Give us clean hands

Give us clean hands

This morning I was talking in my message about being the witness that God has called us to be.  In like fashion I had prepared more than I could cover.  And rather than stretching out words for another week I have decided to post my thoughts on this blog for those who are interested in further studying the subject of being a witness as we were discussing this morning.

So what follows is the conclusion of my sermon…  Who knows maybe one day I will pick it up and preach it?  But for now it is what it is.

As you read keep in mind the prophet Haggai had been sent to the nation of Israel to challenge the people to align their walk, their wealth, their worship and their witness with the kingdom of God.  Many times if we are not careful our witness will be diminished.

II. Your witness for God may be diminished

The reason Haggai and Zechariah preached their messages was to correct the people of God, especially as it related to their failure to make God’s work the main priority. Their failure to work on the Temple was a negative witness. Several truths are apparent.
A.  The witness was diminished because the work was unfinished (1:4)

Work, which had begun at least fifteen years before, had not been completed. The Temple, the place signifying God’s presence among the people, was in ruins.  The two hardest parts of any project is getting started {well} and then finishing {well}.  Finishing our work can bring glory to God. Jesus stated that his purpose was to do the will of God and to finish what He had been given to do (Jn. 4:34). Among Jesus’ last words on the cross was the phrase “It is finished” (Jn. 19:30). Paul too stated that his aim was to finish his course (Acts 20:24). In 2 Tim. 4:7, Paul declared that he had finished the course. He had ran well and fought a good fight.

B.  Their witness was also diminished because the work was unimportant (1:2-4)
Not only was it not finished, but also there was no urgency to move ahead. Years had passed, but the people failed to be motivated to do the work. They were satisfied with the status quo. Keep in mind they were facing battles of apathy.  Apathy is a state of indifference; perhaps it's the suppression of our emotions. Sometimes it is seen as a lack of concern, excitement or motivation and maybe even a loss of passion. Apathy is a real and it weakens our sense of purposes. Many times apathy creates within us a lack or a sense of meaning.  It causes us to be insensible and sluggish.

C.  The witness was diminished because their work was unimpressive (2:3)

The work they had completed was not impressive, at least compared to what it had been at an earlier time. According to Haggai, it was as nothing (Hag. 2:3).  The point was not that their work compared to the work of a previous generations, but that they did their best unto the Lord!  Your best unto the Lord is always most important!   Someone can always do better or more than you can do – that was not to be their consideration.  Rather, god promised to supply what they lacked!

D.  The witness was diminished because work was unholy or unclean (2:14)
Years of corrupt living did not change overnight because the unholy people began to work on the holy Temple. The people thought their witness would change quickly because they were now living to honor God. Haggai reminded the people that unholy things do not become holy just because they touch the holy thing. In fact, unholiness is quick to make the holy become unclean. Their corrupt lives had not changed simply because they had begun work on the Temple. We cannot expect that God will be pleased with our lives until they are clean.

Sadly, the failure to take care of the Lord’s work was a recurring theme throughout this era of Isreal. Years after the Temple was completed, Ezra and Nehemiah came to Jerusalem and found that God’s work was neglected. A renewal of the covenant under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah ended with the commitment: “We will not forsake the house of our God” (Neh. 10:39). Yet only a few years later when Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem he is forced to ask the rulers, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” (Neh. 13:11).  We like the people of Israel are filled with good intentions…  but what we need is a faithful witness!  Later Malachi condemns both the priest and the people for despising God’s name, polluting His altar, wearying Him with their words, and withholding the tithe. Believers today must be vigilant to be a positive witness for God.
III. The third important truth as we consider our witness is that our witness for God must be dramatized

A watching world cannot merely peer into the hearts and minds of believers and see their love and devotion to God. A watching world sees our testimony by what we do.  The positive response to Haggai’s message served as a witness for the Lord (1:12-15). The response of the people resulted in:

A. New Energy

For the work and new evidences of their devotion to God. When the people began to work, the Lord “stirred up” the spirit of Zerabbabel, the spirit of Joshua, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people (1:14). The verb “stirred up” refers to God’s active role in moving the affections of his people. God energized His people to continue what they had newly begun. Zechariah, who preached at the same time as Haggai, encouraged Zerubbabel by declaring,  NIV Zechariah 4:6  “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty...  The Lord Jesus Himself promised the believers a new power in the Holy Spirit to be witnesses (Acts 1:8). At Pentecost, the church became empowered to witness to the world (Acts 2:4; 4:31). Believers today can be witnesses for God as they allow Him to energize them for the work (Eph. 1:15-23).

