be inspired. Read The Pilgrim’s Progress (there’s a copy in the church library). You would even do well just to read short portions at a time. John Bunyan was a pastor in the late 1600’s who was put in prison for preaching the gospel. He wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress from his prison cell in 1675.
In this masterpiece of allegory, Bunyan writes about “Christian” pursuing godliness in the real world among unbelievers. Spurgeon said of Bunyan and this book, “Read anything of [t]his, and you will see that it is almost like reading the Bible itself. [John Bunyan] had read it till his whole being was saturated with Scripture…he cannot give us his Pilgrim’s Progress – without continually making us feel and say, “Why, this man is a living Bible!”
Take time to read The Pilgrim’s Progress. Take time to read Jesus in Scripture. Take time to fall in love with the one who loves you. And you will find yourself imitating those who imitate Christ. You will find yourself imitating Christ. You will find…
…THE TRUTH HAS SET YOU FREE – AMEN!