Role-model Saints (cont. c) pt 16
Opening Illustration: The greatest hero for the Kingdom of God was Jesus! Almena shares “In the beginning” about how great Jesus was in this Bluefish TV video poem clip.
Thesis: Paul in chapter 12 tells us that we must be role models saints for this world and not act worldly but instead act like living sacrifices to Jesus. This in turn will make us a hero in the eyes of Kingdom of God.
Scripture Verse: Romans 12
Romans 12:1-21 (Have the church listen to this chapter from the Dramatized version CD and follow along in their NIV Bibles).
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Introduction:
The Last few weeks we entered into our study of chapter 12 of Romans and soon discovered that there are 27 character traits of a role-model saint – a hero for the Kingdom of God. It’s important for us to understand that when we choose to be a saint then we also choose to become a role-model for the Kingdom of God.
Illustration from sermoncentral.com: Many of you I’m sure remember Charles Barkley, the NBA Basketball star who didn’t want people watching him too closely. People were disappointed with his actions and attitude on and off the court and challenged him to be a better role model. His response was basically, “Hey, I’m a basketball player. I didn’t ask to be anyone’s role model and I don’t need that added responsibility.” As an NBA star, Barkley didn’t have the option to choose whether or not he wanted to be a role model. That decision had already been made for him when he signed a contract to play in the highly publicized NBA. The same is true for those of us who call ourselves Christians. Once we make that decision to follow Christ, people are watching. Whether you like it or not or whether or not you think it’s fair, you’ve become an example for the family of God. From Contributor Randy Bennett
The truth that I think we need to must grasp is as a saint in the kingdom we are either a positive role-model for God or a negative role-model for God. We either put off a positive view of Christianity or a negative one. It’s one or the other and like it or not we are all role-models for the Kingdom of God if we claim to be a saint. So it’s important that we understand what it means to be a living sacrifice for the Kingdom and that we strive to have the character traits of a role-model saint – a hero for the Kingdom of God so that we help bring people into the kingdom and not chase them away or turn them off to the kingdom.
We have over the last few weeks have looked at a few of these character traits in detail -- so let’s review those this morning before we progress to the next ones: Please note I have decided to make this a 5 part study in chapter 12 as we are going to take the time to explore these character traits in more detail so we understand what we are to be like as living sacrifices.
1. A role model saint is a living sacrifice for the Kingdom of God.
a. They have chosen to give up their life to Christ because he chose to give up His life for their salvation.
2. A role-model saint lives holy in an unholy environment.
a. When a person observes a saints life they see a person living different than the rest of the sinners.
3. A role-model saint lives a life that pleases God.
a. They live a life that makes God smile!
4. A role-model saint does not conform to the behavior pattern of this world’s inhabitants.
a. They instead conform to the image of Jesus Christ and seek to live godly imitating His lifestyle.
5. A role-model saint has had their mind renewed by God’s Word.
a. They have a point of view that has an eternal perspective and a Biblical world view rather than a corrupt self-centered mindset.
6. A role-model saint does not think they are someone special because they have a sensible view of them self.
a. They do not over rate themselves and live a prideful arrogant lifestyle.
7. A role-model saint chooses the path of love over hate.
a. The hero in the Kingdom of God imitates the character trait of God – God is love and he choose this approach to others so the saint also needs to choose the path of love over hate and behave like God does.
b. Quote: “You can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving.”
8. A role-model saint hates evil and also holds on for dear life to that which is good and godly.
a. This hero does not hold onto that which is evil.
9. A role-model saint is devoted to other saints through the bond of love.
a. The role-model saints bond together in love like the Band of Brothers did in Easy Company and many other combat outfits in World War II.
10. A role-model saint keeps their spiritual zeal for the Lord and for service to the Kingdom.
a. It means we love Jesus more today than we did yesterday and we make him the focus of our life.
11. A role-model saint honors others in the Kingdom over themselves.
a. Role model saints honor others from their unit as they fight against the enemy of our society and to the church of Jesus Christ.
b. We all need to remember that all role-model saints will be honored with the Medal of Honor in heaven for our service to the Kingdom.
12. A role-model saint is joyful in their life.
a. Role-model saints are individuals who are filled with joy, happiness and freedom which draws others to the Kingdom.