Not only was their witness dramatized by a new energy, it was demonstrated by…

B.  New Evidences

One evidence of their commitment and devotion to the Lord was their Turning to the Lord. Haggai and Zechariah both urged the people to turn from their apathy and self-concern and serve the Lord. The people responded in obedience. A second evidence was their Toiling on the Temple. Suddenly, that which had seemed unimportant became most important. They commenced the work, which can often be the most troublesome part of the task. They continued the work, even when they faced opponents, obstacles, and objections.  Finally,

C.  Completed the Work

A reconstructed Temple was the most dramatic kind of outward witness of their inner faith and commitment. A third evidence was their Togetherness. They had become a true community of faith, united in purpose and spirit to honor God. Jesus prayed that his church would be one (Jn. 17:21-22). Paul explained that the church, at its best, is one body with each member cooperatively fulfilling his or her role (1 Cor. 12:12-14). The church gives a most powerful witness when it unifies to honor Christ.

Statement of Truth: As the people of God, we are witnesses to a watching world, whether we intend to be or not.

We have been given the responsibility and blessed with the power to be His ambassadors. Therefore, we must consider our witness.

THE AGGRAVATING ATTITUDE OF APATHY

THE AGGRAVATING ATTITUDE OF APATHY

Apathy is perhaps a universal Christian experience, and it is prohibiting the growth of believers. As aggravating as apathy is it is very hard to combat, because while we often see ourselves in the midst of it and we despise it, we feel powerless to do anything because we are apathetic.  Our attitude is indifferent towards anything.  The Christian believer would do well to learn what apathy is, what causes apathy and how do we combat it?

WHAT IS APATHY?

Apathy could be considered a state of indifference; perhaps it's the suppression of our emotions. Sometimes it is seen as a lack of concern, excitement or motivation and maybe even a loss of passion.  Apathy is a real and it weakens our sense of purposes. Many times apathy creates within us a lack or a sense of meaning.  It causes us to be insensible and sluggish. Sometimes apathy is so great that the one who's apathetic is stripped of fortitude required in many life situations.  While facing a challenge an apathetic attitude is most aggravating because we do not care to even be moved.  Because the perceived challenged is not realized many times one is overwhelmed and doomed to spiral out of control.

THE CAUSES OF APATHY

Prosperity– One reason why empathy develops in our lives is because of material prosperity.  As Americans this is a real battle.  However, affluence is not simply a material phenomenon alone.  Apathy could set in because of spiritual prosperity.  Prosperity of any kind often brings comforts, and a comfortable situated individual often tends to sag into some sort of uninspired spiritual complacency. This is known as apathy. Therefore, apathy is seen in the rich or the poor; apathy is a real battle in our lives whoever we are.

Coasting–  Often times you find ourselves in a hurry, even in a frenzy.  You are constantly trying to fight the pace of life and many times our hectic demands will elbow out our spiritual vigor and vitality.  Because of the rush of life our attentions are misdirected.  Even for those of us in ministry positions, we can become so caught up in the activity of ministry that we neglect the own condition of our spiritual soul, readiness and growth.  Apathy causes us to have less concern about our own spiritual life and causes concerns about managing the world around us. Thus, it sends us into a dangerous drift.

Trials–  Whenever we face hard times we need to be careful, because if we do not fight the spiritual warfare effectively apathy will soon follow.  Perhaps you are facing a difficult situation with a coworker. Every day, you hear from your office mate’s ridicule concerning your faith and your Bible reading lifestyle.  You are often mocked because you do not party, sleep around, or get drunk.  You do not cuss like comedian, nor do you watch the porn that other men in the office watch,  nor do you listen to the dirty jokes, and for this you are scoffed.  After a while your spiritual resolve begins to slack.  You think to yourself, “Is it really worth it?” After a while, your spiritual walk becomes slow, and you are very tired.  Eventually the slide into an aggravating attitude of apathy sets in, almost without warning.  Another example could be extended illness of a family member, or a disease that ends in death.  

