A Good Conscience is Priceless

“A Good Conscience is Priceless”

Spiritual Leadership in the Church Series

1 Tim. 1:18-20

THEME: Faithfully fulfill the ministry committed to your charge.

RELEVANCE: discouraging and difficult tasks should not be permitted to force us to abandon the ministry committed to us.  We must be steadfast and faithful to our charge to keep the faith by teaching sound doctrine, proclaiming the Gospel, and defending the Faith.

INTRODUCTION:

Paul gave a third responsibility for the local church to fulfill besides teaching sound doctrine and proclaiming the Gospel.

MESSAGE:

Defend the Faith (1 Tim. 1:18-20)

A.  ON THE BASIS OF DIVINE APPOINTMENT. (1Tim. 1:18)

B.  ON THE BASIS OF FAITH AND GOOD CONSCIENCE. (1Tim. 1:19-20)

Paul changed the illustration from army to navy (1 Tim 1:19). He warned Timothy that the only way to succeed was to hold fast to "faith and a good conscience."

1. Hold Firmly to the Christian Faith. (1Tim. 1:19)

A. The First “faith” Is Subjective And Means Continuing To Believe The Truth.

 

B. The Second Is “faith” Objective, Referring To The Content Of The Christian Gospel.

 

C. But, It Is Not Enough Just To Be Doctrinally Accurate As To The Christian Faith. One might be ever so orthodox, and yet not have a good conscience.

2. Hold on Tight to a Good Conscience. (1 Tim 1:19)

A. It Is Not Enough to Proclaim the Faith With Our Lips; We Must Practice the Faith In Our Daily Lives.

·       One man said of his hypocritical pastor, "He is such a good preacher, he should never get out of the pulpit; but he is such a poor Christian, he should never get into the pulpit!"

·       Hamilton Smith writes:

“Those who are gifted, and much before the public eye, have to beware, lest amid constant engagements, constant preaching, and public work before men, they neglect the secret life of godliness before God. Does not Scripture warn us that it is possible to preach with all the eloquence of men and angels, and yet be nothing? That which bears fruit for God, and will have its bright reward in the day to come, is the life of godliness from which all true service must flow.”  

B. A Good Conscience Is Important to a Good Warfare and a Good Ministry.

·       The magazine editor H. L. Mencken defined conscience as "the inner voice which warns us that somebody may be looking."

·       But a man with a good conscience will do the will of God in spite of who is watching or what people may say.

·       Like Martin Luther, he will say, "Here I stand; I can do no other, so help me God! "

C. One's Faith and One's Morals Cannot Be Separated.

·       To hold tightly to the Christian faith, and live by it, results in a good (peaceful) conscience.

·       Faith and good conscience are like armor for the Christian. They keep us from giving in to temptation and to debilitating spiritual and moral sidetracks.

·       How can you hold on to a good conscience?

1.    Treasure your faith in Christ more than anything else and do what you know is right. Each time you deliberately ignore your conscience, you are hardening your heart. Over a period of time your capacity to tell right from wrong will diminish.

2.    As you walk with God, he will speak to you through your conscience, letting you know the difference between right and wrong.

3.    Be sure to act on those inner tugs so that you do what is right -- then your conscience will remain clear.

4.    “Moral collapse follows upon spiritual collapse.” -- C. S. Lewis

3. Avoid Spiritual Shipwreck.  (1 Tim 1:20)

·       Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Rejecting the faith and refusing to listen to one's conscience will end in destroyed faith. This deliberate action reflects heresy, not just backsliding. 

·       Professed Christians who make “shipwreck" of their faith do so by sinning against their consciences. Bad doctrine usually starts with bad conduct, and usually with secret sin.

A. A Good Conscience Serves as the Rudder That Steers the Believer Through the Rocks And Reefs of Sin and Error.

·       The false teachers ignored their consciences and the truth, and as a result, suffered shipwreck of the Christian faith (the true doctrine of the gospel), which implies severe spiritual catastrophe.

·       This does not imply loss of salvation of a true believer (see Rom. 8:31–39), but likely indicates the tragic loss that comes to the apostate. They had been in the church, heard the gospel and rejected it in favor of the false doctrine defined in vv. 3–7. Apostasy is a turning away from the gospel, having once known it. See notes on Heb. 2:3,4; 3:12–15; 6:1–8; 10:26–31.

B.  Two Examples of Spiritual Shipwreck.

·       Hymenaeus and Alexander. Apparently these two men had been members of the church (because Paul had put them out of the church). We don't know who Alexander was -- he may have been an associate of Hymenaeus, or the coppersmith mentioned in 2 Tim 4:14 who hurt Paul. But he was not the Alexander mentioned in the riot at Ephesus (Acts 19:33). Hymenaeus's error is explained in 2 Tim 2:17-18. He weakened people's faith by teaching that the resurrection had already occurred.

·       Hymenaeus is mentioned in 2 Tim. 2:17 in connection with Philetus, another false teacher. Alexander may be the opponent of the faith referred to in 2 Tim. 4:14,15. Nothing else is known about these two men (see note on v. 3).

