Sermon
Looking For Answers
September 23, 2001
Pastor Leighton Sheley

This has been a time of soul searching and truth seeking for us as a nation. People have earnestly begun looking for something deeper in life than what can be meaningless, mundane existence. What I have found in life is that times of crisis are often the times when we as individuals can have the most dramatic changes in the way that we conduct ourselves and the way that we perceive our world and so forth. So this time together, we pray, is a time when God's Holy Spirit will bring to life some of the misunderstandings that each of us have with relationship to God and our fellow man.

I'd like to preface the message today by asking you a series of questions. What I will do is I will describe a scenario and I'll ask you to categorize that scenario as either being spiritual or non-spiritual. Now I'll ask you not to answer out loud, but rather keep your answers to yourself. And if you would, and you can, you can keep a running tally. It doesn't have to be precise as you will see in just a few minutes. Again, I'll ask you not to give your answers out loud and to keep your own score. The two categories are simply things that are spiritual and things that are non-spiritual or unspiritual. Here are those scenarios:
Going to church.
Going to a ballgame.
Giving your tides.
Paying your bills.
Giving your service in the house of God. Now that could include singing in the choir, ushering, teaching a Sunday school class, assisting in some fashion -- specifically excluded is warming the pews.
Providing your services at work or your place of business.
Attending a Sunday school class.
Watching television.
Praying before a meal.
Going out to dinner with friends.
Writing the pastor or a friend a letter of encouragement.
Going to the polls and casting your vote.
Reading the Bible.
Reading a newspaper.
Talking with fellow church people about the sermon.
Talking with neighbors about current events.
Praying.
Getting together with co-workers after today's work for some social time.
A father biblically correcting his children.
A husband and wife having a heated conversation -- a disagreement.
Giving to charity -- Salvation Army, Red Cross, and so forth.
Buying a birthday gift.
Singing praise songs, hymns, and worshiping God.
Singing one of the popular tunes on the radio, and for the purposes of the survey it's regardless of musical genre, so you can even include country tunes.

Okay, now let me identify some roles for you, and, again, see about categorizing these:
Pastor.
Auto mechanic.
Pope.
Businessman.
Christian counselor.
Homemaker.

Okay, now if you're a typical American, you probably have a pretty even score at this point. There are probably just about the same number of spiritual as non-spiritual scenarios and roles. Now I have to tell you the reason that I asked you to keep your scorekeeping to yourselves and to not give your answers out loud, and that is because this was really (as my children would say) a trick question. You know it's the kind that you find in their books that says Sally had five marbles, Alice had three marbles, how many did Jerry have? It's a trick question, but it was given to illustrate an important point and an important understanding in our relationship to God. And in this time of soul searching as a nation and as individuals, it is essential that we understand this fundamental issue.

You see, there was a philosophy that was popularized in the 19th century that has become so universally woven into the fabric of our Christian paradigm, the way we look at the world and perceive it and, that unless it's specifically identified as being unbiblical or and anti-biblical it is mistaken as being an integral part of Christianity. You see in the 19th century a philosophy was promoted that taught that there was a dichotomy or there was a separation or a distinction between things that were spiritual and things that were not spiritual. Things like reading the Bible, praying, and going to church were put in the category of being spiritual, and the mundane things of life like going to work, participating in politics, and social events were relegated to the category of being non-spiritual. So effective was this philosophy that people who sought God began to minimize their activities in the "non-spiritual" category and fill their time with events that were in the spiritual category.

Christians withdrew from civic responsibilities and public places, and virtually isolated themselves in their church activities. Godly men and women withdrew from public offices, which were subsequently filled first with non-Christians, and then in some cases with anti-Christians, who used that office to promote their own agendas. Now to some this philosophy has been simplified and epitomize to the extent that they consider only vertical things, that is things between a person and God, to be spiritual. Anything horizontal, that is between one person and another, is considered non-spiritual. Now the fact of the matter is that the Bible does not teach this dichotomy. The Bible does not teach that to the believe some things are spiritual and other things are not spiritual. Quite the contrary, the Bible teaches that to the believer everything is and has a spiritual nature, and has a spiritual consequence. That's why the scriptures provides so much direction to believers as to how to conduct themselves in virtually every aspect of their life.

One scholar has noted that in the New Testament there are no less than over 1000 directives for the Christian in how to conduct themselves. There are over 500 verses on prayer. There are over 2000 verses on how we manage our finances . And we give thanks to Jesus who simplified the whole process when He was asked by an expert in law: 'Teacher, what is the greatest commandment?' And Jesus said: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. If we could perfectly perform just those two commandments, we would take care of all of the other commandments. All of the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. God is just as interested in our horizontal relationship as He is with the vertical one.