13. A role-model saint is patient in affliction.
a. Role-model saints show tremendous poise and peace under stress and pressure.
b. These saints look at the Lord for help in their time of trouble and do not place the blame for their hardship on the Lord.
14. A role-model saint is faithful in prayer.
a. Role-model saints know that to hear from God and to be in tune with God requires that they have an open line of communication between them and the Lord.
Quote from sermoncentral.com:
“Jesus says in his society there is a new way for [people] to live:
you show wisdom, by trusting people;
you handle leadership, by serving;
you handle offenders, by forgiving;
you handle money, by sharing;
you handle enemies, by loving;
and you handle violence, by suffering.
In fact, you have a new attitude toward everything, toward everybody.
Toward nature, toward the state in which you happen to live, toward women, toward slaves, toward all and every single thing.
Because this is a Jesus society, and you repent, not by feeling bad, but by thinking different.” (Wiebe, Rudy, The Blue Mountains of China, McClellan and Stewart, 1970.) – from Chris Tiller
The Word tells us that we are to be a part of Jesus Society and we are to act like “Christians” like “Role-model saints” so that God gets the glory.
T.S. – Let’s look at 5 more of these character traits today and learn how to be a role-model saint for the Kingdom and also a hero for the Kingdom of God.
1. A role-model saint shares with God’s children who are in need – character trait number 15 (vs. 13).
a. Sharing is to be a basic character trait of a role-model saint because it reflects the heart and the nature of the Lord Jesus.
i. The Acts New Testament church grew in leaps and bounds and one of the noted traits of this church was its unbelievable gift of sharing. People would share what they had with one another and even sell land to help out others in need.
ii. Sharing was and still is to be a character trait of a “Saint!”
b. Quote from sermoncentral.com: “According to a Focus on the Family study of more than 500 family counselors, the following are the top traits of successful families: *Communicating and listening *Affirming and supporting family members *Respecting one another *Developing a sense of trust *Sharing time and responsibility *Knowing right from wrong *Having rituals and traditions *Sharing a religious core *Respecting privacy.” Don Jones
i. Sharing is listed as one of the top ten traits of a successful family unit and it also is to be in the top ten of the church as well. Successful churches know the power of sharing their resources, time, money, and assets for others who are in need.
ii. Story: The other day I had someone complaining about the church of today. She said the church should be the one taking care of the widows and the people in need!” She went on to say that the church does not give enough to help people out who are financially hurting or in crisis. She went on to say that she felt that the church should be taking care of the needy in the church not the government. I asked listened and then asked her a question: “Do you tithe?” She looked at me real sheepishly and said “Well no!” I responded with this statement, “I agree with you that the church should be doing more to help out those in need and it is our responsibility to do so but the problem in the church today is that Christians only give about 2% of their income to the Lord’s work and the Bible requires us to give 10% of our income to the church.” I then stated, “If all the Christians in the church tithed, like they were suppose too, then the church would have the resources to meet the needs of the less fortunate. She then said “Oh” and changed the subject.
1. Do you share what God has given you?
a. Do you share your financial resources with the church and God’s Kingdom?
b. Do you share your time with the church and His Kingdom.
c. Do you share any of your resources for the Kingdom of God?
d. Do you share in the responsibility to care for those who are in need?
2. The sad fact is – it is very hard to get people to share today – I see it even in regards to Christians and in some families.
a. They don’t want to share – they are too self-centered and they hoard everything for themselves and refuse to help those in need around them.
c. Robert Fulghum wrote a best seller a few years back called: ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN (a guide for Global Leadership.) It addressed the lessons of life which we learned at a very early age and how applicable they are to life. This book focused on the follow thought: “All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at school. These are the things I learned:”
i. Share everything.
ii. Play fair.
iii. Don’t hit people.
iv. Put things back where you found them.
v. Clean up your own mess.
vi. Don’t take things that aren’t yours.
vii. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.
viii. Wash your hands before you eat.
ix. Flush.
x. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
xi. Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
xii. Take a nap every afternoon.
xiii. When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.
xiv. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
xv. Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.
xvi. And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.