·       “Hymenaeus and Alexander deliberately rejected their good consciences in order to defend their ungodly lives. Paul did not tell us exactly what they did, except that their sin involved "blaspheming" in some way. Hymenaeus said that the resurrection was already past (2 Tim 2:16-18). Alexander was a popular name in that day, so we cannot be sure that the man named in Paul's next letter to Timothy (2 Tim 4:14) is the same man; but if he is, no doubt he withstood Paul by teaching false doctrine.”---W. W. Wiersbe

C.  What Does It Mean to Be Delivered Unto Satan?  (1Tim. 1:20)

·       "Delivered unto Satan" (1 Tim 1:20) implies an apostolic discipline (see 1 Cor 5:5) and disassociation from the local church.

·       To be delivered to Satan means that Paul removed these men from the fellowship of the church and back into the world -- Satan's domain.

·       Paul did this so that the rebuked would see their error and repent. The ultimate purpose of this punishment was correction. (See also 1 Cor 5:1-5; 2 Cor 2:5-8; 4:4; 2 Thess 3:14-15.)

·       The verb "learn" (1 Tim 1:20) means "to learn by discipline." When a Christian refuses to repent, the local fellowship should exercise discipline, excluding him from the protective fellowship of the saints, making him vulnerable to the attacks of Satan.

·       The fellowship of the local church, in obedience to the will of God, gives a believer spiritual protection. Satan must ask God for permission to attack a believer (see Job 1-2; Luke 22:31-34).

·       Paul put both men out of the church, thus ending their influence and removing them from the protection and insulation of God’s people. They were no longer in the environment of God’s blessing but under Satan’s control. In some instances, God has turned believers over to Satan for positive purposes, such as revealing the genuineness of saving faith, keeping them humble and dependent on Him, enabling them to strengthen others, or offering God praise (cf. Job. 1:1–22; Matt. 4:1–11; Luke 22:31–33; 2 Cor. 12:1–10; Rev. 7:9–15). God hands some people over to Satan for judgment, such as King Saul (1 Sam. 16:12–16; 28:4–20), Judas (John 13:27), and the sinning member in the Corinthian church (1 Cor. 5:1–5).

·       The churches today are often lax in disciplining Christians who deliberately sin. Deliberate disobedience should be responded to quickly and sternly to prevent the entire congregation from being affected. But discipline must be done in a way that tries to bring the offender back to Christ and into the loving embrace of the church. The definition of discipline includes these words: strengthening, purifying, training, correcting, and perfecting. Condemnation, suspicion, withholding of forgiveness, or permanent exile should not be a part of church discipline.

·       “Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.”  -- C. T. Studd

·       “may learn not to blaspheme.” See v. 13. Paul learned not to blaspheme when confronted by the true understanding of the law and the gospel. That was what those men needed. God, the inspired text seems to indicate, would teach them and show them grace as he had Paul. But that evangelistic work could not go on at the expense of the purity of the church.

D. Each Local Church Is in a Constant Battle Against The Forces of Evil.

·       There are false prophets and false teachers, as well as false ‘Christs’. Satan is the originator of false doctrines, for he is a liar from the beginning (John 8:44). It is not enough for a local church to teach sound doctrine and to proclaim the Gospel. The church must also defend the faith by exposing lies and opposing the doctrines of demons (1 Tim 4:1).

·       It is important that our ministry be balanced. Some churches only preach the Gospel and seldom teach their converts the truths of the Christian life. Other churches are only opposing false doctrine; they have no positive ministry. We must be teachers of healthy doctrine ("sound doctrine," 1 Tim 1:10) or the believers will not grow. We must preach the Gospel and keep winning the lost to Christ. And we must defend the faith against those who would corrupt the church with false doctrine and godless living. It is a constant battle, but it must be carried on.

CONCLUSION:

Timothy must have been greatly helped and encouraged when he read this first section of Paul's letter.  God had called Timothy, equipped him, and put him into his place of ministry. Timothy's job was not to run all over Ephesus, being involved in a multitude of tasks. His job was to care for the church by winning the lost, ministering to the saved, and defending the faith. Any task that did not relate to these ministries would have to be abandoned. One reason some local churches are having problems is that the pastors and spiritual leaders are involved in too many extracurricular activities and are not doing the tasks God has called them to do. It might be a good idea for our churches to take a spiritual inventory!

 

The Spirit Sets Us Free 1

“The Spirit Sets Us Free 1”

Gal. 5:13-14

SUBJECT: GRACE AND CHRISTIAN LIVING

THEME: Living the Christian life in freedom involves receiving Christ’s real-world uprightness by faith and not by mere mechanical obedience to rules. We are set free from the curse and the control of the law to liberty that does not warrant permission to sin, but rather to mature responsibility and holiness before God. To live by grace, through faith, gives us a free and satisfying Christian experience, and the Holy Spirit is the secret to “everyday life.”

INTRODUCTION:

1. Freedom from our Sinful Nature Results in Service to our Lord and Others. 

“Liberty” (Gal. 2:4, 4:26, 31; 5:1), is almost entirely about freedom from sinful domination—practical terms related to an ethical life. The true nature of Christian freedom is only through the life of the Spirit and by the Spirit's power enabling us to refuse the desires of our sinful nature. Service or “love” is both to God and man (Gal. 5:14).  (Dr. W. W. Wiersbe)

2. Legalism Does Not Positively Influence our Wicked Nature.

No amount of legislation can change people’s basic sinful nature. Legalism is the practice of relying on strict, man-made rules or external laws rather than inner transformation; it utterly fails to change our human nature. Instead of fixing our deepest flaws, it simply hides them behind a ‘mask’ of good to acceptable behavior. Beloved it is not rules on the outside, but love on the inside that makes the difference (Gal. 5:14). We need a different power within, and that comes from the Holy Spirit of God.