Things like this try our faith, they dash our hopes and too often they sink our spirits.  Is there a remedy? What is the solution to such an aggravating apathetic attitude?  Is there any way out?  Gratefully, I believe there is!

THE CURE TO APATHY

Fight sin– Often the lifestyle of apathy is gripped by a damaging sin habit.  When Paul wrote the Church of Thessalonians, he said in effect: There is good news. It is God's will that you grow as Christians.  But don't just sit around waiting for this to happen.  He called the church to get busy and fights sin.  He calls the people to flee immorality, to learn to control their passions and not to sin against their brother.  {see 1 Thessalonians 4:3-6.}  As we grow in godliness it allows us to be moved by God to combat the things that we must fight against.  Be warned: you are going to have to fight.

Intentionally listen to God– Unfortunately, in order to shake the sin of apathy you can't wait for some holy zap from heaven. You must by God's grace be intentional. It takes a deliberate spirit to overcome apathy. Where does this grace come from? It comes from learning to listen to God. We must actively seek him.  We must decide to meditate upon his word,  and set in his presence as  seen in Psalm 27:14 says: We must, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Absolute assurance -  We must come to the point of absolute assurance as a believer and live out our faith as a reality in Christ daily. God wants for us to have assurance as a believer. We can have a “know-so” salvation.  Study 1 John.  If you are a believer than you must live as one.  Apathy stands in direct contradiction to faith, and because of this we must take the sin of apathy seriously.  Growing, as a Christian is a process.  I see it as a progressive journey in life.  We are not spiritual infants one moment and spiritual giants next.  It is a day-by-day step of faith that grows over time.  There will be a lot of ups and downs along the way. However, when we look at our life {as a whole, not in part} we should see spiritual growth taking hold of our lives.

It is my conviction that no believer can stay apathetic for too long.  Either you are a believer who will grow, or you are an unbeliever who will stop clinging to the false hope of a nonexistent relationship with Jesus Christ.  Spiritual growth is not an issue becoming perfect, because this side of heaven we will not be perfect.  But the Christian life has a goal of continuing moving towards more and more Christlikeness.

DEVELOP DISCIPLINE

Spiritual growth is a biblical assumption for the normal Christian life. As people respond to the redemptive message of Jesus Christ the challenge becomes to mature in their faith in the Lord. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a curse in our generation.  It remains as a huge spiritual problem that we face today.   It has been said that Christianity would be incredibly influential if Christians consistently lived out their faith. {George Barna}

To become a spiritually mature individual it will require for us to develop disciplines in our life that are present every day. These disciplines will result in a lifestyle that will constantly recognize and consistently respond to God's presence in our lives. 

TO DEVELOP DISCIPLINE

Number 1: Develop the discipline of solitude and silence

–       Reflect on Psalm 46:10

these disciplines could be described as 2 different disciplines, but for our purposes we will look at them together.  Most of us live in a culture that is permeated with noise and distractions.  Someone once wisely said that we suffer from noise pollution as much as we suffer from air pollution.  The invention of the cell phone and continued sophisticated technologies such as the iPad, and other tablets it is harder and harder to follow the wisdom of the psalmist: “be still, and know that I'm God…” 

There is something about silence that enables us to hear with our soul. To be perfectly honest, this is a discipline I deeply struggle with, and it is a discipline that I deeply need.  I recognize this wisdom, but it is so difficult to implement.    When we learn to enjoy the silence we are able to understand that God is presence in our life and wants to deeply impress us with thoughts and awareness of his creation unknown to us in the busyness of all the noise.  It is in such silent moments that there is an opportunity for the act of prayer to be completed.  More times than not are praying is a time of telling God what we want to tell him, but not allowing time for him to reply to our spirits.  We often rush off to other responsibilities or engagements, but silence invite God's response.  We live in a culture that doesn't like silence, many Americans find silence unnatural. 

To me silence and solitude go together Jesus made solitude a regular retreat.  We should learn from our master and understand those moments alone often allow our mind and heart to refocus. Of Jesus found it necessary to be alone such as in Mark 1:35 and how can we not do the same? The writer of Ecclesiastes {chapter 3 verse 7} spoke of silence as having an appropriate place at times in our lives.