1. The author noted this about the important lessons we all learned by kindergarten.
a. Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and politics and equality and sane living. Take any one of those items and extrapolate it into sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your family life or your work or government or your world and it holds true and clear and firm. Think what a better world it would be if we all - the whole world - had cookies and milk at about 3 o’clock in the afternoon and then lay down with our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments had as a basic policy to always put things back where they found them and to clean up their own mess. And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out in the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together. [Source: "ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN" by Robert Fulghum.
d. So what does it mean to share with those in the Body of Christ?
i. Sharing is the joint use of a resource. In its narrow sense, it refers to joint or alternating use of an inherently finite good, such as a common pasture or a timeshared residence. In a broader sense, it can also include the free granting of use rights to a good that is capable of being treated as a nonrival good, such as information. Still more loosely, "sharing" can actually mean giving something as an outright gift: for example, to "share" one’s food really means to give some of it as a gift (From Wikipedia Encylopedia.)
ii. Let’s learn a lesson from Geese on the importance of sharing the responsibilities of life with one another.
1. Illustration from Sermoncentral.com: Lessons From Geese
a. Fact 1: As each goose flaps its wings it creates an "uplift" for the birds that follow. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.
i. Lesson 1: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.
b. Fact 2: When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front of it.
i. Lesson 2: If we have as much common sense as a goose, we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.
c. Fact 3: When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies to the point position.
i. Lesson 3: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each others’ skills, capabilities, and unique arrangements of gifts, talents, or resources.
d. Fact 4: Geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
i. Lesson 4: We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement, the production is much greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one’s heart or core values and encourage the heart and core of others) is the quality of honking we seek.
e. Fact 5: When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.
i. Lesson 5: If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong. From contributor Al Schifano
2. See even geese know the importance of sharing the load of life with others – they teach us also how to share the responsibilities with others through the journey of life.
e. Jesus addressed the issue of sharing in Matthew 25:34-40 – He said:
i. 34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 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? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When 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.’
ii. This text is clear God is watching to see how well you share with others.
iii. So how well are you sharing with others in the Body of Christ?
iv. Video Illustration: From Blue Fish TV and the homeless beggar!
f. Here is another text addressing this subject John 3:16-18, TEV - 16 This is how we know what love is: Christ gave his life for us. We too, then, ought to give our lives for our brothers and sisters! 17 Rich people who see a brother or sister in need, yet close their hearts against them, cannot claim that they love God. 18 My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action.
i. This text tells me that Love is demonstrated by having a heart that shares with others.
g. Everett Ferguson (Early Christians Speak -- Faith and Life in the First Three Centuries, Revised Edition (Abilene, Texas: Abilene Christian University Press, 1981, 1987) - The sharing of food by the wealthier with the poorer was an important means of charity. The host provided food for those chosen who sometimes did not eat at his house but received the food at home or accepted it to take home. The recipients were expected to pray for their benefactor, so sharing spiritual blessings in return for material ones.[page 133]:
i. Clement of Rome [1st Century]: Let the strong take care of the weak; let the weak respect the strong. Let the rich man minister to the poor man; let the poor man give thanks to God that he gave him one through whom his need might be satisfied. Let the wise man manifest his wisdom not in words but in good deeds... [page 208].
ii. Ignatius [35-107 AD]: Widows are not to be neglected. You, after the Lord, be their protector... [page 208]
iii. Aristides [early 2nd century AD]: They [Christians] love one another. They do not overlook the widow, and they save the orphan. He who has ministers ungrudgingly to him who does not have. When they see strangers, they take him under their own roof and rejoice over him as a true brother, for they do not call themselves brothers according to the flesh but according to the soul... [page 207]
iv. Lucian of Samosata [115-200 AD]: Then Proteus was apprehended as a Christian and thrown into prison.... The Christians, regarding the affair as a great misfortune, set in motion every effort to rescue him. Then, when this was impossible, every other attention was paid him, not cursorily but diligently. At dawn there were to be seen waiting at the prison aged widows and orphan children, and their officials even slept inside with him, having bribed the guards. Varied meals were brought in, and their sacred words were spoken... There were some even from the cities in Asia who came, the Christians sending them from their common fund to succour, defend, and encourage the man. They exhibit extraordinary haste whenever one of them becomes such a public victim, for in no time they lavish their all. [page 208]
v. Irenaeus [130-200 AD]: And instead of the tithes which the law commanded, the Lord said to divide everthing we have with the poor. And he said to love not only our neighbors but also our enemies, and to be givers and sharers not only with the good but also to be liberal givers toward those who take away our possessions. (Against Heresies IV.xiv.3) , [page 209]
h. Sharing in the New Testament church was a symbol of the Christian faith and the changed and transformed life of a person.