3. The Holy Spirit Does Impact and Conquer our Sinful Nature.

   A.  The Presence of the Spirit within.

There are at least sixteen references to the Holy Spirit in Galatians. When we believe on Christ, the Spirit comes to dwell within us (Gal. 3:2). We are “born after the Spirit” as was Isaac (Gal. 4:29). It is the Holy Spirit in the heart who gives assurance of salvation (Gal. 4:6); and who enables us to live for Christ and glorify Him. (Dr. W. W. Wiersbe)

   B.  The Personality of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is not simply a "divine influence"; He is a divine Person, just as are the Father and the Son. What God the Father planned for us, and God the Son purchased for us on the cross, God the Spirit personalizes for us and applies truth to our lives as we yield to Him.             

This paragraph is perhaps the most crucial in the entire closing section of Galatians; for in it we discover three ministries of the Holy Spirit that enable the believer to enjoy liberty in Christ.

MESSAGE:

The Spirit Enables Us to Fulfill the Law of Love (Gal. 5:13-15).

We are prone to go to extremes. One believer interprets liberty as license and thinks he can do whatever he wants to do. Another believer, seeing this error, goes to an opposite extreme and imposes his laws on everybody. Actually, something quite different from license or legalism results in true Christian liberty.

A.  THIS IS OUR CALLING.  Vs. 13, For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty;”

We see our calling:

     1. We Are Called to Liberty.   Gal. 5:13

We are free people in Christ. We are free from the guilt of sin because we have experienced God's forgiveness. We are free from the penalty of sin because Christ died for us on the cross. And we are, through the Spirit, free from the power of sin in our daily life.

True Christianity is showing that the freedom we have been called to in Christ is a responsible freedom that leads to holiness of life. Yes! But this is a freedom to serve God and others as love dictates!

     2. We Are Called from Law.  Gal. 5:8

We are also free from the Law with its demands and threats. Christ bore the curse of the Law and ended its tyranny once and for all. We are “called unto liberty” because we are “called into the grace of Christ” (Gal. 1:6). Grace and liberty go together, but not law and liberty. (Dr. W. W. Wiersbe)

Beloved, what about a faith without law being sufficiently strong enough to resist the immoral wickedness of pagan practices? Every Child of God is morally and ethically obligated to live in the freedom of God’s Spirit.  The Grace of God insists on moral and ethical behavior for us who enjoy the freedom which Christ gives. First, the phrase “have been called” expresses a complete idea meaning independent of any other added statement, "called by God to be people of his own" (“calleth,” vs. 5:8). Secondly, this preposition “unto,” points to the condition upon which God had called us: they were "called" upon with the understanding that they should be in a state of liberty. So just as Eph 2:10, “Created in Christ Jesus “unto” good works.” Likewise, God calls us in Christ to be free. 1 Thes. 4:7, For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

B.  WE MUST HEED A CAUTION.  Gal. 5:13

This is where we need to pause and clarify to avoid confusion.  

    1. Liberty is Not a License to Sin. Vs. 13, ... only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh . . .

Having explained our calling, Paul then issues a caution: "Don't allow your liberty to degenerate into license!"   This, of course, is the fear of all people who do not understand the true meaning of the grace of God. "If you do away with rules and regulations," they say, "you will create chaos and anarchy."       

• Liberty is the freedom from the power and guilt of sin. It allows believers to live righteously through the Holy Spirit.
• License is the freedom to sin. It is an abuse of grace that uses God’s forgiveness as an excuse for fleshly desires.

    2. Liberty Is Not an Opportunity to Sin. (Gal. 5:13) “an occasion”

Paul says that the Christian is not to allow this freedom in Christ to become a beachhead for the armies of indulgence to gain a foothold in his life. The meaning of the words “an occasion” is "a starting point or base of operations for an expedition," it refers to an “opportunity” (see 2Cor 11:12).

“Liberty” (Gal. 5:13) means having freedom from the old rules. However, this freedom is not a pass to do wrong. Instead, the goal is to use that freedom to serve others with love. Think of it like being set free from prison. You are not free to break more laws. You are free to build a good life and help your friends.

To those who have been accustomed to regard law as the only controlling factor that stands in the way of self-indulgence and a free rein in sin, and to those who have not been accustomed to a high standard of ethics, the teaching of Christian liberty might easily mean that there is nothing to stand in the way of the unrestrained indulgence of one’s own impulses. Paul often during his ministry, had his hearers react in this way to his teaching of grace.^[a]

    3. Liberty Can Be Abused to Permit Sin.

Of course, the danger of manipulating liberty is real, not because God's grace fails, but because men fail of the grace of God (Heb. 12:15). Since there is the “true grace of God” (I Peter 5:12), then there is also a false grace of God; and there are false teachers who are “turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness,” (Jude 4). So, Paul’s caution is a valid one. Christian liberty is not a license to sin but an opportunity to serve.