Of the 10 commandments more than half deal with our relationship with our fellow man. He's just as interested on how we spend and invest our money, as how often and how we pray. He's not just the God of certain compartments in our lives, He's the God of all and everything. God's presence is not limited to the confines of a building, sometimes called a church. God's presence resides in people. 1 Corinthians: Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? When we walk out of the sanctuary God's presence doesn't depart at the front door or the property line. I'm not going to ask you put up your hands, but you know who you are. If when you come to church at some point along the trip, it could be early when you're walking out of your house on Sunday morning, it could be when you pull into the church parking lot, it could be when you come through the doors. If at some point this little voice goes off in your head saying, okay, it's time to be holy; then you have been conditioned with this unbiblical philosophy.

He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. There is no time off from the watchful protecting eye of our heavenly Father. As we were reminded last week, this world is not our home. We're passing through. Heaven is our home. But while we're here on earth we are called to be ambassadors in this foreign world. There's a philosophy that's prevalent that goes something like: When in Rome, do as the Romans. That does not apply to the believer. You see ambassadors always represent their home and their sovereign no matter where they are or with whom they are speaking. And yes, we are American citizens, and thankful to be so and proud of our nation, but we are first and foremost citizens of God's eternal kingdom, and thank the Lord that America is one nation under God. So to the believer -- Dad, God is present when you were disciplining your children. And sometimes the very words that you are having to speak to your children to correct them, are coming back into your own ears as though they were being spoken by the word of God Himself.

And husbands and wives, God is present when you're having that heated disagreement. I've heard of couples that have rules for fights. The Bible says don't let the sun go down on your wrath. One couple I know applied that principle by having a rule that arguments are to be resolved before going to bed. They might be sitting at opposite ends of the couch glaring at each other until 4:00 in the morning, but they're not going to bed until the matter is resolved.

And to the worker -- God is present while you toil away. The Scriptures say to do your work as unto the Lord, as though the Lord Himself had asked you to do it. And after work, when you get together with co-workers, God is party to your conversation so don't encourage dirty jokes and other things that are inappropriate to the ears of the most holy God.

And voter -- who or what are you representing when you stand in that booth? Are you voting for the candidate most likely to promote godliness, or the one who has promised the most for your wallet?

And sports fan -- God is listening to your cheers and your jeers. So be careful how you apply colorful metaphors.

I'm going to invite you to turn in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 4. If you're using the pew Bible it's found on page 788. And we're not going to do an in-depth study today, but what we want to do is I'll do some running commentary and we want the Lord's word to speak to us. Ephesians 4:17 and following: So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. Gentiles is often used in the Scriptures to identify and distinguish those who are godless from those who are chosen. The futility in the original language means mirage or something that is a deceptive illusion. Because people have chosen not to put their faith in the unchangeable word of God, they're always pursuing the shifting sands of mankind's philosophies. Hoping that they're going to get some kind of stability out of the philosophies of man, but that stability is always just outside their grasp, just as a mirage is just outside an arrival.

Verse 18: They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. One scholar has observed that the original thought means a heart that has been, I have problems with this word, anesthetized. The original thought means a heart that has been anesthetized. Now what does an anesthetic do? It deadens the sensitivities of the heart. Now what are the sensitivities of the heart? The heart's sensitivities are an alarm system for us. They go off to tell us that something is wrong. Right? Men, if you've got a pain on your chest over here, what does that tell you? It tells you that something is wrong. But these people have anesthetized their hearts. Now the conscience can be silenced by repeated refusals or, as some of the scientists have observed, it can be preprogrammed by culture.

Verse 19: Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. I remember a few years back there was a commercial on television that when something like feed a fever starve a cold. Well, it was something like that. You know in this life our thoughts, our choices, our words, and our actions tend to either feed the spirit or the flesh. We're told from Scriptures that the spirit and the flesh are at enmity with each other. They are fighting each other. The apostle Paul said live by the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Now I have been told that the terrorists were motivated by a promise that when they die they will be surrounded for all eternity by young, beautiful women and have a perpetual orgy. Now this promise is false, but this verse describes them perfectly as having been given over to sensuality with a continual, continuous, perpetual lust for more.

Verse 20: You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. I tell you were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desire and to be made new in the attitude of your minds. New in the attitude of your minds. Our actions and decisions are the results of the attitude of our minds. If our minds have been programmed with a worldly mental attitude, we're going to respond to situations in a worldly way. And throughout the day we are constantly being infused and programmed from a worldly perspective. So then, how is it that we can change the attitude of our minds? And the answer is by filling our minds with God's word and asking God's Holy Spirit to help bring it alive to us and help us apply it daily. And there's another way, and that is by gathering with fellow believers and having our understandings challenged -- Like what took place at the start of this message, when all of a sudden we were confronted with the fact that many of us have been conditioned to dichotomize between things spiritual and things which are not. We've had our mental, our mind, our attitudes challenged.