i. Quote from sermoncentral.com: “The closer to sharing a person comes, the closer to God he gets. Sharing has nothing to do with wealth . . . Sharing has nothing to do with health . . .Sharing has everything to do with attitude!” Jerry Falwell
i. Role-model saints know how to share with their brothers and sisters in Christ and it makes God smile when they do so.
2. A role-model saint is hospitable to others – character trait 16 (vs. 13).
a. Web-Dictionary, disposed to treat guests and strangers with cordiality and generosity; "a good-natured and hospitable man"; "a hospitable act"; "hospitable invitations having an open mind; "hospitable to new ideas"; "open to suggestions"
b. Being hospitable, which the dictionary defines as "given to generous and cordial reception of guests," is something Christians are commanded to do.
i. 1 PETER 4:8-10: NKJ 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins." 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
ii. ROMANS 12:10, 13: NKJ 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
c. Illustration from sermoncentral.com: Making Friends Out of Strangers:
i. You and I tend to offer hospitality to only a limited number of
people--persons whom we already know, mostly relatives and a few close friends. But, in Abraham’s time, hospitality was extended to whom ever needed it--strangers and acquaintances alike. In fact, in its original form, "hospitality" combines two separate words--one meaning friend and the other meaning stranger. So, from the beginning of its usage, hospitality has carried with it the idea of making friends out of strangers.
James W. Cox, The Minister’s Manual, Harper, 1994, 109 from contributor Paul Fritz
ii. Quote: "Hospitality is making your guests feel at home, even though you wish they were." Anonymous
iii. Hospitality has to do again with the concept of sharing what is yours with others and treating people with respect and kindness.
iv. When people are hospitable to others they make God smile and they actually draw people into the Kingdom of God.
3. A role-model saint blesses those who persecute them instead of cursing them – character trait 17 (vs. 14).
a. As I read into what Paul is saying I see the meaning behind his words which is that we must chose to forgive our enemies and be Christ-like toward them in spite of their evil behavior toward us.
i. Illustration from sermoncentral.com: Recently, a survey was made of 200 married adults in regards to forgiveness (1). The researchers were wondering how one’s ability to forgive others would affect their marital satisfaction and personal well-being. The results were astounding! This research suggests that there is a huge relationship between marriage satisfaction and forgiveness. In fact, it appears that as much as one third of marriage satisfaction is related to forgiveness. Not only does the ability to forgive impact the marriage relationship, it was significantly related to personal emotional distress. As forgiveness ability went up, individuals reported fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety, and fatigue! These results are powerful and suggest that all counselors, both secular and faith-based, should be helping people develop the skill of forgiveness.1. Peter J. Larson, New Forgiveness Research Jan 27, 2003 from contributor Michael Raisbeck
b. Quote; "Forgiveness is better than revenge; for forgiveness is the sign of a gentle nature, but revenge the sign of a savage nature." Epictetus
c. Story from sermoncentral.com: SQUANTO: A PICTURE OF FORGIVENESS:
i. In 1605, Squanto, a Native American from the village of Patuxet and a member of the Pokanokit Wampanoag nation traveled to England with an explorer named John Weymouth. He experienced high adventure and learned some English.
But on his return to America--the tide began to turn against Squanto. He was captured from Massachusetts and taken, along with other Indians, by an English ship captain and sold into slavery in Málaga, Spain.
There, Squanto was bought by a Spanish monk, who treated him well, freed him from slavery, and taught him the Christian faith. Squanto eventually made his way to England -- where he improved his English --and worked in the stables of a man named John Slaney. Slaney sympathized with Squanto’s desire to return home, and he promised to put the Indian on the first vessel bound for America.