1. Reflection immediately shows us that a "freedom" which allows a man to obey the passions of his lower sinful nature is a miss usage of the term “Christian Liberty;” it is not that freedom “wherewith Christ hath made us free.”  Such emancipation hands its victims completely over to the slavery of sin (John 8:34; 2 Peter 2:18, 19).  Peter, in his First Epistle, addressed (see 1 Peter 5:12) and ratified Paul’s statement (1 Peter 2:16). “The flesh” is not to have its own way, but it is to be mastered by the Spirit. (Dr. W. W. Wiersbe)

2. 1 Peter 2:16, As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

3. “Flesh” (Gal. 5:13) refers to anything a person is and is capable of as a sinful fallen depraved individual apart from the unmerited intervention of God’s Spirit in his life (v. 16). This is even seen in modern churches.  

4. When modern churches mistake sinful license for liberty, they trade holy freedom for self-indulgence. True liberty empowers believers to reject sin through love. License perverts grace. It replaces the lordship of Christ with the rule of self. (See SBC Voices)

5. The Danger in Modern Churches

• Over-emphasizing Grace: Some churches teach grace without truth. They fail to mention the call to repentance and personal holiness.
• Abandoning Truth: Pastors may avoid preaching against sin to stay culturally relevant or avoid offending the congregation.
• Subjective Morality: Believers claim that the Holy Spirit allows them to do things the Bible directly forbids.

6. The Biblical Correction

• The Apostle Paul warned the early church about this exact mistake in Galatians 5:13. (See Berean Bible Society)

For these reasons I do not personally fellowship or interact with these misguided ministries and apostate ‘churches.’ It is not that I am superior or even ‘better’ in some way, please don’t misunderstand me, but God has graciously given me a respect for Him and His ways first above all else. I must respect “thus saith the Lord” entirely to the best of my ability. I must live to please Him as my priority. God is the ultimate reality to me; I am foremost answerable to Him! God and His Word are opposed to these behavior patterns that characterize these modern churches. All believers would be wise to be more loyal to Christ and what the Scriptures really teaches.  

---

^[a] Kenneth S. Wuest, Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: For the English Reader, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997), 148.

A Pure Offering

 

A Pure Offering

Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 5:25-27; 1 John 2:15-16

The concept of a pure offering is roundly depicted and afforded in Scripture, and God rejects any offering of the wrong qualities or nature. This can be seen in Abel and Cain’s offerings in Genesis chapter 4 with God’s acceptance of Abel’s blood sacrifice and His rejection of Cain’s formidable efforts. In Revelation chapter 21 we witness the perfect New Jerusalem ornamented in the astounding beauty of holiness prepared for the Lord God descending from Heaven. God rejects wrong worship, and He accepts worship that aligns with His values.

It is in Ephesians 5 we find Christ’s example and the following encouragements,

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; ²⁶ That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷ That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:25-27)

We see this illustrates that the church, as a glorious spotless pure bride, is to be presented to Christ without even a wrinkle, denoting complete holiness and purity. Such commitment models this love to husbands for their wives, reflecting the Lord’s self-sacrificing, altruistic, and transformative impact on such relationships. Our work as minister of Christ is thus outlined and our task toward the church is given design and purpose. We are also smitten with the fact that Christ desires a holy virgin for a permeant wife.

Clearly, God prizes holiness, purity, cleanness, and spotlessness in His people and their services; any believer who presumes to make an offering to Him must undertake to ensure it is free of any contaminations. This is at the very least an expression of Christ’s transformative work in us. With a measure of confidence in Christ, we can so present ourselves to Christ to execute any aspect of His will. This is the standard though…we are so accustomed to hurrying to say, ‘but we are not perfect yet’ or that we are ‘extremely flawed at our best.’ While these observations are true of us, the standard expectations of God are not reduced or eliminated in light of our imperfections. He really wants and deserves a ‘pure offering.’ Great is our need to live and serve in the power of the Holy Spirit! Much else can be said about either of these passages, but the striking emphasizes of a pure offering is worth pondering further.

From God’s perspective purity is a state of being free from sin and moral corruption; this is a tell-tale sign of real holiness and sanctity. Purity encompasses both our outward actions and the conditions of our hearts and minds. We can see this clearly depicted in, Matthew 5:8, where God stipulates, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Therefore, God calls believers to pursue purity in thoughts, actions, and intentions, reflecting His own holiness and righteousness in our endeavors. God is obviously doing a transformative work in such lives and services. In addition, these believers are roundly assured of seeing God! Beloved, not just ‘any old thing’ is ‘good enough’ for God!

Then Romans 12:1, is so encouraging saying, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

Our Lord emphasizes the importance of dedicating ourselves as a form of worship…this is how we do acceptable worship to our Lord. God calls us to present our bodies as “living sacrifices”, which is living according to methods and conditions that honors Him and reflects His gracious mercies. Not merely a worship service or a song, but a lifestyle of devotion to Him. Our minds and bodies must be pleasing to the Lord as we make offerings and sacrifices of ourselves and our substance to Him. He mandates a transformation of the mind, urging us to reject worldly patterns and discern His “good, acceptable, and perfect will” (Rom. 12:2). Such transformation is essential for living a life that fall in line with God’s purposes and offering sacrifices expressive of His values.

