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18 Jan: Some Things That Christians Cannot Do
There are many things that Christians SHOULD NOT do. However, the Bible also says that there are some things that Christians CANNOT do. In this lesson, we will focus on the points mentioned by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.
- We Cannot Change Things Out of Our Control
Matthew 5:36; “Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.”
Mtt 6:25,27,34 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or drink – is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough troubles of it's own.”
Mtt 6:33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to your.”
Jesus is telling us here that there are many things beyond our control. What is important is that we have our priorities and our focus on God’s will. James tells us in 4:13 that all of our plans are to reflect obedience to God’s will in all that we say and do. Jesus gives us the perfect example of that in His prayer in the Garden when He wraps up His time with the Father by declaring – ‘Yet not my will, but thine be done!’
- We Cannot Serve Two Masters
Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. We cannot serve God and wealth.”
1 Cor 1:12,13 “Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, ‘I am of Paul,’ and ‘I am of Apollos,’ ‘I am of Cephas,’ and ‘I of Christ.’ Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?’ 1 John 5:18,19,21 “We know that no one who is born of God sins; but he who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. . . . . Little children, guard yourselves from idols.” Gal 1:10 “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.” Exodus 20:5,6 “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting iniquity on … those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and Keep My commandments.” Phil 3:7-9 “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him”.
In the parable of the Sower the seeds landing in the thorns accepted Christ but were unfaithful because of their concerns about the things of this world. Like Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount – we must FIRST seek His kingdom and His righteousness.
- We Cannot Produce Different Fruit
Matthew 7:17 – 20 “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.”
John 15:1-8 (paraphrased) “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes aways; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abide in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.. . . My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.”
- Christians Cannot Be Hidden:
Matt 5;13-16 “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; not does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
Matt 5;13-16 “You are the salt of the earth”. Salt serves to improve flavor and to preserve what it is added to. If we are the salt of the earth – what would we improve and preserve? I believe the answer to that is that we are to preserve the message of salvation and the love of God in this lost and dying world. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” Rom 10:17, 14 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” “How then will they call on Him in whom they have believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not hear? And how will they hear without a preacher?” This is why the apostles, and I believe you and I, received the Great Commission to go out and bring the gospel to the lost.
Matt 5:14 “You are the light of the world”. In the same way 2 Cor 5:20 says that as ambassadors of God we become the righteousness of God – so we represent God in this world. 2 Peter 2:12 “Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, . . . . that they may, because of your good deeds, observe them and glorify God”. Titus 2:7 “in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds . . .” 1 John 3:18 “Let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”
As God’s light bulbs in this world – they need to see the love which God has for all mankind and His desire to save them and bring them life, as Jesus promised in John 10:10.
CHRISTIANS CANNOT:
- CONTROL ALL THINGS – THEY MUST ACCEPT GOD’S WILL
- SERVE TWO MASTERS – THEY MUST DECIDE WHICH ONE TO SERVE
- PRODUCE DIFFERENT FRUIT – WE MUST BE PART OF THE VINE (Christ)
- BE HIDDEN – WE BRING THE LOVE OF GOD INTO THIS WORLD
CHRISTIANS CAN BRING GLORY AND HONOR TO God
AND
THE MESSAGE OF SALVATION TO THE LOST!
11 Jan: As New Creatures: What is Our “Calling”?
1 Peter 2:21 “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps.
2 Tim 1:9 “He has saved us and called us to a holy life . . . .”
Now HOW do we accomplish the will of the Father?
So, what is the purpose or goal of a Christian? To model and follow the example of Christ Jesus in doing the will of the Father.
So, what does doing the will of the Father mean?
- Doing the will of the Father means Self-Denial: Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” Gal 5:22 “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Rom 8:12-14 modified “So then, brethren, we are under obligation – not to the flesh – but living by the Spirit whereby we are putting to death the deeds of the body, for all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.” Eph 4:22-24 “that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. 1 Peter 4:2 “so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. Col 3:1,2 “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above . . . . Set your mind on the things above, not on the things of earth.”
- Doing the will of the Father means being willing to Suffer: Rom 8:35-37 “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written: ‘For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” Mt 5:11 ““Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Mt 10:22 “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. 2 Cor 11: 23-28 “Are they servants of Christ? I more so – in far more labors, more imprisonments, beaten without number, often in danger. Five times I received from the Jews 39 lashes, 3 times beaten with rods, stoned, 3 times shipwrecked, . . . . Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.” 2 Cor 12:10 “Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” “Thorn in the flesh”
- Doing the will of the Father means bringing Him glory: John 6:38 “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will but the will of Him who sent me.” John 17:3,4 “I glorified you on the earth, having accomplished the work which you have given Me to do.” Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” 1 Cor 6:20 “For you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.” Eph 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” 1 Peter 2:12 “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
- Doing the will of the Father means Imitating Christ: I Cor 11:1 “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” Luke 9:23 “And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” John 13:14 “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” Eph 5:2 “And walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
An impossible number of Scriptures mention how we are to live our lives. But simply put, our lives are to pattern themselves after that of the Lord. We are to serve first and foremost in the Lord’s kingdom completing those works which the Lord has created us to do.
CONCLUSION: What is Our Calling? To do the Will of the Father and Glorify Him!
1 Thess 1:11,12 “To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.