Number 2: Develop the discipline of simplicity

–       Reflect on Matthew 6:25-33

In our culture simplicity has all but been lost.  To live life more simply we must choose to live life with fewer material possessions, and your schedule demands on our lives. We must constantly choose to practice a life of simplicity. We must make lifestyle choices that go against the cultural natural flow. One of the dangers that Christian must avoid is not to become too spiritually proud of what we've eliminated in our lives. For almost 4 years now I've had an iPhone I'm making plans to change phones at least for a while just to try and get away from some of the technology I become dependent upon.  The goal at least to my heart is to have a simpler life. 

As our lifestyles become more simply structured other things need to take prominence.  For instance, the observance of the Lord today should become a top priority.  Learning to recognize the greater “yes” in life is also very important.  To say “yes” sometimes we have to say “no”.    Many times we are undisciplined and so we are not careful to discern and select the ministry activities where our gifts and abilities can be best utilized. Rather we choose many times to do things that we are not best equipped to do and it leaves us physically and emotionally drained. Simplicity calls for life quality not quantity of activities that we see very frequent in our schedules. Simplicity is marked by pace of life that is non-hectic and allows time for Gods divine surprises to be enjoyed.

Number 3: Develop the discipline of Scripture memory

–       Reflect on Psalm 119:11

Memorizing Scripture is very important and it must be intentional process in our lives. Intentionally memorizing Scripture is for the purpose of practicing God's presence in our lives. Whenever we memorize Scripture we put God's word at work in our hearts, minds and lives.  Memorizing Scripture will help us conformed to the likeness of Christ, {consider 2 Corinthians 3:18} memorizing Scripture helps us daily triumph over sin by placing ammunition in our mind against the enemy.  {Consider Romans 8:13}.  Memorizing Scripture helps us comforts and counsel those whom God places in our path.  Sometimes we counsel those that we love and sometimes we communicate the gospel to unbelievers. Memorizing Scripture helps us do both more effectively. 

Once any discipline has been developed it is easy to imagine we are spiritual now that we have done this. Essential in the purpose of spiritual disciplines is the understanding that God is always working in our lives.  It is grace at work in our lives that has been given by God, so the discipline can develop. Our responsibility is to lifestyle changes that enable grace to be operative in our lives.

Wake up America!

America today is suffering from a non-active church.  We have bought into the deception that everything is okay.  We have become lazy, and we are a sin sick nation, and a sin sick church.    As a people of God we have allowed the culture to influence us.  One such influence is that we have bought the lie: separation of church and state.  Yes the constitution does not allow the state the establish a state religion, but we are not kept from being religious!    If you have ever read the constitution than you know you will never read the words: separation of church and state!  That is the interpretation of a man in a letter to others and we have held that opinion higher than the constitution itself!  We were not set free from religion but rather we were set free from the control of the state in our religion. 

D. James Kennedy was Pastor from Coral Ridge Presbyterian church in Florida and was once debating with Sam Donaldson, a liberal reporter.   They were debating the independence of our nation and the foundation of our great nation.  Mr. Donaldson was trying to make the case that that America has always been a secular nation.  Mr. Donaldson violently defended that there were few Christians in the days of 1776.  Well Kennedy found some rather interesting facts.    Kennedy decided to do some research, and what he found was this, as late as 1776:

98% of the people professed Protestant belief in Faith in Jesus Christ

                        1.8 % said they were Roman Catholic

                        .2 % were Jewish

If there was ever a day when the church needed to get into the public arena it is today!

Kennedy concluded when you looked at the culture you found that 99.8 % of that young nation called the United States was of Christian decent.   Can you imagine that?    In the state of Delaware in 1770’s anyone who wanted to hold a public office you must sign this statement:

“I do profess faith in God the father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  His only son and in the Holy Ghost.  I do acknowledge the Holy Scriptures of the old and new testaments to be given by divine inspiration.”

I think that would be a great statement for all the senators to sign right now!  But I promise you:  If you even so much as suggest it, you would be tarred and feathered before you could even get off the floor. 

To read more from Kennedy click this link:  http://books.google.com/books?id=J6OI3VmYYOkC&pg=PA65&lpg=PA65&dq=james+kennedy+and+sam+Donaldson&source=bl&ots=LRsaqCXMzI&sig=TPW2fcKFRl_okAMcHOTTaDEDgYs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=OSjfT9--N8iG2gWN8aXTAg&ved=0CFIQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=false