Again, as Christ’s people, the only satisfactory worship is to offer ourselves wholly and entirely to the Lord. We are to be under God’s control, our yet-unredeemed bodies can and must be yielded to Him as “instruments of righteousness” (Romans 6:12-13; 8:11-13). Reflecting on the incredible ultimate sacrifice of Jesus for us and our sins, a complete self-sacrifice is only “reasonable.”

Beloved, we should live…breath in, exist, function, serve, and offer ourselves in the eternal flames of a “living sacrifice.” It is here that right motives are embraced, the pursuit of God-honoring purposes are incorporated, actions that mirror Christ once-and-for-all sacrifice of Himself for our sins are followed, and we afford precisely what God requires as He has need of us or it. We afford God a platform for His fire and offerings! It is in this space we realize our great purpose, true freedom, real power, and the kingdom of God over us! We sustain brilliant testimonies to His love, sacrifice, salvation, and faithfulness. We blend our motivations with His; we become whatever He requires; we donate and render anything He would use. We live for such sacrifices unto Him!

So, what exactly does a ‘living sacrifice’ look like anyway? Well Romans 12:2, explains, we are not to ‘conform’ to this world’s expectations. This ‘world’ (1 John 2:15-16) consists of the “lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” So, the “lust of the flesh” stemming from our fallen sinful nature, includes anything that appeals to our appetites. These very strong, inordinate desires are often associated with sinful behaviors and cravings that draw us away from a godly life. They may involve excessive desires for food, drink, sex, and anything else that gratifies our physical needs. It encompasses not only sexual lust but also other sinful desires such as jealousy, pride, and idolatry. This is the struggle between earthly wants and spiritual living. Ultimately, it represents the conflict between following our base instincts and obeying God’s higher morality.

The “lust of the eyes” refers to our covetous desires or longings for things that we see, often leading to sinful thoughts or actions. “Lust of the eyes” certainly involves materialism, coveting whatever we see that we don’t have and envying those who have what we want. It implies a craving that goes beyond mere approval, turning into a godless fixation on material assets, physical attractions, or prohibited wants. This is a temptation to desire what belongs to others or to indulge in visual pleasures that are not morally acceptable.

Then there is the “pride of life” which is any ambition that feeds our pride, puffs us up on a pedestal, and puts us on the throne of our own lives. This is the temptation and desire for power, personal recognition, self-aggrandizement, and personal glory. It encompasses a self-centered opinion of our life, identity, and achievements, often leading to arrogance and a sense of superiority based on material possessions and social status. God sees such persons as opposing Him as they emphasize worldly values over spiritual ideas. Beloved, we are not to permit the world to press us into its mode!

Furthermore, purity certainly involves parting with uncleanness and comprehensive consecration to God (2 Cor. 6:14-7:1). We are to be holy “in all manner of conversation [behavior],” so that everything we do reflects the holy character of God. To such dedicated believers, there is no such thing as ‘secular’ and ‘sacred.’ All of life is holy as we live in pursuit of glorifying God. Even such ordinary activities as eating and drinking can be done to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). If something cannot be done to the glory of God, then we can be sure it must be out of the will of God. You see holiness and purity address every area of our existence without exceptions.

Beloved, casual…unholy attitudes and lifestyles dominate the ‘Christian’ scene anymore. There is little regard for truly holy purity. We water down the requirements of God to avoid offending mere people! Though there are deeply committed followers of Christ, so many remain halfhearted in their pursuits for personal holiness. It is disturbing how there seems to be little interest in understanding holiness from a Bible-based perspective. Thank God there are those willing to stand on God’s promises, share their faith with the unsaved, worship God consistently, and serve others sacrificially. However, so many professing believers want God’s blessings, but they care little for his holiness or anything regarding His plan. Furthermore, many folks seem to be more concern with what they can get away with…is this okay or is that permissible? The interest is not on how much closer we can get to godliness, but how much closer we can get to worldliness.

Titus 1:15-16, says, “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. [16] They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”  

 I am merely repeating what God already said, and I am immensely humbled by this opportunity! There is a serious problem with such carelessness about God and the things pertaining to the Lord. Disrespectful attitudes toward God and a lifestyle devoted to Him can be seen in every sector of our culture. Oh, this fallen Adamic dismissive spirit in me! It’s a major mistake invading into politics, entertainment, sports, fashion, the internet, science, music, and even in modern ‘Christianity.’ Let me be the first to admit that I find these ideas extremely challenging and even intimidating. I confess myself unworthy and grossly unqualified in myself…no matter what my status is or my accomplishments are! A holy reverence has been erected in my very soul, and I will not deny it! Repentance…though it is necessary will take some serious courage to be truly counter-cultural, but God calls us to do just that. I am supremely thankful for Christ Jesus my Lord.

Yes, as a perceptive believer you understand this is a peerless opportunity afforded us. Before we can proceed though, we must examine ourselves to ensure we are ready to act. Ask yourself these searching questions. Do I regularly under-value the freedoms of knowing, approaching, and serving God? Do I take holy opportunities for granted or possibly disrespect them frequently? Do I casually dismiss responsibilities God considers vital? Would I be comfortable with God treating me, the way I routinely treat Him? Obviously, faithful devotion and purity of heart are roundly important to our great God, but are such pure sacrifices something I cherish?