It wasn’t until 1618 -- ten years after Squanto was first kidnapped --that he was on a ship returning to America as a free man
There he learned of the second blow delivered by the English. His tribe had died from an epidemic, probably of smallpox brought by the earlier colonists. He and another Indian, Samoset, went to live with the neighboring tribe of the Wampanoag near present-day Plymouth, MA. There he was introduced to the new Pilgrim settlers.
And there, Squanto became a picture of forgiveness. Even though he had been captured by the English, and deprived of family and friends because of their disease, he still chose to help the 47 of 102 Pilgrims who had barely survived their first, harsh winter. He helped them build warm houses, he taught them when to plant their corn crop and how it should be planted. Without his help, there would not have been 20 acres of corn produced that year. Squanto also advised the Pilgrims in their relations with the Indians. He helped them make friends, acted as interpreter, guided them on trading expeditions, and gave advice on bargaining with the natives.
The Pilgrims wouldn’t have made it through the year without the wisdom and guidance of Squanto.
SOURCE: SermonCentral Staff Citations: R. Christopher Ministries, A THANKSGIVING STORY: "GOD’S SAVING GRACE… & SQUANTO"
http://208.56.176.8/rchristo/P50015.html.
Bill Petro. HISTORY OF THANKSGIVING: FRIENDLY INDIAN? http://www.billpetro.com/HolidayHistory/
hol/squanto.html.
d. Illustration from sermoncentral.com:
i. What is a Christian? In the LETTER TO DIOGNETUS, which dates back to the second century A.D., an anonymous writer describes a strange people who are in the world but not of the world.
“Christians are not differentiated from other people by country, language, or customs; you see, they do not live in cities of their own, or speak some strange dialect. . . They live in both Greek and foreign cities, wherever chance has put them. They follow local customs in clothing, food, and other aspects of life. But at the same time, they demonstrate to us the unusual form of their own citizenship.
“They live in their own native lands, but as aliens. . . Every foreign country is to them as their native country, and every native land as a foreign country.
“They marry and have children just like everyone else, but they do not kill unwanted babies. They offer a shared table, but not a shared bed. They are passing their days on earth, but are citizens of heaven. They obey the appointed laws and go beyond the laws in their own lives.
“They love everyone, but are persecuted by all. They are put to death and gain life. They are poor and yet make many rich.
They are dishonored and yet gain glory through dishonor. Their names are blackened and yet they are cleared. They are mocked and bless in return. They are treated outrageously and behave respectfully to others.
“When they do good, they are punished as evildoers; when punished, they rejoice as if being given new life. They are attacked by Jews as aliens and are persecuted by Greeks; yet those who hate them cannot give any reason for their hostility.”
from bible.org – Sermon Central
e. When saints choose to be role-models by forgiving their enemies and even praying for blessings for them the Lord smile and the Kingdom impacts more people for God’s glory.
4. A role-model saint rejoices with those who are rejoicing- character trait 18 (vs. 15).
a. Paul tells us that “role-model saints” care so much about each other that they rejoice – are happy for others when they receive the blessings of God.
i. This really is about sharing again!
ii. It’s about having the Jesus kind of love which cares enough for others that you are happy for those who get blessed by God.
iii. It’s about having genuine relationships with others in the Body.
b. Story from sermoncentral.com about creating a community that would be there for one another:
i. The year was 1630. The place was the Massachusetts Bay along the Atlantic coast near the place known as Plymouth Rock. On board the ship the Arabella John Winthrop, the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Company challenged the Puritan settlers to establish a new kind of Christian community.
Winthrop said: We must be knit together in this work as one man, we must entertain each other in brotherly affection. . ., we must delight in each other, make others’ condition our own, rejoice together, mourn together, labor and suffer together. . ., our community as members of the same body, so shall we keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, the Lord will be our God and delight to dwell among us.
Winthrop knew that they were in this thing together; no one could go it alone. Contributor D. Greg Ebie
c. I liken this character trait to a football game with the crowd rejoicing over the accomplishments of their team on the field.
i. Would it not be awesome to have something like this happen in church – to have people rejoicing in the victories of their fellow saints?
ii. Would it not be cool to do the wave when someone got a breakthrough in their life and a blessing from God.
iii. Video Illustration: One fan from Blue fish TV on the power of rejoicing with others for breakthroughs.