Verse 24: and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. Now speaking truthfully is more than not just hiding the truth when it's uncomfortable to reveal. It is dealing honestly with one another in every matter. It includes paying our bills on time and fulfilling our contractual agreements, including the verbal ones. God's word is true. His promises are yea and amen. Since we are people called by His name, and since God is very jealous to protect and to guard His name, God's integrity should be reflected in our character; and to lack that integrity grieves our gives pain to Holy Spirit of God.

Verse 26: In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you're still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anger, in and of itself, is not sin. In fact there are references throughout the Scriptures to righteous indignation. There are descriptions of God being angry. There are descriptions of Jesus being angry. Anger is not sin, but it can lead to sin if it's not handled appropriately. And the question to ask is, what would Jesus do? Jesus was not angry when He was mistreated and sentenced to the cross, but He did get angry when the widows were foreclosed on and cast into the streets by heartless landlords. What would Jesus do?

Verse 28: He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. Now the applications for this are everywhere, but particularly in the workplace. Many retail businesses indicate that their greatest source of theft is not from the general public, but rather their own employees. Christians should be the most honest employees in the workforce. Instead of being on the take, Christians should be on the give or giving or sharing with those in need as this verse says.

Verse 29: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Now the previous verse dealt with the use of our hands; this deals with the use of our mouths. The Bible talks about us standing before God one day and giving an accounting for every idle or useless word. Words are given to the believer for the purpose of building others up in the faith. They are not to be bantered about carelessly or used in worthless criticisms and unkind remarks. James writes, if any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man. And the psalmist writes, set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips. What he's praying is, God, guard my lips. You know if what is coming up and what is just about to come out is not good, stop it at the lips. I've seen some people pinch their lips together. They're not going to let those words come out of their mouth.

Verse 30: And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. The imitators is God, therefore, as dearly love children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us to as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person-such a man is an idolater-has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partakers with them.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. How do we find that out? By reading God's word. He reveals to us what pleases Him. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake-up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

The very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Now in Western civilization, modern Western civilization, submission has come to be associated with something distasteful. Submission does not, however, mean what some have equated it to mean. It does not mean the devaluation of a person. Galatians 3:28 says, There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. In other words, each one of us stands as an individual and the value of one individual is not compared or contrasted with the value of another individual. Romans 2:11 says, There is no respect of persons with God. You see unlike this world, which has a tendency to place value, variable value, on a person based on whatever standard might be convenient at the time. God places no greater value on the boss than a worker. Each has been given a role and each is responsible for carrying that role out to the best of their ability. Submission does not mean, as some might think, the devaluation of the person, but rather it means operating in the role that God has assigned to the individual. We are all called, all of us called, to submit ourselves to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. You know men, that is an impossible task, but that's what we're called to do. I asked the man at one of the breakfasts, I said, what does it mean as Christ loved the church? Is the church perfect? Is the church faithful? Is the church holy? And if we were to be honest we'd have to admit that at this time the church isn't. The church is made up of imperfect people, and yet, in spite of the imperfection of the church Christ has loved the church and has given His life up for the church, and is in the process of perfecting the church for His own glory. Husbands, how much are you willing to give up for your wife?

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church -- for we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery -- but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother" -- which is the first commandment with a promise -- "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy a long life on the earth." Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Slaves -- you say, Pastor, I'm not a slave; I'm an employee; I just feel like a slave. Obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when there eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For your struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Thank goodness that God has enlightened us to this -- that there is no dichotomy of things spiritual and things that are not spiritual for the believer. For the believer every aspect of our life is spiritual. The Word says whatever you do in word or in deed, do it all, do it all in the name of the Lord. Amen?

Let's pray. Lord, this day we have let Your word speak to us and give us instructions as to how we ought to conduct ourselves in our relationships as workers, bosses, fathers, sons, mothers, daughters, husbands and wives. Lord You are very interested in how we conduct ourselves. Lord we ask Your Holy Spirit to remind us each and every day as we go out of this place now that we are on duty as Your ambassadors in this world; that we have been called with a great calling, that we have been bought with a great price. Thank you Lord for loving us so much. And Lord we acknowledge now that we are so imperfect, so incapable of truly meeting the challenges that You have placed before us. We are so thankful Lord for the patience of Your Holy Spirit as You work in us each and every day transforming us into the image of Your only begotten Son our Lord and Savior. Thank you Lord that we can be forgiven for our sins. Lord may it be that our lives exhibit such a reflected light from You that others seek You through us that lives might be touched and transformed by the work of Your Holy Spirit, because of your Holy Spirit's work in our life. Thank you Lord for everything, in Jesus' name, amen. God bless you.