Serving with Sensitivity

LUKE 19:1-10

THEME: follow Christ’s example of sensitivity to detect/recognize those in need of your service.

                                                                                        

INTRODUCTION:
Would you like to involve yourself in meaningful ministry, but you don't know where to start? Do you know what a ministry moment looks like? Awareness involves vigilant alertness; the ability to draw conclusions from what we observe and experience.  Awareness focuses attention on others to perceive intuitively their spiritual and emotional state. Christ’s ministry provides us with the perfect illustration for becoming aware of ministry opportunities through a sensitive heart. 

Many people are simply too uncomfortable with admitting their needs for assistance; therefore, we must develop the ability to sense the crisis around us and spring into action. God will certainly lead us to such occasions if we follow Christ’s example daily.  It is vitally important that every believer explore this standard practice.   

We have a prime example of serving with sensitivity in the way Jesus dealt with Zacchaeus, a tax collector in Jericho. At the time Jesus met Zacchaeus, He was on His way to Jerusalem for the last time. Our Lord was probably less than two weeks away from His death on the cross, which Jesus knew would happen during the upcoming Passover feast. Jericho is one of the well-known cities that Jesus passed through as He left the Galilee area and made His way south to Jerusalem.

Luke 19:1–10, gives us the focal point for this study. Jesus and Zacchaeus illustrate how sensitivity can lead to ministry opportunity.  If we are not aware of a chance to serve, then we cannot respond to it. Sometimes, we are faced with so many problems, troubles, and hurts that we wonder if our singular efforts really make a difference. Other times we can become hardened, calloused, unimpressionable, uncaring, and unfeeling toward the cares of others because we don’t want to get involved. We know involvement will cost us time, energy, resources, security, control, and possibly require sacrifice. Still, I beg you, let us take a closer look at Jesus Christ the sensitive and aware servant that we may become such ourselves.

LESSON:  

I.  The Desperate Need of Zacchaeus

Luke 19:1-2, And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. [2] And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.  

    1.  Zacchaeus Was a Lonely, Wealthy, Curious, and Desperate Man.

Luke tells us that he was short in stature, which tells us why he climbed up into a sycamore tree.

      A.  But Jesus Did Not Single out Zacchaeus Because He Was Short, or in a Tree.  

             1)  He Looked Beyond the Appearance to See the Real Needs Inside the Heart.

                  a)  In your own experiences, you have discovered that someone was not on the inside who you thought they were on the basis of what you had observed on the outside. 

                  b)  Jesus did not judge the book by its cover; He was seeking to rewrite his life story! We must learn to look beyond the way things appear outwardly to discern the true needs. Many Christians will do their very best to give an outward show that everything is ok, when they know deep inside it is not. We as Servants of Christ must learn to be aware of the needs of those around us.

             2) He Does Not Make Shallow Pre-judgments Based on Outward Appearances.

You, like me, may have been misjudged in your life as being something that you are not on the basis of your appearance or outward demeanor.  Beloved, I can assure you this is not how the Lord Jesus works; He looks beyond the externals and into the very soul, all the while realizing the real needs there. There is no one more aware of whom you really are like the Lord Jesus and no one more capable of satisfying the needs in your life.

      B.  No, Jesus Responded to Zacchaeus Because He Saw in Him a Need, a Desire, a Longing.

    2.  Zacchaeus Was the Chief Tax Collector in Jericho.  Luke 19:2, And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.

      A.  In this Position, He Worked for Rome.

Zacchaeus, therefore, was considered by his fellow Jews to be part of the evil oppression that had been placed upon the Jewish people by the Roman occupation forces. Tax collectors working for Rome often collected more than the tax due, and they often became very wealthy in the process of cheating others. Tax collectors were much despised and were considered to be great sinners.

      B.  When the Crowds Saw Zacchaeus Attempting to Get Close Enough to See Jesus, it Was No Wonder That the Crowd “Closed Ranks” and Did Not Let Him Through.

Often we allow the failures, reputation, or general perceptions of a person to discourage us from opening up to them or reaching out to them with the Gospel of Christ.  Sometimes we fail to forge evangelistic friendships because of a failure to see what our care and God’s grace could achieve in that person’s life.  Sometimes we close our ranks of church membership/fellowship to those who are a little bit different than ourselves. It is a fact that unless you do something positive to reach out to someone visiting your church, they will perceive your congregation as closed, and uninviting.  

    3.  Zacchaeus Could Not Get To Jesus, But Jesus Was Sensitive to His Needs!  Luke 19:3

       A. Zacchaeus thought he was seeking Jesus (Luke 19:3), but Jesus was seeking him! (Luke 19:10)

       B. By nature, the lost sinner does not really seek the Savior (Rom 3:11).

       C. When our first parents sinned, they hid from God, but God came and sought them (Gen 3:1-10). When Jesus was ministering on earth, He sought out the lost; and today the Holy Spirit, through the churches, is searching for lost sinners. We can rejoice that a seeking Savior will always find a sinner who is looking for a new beginning.

II. The Sensitivity of The Lord Jesus

Though the Lord did not ask Zacchaeus about his concerns, He was never the less fully aware of Zacchaeus’ Need.  Luke 19:5, And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him….