Conclusion:
Role-model saints are heroes for the Kingdom of God and they are making an eternal difference by the way they choose to live which is sacrificially for the Lord.
Illustration from sermoncentral.com: Mickey Mantle, an almost mythical baseball star who feared he had failed to fulfill career expectations because of alcohol abuse and whose recent years were haunted by self-recrimination, died of cancer. He was 63. The former New York Yankees center fielder and a member of baseball’s Hall of Fame said at a news conference that he had squandered a gifted life and warned admirers he was no role model. “God gave me the ability to play baseball. God gave me everything,” he said. “For the kids out there, don’t be like me.” We are people that like to have an example to follow. For so many people in the world today, they find their examples on the television screens and in many other places. Sadly, most of these examples are not good examples for people to follow and do not show how to live a Chris like life. It is a sad thing to hear a kid today tell you their examples and role models, because the example often stinks. I believe that we desperately need Godly examples for people to be able to follow. We need people who can show people what it means to live a Christian life and how Christ changes your life. Contributor Jason Cole
Review the 19 character traits covered so far in Romans 12:
A role model saint is a living sacrifice for the Kingdom of God.
o They have chosen to give up their life to Christ because he chose to give up His life for their salvation.
A role-model saint lives holy in an unholy environment.
o When a person observes a saints life they see a person living different than the rest of the sinners.
A role-model saint lives a life that pleases God.
o They live a life that makes God smile!
A role-model saint does not conform to the behavior pattern of this world’s inhabitants.
o They instead conform to the image of Jesus Christ and seek to live godly imitating His lifestyle.
A role-model saint has had their mind renewed by God’s Word.
o They have a point of view that has an eternal perspective and a Biblical world view rather than a corrupt self-centered mindset.
A role-model saint does not think they are someone special because they have a sensible view of them self.
o They do not over rate themselves and live a prideful arrogant lifestyle.
A role-model saint chooses the path of love over hate.
o The hero in the Kingdom of God imitates the character trait of God – God is love and he choose this approach to others so the saint also needs to choose the path of love over hate and behave like God does.
o Quote: “You can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving.”
A role-model saint hates evil and also holds on for dear life to that which is good and godly.
o This hero does not hold onto that which is evil.
A role-model saint is devoted to other saints through the bond of love.
o The role-model saints bond together in love like the Band of Brothers did in Easy Company and many other combat outfits in World War II.
A role-model saint keeps their spiritual zeal for the Lord and for service to the Kingdom.
o It means we love Jesus more today than we did yesterday and we make him the focus of our life.
A role-model saint honors others in the Kingdom over themselves.
o Role model saints honor others from their unit as they fight against the enemy of our society and to the church of Jesus Christ.
o We all need to remember that all role-model saints will be honored with the Medal of Honor in heaven for our service to the Kingdom.
A role-model saint is joyful in their life.
o Role-model saints are individuals who are filled with joy, happiness and freedom which draws others to the Kingdom.
A role-model saint is patient in affliction.
o Role-model saints show tremendous poise and peace under stress and pressure.
o These saints look at the Lord for help in their time of trouble and do not place the blame for their hardship on the Lord.
A role-model saint is faithful in prayer.
o Role-model saints know that to hear from God and to be in tune with God requires that they have an open line of communication between them and the Lord.
A role-model saint shares with God’s children who are in need – character trait number 15 (vs. 13).
o They have learned to die to self-centered ways and to use their resources to help out others in the Body of Christ who are in need.
A role-model saint is hospitable to others - character trait 16 (vs. 13).
o Saints have learned to care about others so as to be a witness for the Kingdom of God.
A role-model saint blesses those who persecute them instead of cursing them - character trait 17 (vs. 14).
o Saints who are heroes in the kingdom give the gift of forgiveness to others out of respect for Jesus and his great gift to them.
A role-model saint rejoices with those who are rejoicing – character trait 18 (vs. 15).
o A hero for the Kingdom of God is one who is others biggest fan!
A role-model saint mourns with those who are mourning- character trait 19 (vs. 15).
o A role-model saint knows the importance of helping others grieve and mourn the hardships of life and there to support them through tough times like this.
