July 1, 2007 message by Pastor Rich Doebler
Video clip: We Are The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx1pXStX2hE&mode=related&search=
What is it that speaks louder than words? Actions.
True story. A businessman moved over slightly as a young man crowded into the airplane seat next to him. They both fastened their seat belts, and the businessman good-naturedly inquired as to whether the young man was traveling on business or pleasure. "Pleasure," the young man replied. "I'm on my honeymoon." "Your honeymoon?" the businessman asked, mystified. "Where's your wife?" "Oh, she's a few rows back. The plane was full, so we couldn't get seats together." The plane hadn't started rolling yet, so the businessman said, "I'd be happy to change seats with her so that the two of you can be together." "That's okay," the young man replied. "I've been talking to her all week." [Gary Thomas, Sacred Marriage (Zondervan, 2000), p. 154]
So if your actions are the measure of your faith, how are you doing? Words are cheap, but it's our actions that reveal much more about us. What do your actions say about you? What do people see when they examine your deeds? If your behavior—not your words—is the best indicator of who you really are deep down inside, what is your life saying?
Paul, the first-century apostle, wrote to a group of early Christians urging them to test themselves—to take stock of their faith. How often do you examine your spiritual condition? Here's what he said:
5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? 6 And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. 7 Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong... 2 Cor 13:5-7
There are government agencies whose sole function is to test and certify: Bureau of Weights and Measures. Food and Drug Administration. Federal Aviation Administration. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Tests tell us which cars are safe and which ones aren't. It's nice to know a couple of crash dummies have tested cars for safety standards—so I don't have to be the dummy.
The FDA tests drugs to make sure they're okay. FDA approval doesn't come without years of rigorous procedures!
I don't want an untested doctor taking out my appendix. In fact, I wouldn't feel that good even knowing my doctor passed, but just barely. Do I want a "D+" doctor cutting me open? I want one who passed with honors.
When I'm hurtling down the runway at 200 mph, I don't want an untested airline pilot in the cockpit. I want a pilot who has been certified "fit to fly." When I was in school, I didn't really enjoy taking tests. But I certainly want others to take their tests—and pass their tests.
Testing can be a very good thing. Testing tells us things; testing warns us; testing protects us. If you discover an unusual lump, it's good to get it tested. Avoiding the test doesn't cure the cancer!
If tests are good for cars and planes and drugs and doctors, tests are also good for spiritual things. It's good to evaluate how we're doing spiritually. It's good to take spiritual "inventory" from time to time, to see if we've "got the goods."
Paul wrote these words to a group of believers who lived in a pagan city. Corinth was a Greek city rebuilt by Roman emperors; it was at the crossroads of first-century commerce. The city was on a narrow strip of land between two seas—ship owners would unload their cargo and passengers on one side and transport them overland to the port on the other side. Some smaller ships were even hauled overland, dragged on a series of log rollers.
All this traffic and commerce brought the entire world into Corinth—travelers and merchants, adventurers and soldiers, all kinds of people from many different lands came to Corinth with their products and their money.
But it wasn't just about business. All sorts of ideas and philosophies intersected in Corinth as well. Corinth became a major center for several pagan religions: the ruins of more than 12 different temples have been discovered there. Apollo's temple had 38 impressive 24' columns; the Temple of Aphrodite (goddess of love) employed at least 1,000 temple prostitutes. A thousand! Those prostitutes contributed to Corinth's well-known and unsavory reputation for immorality. It was the Sin City of the first century—the Roman equivalent of Las Vegas, Hollywood, and Washington D.C. all rolled into one.
In fact, Corinth's reputation became so bad that throughout much of the Roman world, calling someone a "Corinthian" was one of the worst names you could call someone. It was like calling him a "pervert" or worse.
So here was a small band of believers, living in the midst of Sin City. It could not have been easy. There would have been many temptations. There would have been trials and hardships. They would have faced challenges to their faith. We might wonder: How could believers live successfully in Corinth, standing up to all that negative, immoral, sinful influence?
Paul wrote this letter to confront these believers because they had given him a lot of grief. They had disputed his ministry and defied his authority. In some ways, they were acting like the unbelievers who were living all around them.
As he concluded his letter, Paul urged them to examine themselves: Are you really following Christ? Are you sure your faith genuine? Is your faith strong enough to survive in spiritually hostile surroundings?
