Matthew 23:1-12

Matthew 22:34-40

Matthew 23: 1-12

“Can They Do As You Do?”

Part 2 of 2008 Stewardship series

November 2, 2008

What are the most important things for us to be doing?

What are the most important things for us to remember?

Last week we began our Stewardship emphasis for this year — looking at what it truly means to live as Christians – and what the most important things are for us to remember as we strive to live our lives in God’s ways.

What are the most important things for us to be doing?

What are the most important things for us to remember?

I talked a little about “final exams” and the Ordination Exams every Seminary graduate has to take before being ordained – and how they were filled with questions to which we prayed that we had answers.

I also talked about how Rick Warren — in his book The Purpose Driven Life — writes that God has a Final Exam for us. He writes that — when our life is over — God is going to have 2 questions for us:

1. How did you respond to my Son Jesus Christ?

2. What did you do with what I gave you?

2 questions.

If you answer them in the way God wants you to answer them, He has a place in heaven prepared for you.

If not, your place will not be in heaven.

Maybe it would be wise to look at how to answer these questions in the way that will please God. As we move through November, we are going to look at the fact that God has questions for us – and whether or not we have answers.

Last week we looked at the primary passage that we’ll be looking at for the next few weeks — Matthew 22:34-40 – and saw that responding to Jesus by loving God with all our heart, soul and mind – and loving others as ourselves – are the 2 primary ways we can respond to God’s questions of how we responded to Jesus and what we did with what He gave us. Today we are going to look further at exactly what it means to love God and love others as we look at Matthew 23:1-12 – and discover that we not only have to talk about loving God and serving others – we have to do it. People not only have to be able to hear us talk about God and do as we say – they need to see God in our lives – and do as we do.

Listen to God’s word as we again look at Matthew 22:34-40, then also look at Matthew 23:1- 12.

Read Scripture

How did you respond to my Son Jesus Christ?

What did you do with what I gave you?

God does not want us to have to say that we were

“Do as I say – not as I do” Christians.

“Do as I say – not as I do!”

That’s a motto for some parents as they try to raise their children by their words – but without worrying that their own actions don’t match what they are saying.

Not a god practice for parenting.

“Do as I say – not as I do!”

That’s also a motto for far too many Christians as they try to tell others about the Christian life and what God wills for them – but their actions at times don’t match their words.

Not a good practice or witness for Christians.

“Don’t look at what I do – listen to what I say!”

seems to be their attitude.

They talk about being a Christian – but they fail to live the Christian life.

One way to put it is that they can talk the talk – but they can’t walk the walk.

Rick Warren writes about the “final exam” God may give us that consists of 2 questions:

How did you respond to my Son Jesus Christ?

What did you do with what I gave you?

What response do you think God wants to hear from us?

Do you think He wants us to say:

“O – well – God – please look at what I said – how I talked so well about you and prayed such pretty prayers – but please don’t look at what I did!”

While God will indeed forgive us for words and deeds we need forgiveness for, if we really want to live a life that is pleasing to God, we need to live lives that show God and His love to the world in what we say – and in what we do.

We can’t be Christians who say:

“Do as I say – not as I do” – but we need to be Christians who can say to others:

“Do as I say – and do as I do”.

Our words and our actions need to show God to others.

How did you respond to my Son Jesus Christ?

What did you do with what I gave you?

Our 2 passages for today give us some ways to answer these question.

I took Jesus as my Savior and loved Him with all my heart – soul – and mind

I loved others as myself

and

I tried to show God to others in all my words and all my actions.

We have to ask ourselves how we are getting along with Jesus every day – every day asking ourselves:

How are Jesus I getting along right now –

and we have to nurture our relationship with Jesus every day –

but we also have to ask ourselves – every day –

“Can people see Jesus as they look at how I am living my life?”

“Can they hear Jesus in what I say – and see Jesus in what I do?”

“Can they become better followers of Jesus by listening to what I say?”

“Can they become better followers of Jesus by doing as I do?”

Can others listen to what you say – and become more like Jesus?

Can others do as you do – and become more like Jesus?

God does not want to hear us answer His questions by saying:

“I talked a great talk about my love for God and Jesus – and how I would live a life that honored God and used my gifts for His glory.”

God wants to hear us answer His questions by saying:

“I shared my love for Jesus with others in what I said and in what I did.”

“People could learn more about Jesus by listening to what I said – and by watching what I did.”

The Christina life is not a matter of:

“Do as I say – not as I do” –

It’s a matter of:

“Do as I say – and do as I do!”

Our words and our actions need to give glory to God.

We need to express our love for God by what we say – and by what we do.

We need to tell others about our love for Jesus – and we need to show them our love for Jesus

Can others listen to what you say – and learn more about Jesus?

Can others listen to what you say – and learn how to live as a Chrsitian?

Can others see what you do – and learn more about Jesus?

Can others do what you do – and be living the Christian life?

Can they do as you say – and do as you do?

Yea – when God asks us how we responded to Jesus and what we did with what He gave us – He does not to hear us say:

“I talked a great talk about my love for God and Jesus – and how I would live a life that honored God and used my gifts for His glory.”