   1.  The Lord Jesus is Aware of the Needs of Every Man.

John 2:24-25, But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, [25] And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

       A.  The Lord Jesus Knows All Men!

John said about Jesus that He “knew all men, and  needed not that any should testify of man: for He knew what was in man” (John 2:24–25). We find evidence of this a number of times in the Gospels when we read that Jesus knew the hearts of men or that He knew what people were thinking and attempting to do.  (Luke 6:8; 9:47; 11:17; 16:15; 20:23; Jn. 1:42, 48)

       B.  The Lord Jesus Understands All Our Needs!

Psalm 139:1-5, O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. [2] Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. [3] Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. [4] For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. [5] Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

             1)  The Lord Jesus Not Only Knows about Our Needs but He Actually Understands Them.  Sometimes it is difficult for us to perceive the Lord this way.  But yet it is true.  Do you have a feeling when you come to God that He understands your concerns, or do you think of Him as either not knowing or not caring about your desires, temptations, issues, or emotions?

            2)  Jesus Came to Show Us That God Does Care about All Aspects of Our Humanity.

He is God's example that God understands how we feel and how difficult life can be, but He also knows that we can overcome temptations and live a pure and righteous life. Of course this is not in our strength, but by the grace of the Holy Spirit and the power of the Word of God.

           3)  If You Struggle with the Concept That God Is an Understanding Servant, I encourage you to look up many of the references in a concordance that relate to compassion, mercy, or merciful. The Lord does understand, and He cares. As David wrote in Psalm 103:8, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.”

Your need may be spiritual, physical, social, for someone to talk to, or for someone who will truly listen to you. Perhaps your needs are financial—things are hard presently and it is difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe you have lost your way...currently roaming aimlessly in a fog...Jesus can help you with that. It may be family struggles and you need real answers now!  Beloved, please hear me clearly, Jesus knows about it and is ever able to satisfy your need. 

  

   2.  Jesus Knew Zacchaeus Even Though They Had Never Met.

Luke 19:5…and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down….

        — He did not see him as a short man, a rich man, or a tax collector.

        — He saw him as a man desperate for grace and the good news that God might forgive his sins, reconcile him fully to Himself, and restore him to his people. 

        — The Lord Jesus even addressed him by his first name without having been introduced to him. 

        — Jesus knew him individually and his needs specifically!

You know, Luke 19:10, says, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” The name Zacchaeus means “righteous one,” but this supervisor of tax collectors was not living up to his name. Certainly the Jewish religious community in Jericho would not have considered him righteous, for he not only collected taxes from his own people but also worked for the unclean Gentiles! And publicans were notorious for collecting more taxes than required, the more money they collected, the more income they enjoyed (Luke 3:12-13). Though Zacchaeus was a renegade in the eyes of the Jews, he was a precious lost sinner in the eyes of Jesus. Perhaps you too have never met the Lord Jesus in a saving capacity.  Today could be the day.

III. The Sensitive Servant of God

     1.  If You See People as Jesus Sees Them, You Can Minister to Them as Jesus Did. Before you can reach out to help someone, you must first see that person as having a need. 

Many times people have engaged me to talk, but they talked about everything under the sun except what was really on their heart. Maybe they were afraid to confide in another, or it could be they were intimidated by me. It is also possible they simply did not trust me enough to share their deepest hurts.  As a result, I was not always aware of a real need in those lives at the time.  There were even a few cases where the person was suicidal, and I did not detect their troubles and needs earlier.

 I do realize that we cannot read people’s minds and that folk should have the courage to say what’s on their hearts, but many times they don’t and thus we establish the need to be more sensitive and thereby become aware of the needs in the lives of those we serve.

     2.  Many People Are So Totally Turned Inward That They Do Not See Others or Hear Their Inner Moaning and Weeping.  

          A.  We Cannot Afford to Be Caught Up With Ourselves.

The true servant of Christ cannot be so consumed with themselves that they overlook those God has placed in our lives to serve.

          B.  We must Get Our Eyes off of “Self” and onto Others. 

The Lord Jesus knew that He was about to die maybe in just two weeks, yet he was not over concerned with himself.  Jesus does not leave us an example of being self-centered, but others-focused!

Her New Snowsuit….
A Milwaukee teacher took her first grade class to a dairy where a guide showed the children through the entire plant, explaining the whole process.  When the tour was over, the guide asked if anyone had any questions. One little girl raised her hand. “Did you notice,” She asked, “that I have on my new snow suit?”—Milwaukee Journal

That young lady’s attention was so centered on herself that she missed the entire tour through the dairy plant even though she was with the class.  Likewise, we often miss the opportunities to serve others because we are concentrating too much on number one.

     3.  The Fact Is, Every Person I Know Is in Need in Some Area of His or Her Life.

We all have problems, concerns, worries, struggles, temptations, and sorrows that nobody knows about and that we often try to keep hidden.

