CHARACTER OF THE CHOSEN: SERVE THE LORD

Thursday, June 18,  2009

Matthew 25:31-40 >>
The Sheep and the Goats

31″When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40″The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

—

1. Jesus’ family that is most dejected, are those who are are in need and are in less fortunate situations [verses 35-39]. This refers to people who are sick, in prison, are hungry and thirsty.

2. I have seen these people living in unfortunate circumstances around me, and I want to serve them more so I can help to meet their needs.

Compassion = Kindness

Ephesians 5:8-10,
8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord.

Proverbs 3:26,
26 for the LORD will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from being snared.

Colossians 4:1,
1Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

James 4:17,
17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.

Philippians 4:5
5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near

—

As children of the light, the light inside us produces what is good and right and true. We do good; we are fair to those below us (remembering that we also have a master in heaven- God); we are also considerate.

Blessing for Persons with Humility

Proverbs 29:23,
23 A man’s pride brings him low,
but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.

Psalm 25:9,
9 He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.

Psalm, 37:11,
11 But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy great peace.

Zephaniah 2:3
3 Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land,
you who do what he commands.
Seek righteousness, seek humility;
perhaps you will be sheltered
on the day of the LORD’s anger.

—-

1. From the verses above, the blessings that will be received by those who are humble are that God will lead them in doing right, teaching them His way. It will bring honor. The humble will live in peace and prosperity and perhaps the Lord will protect them (protect them from His anger on “that day of destruction).

2. The attitude of someone with humility when they’re taught or corrected is that they listen without complaining or grumbling.

Blessing for Persons with Humility (1)

1 Peter 5:5-7,
5Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”[a] 6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Proverbs 18:12,
12 Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud,
but humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 22:4
4 Humility and the fear of the LORD
bring wealth and honor and life.

1. The blessings that someone with a humble character will receive is honor, and if they also fear the LORD, then also riches and long life. This person will also receive God’s favor.

2. A humble person handles anxiety by giving all their cares and worries to the Lord.

3. What will happen to an arrogant person is that God will oppose them, which is bad!!!

Building a Character of Humility: Obedient without Complaint

Philippians 2:12-16,
Shining as Stars
12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16as you hold out[a] the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.

Ephesians 6:1,
Children and Parents
1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

Titus 3:1-2
Doing What is Good
1Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.

—

1. Obedience is important in God’s eyes because God is working in us, “giving us the desire and power to do what pleases Him.” When we disobey, it’s like we denounce God’s authority over us.

2. The kind of obedience that God desires is one without complaining and arguing, and obedience that makes us shine liek bright lights; in a “world full of crooked and perverse people,” we are to live innocent lives as children of God.

3. Obedience to God will be mirrored in obedience to humans. The blessing of obedience to God is that if we honor and obey our parents, then we are doing the right thing and “things will go well for (me) and (I) will have a long life on earth.” I also should submit to the government and officers…but God is first. God’s number one! Jesus is number one!

Blessings for Persons with Humility

1 Peter 5:5-77,
5Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.”[a] 6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Proverbs 18:12,
12 Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud,
but humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 22:4
4 Humility and the fear of the LORD
bring wealth and honor and life.

—

1. The blessing that will be received by the humble person is that they will have riches, honor and long life and God’s favor!
2. A person that’s humble handles anxiety by giving all their worries and cares to God, for He cares for us!
3. What will happen to an arrogant person is that their haughtiness precedes destruction, and God opposes them. That’s bad and frightening, really.

Developing a Character of Humility: Don’t Compare Ourselves with Others

2 Corinthians 10:12-18,
12For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

13But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

14For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:

15Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,

16To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand.

17But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

18For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

Galatians 6:3,
3For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

Philippians 4:6
6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

—

1. I think yes, I have felt dissatisfied with myself, my appearance wealth and conditions before, but I’ve learned to give thanks and know that all those things are not necessarily bad things, I just needed to change my perspective. Dissatisfaction is caused by negative thinking and comparing ourselves to others, but having a heart that is satisfied brings more happiness and a more positive outlook on life. What we do have, we are able to enjoy. There are rich people who aren’t content and they may be miserable because that’s what they create for themselves. On the other hand, there are parapalegics who feel blessed and have joy. I want to choose to give thanks to the Lord for He is good and His mercy endures forever.
2. The result of comparing ourselves with others is our focus is not on God but on shallow ways of measurements that are meaningless. What we do is in vain-means nothing- because everything in this world will pass away anyways. We should focus on the prize in the upward call of Christ Jesus.
3. To guard ourselves from having discontent and comparing ourselves with others is to make it habit to change the way we think. We need to remember to give thanks and speak with God always…not “anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petitino, with thanksgiving, (presenting) our requests to God (Phil 4:6).”

Developing an Honest Character

Psalm 120:2,
2 Save me, O LORD, from lying lips
and from deceitful tongues.

Psalm 144:11,
11 Deliver me and rescue me
from the hands of foreigners
whose mouths are full of lies,
whose right hands are deceitful.

Ephesians 4:25,
25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

Psalm 17:1,
A prayer of David.
1 Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea;
listen to my cry.
Give ear to my prayer—
it does not rise from deceitful lips.

Proverbs 4:24
24 Put away perversity from your mouth;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

—

1. To “put away perversity from your mouth,” and to “keep corrupt talk far from your lips” means that our mouths should speak words that bless, that are honest and pure…even if we think the other person won’t enjoy hearing it. We can be diplomatic and edifying while still speaking the truth.
2. To build a habit of speaking honestly, I must trust in the Lord that if I choose to obey Him and honor Him with my mouth, that even if the thing I speak may get in me in trouble, that if I pray to God that He is God and can do all things and will bless me and reward me for speaking the truth and not lies.

Characteristics of Honest People and of Liars

Proverbs 16:17, 21:8, 14:2, 5, 7
17 The highway of the upright avoids evil;
he who guards his way guards his life.
8 The way of the guilty is devious,
but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
2 He whose walk is upright fears the LORD,
but he whose ways are devious despises him.
5 A truthful witness does not deceive,
but a false witness pours out lies.
7 Stay away from a foolish man,
for you will not find knowledge on his lips.

Psalm 119:128
128 and because I consider all your precepts right,
I hate every wrong path.

1 John 4:20
20If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

Proverbs 26:28
28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
and a flattering mouth works ruin.

—

1. Characteristics of people who like to lie is that they do not fear God and walk a crooked path. Because they are in the wrong path, they are not safe. Also a “lying tongue hates its victims (Prov 26:28).”

2. The characteristics of honest people is that they are virtuous; they fear the Lord and those who take the wrong path despise him, but they are on a safe path and straight road

Factors That Cause Impatience

Hebrews 5:12-14
12In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

James 1:2-4
Trials and Temptations
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

—

1. According to Hebrews 5:12-14, when faced with a problem, immature people act not in righteousness. They have not trained themselves yet to distinguish good from evil. They have not trained and disciplined themselves in learning and knowledge of God’s Word, and thus, can get confused and are not yet strong and thus not yet able to teach others. Immature people have not been acquainted with learning and constantly practicing God’s Word, and thus are not very intimate with it and have not been able to make it a regular normality to understand and practice it (have a Bible-based lifestyle)…however, they can learn and be better!
2. According to James 1:2-4, if handled correctly, the result of sufferings and problems I face are that the testing of my faith will develop perseverance, which will finish its work so that I may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.