God wants to hear us say:

“I shared my love for Jesus with others in what I said and in what I did.”

“People could learn more about Jesus by listening to what I said – and by watching what I did.”

Can they do as you say – and as you do?

Part of what it means to be a Christian – to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind – and your neighbor as yourself – is to live a life that shows God to others through what you and do.

It’s not a matter of:

“Do as I say – not as I do”

But living in such a way that others can do as you say – and as you do.

Can they listen to what you say – and hear God’s words to them – and see what you do – and see what God would have them to be doing?

Can they do as you say – and as you do?

Can they see Jesus in what you say – and in what you do?

A young girl was visiting a church one Sunday and was impressed with the stained glass windows of the Saints that were along the walls of the church. The windows were particularly beautiful this day as the sun shone brightly through them — making their colors brilliant. She asked about who these people were in these beautiful windows — and was told these were some of the Saints of the church.

That morning in Sunday School she was asked if she knew what a Saint was. Thinking back on the bright, colorful windows that had impressed her so — and the fact that she was told these were of the Saints – she replied:

“ A Saint is someone who lets the light shine through.”

Maybe not a dictionary definition of a saint, but a good one none the less — someone who lets God’s light shine through them.

Do you do that?

Do you let the light of God shine through you?

Or — is it something else others see shining through when they look at you?

Can people look at what you do – and see Christ?

Can they do as you do – and be doing the things of Christ?

Can they do as you do?

Can they do as you do?

Does the light of God shine through you?

Can they do as you do?

Can they do as you do?

God asks you:

How are you responding to Jesus?

And

What are you doing with my gifts to you?

Unless you can say:

I love Jesus with all my heart – soul – and mind

and

I love others as myselrf – and use what God has given me to show Him to others

you are not giving the answer God wants to hear.

And – unless you can say:

I tried to live in a way that showed God to others

I tried to use what God gave me to show His love and will to others

you are not giving the answers God wants to hear.

God wants us to use what He has given us to show Him to others – and do His work in the world.

He wants us to talk about Him and talk about His love – but – more than that – He wants us to act in ways that show Him – show His love – and do His will in the world.

It’s not a matter of

“Do as I say – not as I do”…

but it’s a matter of

“Do as I say and as I do.”

Can they do as you do?

Do you use the gifts God has blessed you with to do His work and will in the world?

Do you look for ways that you can show God to others in the community – do God’s work in the community and the world – and be a living example of what it means to be a Christian?

God’s 2 questions to us are:

How did you respond to my Son Jesus Christ?

What did you do with what I gave you?

If you can answer the first question by saying:

I took Jesus as my Lord and Savior —

can you answer the second question by saying:

I used what God gave me to do His work and will in the world – and show others what it means to be a Christian?

There is a lot to be doing in the community – in the world – and even here in the Church – for God’s glory.

There are a lot of ways to use the gifts God has given you for His glory.

There are a lot of ways that you can show others what it means to live the Christian life by what you do.

There are a lot of things you can do to show God to others.

There are a lot of things you can do to help others see God – and see how God wants us to live.

The question is:

Can they do as you do?

Can others see what you do – copy what you do – find ways to use their gifts and talents in the same way you are using yours – and become closer to being the people God wants them to be?

Can they do as you do – and come close to doing what God wants them to do?

Part of what it means to be a Christian – to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind – and your neighbor as yourself – is to live a life that shows God to others through what you and do.

It’s not a matter of:

“Do as I say – not as I do”

But it’s a matter of living in such a way that others can do as you say – and as you do.

Can they do as you do?

When there are things to be done in the community to show God’s love to others – can people look at you – and see what you do – and see how they can serve God also – or do they see that you step back and wait for someone else to do something – and think that’s what God wants them to do?

When there are things to be done in the Church – can people look at you – and see what you do – and see how they can serve God also – or do they see that you step back and wait for someone else to do something – and think that’s what God wants them to do?

Can they do as you do?

Can they do as you do?

Rick Warren writes that God will have 2 questions for us:

How did you respond to my Son Jesus Christ?

What did you do with what I gave you?

If you can answer the first question by saying:

I took Jesus as my Lord and Savior –

You also need to be able to answer the second by saying:

I used what God gave me to do His work and will in the world – and show others what it means to be a Christian.

Part of what being a Christian means is loving God with all your heart, mind, and soul – taking Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

One question to ask yourself each day it:

How are Jesus and I getting along – right now?

Another part of what it means to being a Christian is to use what God gives you to show Him and His will to the world – so another question to ask yourself each day is:

Can others look at how I am living – and see Jesus?

Look for ways to let others see God in what you say and do.

Don’t be a “do as I say – but not as I do” Christian.

Use your gifts – use what God gives you – to show God to others in what you say – and do.

Don’t be a “do as I say – but not as I do” Church member.

Use your gifts – use what God gives you – to help do God’s work in the Church – and show God to others in what you say and do.

Be a Christian – be a Church member – who lives a life that says to others:

Do what I do – and you’ll be doing what God wants you to do.

Can they do as you do?

Can they do as you do?

Amen.