          A.  Learn Four Valuable Lessons on Spiritual Sensitivity.

               1.  Trouble Prepares Us to Help Others, 2 Corinthians 1:3–4.

               2.  Sensitivity Is Produced by Godly Sorrow, 2 Corinthians 7:10–13.

               3.  Enlightened Sensitivity must come from God, Ephesians 1:18–21.

                  4.  Degrees of Sensitivity Exist among God’s People, Hebrews 5:11-14.                                    

By keeping these thoughts in perspective we can understand why others may be slow to respond to ministry opportunities, and why God allows us to be ministered unto. Secondly, we are encouraged to depend on God to sharpen our ability to detect the requirements of others for ministry.

             B.  Look to the Model of Jesus to Develop Awareness. 

One of the greatest stories in the Bible about awareness is found in Luke 8:42–48.  In spite of the great mass of people pressing in to get closer to Jesus, he still sensed the woman’s touch and faith!

 4.  A Good Servant of the Lord Must Grow in His Sensitivity to the Needs of Others.

     A.  Decide to Remain Alert for the Needs of Others as a Servant.

             1.  Know When Others are in Need.

You and I are called to become so sensitive to the needs of others that we know when someone is in need of spiritual, emotional, or physical healing and when they are reaching out to Jesus, even though they may not initially acknowledge their need.

             2.  Serve With Confidentiality.

We are to serve those in need with confidence and with confidentiality. Our sensitive service to them can cause them to touch Jesus with renewed faith and bring them to a place of complete healing.

                                    

        B.  Plan to Respond With Sensitivity and Insight. What kind of sensitivity should we develop?

              1.  We Should Develop Sensitivity to Respond with Compassion to Others’ Misfortunes.

Job 2:11,  Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

Upon learning of Job’s troubles, three of his friends came to sympathize with him and comfort him. Later we learn that their words of comfort were not helpful—but at least they came. While God rebuked them for what they said (Job 42:7), he did not rebuke them for what they did—making the effort to come to someone who was in need. Unfortunately, they did a poor job of comforting Job because of their pride and insensitivity to Job's needs. When someone is in need, go to that person, but be sensitive about how you comfort him or her. (The Handbook of Bible Application)

              2.  We Should Develop Sensitivity to Focuses on the Other Person's Challenges.

Jonah 4:10-11, Then said the Lord, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: [11] And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

Jonah was angry at the withering of the vine, but not over what could have happened to Nineveh. Most of us have cried at the death of a pet or when an object with sentimental value is broken, but have we wept over the fact that a friend does not know God? How easy it is to be more sensitive to our own interests than to the spiritual needs of people around us. May God help us to value people, unsaved individuals, as He does. (The Handbook of Bible Application)

              3.  We Should Develop Sensitivity to Ensure our Responses Fit the Needs.

1 Thes. 5:14, Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

Beloved, do not malinger around with the idle--those who float through life; warn them. Also do not yell at the timid and weak; encourage and help them--seek to strengthen them. At times it is difficult to distinguish between idleness and timidity. Two people may be doing nothing—one out of laziness and the other out of shyness or fear of doing something wrong. One key to ministry is sensitivity: sensing the condition of each person and offering the appropriate remedy for each situation. We cannot effectively help until we know the problem. We cannot apply the medicine until we know where the wounds are. (The Handbook of Bible Application)

“I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul” (Ps. 142:4).  

“THIS MAN CARED!”

It is to be feared that some Christians are idle because they have no concern for the needs of folk around them.

Over half a century ago there was a young surgeon beginning his practice in the city of London. He soon became interested in a rescue mission down in the slums, and went there after evening office hours. One night after the meeting was over, he discovered a ragged little boy lying asleep on one of the benches near the fire. The doctor gently woke him and told him it was time to go home. But the lad replied he had no home. Therefore the doctor took the lad to his own home and after they had eaten he asked: "Are there any other boys in London like yourself?"

"Lots of them," said the boy.

"Will you show me some?" asked the doctor.

"Let's go," said the child.

Soon after midnight they started treading their way through the streets and alleys and byways till they came to a wretched coal shed. "There's some of 'em in there," said the lad. The doctor entered and lit a match. Not a lad was to be seen. He thought he had been misled, but his boy-guide was not at all surprised. "Cops have been after 'em. They are up on the roof."

So they climbed up the rickety shed to the top. There lay thirteen little homeless boys, cuddled close together on the tin roof in a vain attempt to keep warm. There in the darkness looking down at those sleeping orphans, the young doctor saw the vision of one of the greatest lives of service ever lived in this generation.

That young man was Dr. Bernardo, the founder of those homes for "nobody's children" which at one time stretched like a line of lighthouses across the British Empire. It is said that some ten thousand British fighting men in World War I came from these homes.

Surely this is a demonstration that there is service for all who have nurtured a concern for the souls of those perishing around them.(Source Unknown)

                                                                

We need not wonder what we can do for the Lord. Simply ask him to give you a heart becoming of a true servant of Christ. Then began addressing humanity at our deepest need—salvation through Christ. Also ask God to make you aware of the areas of specific ministry and service where your gifts and abilities can be used to the max for the glory of Christ and the souls of men! A sensitive heart will certainly make for an aware servant.

CONCLUSION: Where are you in your service?

Once again, the example Christ gave us involved sensitivity that leads to awareness. Where are you in your service? What is God calling you to do?

You must be aware of the needs of others before you will ever make any effort to meet those needs. Living in a constant state of outreach to others at all times—on the job, at home, in the community, at church, and wherever God leads is our calling.