Paul's challenge to the Corinthian believers is still valid for us today. We also could benefit by examining or testing ourselves to see if we have faith enough to stand firm in difficult times. To see if our faith is genuine. To see if Christ is really living within us.
Paul used several words emphasizing how valuable and important a spiritual test can be. peirazo: "to make proof of, to attempt, test, tempt"; dokimazo: "to test, (i.e. to approve)"; adokimos: "not standing the test, rejected" (one version says: disqualified—as it is also translated in 1 Cor 9:27).
We don't take the test to be disqualified. The goal of taking the test is to demonstrate that God's grace is at work within us. The goal of taking the test is not to fail or to be rejected—but to become better.
A couple weeks ago I read a Reuters news story about a man in India who made a vow that he would not get married until after he had passed his high school exams. He made the news because he just failed the exams again—for the 38th time. He is now 73 years old—and he's still unmarried. He's been taking the tests since the 1960s. Now he's studying for his 39th attempt. He says: "Once I pass I want to get married to a girl who's under 30." [06/14/07 JAIPUR, India (Reuters): Shiv Charan Yadav]
You have to admire his persistence, but the goal of taking a test is to be approved—not persistent. If you fail, the idea is to go back and learn from what you missed. At some point you have to find out what you're doing wrong and make changes to correct it. So Paul challenged the Corinthian believers...
Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don't drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it. 2 Cor 13:5 (MSG)
So how do we test ourselves? How do we make sure that we are solid in the faith? What evidence should we look for to prove that Jesus Christ is living in us?
The short answer? Actions. It's not what you say, it's what you actually do. It's not good intentions; it's not wishful thinking; it's not idle promises—it's actually living out what you say you believe.
Let's look at a few examples—here is a testing standard for believers. Six tests to evaluate your faith:
1. Has your life really changed? Have you truly repented? Can you see evidence—fruit—that things are different?
John the Baptist: "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance." (Luke 3:8)
"Do the things that show you really have changed your hearts and lives..." (Luke 3:8, NCV)
"Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God..." (Luke 3:8, NLT)
Earlier in his letter Paul wrote: "...if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Jesus: 15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. 21 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matt 7:15-21)
2. Do you obey God's word? Are you a doer of the word and not a hearer only?
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22)
Jesus: If you love me, you will obey what I command. (John 14:15)
Jesus: 46 "Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? 47 I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete." (Luke 6:46-49)
...Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. (James 2:18)
3. Do you serve others? If you truly believe, then it will show in the way you relate to others.
Jesus: 43 ...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve... (Mark 10:43-45) "Christian" means to be like little Christs—to be followers of Jesus, to follow his example.
[God gave leaders to the church] ...to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up... (Ephesians 4:12)
Jesus: 37 "Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When 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.'" (Matthew 25:37-40)
Note: Serving others is not about using your spiritual gifts. This is about an attitude that says, "I am willing to give myself to serve others because I serve Jesus."
Mother Teresa rescued sick and dying from the streets of Calcutta, India, giving them comfort in the last hours of their lives. Some were covered with sores. Others with bodily waste. All with filth. A reporter writing a story on Mother Teresa was following her around, watching her. Repulsed by the filth, he said, "I wouldn't do that for a million dollars." Mother Teresa replied: "Neither would I. But I would do it for Jesus."
4. Are you growing? Are you moving forward? If you're stagnant, if you're not making progress, if you've been stuck on the same level for some time, if you've plateaued spiritually, testing will show that Jesus isn't really in you. Because where Jesus is, there is life and growth and change.
Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62)
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3:18)
Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity... (Hebrews 6:1)
...speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. (Ephesians 4:15)
5. Do you practice spiritual disciplines? Are you still trying? Are you still giving your all to follow Jesus?
12 ...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. (Philippians 2:12-13)
5 ...make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 ...self-control... perseverance... godliness; 7 ...brotherly kindness... love. (2 Peter 1:5-7)
If someone talks about health food but is always eating junk food, you know something is wrong. If someone talks about physical training but never actually exercises, you know there's a problem. Believers take personal responsibility for spiritual training—they don't leave it all up to God alone.
...discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness (1 Tim 4:7, NASB)... 7 ...train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. (1 Timothy 4:7-8)
But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5:14)
6. Are you paying the price? Are you still willing to follow Jesus no matter what the cost? If you're a Christian only for the blessings, the joys, the answered prayers, then your faith won't stand the test.
32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. (Hebrews 10:32-36)
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego: "17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." (Daniel 3:17-18)
...everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12)