Healthy Church = Healthy Attitude

Introduction: The Dog That Couldn’t Swim…

Background: A healthy Christian attitude is a Christ-like attitude. The clearest statement of what it means to have the attitude of Christ is found in Philippians 2 where Paul takes us once again to the Cross. (vs.5-8) God wants us to have a humble Christ-like attitude towards all situations and circumstances in life, so that not only may we be a healthy Church but also that people outside the Church may be attracted to Christ because they see Him living in each of us.

Proposition: In our passage of scripture this morning Paul shows us several areas in life where we need to possess a Christ-like attitude.

Transition: The first thing that Paul brings to our attention is that we need to exhibit a Christ-like attitude towards….

I. A CHRISTLIKE ATTITUDE TOWARD WORK (1-2)

a. Our attitude towards our word determines whether God’s name and the teaching of the Apostles will be slandered

• In the first two vs. of this chapter Paul continues his admonition to Timothy about the relationship of various groups within the Church

• Paul focuses in on the relationship between slaves and their masters

• The concept of slaves and masters is a somewhat of a foreign concept to us today but in the 1st century it was a reality of everyday life

b. At this time approximately 1/3 of the world’s population were slaves (15-20 million)

• During this time slaves weren’t only seen as property but were regarded as potential enemies

• The fear of a slave revolt was a constant threat (Spartacus)

• Paul here is encouraging slaves to give loving service to their masters

• Their newfound liberty and freedom in Christ gives them no warrant for less faithful service – God made men and men made slaves

• Today we debate the morality of slavery, as the generations before us have but it was the cultural norm of the 1st century

• If their masters were not Christians, they were not to be looked down upon

• If their masts were Christians they should not shirk their responsibility but serve their masters even better (consider Philemon)

• They were to serve their masters in such a way that Christianity wouldn’t be dishonored

• Do your actions honor or dishonor God?

c. God’s name and his truth must not be exposed to ridicule and abuse of any kind

• An act or course on the part of a professed Christian which gives occasion for the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme is seen is scripture as a sin of the deepest die

• Slaves who acted justly and with right motives and attitudes by their actions spoke volumes about the truth of the Gospel

• Thus slaves helped win the Roman Empire for Christ

• This message is as much for us today as it was for the church in the 1st Century

• We are to show respect for our supervisors and employers and give them honest service

• Our actions towards others speak volumes about our faith, either in a positive or negative way

• Every good piece of work that a Christian does (be he employee or employer) is to be done with the same he would exhibit if he were personally working for Christ

• Consider Christ’s attitude was we examine our own (Matthew 5:44-45)

Transition: The second thing that Paul brings to our attention is that we also need to exhibit a Christ-like attitude towards….

II. A CHRISTLIKE ATTITUDE TOWARDS